Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2002-11-07-Speech-4-006"
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"Mr President, Commissioner, it is a great pleasure to have this opportunity to discuss the state of affairs regarding the internal market, and the impetus behind it, with the European Parliament. I am sorry that I was a little late.
The services sector is vital to European growth: two out of three jobs are in this sector, and the private and public service industries account for 70% of EU GDP. The Commission’s report on barriers in the internal market for services shows that there are many barriers of both a legislative and a non-legislative nature. We must find a solution to this. As soon as the Commission has submitted its proposals, the Council and Parliament must consider how the remaining barriers can be removed as quickly as possible.
The internal market for financial services is also extremely important. In the face of global financial markets, regulation must take place at EU level. The economic benefits of the implementation of the Financial Services Action Plan have been analysed by the so-called ‘Gyllenhammer group’, amongst others. The analysis suggests that financial integration will bring about an annual increase in growth of up to half a per cent of GDP. I note with pleasure that 30 proposals have now been adopted, including four of the eight proposals mentioned in the conclusions from the
European Council meeting in Barcelona.
Freedom of movement for persons and businesses is also essential. Increased mobility is crucial to maintaining a good rate of growth while at the same time avoiding bottlenecks in parts of the European Union. Many changes to company law, among other things, have been implemented, but a need for further harmonisation has become apparent in the light of such things as the Enron scandal.
The package concerning the internal market for electricity and gas is also an important element in the completion of the internal market. The Presidency attaches great importance to ensuring impetus in this matter. It is the intention that political consensus be reached on the whole package concerning the internal market for electricity and gas at the meeting of the Energy Council on 25 November.
A dynamic consumer policy in an enlarged EU must take account of market developments and the real level of consumer protection needed. In this connection, it is crucial to have common rules on the marketing of goods and services in the EU. The Green Paper forms a good basis for continued work in this regard.
Lastly, it is more important than ever that we simplify and improve our rules, to make life easier for citizens and business in the EU. At its meetings in May and September, the Council reached agreement on the amendment of the public procurement directives, and the Presidency is now working towards communicating a common position to Parliament as quickly as possible.
We must work together to ensure the simplification and improvement of EU legislation by means of effective implementation of the Commission’s action plan. Studies carried out by the Commission show that better lawmaking could save businesses approximately EUR 50 000 million per annum, corresponding to 4% of GDP.
The Presidency accords high priority to the matter. In the Council’s conclusions from its meeting on 30 September, priorities included the work on simplification of EU rules, and also impact assessments and methods for following up the implementation of the action plan. Our goal is to adopt the interinstitutional agreement before the end of the year. This depends, of course, on the course of the negotiations currently taking place with the European Parliament and the Commission. It is impossible to meet everyone’s wishes if the agreement is to be concluded by the end of 2002.
The Competitiveness Council, together with the European Parliament and the Commission, has a responsibility for ensuring that we give an impetus to the work on boosting growth and competitiveness in the EU.
We must bear in mind that we have to work together closely if we are to meet these challenges. Achieving competitive businesses and securing continued economic growth are tasks requiring a concerted effort. It is in everyone’s interests that we work together as effectively as possible in order that progress can be made quickly in those areas of legislation in which we, the legislators, have joint competence and a joint responsibility.
The EU is currently facing great challenges. We have to manage the forthcoming enlargement by ten new Member States, and at the same time we still have to carry out a number of reforms in order that the EU is able to function as an economically robust global player.
As President-in-Office of the Council, I have chosen to discuss the state of affairs regarding the completion of the internal market with you today, as I consider it crucial that we have a true internal market encompassing all of the new countries, and, at the same time, an economy which can compete at external level: in the spirit of the ambitious Lisbon vision. The European Parliament of today is a major co-legislator in matters concerning the development of the internal market. As President of the Competitiveness Council, therefore, I feel that this is a natural and particularly necessary topic for discussion with Parliament today.
It is 15 years since the idea of an internal market was put on the agenda. It is nearly ten years since the wheels were set in motion. The internal market is one of the most ambitious goals ever set in the history of the EU. In the sectors in which we have reached our goals, the benefits for European consumers and businesses have been tremendous. The internal market has brought more and better products at lower prices, freedom of movement across borders, and especially an increase in competitiveness. At the same time, however, we note that there are unfortunately still many difficult issues that need to be resolved before the internal market is complete.
The Danish Presidency has chosen to accord this area top priority. This is firstly because a fully operational internal market is a key element in the EU's competitiveness, economic growth and employment. Secondly, the development of technologies and markets necessitates the removal of the remaining barriers to cross-border trade. Thirdly, increased economic globalisation requires swifter action on structural reforms. It is of crucial importance to have product and capital markets which function well.
The internal market must be able to deliver what our citizens expect of it: a wide selection of products and services that are of high quality, safe, and reasonably priced; and also freedom of movement across internal borders without unnecessary red tape.
The forthcoming enlargement is vital. The candidate countries are working hard in order to be ready for accession. I am fully confident that they will do their utmost to cope with the legislation we have adopted over many years, and it is our responsibility to assist them as best we can – even after their accession.
There is great potential in a newly enlarged internal market – for both citizens and businesses. An internal market with 100 million more consumers in fast-growing economies will mean faster economic growth and more jobs in both the present and the future Member States. A 2001 study by the Commission shows that enlargement will lead to an increase in the candidate countries’ GDP of between 1.3% and 2.1% per annum. For the existing members, the overall increase in GDP will be 0.7%. The growth potential of the forthcoming enlargement will depend on whether we can push through the structural reforms which are still lacking.
One of the greatest challenges we face is the completion of the internal market in the areas in which it is not functioning as intended."@en1
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