The Committee adopted the draft own-initiative report of Morten Løkkegaard (ALDE) on SOLVIT with a large majority (33-1-1). The report looks into the functioning of SOLVIT as a tool providing citizens and businesses with informal assistance in solving cross-border problems. In doing so, it acknowledges the fact that SOLVIT has achieved tangible results and proved its usefulness and value for the Single Market. However, it also notes a considerable room for improvement. In particular, the report stresses the need to unleash the large potential that SOLVIT could offer businesses, and considers that this requires broader knowledge about SOLVIT within the business community and willingness by the SOLVIT centres to take on more complex, business-related cases. Furthermore, the report draws attention of the Member States to the need to ensure that adequate budgetary and human resources are made available to the SOLVIT network. It also calls on the Commission to set up measurable milestones for the development of SOLVIT and, if these are not reached, consider presenting a legislative proposal. Finally, the report considers that the Your Europe portal should become a single access point for consumers and businesses when confronted with problems or when seeking information, which would facilitate their access to different information and problem-solving tools, including SOLVIT. The vote is scheduled for the February plenary.
Source : © European Union, 2014 - EP