Subject files - The modernisation of public procurement - COD - Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection

April 10, 2014, 8:56 am

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The IMCO Committee has considered the Commission's proposals for a modernisation of the EU public procurement rules (rapporteur: Marc Tarabella, S&D). This included the revision of Directive 2004/18/EC ("Classic Directive") on procurement by public authorities, and of Directive 2004/17/EC on procurement by entities operating in the water, energy, transport and postal services sectors ("Utilities Directive"), as well as a new instrument for the award of concessions contracts. This was further complemented by the adoption of a Directive on electronic invoices in public procurement ("e-invoincing"), and an international procurement instrument ('IPI') on access to and from third country procurement markets, conducted jointly by IMCO and INTA.

Public procurement is the process used by government institutions, public sector organisations and certain undertakings in the utilities sectors to buy supplies, services and public works. Such expenditure is a significant and influential component of the economy. The reform aimed to make the existing rules more flexible and easier to apply, to enable a greater strategic use of public purchasing power (to achieve green, social and innovation-related objectives) and to increase the use of new procurement techniques and tools such as joint buying and e-procurement. The basic challenges had already been debated in two IMCO own initiative reports (rapporteur: Heide Rühle, Greens), adopted in plenary in 2010 and 2011, in response to the Commission's Green Paper consultation.

The parliamentary works were completed within the record period of 2 years: The European Commission presented its proposal, issued in December 2011, and the Impact Assessment to the IMCO Members on 9 January 2012, followed by a first exchange of views on 29 February 2012. The negotiations were successfully concluded at first reading with the confirmation of the agreement by COREPER I in July 2013 and IMCO endorsement on 5 September 2013. The full modernisation package was adopted by Parliament in a plenary vote on 15 January 2014, and by Council on 11 February 2014. Amendments had been considered on 18 September and 5 November 2012, and compromise amendments on 28 November 2012. On 18 December 2012 and 24 January 2013, IMCO adopted its reports on, respectively, the classic and the utilities proposals (Classic Directive: 23 votes in favour, 8 against and 7 abstentions; Utilities Directive: 25 votes in favour, 5 against and 8 abstentions). Informal trilogue negotiations with the Council then lasted from February until July 2013.

The package was published in the Official Journal of the European Union on 28 March 2014, and has entered into force on 17 April 2014.

Rapporteur: Marc Tarabella (S&D)

Shadow rapporteurs: Frank Engel (EPP), Jürgen Creutzmann (ALDE), Heide Rühle (Greens), Malcolm Harbour / Edvard Kožušník (ECR), Dennis de Jong (GUE), Matteo Salvini (EFD).

Source : © European Union, 2014 - EP

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Publications - Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection

April 11, 2014, 12:40 am

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Source : © European Union, 2014 - EP

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Latest news - The next Committee Meeting will be held on: - Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection

April 15, 2014, 2:55 am

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Monday 7 July (tbc - constitutive meeting).

► Newsletter: Issue 50: April 2014 - Previous issues
If you wish to subscribe, send us an email with "Newsletter" as subject

► Latest studies/briefing notes:

- Briefing note: Towards indicators for measuring the Performance of the Single Market

- Study: Streaming and Online Access to Content and Services

- Consumer Product Safety Regulation: Detailed Appraisal of the European Commission's Impact Assessment

- ‘EU Safety Tested’ Marking: Impact Assessment of a Substantive EP Amendment

Further information
2014 work plan
2014 timetables
2014 Calendar of meetings
Studies

Source : © European Union, 2014 - EP

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Highlights - Pressure equipment, motor vehicles, product safety and market surveillance in Plenary - Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection

April 17, 2014, 12:55 am

≫ Next: Minutes - Monday, 7 April 2014 - PE 532.438v01-00 - Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection

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The legislatives reports on making available on the market of pressure equipment and on the correct application of the law on customs and agricultural matters were voted on during Parliament’s plenary sitting of 15.04.14. Parliament also discussed and voted on the reports regarding consumer product safety and market surveillance of products. The report on simplifying the transfer of motor vehicles was voted on 16.04.14.

Further information
Adopted texts
IMCO website

Source : © European Union, 2014 - EP

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Minutes - Monday, 7 April 2014 - PE 532.438v01-00 - Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection

April 17, 2014, 4:55 am

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Source : © European Union, 2014 - EP

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Subject files - Alignment Package - Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection

May 15, 2014, 1:40 am

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Zuzana Roithová, Member of the IMCO committee

The Alignment Package consists of nine directives being aligned to the 'New Legislative Framework' (NLF) which was adopted as part of the goods package from 2008, in particular decision No 768/2008/EC establishing a common framework for the marketing of products. The NLF sets out the reference for future product legislation and the 9 directives were chosen as they were not foreseen for revision in the coming years. The directives were aligned to the NLF through a recast technique, seeking to focus only on changes that were a direct result of the alignment procedure without going into substantive changes that would require longer preparations. The Directive on Pressure Equipment was separated from the Alignment package presented in November 2011 because, unlike the other nine Directives, this recast also contained an alignment with another EU legislative act, namely Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 (CLP Regulation) of the EP and of the CEU of 16 December 2008 on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures. The intention of the proposal was restricted to a pure alignment with the horizontal provisions in Decision 768/2008/EC and CLP Regulation as well as the new terminology within the Lisbon Treaty, including new rules on Comitology. The IMCO Members supported the Commission's general intention of a pure alignment and had therefore limited their amendments to the EC proposal to changes reflecting the agreement obtained between the Council and the Parliament on the nine other Directives and which had been omitted in the proposal.

Rapporteur: Zuzana Roithova

Shadow Rapporteurs: Toine Manders (ALDE), Christel Schaldemose (S&D) / Kerstin Westphal (S&D) for Pressure Equipment, Ashley Fox (ECR) and Matteo Salvini (EFD)

Source : © European Union, 2014 - EP

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Subject files - Radio Equipment Directive - Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection

May 15, 2014, 2:10 am

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The draft Radio Equipment Directive lays downs harmonised ruled for placing on the market of the radio equipment and includes essential requirements for the protection of health and safety, of electromagnetic compatibility and for the avoidance of harmful interference.

The scope of the Directive has been extended to include all radio receivers, however it has been restricted to radio equipment capable of radio communication or radio determination only. An explicit reference to the common chargers for particular categories or classes of radio equipment has been included into the text. In order to improve the level of compliance the registration of radio equipment within some categories has been approved.

The political agreement has been reached in December 2013 and subsequently approved by the COREPER and the IMCO Committee in January 2014. Plenary vote was held on 13 March 2014 (result of vote in Plenary: 550 in favour, 12 against, 8 abstentions.)

Rapporteur: Barbara Weiler (S&D, DE)

Shadows: Wim van de Camp (EPP, NL), Toine Manders (ALDE, NL), Heide Rühle (Greens, DE), Malcolm Harbour (ECR, UK), Matteo Salvini (EFD, IT).

Source : © European Union, 2014 - EP

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Subject files - Construction Products Regulation - Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection

May 15, 2014, 6:40 am

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The Construction Products Regulation (CPR) is aimed to simplify and clarify the existing framework for the placing on the market of construction products. It lays down the conditions for the placing or making available on the market of construction products by establishing harmonised rules on how to express the performance of construction products in relation to their essential characteristics and on the use of CE marking on those products. It has entered into force on 24 April 2011, while some of the provisions entered into force on 1 July 2013 to allow businesses necessary time for the adaptation to the new legislation.

Rapporteur: Catherine Stihler (S&D)

Shadow Rapporteurs: Hans-Peter Mayer (EPP), Cristian Silviu Buşoi (ALDE), Heide Rühle (GREENS/EFA), Emma McClarkin (ECR), Matteo Salvini (EFD)

Source : © European Union, 2014 - EP

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Subject files - Internal market for retail services - Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection

May 15, 2014, 6:40 am

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The retail sector is a key pillar of the European economy. Today, it accounts for 11% of the EU’s GDP and 15% of EU employment and offers job opportunities to millions of European workers. What is more, retailers play a crucial role in bringing the Single Market closer to consumers across Europe in their daily lives, be it in local shops or online.

However, a number of barriers continue hampering the good performance of the retail sector, from an economic, social or environmental point of view, and prevent European retailers from providing the greatest benefits to consumers and to the European economy as a whole. The Services Directive, which applies in this area, contains unequivocal obligations for Member States concerning access to, and exercise of retail activities, including an obligation to eliminate requirements such as economic needs tests.

In addition, a number of bottlenecks have been identified, notably through the Commission's 2010 retail market monitoring report, which often cut across various policy areas and require joint action by EU institutions, Member States and retail stakeholders at all levels, ranging from facilitating consumer decisions, to improving access to retail services, promoting fairer and sustainable trading relationships along the retail supply chain, promoting innovation and creating a better working environment.

In an effort to address those barriers and move towards a more efficient and fairer internal market in retail services, IMCO prepared two specific parliamentary resolutions during the period 2009-2014.

During this period, IMCO also engaged in a regular dialogue with stakeholders, throughout the supply chain and across different sectors, notably in the framework of the annual Retail Market Roundtable, the first of which was held 26 September 2013.

Source : © European Union, 2014 - EP

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Subject files - Online gambling - Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection

May 15, 2014, 6:40 am

≫ Next: Subject files - Internal market for services: the Services Directive and beyond - Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection

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Online gambling is a fast growing service activity in the EU, with annual growth rates of almost 15% and expected revenues of €13 billion in 2015. Continued technological innovation is increasing access to online gambling services, particularly across borders. The Commission estimates that nearly 7 million Europeans participate in online gambling. The special nature of online gambling services exposes consumers, in particular vulnerable consumers such as children, to a series of risks, including the risk of addiction. What is more, the diversity of regulatory frameworks in the EU - from monopolistic regimes run by a public or private operator to licencing systems with multiple operators - means that some gambling sites operate within the EU outside any form of regulatory control. Other challenges include increasing levels of crime, tax evasion, money laundering and match fixing. It is becoming clear that coordinated action at EU level is necessary to meet the challenges of this growing sector.

IMCO follows developments in this sector actively and has set out the Parliament's approach in a series of three resolutions over the past years, emphasizing that whilst it is important to ensure the internal market freedoms of establishment and cross border service provision are respected, gambling is not an ordinary economic activity and the protection of human health and consumers should be the guiding principle for any national or EU -level action.

The way forward

Following the Commission Green Paper in 2011 and in response to the European Parliament resolutions, the Commission in 2012 produced an action plan for a comprehensive European framework for online gambling. This plan put forward a series of measures to improve the prevention of fraud and money laundering, improvement of administrative cooperation and enforcement between Member States, safeguarding the integrity of sports, ensuring compliance with EU law and the protection of consumers.

In reaction, IMCO prepared a third parliamentary resolution on online gambling, adopted in 2013. The resolution calls for a series of actions from the Member States and the Commission:

• Ensure a high level of consumer and health protection in the Union through common standards

• Take action against illegal gambling (e.g. the illegal engagement of minors, money laundering and inadequate licensing)

• Protect the integrity of sports (fight against match fixing and installation of a European alert system for betting regulators to share information)

• Continue coordinated research into understanding problem gambling and possibility for EU-wide interoperability of nation frameworks

• Strengthen security and enforcement through best practices and information sharing

• Continue to monitor and enforce compliance of national laws and practices with EU law

• Work towards transparent and simplified procedures that are more ambitious in addressing the social costs and harmful effects of gambling

IMCO will continue to engage with Member States and the Commission to pursue work in this area.

Rapporteur: Ashley Fox (ECR)

Shadows: Sirpa Pietikäinen (EPP), Christel Schaldemose (S&D), Jürgen Creutzmann (ALDE), Heide Rühle (Greens), Cornelis De Jong (GUE/NGL), Matteo Salvini (EFD)

Opinion: CULT and JURI

Source : © European Union, 2014 - EP

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Subject files - Internal market for services: the Services Directive and beyond - Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection

May 15, 2014, 6:40 am

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The services sector has been the driver for EU growth for some years now, with services today accounting for more than 65% of EU GDP and employment. There is an increasing relationship between services and manufacturing in today's economy, with manufacturing companies increasingly including services both on the output (e.g. maintenance and repair services) and the input side (e.g. business advisory or ICT services). A better functioning EU services market is therefore a vital prerequisite for a more competitive European economy.

IMCO is the lead committee in ensuring the free movement of services within the European Union becomes a reality on the ground. To this end, IMCO led the EP in the negotiations of the Services Directive, adopted in 2006.

Implementing the Services Directive

The Directive, considered a key tool to promote structural reform in the services sector, requires the Member States to simplify administrative procedures and formalities that businesses need to comply with. In particular, it requires Member States to remove unjustified and disproportionate burdens and to substantially facilitate:

• the establishment of a business, i.e. cases in which a natural or legal person wants to set up a permanent establishment in a Member State, and

• the cross-border provision of services, i.e. cases in which a business wants to supply services across borders in another Member State, without setting up an establishment there.

It also seeks to make it easier for consumers to benefit from the single market, by offering a broader choice, by making sure consumers have all information necessary when buying services across borders and by addressing practices where businesses unjustifiably deny access to their services to consumers living in another Member State.

In addition, the Directive obliges Member States to set up “points of single contact”, e-Government portals to help businesses find out about the rules, regulations and formalities that apply to service activities and to enable them to complete all relevant procedures online (by submitting the necessary application forms and supporting documents etc. electronically) including across borders.

IMCO has actively followed the implementation of the Services Directive, which came into force on 28 December 2009. In the 7th legislature, IMCO prepared three parliamentary resolutions on the implementation of the Directive:

- The internal Market for Services: State of Play and Next Steps (2012/2144(INI)), Anna Maria Corazza Bildt, EPP

- Mutual Evaluation Process of the Services Directive (2011/2085(INI)), Malgorzata HANDZLIK, EPP

- Implementation of the Services Directive 2006/123/EC (2010/2053(INI)), Evelyne GEBHARDT, S&D

State of play and next steps

Although progress has been made after the past years, it is clear that the Directive is still not fully implemented and correctly applied in all Member States as businesses continue to face an accumulation of red tape, discriminatory practices and barriers that hamper the free movement of services.

The latest resolution, adopted by plenary on 11 September 2013, argues that by unleashing remaining barriers and administrative burdens in the services sector, the EU could make an economic gain of up to 2,6% of GDP in the next 5 years. The resolution regrets the "significant numbers of identified cases where Member States are inappropriately invoking overriding reasons of public interests for the sole purpose of "protecting and favoring their domestic markets". The resolution calls on Member States to ease overly onerous requirements and to remove double regulatory burdens in the area of cross-border service provision. In addition, the EP calls on the Commission to take an integrated approach to the internal market for services, ensuring consistency between different pieces of legislation that affect services companies. Finally, it puts forward a number of steps to promote better enforcement and to strengthen transparency and accountability.

Rapporteur: Anna Maria Corazza Bildt (EPP)

Shadow Rapporteurs: Sylvana Rapti(S&D), Morten Løkkegaard (ALDE), Heide Rühle (Greens), Malcolm Harbour (ECR), Thomas Händel (GUE/NGL) and Matteo Salvini (EFD).

IMCO will continue following the work of the Commission in this domain, both in terms of proper enforcement of existing legislation and concerning any future measures, including the ongoing "peer review" assessing barriers restricting access to and exercise of regulated professions ( see also the subject file on the recognition of professional qualifications).

Source : © European Union, 2014 - EP

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Subject files - Textile fibre names and related labelling - Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection

May 15, 2014, 7:40 am

≫ Next: Subject files - Agricultural and forestry vehicles - Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection

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On 11 May 2011, the Parliament endorsed the agreement reached with the Council by the IMCO negotiators on a new regulation which lays down rules concerning the use of textile fibre names and related labelling and marking of fibre composition of textile products. It also set rules concerning the labelling or marking of textile products containing non-textile parts of animal origin, as well as rules concerning the determination of the fibre composition of textile products. The general objectives are to improve the functioning of the internal market and to provide accurate information to consumers.

Rapporteur: Toine Manders (ALDE, NL)

Shadow rapporteurs: L. Comi (EPP), C. Schaldemose (S&D), H. Rühle (Greens/EFA), E. McClarkin (ECR), E.B. Svensson (GUE/NGL), M. Salvini (EFD)

Source : © European Union, 2014 - EP

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Subject files - Agricultural and forestry vehicles - Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection

May 15, 2014, 7:55 am

≫ Next: Subject files - Approval and market surveillance of two-, three- and four-wheel vehicles - Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection

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Following an agreement at first reading, the European Parliament and Council adopted the Regulation on the approval of agricultural or forestry vehicles. The Regulation establishes the administrative and technical requirements for the type-approval of all new vehicles, systems, components and separate technical units. It also lays down the requirements for the market surveillance of vehicles, systems, components and separate technical units which are subject to approval. In particular, it applies to the following vehicles: tractors (categories T and C), trailers (category R); and interchangeable towed equipment (category S). For certain vehicles the manufacturer may choose whether to apply for approval under the Regulation or whether to comply with the relevant national requirements: (a) trailers (category R) and interchangeable towed equipment (category S); (b) track-laying tractors (category C); (c) special purpose wheeled tractors (categories T4.1 and T4.2).

Source : © European Union, 2014 - EP

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Subject files - Approval and market surveillance of two-, three- and four-wheel vehicles - Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection

May 15, 2014, 8:25 am

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The European Parliament and Council adopted a regulation on the approval and market surveillance of two-or three-wheeled vehicles and quadricyles. The Parliament adopted its position at first reading. The amendments adopted at plenary are the result of a compromise negotiated between the European Parliament and the Council. They amend the proposal as follows:

Scope: the Regulation establishes the administrative and technical requirements for the type-approval of all new vehicles, systems, components and separate technical units. It also establishes the requirements for the market surveillance of parts and equipment for such vehicles. The Regulation also applies to enduro motorcycles, trial motorcycles and heavy all terrain quads.
Safety provisions: amendments seek to ensure a high level of vehicle functional safety, occupational safety and environmental protection, in harmonising the technical requirements and environmental standards applicable to vehicles, systems, components and separate technical units with regard to type-approval.
Environmental requirements: the Regulation sets environmental requirements for two stages with the second stage (Euro 5) being mandatory for new types of vehicles as of 1 January 2020, thereby creating long-term planning predictability for the vehicle manufacturers and the supplier industry.
Access to repair and maintenance information:the amended text stresses that unrestricted access to vehicle repair information, via a standardised format which can be used to retrieve the technical information, and effective competition on the market for vehicle repair and maintenance information services are necessary to improve the functioning of the internal market. A great proportion of such information is related to on-board diagnostic systems and their interaction with other vehicle systems.

Rapporteur: Wim van de Camp (EPP)

Shadow Rapporteurs: Kerstin Westphal (S&D), Toine Manders (ALDE), Heide Rühle (GREENS/EFA), Malcolm Harbour (ECR), Matteo Salvini (EFD)

Source : © European Union, 2014 - EP

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Subject files - Transfer of vehicles registered in another MS within the Single Market - Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection

May 15, 2014, 8:55 am

≫ Next: Subject files - Recreational Crafts and Personal Watercrafts - Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection

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Notwithstanding the progressing integration of the single market, motor vehicle registration problems remain a frequent obstacle for citizens when exercising their rights under EU law in their daily lives. To address those problems, on 4 April 2012, the Commission presented a legislative proposal aimed to harmonise, streamline, and simplify the procedures for re-registration of motor vehicles registered in another Member State. On this basis, on 9 July 2013 IMCO adopted a report, which seeks to further simplify the vehicle registration formalities and conditions.

Following a slow progress in the Council, IMCO decided to enter informal negotiations with a view of reaching agreement with the Council on 23 January 2014. However, on 31 January 2014, a majority of Member States requested an impact assessment on the taxation aspects of this proposal before continuing work on it, and the Presidency suspended its negotiations until the impact assessment will have been delivered by the Commission.

The debate on the IMCO report in plenary took place on 15 April 2014 following which the report was sent back to IMCO for further examination while awaiting the Council to resume the negotiations.

Rapporteur: Toine Manders (ALDE)

Shadow Rapporteurs: Othmar KARAS (EPP), Catherine STIHLER (S&D), Heide RÜHLE (Greens/EFA), Malcolm HARBOUR (ECR), Thomas HÄNDEL (GUE/NGL) and Matteo SALVINI (EFD)

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Subject files - Recreational Crafts and Personal Watercrafts - Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection

May 15, 2014, 9:25 am

≫ Next: Subject files - European Standardisation - Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection

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The Recreational Craft Directive was adopted in 1994 to regulate the placing on the market of pleasure boats on the European market. It lays down essential safety requirement that manufacturers shall respect when designing watercraft in order to place those safe watercraft on the EU market. The manufacturers must fulfil several obligations in order to show that their product complies with the Directive, including a Declaration of Conformity of the watercraft with the essential requirements of the Directive, affixing the CE marking on the product and providing the users with information on the use and maintenance of the product.

The revision of the Directive substantially modernises existing EU rules on safety and environmental performance requirements for watercrafts designed for private use activities i.e. leisure, sporting and training activities including when hired, with or without crews.

Rapporteur: Malcolm Harbour (ECR)

Shadow rapporteurs: Andreas Schwab (EPP), Mitro Repo (S&D), Toine Manders (ALDE), Heide Rühle (Greens), Matteo Salvini (EFD)

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Subject files - European Standardisation - Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection

May 15, 2014, 9:40 am

≫ Next: Subject files - Measures to ensure a high common level of network and information security across the Union - Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection

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The regulation on European Standardisation, as adopted by the Parliament on 11 September 2012, aims to ensure:

(i) the effectiveness and efficiency of standards and standardisation as policy tools for the Union through cooperation between European standardisation organisations, national standardisation bodies, Member States and the Commission;

(ii) the establishment of European standards and European standardisation deliverables for products and for services in support of Union legislation and policies,

(iii) the identification of ICT technical specifications eligible for referencing,

(iv) the financing of European standardisation

(v)stakeholder participation in European standardisation.

Rapporteur: Lara Comi (EPP)

Shadow Rapporteurs: : Christel Schaldemose (S&D), Toine Manders (ALDE), Heide Rühle (GREENS/EFA), Edvard Kožušník (ECR), Dennis de Jong (GUE/NGL), Matteo Salvini (EFD)

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Subject files - Measures to ensure a high common level of network and information security across the Union - Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection

May 15, 2014, 10:25 am

≫ Next: Subject files - European single market for electronic communications and to achieve a connected continent - Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection

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The proposal for a directive aims at improving the security of the information systems underpinning the functioning of the internal market. This is to be achieved by requiring the Member States to increase their preparedness and improve their cooperation with each other, and by requiring operators of critical infrastructures, such as energy, transport, and key providers of information society services (e-commerce platforms, social networks, etc.), as well as public administrations to adopt appropriate steps to manage security risks and report serious incidents to the national competent authorities.

This proposal is presented in connection with the joint Communication of the Commission and High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on a European Cybersecurity. The European Parliament adopted by 521 votes to 22 with 25 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a directive on 13^th March 2014.

Rapporteur: Andreas Schwab (EPP)

Shadows: Vincente Miguel Garcês Ramon (S&D), Toine Manders (ALDE), Christian Engstrom (Greens), Malcolm Harbour (ECR), Matteo Salvini (EFD)

Opinions: ITRE, LIBE (associated committees) and AFET

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Subject files - European single market for electronic communications and to achieve a connected continent - Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection

May 15, 2014, 10:25 am

≫ Next: Subject files - Accessibility of public sector bodies' websites - Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection

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Despite efforts over the last ten years to liberalise and integrate the telecommunications market, Europe is still fragmented into 28 separate national communications markets, each with a limited number of players. To overcome this problem, in September 2013 the Commission has put forward a package of proposals to reform the European telecoms market, including a proposal for a regulation. This current patchy scenario raises barriers and increases the costs for operators wanting to provide cross-border services thereby impeding their expansion. EU rules on, for example, authorisations, regulatory conditions, spectrum assignment and consumer protection are implemented in diverging ways. As a consequence, while no operator is present in more than half of the Member States at best, overall more than 200 operators serve a market of 510 million of customers. This stands in stark contrast with the US or China who have one single market of 330 and 1400 million customers respectively, served by four to five large operators, with one legislation, one licensing system, and one spectrum policy. The untapped potential of an EU single market in electronic communications is estimated at up to 0.9% GDP, or EUR 110 billion per year. The benefits from a single market for business communication services alone amount to almost EUR 90 billion per year. To benefit from this untapped potential the proposed regulation builds upon and advances the main directives of 2002 governing the provision of electronic communications, as amended in 2009, by introducing directly applicable legislative provisions which shall operate in conjunction with the provisions of the existing legislative package.

On 23 January 2014, the IMCO Committee adopted the draft opinion of Mr Harbour on the proposed regulation on a European single market for electronic communications. The opinion diverts significantly from the Commission's original approach of fully harmonising consumer rights provisions through the regulation and instead introduces valuable new provisions through amending the Universal Services and Users' Rights Directive.

Rapporteur: Malcolm Harbour (ECR)

The shadow rapporteurs are: Regina Bastos (EPP), Bernadette Vergnaud (S&D), Jürgen Creutzmann (ALDE) and Christian Engström (Greens).

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Subject files - Accessibility of public sector bodies' websites - Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection

May 15, 2014, 10:55 am

≫ Next: Subject files - Modernisation of Customs - Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection

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There are over 761,000 public sector websites in the EU that offer access to information and services. However, only a third of them meet international web-accessibility standards, e.g. by enabling the user to enlarge texts and images, enriching videos with sign language, underlining clickable links or making the website navigable with a keyboard alone. This means that many online public services are difficult, if not impossible to access for vulnerable people, elderly or disabled persons.

What is more, the market for accessibility technology is highly fragmented, due to a wide variety of diverging national accessibility specifications that lead to uncertainty and loss of opportunity for SMEs in particular. To address this situation and to bring the EU in line with its political commitments at UN level, the Commission in December 2012 put forward a proposal for a directive on the accessibility of public sector bodies' websites. The proposal aims to introduce mandatory EU standardised accessibility features for certain types of public sector websites, in order to render the content of these websites accessible to all users. It also clarifies what web-accessibility means and encourages Member States to apply these rules across all public sector websites.

IMCO has taken the lead in the European Parliament's work on the proposal, adopting its report in November 2013. The plenary approved the report in February 2014 with 593 votes to 40 with 13 abstentions. This vote constitutes the European Parliament’s first reading position, which the Council of Ministers may accept or adopt its own position, for further discussion with Parliament.

The Parliament position extends the scope of the directive to ensure that all public sector bodies' websites are fully accessible, not just the 12 categories proposed by the Commission. It also voted in favor of an extension of the new rules to websites belonging to other entities performing public tasks such as the provision of gas, heat, electricity or water, transport, or electronic communication services. In line with the scope extension, the report foresees a set of staggered deadlines, distinguishing between new and existing content and with a further transitional period for live audio content. In addition, the Parliament proposes that a separate authority be nominated in each Member State tasked with monitoring and rigorously enforcing the rules and setting up a complaint mechanism for problems with web accessibility.

Rapporteur: Jorgo Chatzimarkakis (ALDE)

Shadow rapporteurs are: Rafal Trzaskowski (EPP), Vincente Garces Ramon (S&D), Christian Engström (Greens) and Adam Bielan (ECR).

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