Highlights - Vote on General budget - Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection

IMCO adopted the draft opinion by Ildikó Gáll-Pelcz (EPP)to BUDG by 26 in favour, 5 against and 1 abstention. The opinion recalls theimportance of the Single Market, the consumer policy and the customs union andcalls for appropriate budgetary allocations to these areas. Particular stress isput on the future financing of the Single Market Forum (SIMFO), on the fundingof SOLVIT, the COSME programme and the Enterprise Europe Network in 2016, thesupport to the standardisation activities, and the need for financing the multilingualfacility for the online dispute resolution (ODR) platform. Furthermore, IMCObacked-up its Rapporteur in suggesting that that the Draft Budget 2016 berestored for the budgetary lines within the IMCO remit where the Councilreduced commitment or payment appropriations. IMCO also put forward a new pilotproject on consumer empowerment and education on the safety of products andmarket surveillance in the Digital Single Market.