Competitiveness
Council, Brussels, 19 February 2007
Letter to the Chairman from the Minister for
Trade, Investment and Foreign Affairs, Department of Trade and
Industry (Ian McCartney MP)
I am writing to provide information on the Competitiveness
Council in Brussels on 19 February 2007. Michael Glos, German
Federal Minister of Economics and Technologies will chair the
Council.
There will be a presentation by the Commission followed
by an exchange of views, which will be in public. The Council
will discuss the Commission's proposal that the Spring European
Council endorse a 25% target for reducing administrative burdens
from EU legislation, as well as the scope for similar action covering
national law in the member states. Improving the EU regulatory
framework is a priority for the Presidency and, as such, it will
wish to secure an agreement on administrative burdens reduction
which will produce real benefits for business. The UK supports
this.
The next item on the agenda is on the Commission's
Communication on a Competitive Automotive Regulatory Framework
for the 21st Century (CARS 21). There will be a presentation
from the Commission followed by an exchange of views. The UK is
keen to ensure that an integrated approach is taken to the automotive
sector and will be making this point at the Council.
There will follow an agenda item on the Lisbon Economic
Reform process and, specifically, the contribution of the Competitiveness
Council to the Spring European Council (the "Key Issues Paper").
There will be a presentation from the Commission on its 2006 Annual
Progress Report, an orientation debate, and adoption of the Key
Issues Paper. The Key Issues Paper covers five broad areas
the Single Market, Better Regulation, Research and Innovation,
Unlocking business potential, and External trade policy. It is
in line with UK priorities for the Competitiveness Council.
Four items will be taken under Any Other Business:
1. Communication from the Commission concerning
the Free Movement of Goods Revision of the New Approach
and Mutual Recognition in the non-harmonised area (Information
from the Commission).
2. Green Paper for the Revision of the Community
"Acquis" in the area of consumer protection (Information
from the Commission).
3. Proposal for a Directive on the exercise of
voting rights by shareholders of companies having their registered
office in a Member State and whose shares are admitted to trading
on a regular market (Information from the Presidency on the state
of play).
4. Internal Market Scoreboard (Information from
the Commission).
There will be a lunchtime discussion item on "Competitiveness,
Climate Change, and Secure Energy Supply". Securing EU agreement
for action to tackle climate change is a key priority for the
UK. The UK welcomes the discussion of this topic at the Competitiveness
Council.
14 February 2007