European Union News - Internal Market

Following G-20 recommendations about the need to establish common frameworks for prevention and crisis management, the Commission has published a Communication outlining its plans for an EU framework for crisis management in the financial sector. The plan foresees preparatory and preventive measures, as well as powers for remedies and resolution tools for authorities to apply in crisis situations.

The Official Journal of the European Union published on 20 October 2010, the Directive 2010/66/EU modifying the deadline for submission of applications for refund of value added tax which amends Directive 2008/9/EC laying down detailed rules for the refund of value added tax, provided for in Directive 2006/112/EC, to taxable persons not established in the Member State of refund but established in another Member State.

The European Commission has launched on 18 October an open consultation about e-procurement in order to gather opinions from stake-holders and Member States to speed up and facilitate the procurement process. The Green Paper identifies some of the obstacles for e-procurement and sets out options for overcoming these challenges including, for example, regulatory incentives, standardisation and inter-operability solutions. Interested parties may submit their opinions until 16 January 2011.

In its report on the application of the Schengen Border Code concerning the internal borders, the Commission points to three specific issues of concern: difficulties linked to alleged regular and systematic checks in certain internal border zones; maintenance of obstacles to fluid traffic flow at road crossing-points at internal borders; and delays in the notification of planned reintroduction of internal borders controls.

The Council held on 12 October a policy debate in public deliberation about the draft regulation aimed at establishing translation arrangements for a future EU patent system. The political orientation highlights that a European patent will be an important instrument for European business whose innovation capacity depends on the existence of a reliable and accessible system of patent protection throughout the internal market.

The European Commission has opened on 13 October a public consultation about the  role of statutory audit as well the wider environment within which audits are conducted. The aim of this consultation is to learn from the experience of the crisis and try to reduce to the maximum financial risks in the future. All interested parties may submit their opinions by 8 December 2010.

Commissioner Algirdas Šemeta chaired on 12 October the first meeting of the new Tax Policy Group, which brings together personal representatives of EU Finance Ministers to discuss key tax policy issues. The Group was established in 1996 as a high-level group for strategic discussion on tax policy issues at a European level and played an important role in the success of the "Tax Package" in the late 90s.

The European Commission imposed fines over 17 European producers of prestressing steel for operating a cartel that lasted 18 years until 2002 and covered all but three of the then European Union Member States. Further to this decision, and based on their cooperation in the investigation process, the Commission has reduced these fines to the companies ArcelorMittal, Emesa/Galycas/ArcelorMittal (Espaňa), WDI/Pampus and Rautaruukki/Ovako.

European Union Justice Ministers have approved a law which ensures translation and interpretation rights in criminal proceedings. The law guarantees the right of suspects to obtain interpretation throughout criminal proceedings, including when receiving legal advice, in their own language in all courts in the EU.