Tag: services

Members of the European Parliament this week urged EU member states to step up their efforts to ensure the Services Directive is implemented into national law within the agreed deadline of 31 December 2009, but more importantly, that they implement it correctly.

Eight EU member states are unlikely to transpose the Services Directive into national law by the deadline of 28 December 2009, according to a new survey published this week.

The Parliament has adopted, with the votes of its three largest groups, the much-disputed Services Directive, paving the way for the its entry into force in early 2010. It voted against all amendments to a summer 2006 Council compromise.

The Parliament is likely to adopt the Council's Common Position on the Services Directive unchanged, following an announcement by the rapporteur not to table any amendments.

The Parliament's Internal Market Committee voted, without any amendments, for the Council's Common Position on the Services Directive, making an agreement in second reading more likely.

According to a new study, despite 20 years of policies aimed towards creating a single market, the majority of Europeans continue not only to work but also to shop and invest exclusively in their own country.

The draft report for the second reading of the services directive did not go down as well with the Council and Conservative MEPs as the Parliament's rapporteur, Evelyne Gebhardt, had hoped for.

Economic growth in the euro-area is finally returning to levels similar to those prior to 11 September 2001; but further developing the services market and investing in information technologies will be key to bolstering this growth.

The political agreement on the Services Directive brokered by the Competitiveness Council on 29 May has met with general applause, raising the hope for a final deal before the recess.  

In a Communication on Social Services of General Interest (SSGI), the Commission has defined what it understands by the term and outlined its position. The paper does not deal with health services, nor does it contain any policy initiatives.

Parliament has reacted positively, though not enthused, to the Commission's second proposal on the disputed services directive. Stakeholders say they still want to see it amended.

Stakeholders have reacted strongly to the Parliament's 16 February 2006 vote on the Services Directive. While political decision makers, trade unions and NGOs are happy, businesses are less so.

Ahead of the crucial vote on 16 February 2006, Conservative MEPs from the new member states and socialists from France and other countries, say they will not vote for the compromise amendments on the Services Directive agreed between senior MEPs of both groups.

As the vote on the services directive in the Parliament's plenary approaches, MEPs are facing one last lobbying effort. While medical practitioners are opposed to the draft law, patients' associations would like to have health services included.

Thousands of dock workers have gathered in Strasbourg at the weekend to march on 16 January against a draft EU directive to liberalise port services. MEPs are divided over whether to reject or modify the proposal.

Trade unions from the EU's old as well as the new member states are opposed to the version of the services directive adopted in the Parliament's Internal market and consumer protection (IMCO) committee on 22 November 2006.

The EP's internal market committee has postponed its key vote on the controversial Services Directive in order to simplify the complex list of 1,500 amendments.

There are complex regulations for many professional services in the EU, hampering competition. A new Commission report shows that seven member states have not made any effort to date to rectify this problem.

In order to move global trade talks forward, the EU has provided the World Trade Organisation with a detailed, 430-page plan on carefully opening its market for services to developing countries.

Whether games of chance remains in the services directive or is taken out completely is likely to have major implications for sports funding in the EU. EurActiv looks into the state of play in this debate.

By doing away with the country of origin principle and introducing wide exemptions for services of general interest, MEP rapporteur Evelyne Gebhardt is trying to cool tempers.

In an interview (in French) with EurActiv, the French Liberal association Liberté Chérie condemns the "deceit campaign" run by French politicians and media across the board on the Bolkestein directive.

The disputed 'country of origin' principle in the services directive should be replaced by rules of 'mutual recognition', says the MEP who will present amendments in a report in April.

EU leaders have agreed to introduce far reaching changes to the Bolkestein directive to preserve the European social model. But the changes will be introduced within the normal course of the legislative process, at a later stage.