25 June 2008

IMCO meeting 23-25 June

IMCO held an exchange of views with Commissioner Kuneva on the Annual Policy Strategy 2009 and voted on the report on the Internal Market Scoreboard.

Exchange of views with Commissioner Kuneva - Annual Policy Strategy 2009

Commissioner Kuneva presented her Annual Policy Strategy 2009 underlining that the timing is restricted by the election of the European Parliament and the deadlines of the Commission mandates. Key elements for 2009 will include ‘Consumer Contractual Rights’, where the Commission is due to adopt a report in October 2008, and ‘Collective Redress’, where the Commission will come forward with a communication which will outline the future strategy.

Furthermore, the Commission will touch upon the issue of distance selling in across the European Union to remove barriers to online trading on a cross-border basis. A study on E-commerce is already under way, Mrs Kuneva said.

The Commission will also come forward with a second edition of the consumer scoreboard in due course.

Internal Market Scoreboard - Adoption of draft report

IMCO adopted the report on the Internal Market Scoreboard prepared by rapporteur Charlotte Cederschiöld which calls on the Commission to further elaborate indicators. The Commission has been assessing the Internal Market Scoreboard twice a year since 1997 to measure how quickly and properly Member States transpose Single Market Directives into national legislation. The Scoreboard also highlights any ongoing infringement proceedings.

MEPs suggest that the Commission bases the Scoreboard on new indicators, e.g. better linking of transposition performance and infringements against a Member State, measuring obstacles to the free movement of persons, based on business and consumers surveys.

© Graham Bishop