Car industry and single market review on agenda

The Competitiveness Council, on 5 and 6 March, should see conclusions adopted on supportive measures for the automotive industry as well as conclusions on the Single Market Review. Chaired by Czech Industry Minister Martin Ríman and Education Minister Ondrej Liska, the Council should also adopt a so-called key issues paper on the Lisbon strategy ahead of the spring European Council, on 19 and 20 March. Over lunch, ministers will examine the impact of the economic crisis on the EU’s competitiveness. Following this, the Council is expected to take note of a Czech progress report on the ‘better regulation’ initiative.

Supportive measures

The major issue for ministers is the automotive industry. Here, following an exchange of views, ministers should finally adopt conclusions on supportive measures for the automobile sector. The Presidency continues to note that measures must be “timely, targeted and temporary”. According to the Czechs, the conclusions confirm the sense of “urgency”. Ministers have been told to focus the debate on the long-term competitiveness of the sector as well as the short-term need for coordinated European response.

Measures flagged include improved access to finance; investment in innovative and clean technologies; development of a skilled workforce; socially responsible sector restructuring; renewal of the European car fleet; the external dimension of the competitiveness as well as dialogue with third-country trade partners.

Another hot topic for ministers is the follow-up to the Single Market Review. Here, the Council is set to adopt conclusions on the Commission’s progress report on the Single Market Review from December 2008. They are to be presented to the European Council at the spring summit. The conclusions note the need to continue removing existing barriers to the internal market. The importance is underlined of new tools, such as the internal market information system for cross-border administration cooperation, points of single contact and the problem solving mechanism SOLVIT. Ministers are set to call for a single web gateway to all of these tools. Additionally, the Council stresses the need for the EU to “intensify” efforts to create a Community patent and a patent litigation system. Ministers also call for a follow-up to the Commission’s Single Market Review to take place yearly. A so-called key issues paper on boosting EU competitiveness should be adopted for the spring European Council. The Presidency also presents a progress report on the ‘better regulation’ initiative following the Commission’s third strategic review on better regulation, adopted at the end of January. On the second day of the Council, on 6 March, ministers will hold a public debate on the development of the European Research Area as well as discuss the role of European research infrastructures, notably in the context of the economic recovery plan.

Source: Europolitics