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Dept of Trade and Industry

Answer

Mr. Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the outcome of the Internal Market Council held in Brussels on 7 December; and if he will make a statement. [102348] Mrs. Liddell: I represented the UK at the Internal Market Council in Brussels on 7 December. There were discussions on the new Single Market Strategy, the Joint Presidency Work Programme and the Commission's Single Market Scoreboard. There was general support from the Council, although some member states, including the UK, were unable to endorse all the Target Actions in the Single Market Strategy. The Council agreed Conclusions on Distance Marketing of Financial Services and on the Community Customs Code. The Council reached political agreement on Electronic Commerce (with Belgium abstaining). The Directive sets out a legal framework for electronic commerce in the internal market, based on the principle that the legislation of the service provider's home state applies. The Council reached unanimous political agreement on amendments to a number of directives concerning mutual recognition of qualifications, and political agreement on three food Directives harmonising labelling and compositional requirements for sugar, preserved milk and fruit juice (sugar agreed by unanimity, milk by qualified majority with Belgium against, and fruit juices by qualified majority with Belgium against and Netherlands abstaining). The UK reported in the context of a discussion on the Takeovers Directive that talks with Spain on a general settlement of the issue of communications between Gibraltar competent authorities and counterparts in other member states were making progress. The Commission reported progress on public procurement, Simpler Legislation in the Internal Market (SLIM) and exhaustion of trademark rights. The Council took note of reports on the Copyright Directive, the EU Data Protection Directive, the review of chemical policy and the follow-up to the Council Resolution on standardisation. There was no decision on the proposed Directive on Artists' Resale Rights; although a large majority supported the Presidency proposal there was a willingness to consider alternative solutions. The Presidency, the Commission and most member states are now pressing for agreement before the end of the year.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

341 c114-5W; 102348

Session

1999-00

Subjects

EU law EU internal trade Food Labelling EU action Electronic commerce Procurement Trade marks EC Internal Market Council