Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions - Commission Legislative and Work Programme 2008
Date: 2007-10-23
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: European Commission, action programme, legislative programme (EU)

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 23.10.2007 
COM(2007) 640 final 

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN 
PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL 
COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS 

Commission Legislative and Work Programme 2008 

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COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN 
PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL 
COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS 

Commission Legislative and Work Programme 2008 

1. 

INTRODUCTION 

The  EU  is  moving  forward.  Following  the  recent  agreement  at  the  informal  European 
Council,  a  ratified  Treaty  of  Lisbon  will  equip  the  EU  better  to  tackle  the  challenges  and 
deliver  policies  for  the  21st  century.  The  Lisbon  strategy  for  growth  and  jobs  is  feeding 
through  into  improved  economic  performance.  The  EU  has  made  a  historic  commitment  to 
tackle  climate  change  and  bring  about  secure,  competitive  and  sustainable  energy.  The 
Commission  has  started  to  frame  policies  for  the  future  through  the  internal  market  review 
and the ongoing stocktaking of European society. The consultation now under way on the EU 
budget will help preparing the review of one of the EU's key levers for the next decade and 
beyond.  Europe  is  also  pressing  ahead  with  new  relationships  with  key  partners  in  the 
neighbourhood, in Africa and worldwide. With the latest enlargement now concluded, the EU 
has a new critical mass and a new reach. There is a real consensus – shared by the informal 
European Council of October 2007 and the European Parliament's resolution  on  the  Annual 
Policy Strategy for 2008 – that the focus should be on the capacity of an EU of 27 to make 
globalisation  an  opportunity  for  its  citizens.  This  adds  up  to  an  excellent  backdrop  for  the 
EU's ambitions for 2008. 

A focused Work Programme  

In  2008,  the  Commission  will  maintain  its  focus  on  delivering  results  within  the  overall 
strategic  objectives  set  out  at  the  start  of  its  mandate:  prosperity;  solidarity;  security  and 
freedom, and a stronger Europe in the world1. These objectives provide the core direction for 
the Commission's work, and the driving force to shape ambitious policies.  

Most of the subjects at the forefront of the political agenda cut across the strategic objectives 
and contribute to several or all of them. Meanwhile, challenges for the EU such as tackling 
climate change, developing an Energy Policy for Europe or managing migration flows call for 
a  comprehensive,  flexible  and  coherent  approach,  expanding  beyond  traditional  boundaries; 
they need to be addressed both through action by the EU institutions, with other key players in 
the EU, and through a global approach with partners around the world. The EU budget review 
to  be  presented  in  2008/9,  is  another  key  example  of  where  EU  policies  must  be  looked  at 
holistically. 

As in 2007, the Work Programme for 2008 is focused and concentrates on a limited number 
of new policy initiatives. It includes strategic initiatives that the Commission commits itself to 
deliver during the year, and priority initiatives to be delivered over a 12-18 month period.  

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All strategic and priority initiatives announced in this Work Programme will be subject to the 
quality  discipline  of  impact  assessment.  In  addition,  the  requirement  to  assess  the  impact 
before  an  initiative  is  proposed  will  be  further  extended  to  include  other  initiatives.  Impact 
assessments will be reviewed by the Impact Assessment Board2. Impact assessments are made 
public, including whenever they lead to a proposal being dropped3. 

When preparing this Work Programme, the Commission has taken full account of the results 
of the dialogue conducted with the European Parliament and the Council on the 2008 Annual 
Policy Strategy (APS)4, as well as of contributions received from national parliaments. This 
Programme is also the first to include inter-institutional communication priorities for 2008.To 
better reflect the current multi-annual nature of most of the activities of the Commission and 
in an effort to increase overall transparency, this Work Programme introduces a new chapter 
identifying  issues  on  which  the  Commission  will  work  in  2008  which  could  lead  to  new 
initiatives in the years ahead. 

2. 

THE PRIORITIES FOR 2008 

Growth and Jobs 

The  Lisbon  strategy  for  growth  and  jobs  remains  the  major  vehicle  for  promoting  a  more 
prosperous,  environmentally  responsible  and  socially 
in 
partnership with the Member States. The 2008 Spring European Council will give the EU the 
opportunity  to  reflect  on  whether  the  Lisbon  strategy  needs  refinement  to  address  the 
challenges  of  globalisation  most  effectively.  2008  will  also  see  the  first  results  of  a  further 
effort to use the leverage of EU cohesion policy to implement the Lisbon strategy at regional 
level. 

inclusive  European  Union, 

Raising employment towards the target for the employment rate set under the Lisbon strategy 
provides  a  basis  for  growth,  improved  quality  of  life  and  facing  the  challenge  of  an  ageing 
population.  This  requires  a  combination  of  flexibility  and  security  for  workers  and  for 
employers, with incentives and opportunities for lifelong learning. At the same time, the EU 
needs to find new ways to promote access and opportunity in society, to address the risks and 
causes  of  social  exclusion  and  poverty  through  policies  for  active  inclusion,  and  to  help  to 
anticipate change. Adequate social protection should also be promoted.  

Developing  a  knowledge  society  is  a  cornerstone  of  the  growth  and  jobs  strategy,  and  the 
Commission will continue to look at new ways to promote education, training, research and 
innovation as part of its Lisbon strategy.  

The  Single  Market  Review  identified  new  initiatives,  many  of  which  will  be  presented  in 
2008, that will foster a Single Market built on a strong, innovative and competitive industrial 

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Established  in  November  2006  under  the  authority  of  the  Commission's  President  to  provide 
independent quality support and control. 
Examples of proposals not pursued in 2007 as a result of the impact assessment work are: the proposal 
aiming  to  modernise  and  reinforce  the  organisational  framework  for  inland  waterway  transport  in 
Europe,  the  proposed  Recommendation  on  Proportionality  between  capital  and  control  in  companies, 
the proposal for a 14th Company Law Directive on the transfer of a company's registered office, or the 
proposal for a Decision on the protection of witnesses and individuals who cooperate with the judicial 
process. 
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base  and  maximising  the  full  potential  of  services,  where  consumers  and  business  benefit 
fully from well-functioning open markets ensuring a level playing field and where European 
standards  can  serve  as  inspiration  at  the  international  level.  The  Commission  will  focus  on 
making markets work better, in the area of retail financial services and in areas where policies 
can  achieve  a  maximum  impact  so  as  to  allow  consumers  and  companies  alike,  and  in 
particular  small  and  medium-sized  enterprises  (SMEs),  to  benefit  fully  from  the  internal 
market.  This  needs  targeted  action  like  more  coordinated  market  surveillance  to  secure 
compliance  of  products  and  services  with  rules  and  standards,  more  systematic  market  and 
sector monitoring and a methodology to measure the performance of the internal market from 
a consumer perspective.  

As  small  and  medium  size  enterprises  create  most  jobs  and  wealth  in  Europe,  specific 
measures to improve their market performance will be prepared in a “Small Business Act”. 

As from 1 January 2008, Cyprus and Malta will adopt the euro as their currency. The euro is a 
symbol of common identity, shared values and the success of European integration. Ten years 
from the launch of EMU, the Commission will undertake a strategic review of the European 
Monetary Union, with proposals for the future.  

Sustainable Europe 

Tackling  climate  change  will  be  an  integral  part  of  the  Commission’s  priorities  in  2008  to 
secure sustainable prosperity for Europe. But with climate change already under way, the EU 
needs to look at how public policies need to help the process of adaptation to new realities. 
The  Commission  will  propose  a  White  Paper  on  the  Adaptation  to  the  impact  of  Climate 
Change.  A  wide  range  of  EU  policies  –  such  as  human  and  animal  health,  agriculture, 
fisheries,  biodiversity,  energy,  industry,  research  and  tourism  –  will  need  to  adjust,  and  the 
White  Paper  will  seek  to  identify  where  change  is  most  needed.  Particular  attention  will  be 
given to measures to encourage the greening of the transport sector. The implementation of 
the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) will provide a powerful tool for 
this tuning of EU policies. 

In view of the Spring  Council  in  2009, the Commission will present a 2nd Strategic Energy 
Review, which will serve as the basis for the new Energy Action Plan from 2010 onwards, and 
will  include  a  review  of  the  Energy  Taxation  Directive  to  better  combine  fiscal  and 
environmental goals. Solidarity between Member States needs to be strengthened at a moment 
when  natural  resource  constraints  and  the  increased  global  demand  threaten  the  security  of 
supply.  

The  reformed  Common  Agricultural  Policy  (CAP)  will  undergo  a  “Health  Check”,  to  see 
whether  the  2003  reform  regarding  the  single  payment  scheme  and  certain  agricultural 
markets and its implementation in the Member States need to be fine-tuned; this will also help 
to pave the way for the future design and priorities of the CAP.  

The  EU  maritime  policy  is  another  example  of  how  an  integrated  EU  approach  can  draw 
together  the  threads  of  different  policies  for  the  sustainable  development  of  all  sea-based 
activities  and  coastal  regions.  The  recast  and  strengthening  of  the  control  framework  of  the 
Common Fisheries Policy will represent a decisive step towards ensuring sustainable fishing. 

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An integrated approach to migration 

The Commission will propose further steps towards a common policy on migration. Migration 
and  social  integration  represent  key  challenges  of  the  21st  century  and  require  a  multi-
dimensional  approach  in  order  to  realise  the  potential  of  migration  for  socio-economic 
development  in  both  countries  of  origin  and  of  destination.  This  means  combining  well-
managed  labour  migration,  supporting  circular  migration  and  promoting  education  and 
integration  of  migrants  in  the  broader  context  of  managing  demographic  change  in  our 
societies. It also requires effective action against illegal migration and human trafficking.  

The EU needs to protect its external borders with common tools, to prevent illegal migration, 
and  maximise  efforts  to  counter  human  trafficking  and  reduce  the  tragic  death  toll  of 
immigrants in the sea trying to reach our borders. In 2008 the work of the External Borders 
Agency will be evaluated and Member States will be supported in tackling illegal migration 
through a European surveillance system.  

The  Commission  will  be  shaping  the  future  of  a  coherent  and  efficient  Common  European 
Asylum  Policy.  This  will  notably  include  adapting  the  European  legislation  on  reception 
conditions  and  assessment  criteria,  to  achieve  fuller  harmonisation  of  national  rules  on 
eligibility  criteria,  and  progress  towards  a  single  procedure  for  assessing  applications  for 
refugee status. This will allow for a true expression of European values of solidarity.  

Putting the citizens first 

One  of  the  main  objectives  of  this  Commission  is  to  put  the  citizen  at  the  centre  of  the 
European project. This translates into different types of initiatives. 

The Social Reality Stocktaking, alongside the internal market review, has been looking at the 
changes under way in Europe's economies and societies, with a view to identifying how the 
well-being of Europe’s citizens can be best advanced in a globalised world. The stocktaking 
will be the basis for developing a modern social agenda for Europe – an agenda that promotes 
among others the reconciliation of professional, private and family life, and sets out how the 
EU can work in partnership with the Member States to fight discrimination and deliver access 
to opportunities for all Europeans. 

The EU has to equip itself to handle effectively the security, health and safety risks inherent in 
an  open  world.  The  European  dimension  to  health  services  will  be  taken  forward  with 
concrete initiatives on patient safety and quality of health services.  

Internet  and  new  media  are  in  constant  evolution.  Communication  and  information 
infrastructures  have  become  more  tightly  and  globally  interconnected.  New  technologies 
bring new possibilities, new applications and new challenges. A coherent European approach 
is key to develop new markets in a secure environment.  

Finally, the 2008 year of Intercultural Dialogue will help to build new bridges and closer ties 
across Europe.  

Europe as a world partner 

Globalisation is creating new opportunities, and at the same time testing Europe's capacity to 
influence  it  and  to  manage  its  consequences.  It  has  become  ever  clearer  that  internal  and 

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external policy goals are intertwined as never before, underpinning the need for a modern and 
integrated  vision  on  how  to  project,  promote  and  protect  Europe's  interests  and  values 
successfully. 

The  Union's  enlargement  policy  is  extending  peace  and  stability,  prosperity,  democracy, 
human  rights  and  the  rule  of  law  across  Europe.  The  European  neighbourhood  policy  helps 
building  a  stable  and  prosperous  neighbourhood,  based  on  common  principles  and  shared 
interests. The global competitiveness agenda contributes to creating lasting growth and jobs at 
home,  promoting  trade  and  unlocking  development  abroad.  Europe  is  a  world  leader  in  the 
fight  against  poverty,  in  fostering  sustainable  development,  human  rights  and  good 
governance,  as  well  as  in  providing  humanitarian  assistance.  At  the  same  time,  the 
international  dimension  to  addressing  climate  change,  managing  migration,  combating 
terrorism, or boosting energy security is acknowledged as critical to success. 

The  Commission  will  report  on  progress  made  in  the  countries  involved  in  accession 
negotiations  and  in  the  stabilisation  and  association  process,  and  make  the  appropriate 
recommendations to adjust the EU's enlargement strategy. Particular attention will be required 
to support the implementation of the future status of Kosovo.  

The  European  neighbourhood  policy  has  become  established  as  the  central  platform  for 
deepening  relationship  with  the  countries  it  covers,  from  the  Baltic  to  the  Mediterranean.  It 
will continue to support political, economic and social reforms in partner countries, providing 
a  diversified  response  to  their  needs  within  a  common  policy  framework.  The  Commission 
will produce a summary analysis of progress on the ground as well as annual reports on each 
country.  It  will  implement  its  own  undertakings  to  strengthen  the  incentives  to  partner 
countries, and  continue  to work closely with Member  States  to  ensure  that  the  EU  plays  its 
part effectively in implementing this policy.. Building on the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership, 
the  European  neighbourhood  policy  also  gives  the  Union  the  tools  to  further  develop  the 
longstanding  regional  dialogue  and  cooperation  with  all  the  countries  of  the  Mediterranean 
region. 

The EU-Africa summit in December 2007 should pave the way for a new phase in relations 
with an EU-Africa strategy to bring a new maturity to relations and to ensure that political, 
economic and development policies are geared to best effect. All available instruments will be 
geared towards turning the strategy into a tangible reality: the 10th EDF and its facilities and 
trust funds as well as the relevant Community budget instruments, bilateral contributions from 
EU and African states, interested third parties and international organisations and investments 
from the private sector. The Commission will also examine any new avenues to be followed 
in  its  work  to  implement  the  Millennium  Development  Goals.  It  will  present  an  ambitious 
package  on  Financing  for  Development  and  on  Aid  Effectiveness  in  view  of  the  top-level 
international meetings in Accra (September 2008) and Doha (December 2008). 

3. 

DELIVERY: A DAILY TASK 

New actions with a focus on political priorities are only one aspect of the Commission's work. 
Throughout the year, the Commission remains responsible for implementing and overseeing 
agreed policies, and for managing financial programmes and operational tasks. As guardian of 
the common European interest, it has direct responsibility for ensuring the acquis is properly 
applied. The Commission also has a responsibility to promote effective communication with 
European citizens and to explain the value of the European project. It will pursue its reform 

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agenda  to  provide  a  modern,  efficient,  accountable  and  transparent  administration,  able  to 
build trust among European citizens. Delivering on the European Transparency initiative, the 
Commission  will  launch  the  Interest  Representative  Register  in  2008  and  pursue  work  to 
ensure full transparency on end beneficiaries of EU funds. 

Implementing agreed policies 

2008 will see detailed work to follow up on the initiatives taken by the Commission since the 
start of its mandate. This includes negotiations to take forward proposals already on the table 
with special attention given to a range of actions now coming on stream. It will be a crucial 
year  for  taking  forward  the  Energy  and  Climate  Change  proposals  presented  by  the 
Commission  in  2007.  Political  agreement  will  be  sought  from  the  institutions  on  the 
legislation on the internal market and on how the EU will meet its targets on greenhouse gases 
and renewable energy, as well as on how to make a step change in energy technologies. The 
follow  up  to  the  Bali  Conference  on  Climate  Change  will  require  intensive  international 
negotiations to bring agreement closer on a successor regime to the Kyoto Protocol.  

The  implementation  of  the  Registration,  Evaluation  and  Authorization  of  Chemicals 
(REACH)  legislation  is  a  test  case  to  show  Europe's  capacity  to  improve  the  health  and 
environment for European citizens while enhancing the competitiveness of European industry. 

Research  and  technological  development  is  essential  to  promoting  sustainable  development 
and innovation and ensuring that Europe remains a competitive and prosperous society in the 
future.  The  implementation  of  the  Framework  programmes  will  continue  in  2008  and 
initiatives  will  be  taken  to  deepen  the  European  Research  Area,  such  as  promoting  the 
mobility  of  researchers,  developing  new  infrastructures  and  launching  the  joint  European  – 
national  programming  of  research  on  broad  societal  challenges.  Within  the  broad-based 
strategy for innovation, the European Institute of Technology, which should move ever closer 
to  become  operational  during  2008,  will  help  to  bridge  the  innovation  gap  between  the  EU 
and its major competitors through strategic research and education.  

Following  the  turmoil  in  financial  markets  a  number  of  issues  have  been  identified  where 
further  analysis  is  required  in  order  to  assist  policy  makers  and  regulators  draw  appropriate 
conclusions  which  may  involve  suggestions  for  regulatory  change.  Among  the  issues  the 
Commission will be working on in 2008, together with other actors at EU and international 
level,  will  be:  transparency  for  investors,  markets  and  regulators;  valuation  standards, 
including  illiquid  assets;  prudential  framework,  risk  management  and  supervision  in  the 
financial sector; as well as market functioning including the role of credit agencies. 

2008  will  be  the  year  where  the  latest  market  reforms  of  the  CAP  will  be  implemented, 
continuing the trend of making European agriculture more sustainable and competitive. The 
implementation of all new 2007-2013 programmes in cohesion policy (452 programmes), in 
rural  development  (96  programmes)  and  fisheries  will  be  vigorously  pursued  securing  their 
enhanced contribution to growth and more and better jobs to the European citizens. 

Work will also be continued in order to allow companies to choose an EU-wide tax base as set 
out in the 2008 Annual Policy Strategy. An impact assessment has been launched to examine 
the options and their implications.  

The Commission will continue to press ahead with the completion of the Hague Programme 
for  freedom,  security  and  justice,  and  to  encourage  work  on  proposals  still  on  the  table  to 

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accelerate. It also intends to bring forward a new phase in the EU's work to combat smuggling 
and consumption of illicit drugs.  

The  Action  Plan  for  the  new  EU  Integrated  Maritime  Policy  adopted  in  2007  by  the 
Commission,  will  be  progressively  implemented  through  the  related  initiatives  identified  in 
this Work Programme and a new process of monitoring and reporting. The Commission will 
adopt  and  start  implementing  a  6  year  Action  Plan  on  EU  Animal  Health  Strategy.  The 
Commission  will  also  clarify  the  legal  framework  for  risk  assessment  on  GMOs  by  the 
European Food Safety Authority.  

The international scene 

The  EU  has  a  series  of  strategically  important  negotiating  streams  which  will  be  taken 
forward in 2008. Accession negotiations with Turkey and Croatia will continue on the basis of 
the agreed negotiating frameworks. The expected completion of the network of Stabilisation 
and Association Agreements with the Western Balkans will strengthen bilateral political and 
economic  ties  and  accelerate  reforms.  A  second  set  of  progress  reports  will  be  submitted 
under  the  European  neighbourhood  policy.  The  benefits  of  the  European  Neighbourhood 
Policy  remain  open  to  Belarus,  were  it  to  engage  in  democratisation  and  respect  for  human 
rights and the rule of law. 

The  Commission  will  move  ahead  with  its  Global  Europe  agenda,  continuing  to  press  for  a 
WTO  trade  agreement  and  at  the  same  time  working  on  an  ambitious  set  of  bilateral 
negotiations. 2008 will also be the first year of the Economic Partnership Agreements and the 
10th  European  Development  Fund:  new  resources  and  a  new  focus  on  aid  effectiveness  and 
complementarity  will  play  a  fundamental  part  in  delivering  development  inside  the  broader 
relationship  now  in  place  with  ACP  partners.  Work  in  the  area  of  humanitarian  assistance 
will build on the Declaration “Towards a European Consensus on Humanitarian Aid”5. 

The  Commission  will  also  continue  its  work  with  respect  to  the  preparation,  launch, 
negotiation or conclusion of agreements with, inter alia, Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, Armenia, 
Azerbaijan,  Georgia,  Iraq,  China,  India,  Indonesia,  Thailand,  Singapore,  Vietnam,  the 
Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, Laos, Cambodia, ASEAN, the Gulf Cooperation Council, the 
Andean Community, Central America and Mercosur. The Commission will take the first steps 
to establish formal relations with Libya. 

The  Commission  will  remain  active  regarding  political  developments  across  the  globe  and 
continue  its  engagement  in  the  stabilisation  and  reconstruction  efforts  in  the  Middle  East, 
including through its role in the Quartet and as major donor in the region, as well as in Africa 
and  South  Asia.  The  Commission  will  also  seek  to  further  strengthen  the  transatlantic 
partnership, a crucial cornerstone of Europe's external relations and which has been given a 
new  political  push  through  the  framework  for  advancing  transatlantic  economic  integration 
adopted at the last EU-US summit. 

Management of financial programmes 

The EU budget is one of the key instruments to realise the EU's policy objectives. It benefits 
from continuity, as the Union's spending priorities have been agreed on a multi-annual basis. 
The  annual  budgetary  process  translates  and  fine-tunes  the  orientations  reflected  in  the 

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financial  framework,  without  changing  the  strategic  direction.  With  the  new  generation  of 
financial  programmes  largely  in  place,  2008  will  be  a  year  of  consolidation  and 
implementation.  

The budget authority is shortly expected to take a decision on the Commission's proposals for 
the  2008  budget,  amounting  to  around  € 129  billion  in  commitments  and  € 122  billion  in 
payments.  More  than  44%  of  commitment  appropriations  will  be  reserved  for  activities 
supporting  growth  and  jobs  in  Europe  through  investment  in  areas  like  research, 
competitiveness  and  innovation,  transport  and  energy  networks,  lifelong  learning  and 
economic  and  social  cohesion.  In  addition  to  these  commitments,  the  Commission  will 
continue  to  manage  the  final  phase  of  2000-2006  programmes  and  projects.  In  the  area  of 
cohesion policy alone, this means responsibility for close to 380 structural fund programmes 
and 1 200 cohesion fund projects. 

In  implementing  these  funds,  the  Commission  seeks  to  ensure  the  best  use  of  limited 
resources  so  as  to  achieve  better  social  and  economic  outcomes  for  European  citizens  and 
obtain the best value for money while ensuring a high level of budget execution. It is bound 
by and committed to the highest standards of sound financial management. Where the budget 
is  implemented  in  shared  management  with  the  Member  States,  the  Commission  will  give 
guidance as necessary. Where it cannot obtain the necessary assurance, the Commission will 
consider suspending payments to the relevant Member States. 

Managing the Community acquis  

Following  on  from  the  Communication  "A  Europe  of  results  –  Applying  EC  law"6  adopted 
last  September,  better  enforcement  of  Community  law,  including  through  improvements  in 
the dialogue with Member States to ensure timely implementation and effective and equitable 
application, will remain a priority for the Commission in 2008.  

The  Commission  will  continue  to  make  great  efforts  to  ensure  compliance  with  EU 
legislation,  with  a  special  emphasis  on  transport,  environment,  food  safety,  animal  health, 
animal welfare and plant health standards. The Commission attaches great importance to the 
cooperation with Member States to facilitate the implementation and enforcement of EU law, 
establishing  mechanisms  for  prior  monitoring  of  new  national  legislation,  promoting  active 
participation in the SOLVIT network and working with informal networks like the Forum of 
Judges.  The  launch  of  infringement  cases  is  the  ultimate  expression  of  the  Commission’s 
fundamental task as guardian of the Treaties and directly connects with EU citizens’ concerns. 
Many  of  these  cases  are  triggered  by  complaints  and  petitions  submitted  by  individual 
citizens, enterprises and NGOs. 

By  enforcing  European  competition  rules  in individual  cases,  the  Commission  will  promote 
markets  which  work  better  for  the  benefit  of  consumers  and  overall  competitiveness.  The 
Commission  will  launch  one  or  more  new  competition  sector  inquiries  in  markets  where 
shortcomings  have  been  identified.  Under  the  State  Aid  Action  Plan,  the  Commission  will 
deliver initiatives to complete the shift towards more effective and simple rules on subsidies, 
firmly grounded in sound economic analysis.  

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4. 

WORKING TO SHAPE NEW POLICIES  

To better reflect the current multi-annual nature of most of the activities of the Commission, 
this  new  chapter  identifies  subjects  linked  to  the  priorities  on  which  services  will  work  in 
2008,  through  impact  assessments  of  envisaged  new  actions,  studies,  stakeholders' 
consultations, which could lead to specific initiatives in the future. 

The  Commission  is  working  in  many  different  areas  linked  to  an  agenda  for  sustainable 
competitiveness as part of efforts to promote sustainable development. This includes looking 
at  how  standards  can  mainstream  environmental  goals,  sustainable  access  to  raw  materials 
beyond  the  area  of  energy,  and  examining  ways  to  address  the  consequences  of  climate 
change  on  health.  As  a  follow  up  to  the  Green  Paper  on  Agricultural  Product  Quality,  the 
Commission will consider how optimising quality can better meet consumer demand and add 
value  to  the  agricultural  production.  The  Commission  will  also  present  a  green  paper  on 
territorial cohesion, a concept acknowledged by the Treaty of Lisbon. 

At the request of the Agriculture Council the Commission is working on an initiative on the 
consumption  of  fruit  in  schools.  An  impact  assessment  is  being  prepared  and  subject  to  the 
outcome a proposal will be made. 

The conclusions of the social reality stocktaking will carry through into the modernisation of 
EU  social  policies,  reflecting  the  challenges  of  globalisation  and  the  need  to  anticipate  and 
manage change.  

The Treaty of Lisbon will provide a new impetus to the area of freedom, security and justice. 
The  priorities  and  objectives  for  the  future  development  of  the  EU  policy  will  have  to  be 
defined, and the means and initiatives to best achieve them will need to be determined. The 
Commission will present a Communication on the next multi-annual strategy to establish an 
area of freedom, security and justice. 

Further  to  the  consultation  on  future  priorities  for  the  Action  Plan  on  Company  Law  and 
Corporate Governance, and to respond to the high demand, the Commission will carry out a 
feasibility study on a European Foundation Statute. In 2008 the Commission will also focus 
on  preparatory  work  relating  to  judicial  cooperation  in  civil  matters  with  third  countries, 
including  a  legal  mechanism  to  deal  with  bilateral  agreements  of  Member  States  with  third 
countries in specific sectors as well as cooperation with international organisations such as the 
Council of Europe. 

During  2008,  work  will  be  launched  on  the  review  of  the  Merger  Regulation,  of  the 
Procedural Regulation 1/2003 and several anti-trust Block Exemption Regulations. In the area 
of state aid, consultations will be launched to review the guidelines on state aid for rescuing 
and restructuring firms in difficulty and the Shipbuilding Framework.  

The Commission is also looking at ways to maximise the potential for coordination on crisis 
response, including crisis prevention and preparedness. It also intends to clarify rules on the 
protection of personal data.  

The  Commission  is  also  reflecting  on  a  substantial  revision  of  the  Overseas  Association 
Decision, within the limits of the EC Treaty concerning the future relations between the EU 
and the Overseas Countries and Territories. 

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The  Commission  will  start  the  preparation  of  activities  for  the  European  Year  of  Creativity 
and Innovation in 2009. In this connection, a broad range of community programmes, notably 
Lifelong  Learning,  Culture,  Youth  in  Action  and  Europe  for  Citizens,  will  contribute  to 
raising awareness about how education and culture can support innovation and creativity. 

Finally  the  Commission  will  prepare  the  2008-2009  Budget  Review  to  optimise  Europe’s 
capacities to address the key challenges of the next decade. 

5. 

BETTER  REGULATION:  SIMPLIFICATION,  CODIFICATION,  WITHDRAWALS  AND 
MEASUREMENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS 

Improving  the  regulatory  environment  in  Europe  is  a  core  priority  of  the  Commission.  Its 
ambitious Better Regulation agenda, aiming at delivering quality initiatives and at modernising 
and simplifying the stock of existing legislation, is anchored in the Lisbon strategy for jobs and 
growth.  Economic,  social  and  environmental  impacts  are  assessed  in  an  integrated  and 
balanced  way  together  with  a  measurement  of  administrative  costs  of  draft  legislation 
whenever  such  costs  are  likely  to  be  substantial.  Impact  assessments  also  support  the 
Commission's  simplification  programme7  by  identifying  the  simplification  potential  of 
existing legislation.  

A strategic review of Better Regulation 

In  view  of  the  Spring  European  Council,  in  early  2008  a  strategic  review  will  present  the 
progress  made  in  2007  under  the  different  strands  of  the  Better  Regulation  agenda,  taking 
account of the views expressed by the other EU-institutions and stakeholders. The review will 
in particular update and strengthen the Commission's Simplification Rolling Programme and 
report on the implementation of the Action Programme for reducing administrative burdens8 
as well as taking stock of the new arrangements governing impact assessment since the setting 
up of the Impact Assessment Board. 

Screening of pending proposals  

Having  carried  out  in  this  year's  exercise  a  screening  of  proposals  pending  before  the 
legislator  which  were  adopted  by  the  Commission  up  to  end  of  2005,  in  line  with  its 
commitment to the European Parliament, the Commission has included in the CLWP the list 
of 30 pending proposals it intends to withdraw together  with the specific justifications. The 
Commission will continue to monitor proposals pending in the legislative process with a view 
to  withdrawal  or  taking  any  other  action  in  line  with  its  political  priorities  and  better 
regulation standards.  

Simplification 

Implementation  of  the  Simplification  Rolling  Programme  is  progressing  well.  Out  of  47 
simplification initiatives foreseen for adoption by the Commission in 2007, 44 - of which 19 
already  adopted  and  25  still  planned  -  will  have  been  adopted  by  the  end  of  the  year  (94% 
success  rate).  Amongst  the  more  recent  achievements,  the  revision  of  EU  insurance  law 
(SOLVENCY II) and the repeal of the GSM Directive will have direct impact for companies 

7 
8 

COM(2005) 535 and COM(2006) 690. 
COM(2007) 23. 

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and citizens. The delivery of the initiatives set out in the programme will continue in 2008 and 
renewed  effort  will  be  made  to  reinforce  the  multi-annual  programme,  including  with  an 
increasing number of simplification proposals to reduce administrative burdens. 45 initiatives 
are foreseen for Commission adoption in 2008. 15 of those are brand new and cover various 
policy areas such as agriculture, automotives, public health, environment and energy. 

The programme aims at bringing real advantages to Europeans – for example, proposals will  

•  simplify  the  current  rules  on  waste  electrical  goods  to  make  it  easier  for  manufacturers, 

retailers and consumers to meet their environmental obligations; 

•  bring  about  a  significant  simplification  of  the  current  biocides  legislative  framework  and 
address concerns regarding complexity and costs, as well as availability of certain biocidal 
products; 

•  repeal  some  50  technical  Directives  in  the  automotive  sector  and  replace  them,  where 

appropriate, with references to UNECE Regulations; 

•  reduce the administrative burden for industry by simplifying the rules for pharmaceutical 

products; 

•  alleviate the statistical reporting of economic operators (Intrastat), in particular SMEs; 

•  consolidate and expand the areas in which national, regional and local authorities can grant 
support without needing the Commission’s prior approval through the simplification of the 
General Block Exemption Regulation on State aid. 

Administrative costs reduction 

The  Action  Programme  launched  in  2007  aims  at  reducing  administrative  burdens  on 
businesses in the EU by 25% in 2012. Small and medium enterprises will benefit most from 
this  reduction.  To  ensure  close  involvement  of  stakeholders,  the  Commission  developed  a 
website  available  in  all  EU  official  languages,  where  businesses  across  Europe  can  submit 
suggestions  to  reduce  administrative  burdens9.  In  addition  to  this  online  consultation,  the 
Commission  set  up  a  “High  Level  Group  of  Independent  Stakeholders  on  Administrative 
Burdens”  to  advice  on  the  implementation  of  the  Action  Programme,  which  should  lead  to 
further refinement.  

6. 

COMMUNICATING EUROPE 

Over  the  last  two  years,  the  Commission  has  strengthened  its  efforts  to  better  communicate 
Europe  and  to  involve  the  citizen  in  the  decision-making  process.  These  efforts  will  be 
pursued  and  consolidated  in  2008,  with  an  emphasis  on  partnership10 with other institutions 
and  on  working  locally.  For  the  first  time,  interinstitutional  communication  priorities  are 
proposed.  As  decided  in  the  APS  2008,  the  main  communication  priorities  for  2008  will 
reflect the Commission's political priorities as well as research findings from Eurobarometer, 

9 
10 

http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/admin-burdens-reduction/ 
As  suggested  by  the  Commission  in  its  Communication  on  Communicating  Europe  in  Partnership, 
3 October 2007. 

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and  recent  experience  from  Plan  D  projects  that  reflect  citizens’  interests  and  the  recent 
experience gained on effective communication. A higher turn-out in the 2009 elections than in 
2004  is  also  an  important  goal  to  which  the  communication  efforts  of  all  EU  institutions 
should contribute. 

Recent research shows that the main concerns for EU citizens are the social dimension of the 
EU in the context of globalisation, in particular jobs and the fear of unemployment, as well as 
migration  and  issues  related  to  citizens'  security.  Interest  in  energy  and  climate  change  is 
increasing,  with  widespread  support  for  the  energy/climate  change  package  of  proposals.  In 
accordance  with  the  cross-cutting  policy-making  approach  favoured  by  the  Commission, 
challenges  such  as  globalisation  and  achieving  sustainable  development  in  its  three 
dimensions  (economic,  social  and  environmental)  will  have  to  be  integrated  in  any 
communication  priority.  At  the  same  time,  communication  must  "go  local"  and  the 
Commission  will  pursue  its  efforts  to  adapt  its  messages  to  different  audiences,  sectors  or 
countries. 

Following  the  successful  conclusion  of  the  Intergovernmental  Conference  for  a  new  EU 
Treaty, communication efforts will aim at both providing full and comprehensive information 
and  maintaining  a  permanent  dialogue  with  the  European  citizens,  and  will  be  reinforced 
during the ratification process in full collaboration with national authorities. 

Communication priorities for 2008 appear in Annex 4. 

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ANNEX 1 – List of strategic and priority initiatives 

STRATEGIC INITIATIVES 

Title 

Annual  Progress  Report  on 
Lisbon Strategy 

the 

Type of proposal or 
act 
Non-Legislative 
Other 

action/ 

White  Paper  on  Adaptation 
Climate Change 

to 

Non-legislative 
action/White Paper 

Description of scope and objectives 

The annual report sets our progress achieved both at Community and Member States level, whilst identifying 
a limited number of actions for decision. It is the main document for discussion at the Spring Council. In this 
context, the importance of education and training will be highlighted. 

Policy  statement  covering  measures  to  ensure  adaptation  to  climate  change  in  a  broad  range  of  areas 
fundamental  to  the  EU  way  of  life  (e.g.  industry,  agriculture,  energy,  fisheries,  forestry,  tourism,  social 
policy),  reduce  their  vulnerability,  increase  their  resilience  to  the  inevitable  negative  impacts  of  climate 
change and anticipate and accompany those changes. 

The objective is to avoid significant effects on human health, biodiversity and habitats, and on EU citizens' 
quality of life. Measures in the White Paper will also imply changes in existing Community policies. 

Green transport package: 

a) Communication on greening the 
transport sector 

b) Communication on the 
internalisation of external costs of 
transport 

Energy package: 

a)  2nd  Strategic  Energy  Review 
Communication  
b)  Revision  of  oil  stocks  legislation 
(*) 
c) 
Directive 
2002/91/EC  of  16  December  2002 
on 
the  Energy  Performance  of 
Buildings (*) 

Recasting 

of 

Non-Legislative 
action/Communication 

a)  This  Communication  will  present  the  main  findings  of  three  initiatives  in  the  area  of  transport 
(Internalisation  of  external  costs,  Green  Propulsion  and  ITS  Action  Plan)  and  will  draw  possible 
recommendations for the future.  

b) This  second  Communication will  provide  a  generally  applicable,  transparent  and  comprehensible model 
for  the  assessment  of  external  costs  of  various  modes  of  transport.  It  will  analyse  how  internalisation 
measures can correct a specific type of market failure that is very relevant in the transport field and which 
consists  in  the  presence  of  large  negative  externalities.  The  Communication  will  short-list  available  policy 
tools to address the issue (ETS, taxes, charges etc. and combinations of individual policy tools) and analyse 
the  likely  economic,  social  and  environmental  impacts  of  each  of  the  short-listed  options.  It  may  be 
accompanied with legislative proposals or announce that they will be presented later in 2008. 

a) Non-legislative 
action/Communication  
b) Legislative proposal/ 
Directive 
Legal Basis: EC Treaty 
Art. 99; Art. 100(1)  
c)  Legislative  proposal/ 
Directive 
Legal Basis: 
EU Treaty, Art. 175(1) 

a) The Review will assess the progress towards strategic objectives agreed in March 2007, including how the 
internal market is taking shape, action to increase the share of renewable energy in the energy mix, trends in 
greenhouse gas emissions from energy, key energy technology developments and achievements in the EU's 
external  energy  policy.  It  will  help  in  formulating  recommendations  for  future  policy  development,  and  in 
taking forward further work on an EU energy policy for Europe. 

It will particularly examine how the security of energy supply of the European Union may be enhanced by a 
fully functioning internal market, by improved and diversified infrastructures and interconnections, including 
storage and LNG terminals, by better stocks management, by solidarity mechanisms, by a more diversified 
energy  mix,  through  technological  development  helping  the  renewables  market  penetration  and  helping 

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d)  Review  of  the  Energy  Taxation 
Directive 

d) Legislative proposal/ 
Directive 
Legal Basis: 
EU Treaty, Art. 93 

reducing  carbon  emissions  from  energy  (eg  CCS  technologies).  It  will  also  examine  the  international 
dimension and all the relevant bilateral and multilateral agreements contributing to EU security of supply.  

b)  Proposal  of  a  new  Directive  on  oil  stocks  for  coping  with  emergency  situations  in  the  EU  in  order  to 
replace existing legislation dating in parts back to 1960s (while codified in 2006 as Directive 2006/67/EC). 
The objective is to create an effective policy tool for coping with oil supply disruptions affecting the EU in a 
manner corresponding to actual circumstances.  

c)  The  Energy  Performance  of  Buildings  Directive  makes  certificates  for  the  energy  performance  of 
buildings  mandatory  and  requests  (non-specified)  minimum  energy  performance  requirements  for  new 
buildings and existing building which undergo major renovation. Furthermore, the Directive requests regular 
inspections  of  boilers  and  air-conditioning  systems  in  order  to  guarantee  an  energy  efficient  operation  of 
these appliances. An updated Directive could strengthen and specify some of these requirements and could 
add  financing  aspects  to  the  Directive.  An  Impact  Assessment  shall  specify  and  analyse  these  possible 
amendments. 

d) Energy taxation offers the potential for the EU to combine the incentive role of taxation in favour of more 
energy-efficient  and  environment-friendly  energy  consumption,  with  the  ability  to  generate  revenue.  As 
follow  up  of  the  green  paper  on  market-based  instruments  for  environment  and  related  policy  purposes 
(COM(2007)140) the objective of the review is to  make Energy Taxation Directive a  more supportive and 
effective instrument of the EU energy and climate change objectives.  

Legislative  proposals  arising  from 
the  Communication  on  the  Health 
Check  in  the  Common  Agricultural 
Policy (*) 

Legislative 
proposal/Regulation 
Legal  basis:  Art.  37  EC 
Treaty 

Following  the  2007  Communication  on  the  'Health  Check'  in  the  Common  Agricultural  Policy  (CAP)  the 
legislative  proposals  will  provide  options  aimed  at  making  the  Single  Payment  Scheme  more  effective, 
adapting  the market  support instruments  and  addressing the  new  challenges  facing  the  sector.  The  "Health 
Check" is not a fundamental reform; rather it essentially aims to ensure that the CAP functions effectively 
and  simplified  where  possible.  This  initiative  arises from  the  review  clauses  regarding  the  Single  Payment 
Scheme and certain agricultural markets that were included in the 2003/2004 CAP reforms. 

Migration package: 

a)  Communication  on  Entry/exit 
system and other border management 
tools 
Travel 
Authorization) 

Electronic 

(e.g. 

Non-Legislative 
action/Communication 

a)  The  main  aims  are  to  strengthen  border  control  procedures  on  third-country  nationals  to  help  better 
management  of  migration  flows,  preventing  illegal  immigration,  as  well  as  any  possible  threats  to  the 
security of the EU and to facilitate border crossing (both on arrival and on departure from the EU) to both EU 
citizens  and  third-country  nationals  bona  fide  travellers,  thus  allowing  to  better  focus  resources  on  border 
controls. 

b)  Creating  a  truly  integrated  management  of  the  external  borders  at  European  level.  Improvement  of  the 
operational  cooperation  among  the  Services  of  Member  States  responsible  for  controlling  the  external 
borders  of  the  European  Union  and  managing  migration.  Curbing  illegal  immigration  along  the  external 
borders, suppressing smuggling in human beings into the territory of the Union taking duly into account the 
humanitarian  dimension  (e.g.  saving  lives  put  at  risk  whilst  crossing  the  external  borders  illegally)  of  this 
phenomena. On the basis of the evaluation of FRONTEX and in particular of the evaluation of the teams of 
national  experts  (RABIT),  the  feasibility  of  establishing  a  European  system  of  border  guards  should  be 

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b)  Report  on  the  evaluation  and 
future development of Frontex 

c)  Communication  on  European 
Border Surveillance System 

Asylum package: 

a) Policy Plan on Asylum,  
amending  Council 
b)  proposal 
Directive  2003/9/EC  on  reception 
conditions for asylum-seekers,  
c)  proposal 
amending  Council 
Regulation (EC) No 343/2003 on the 
criteria and mechanisms to determine 
the  Member  State  responsible  for 
assessing asylum applications 
d)  modification  of 
procedures directive; 
e)  modification  of  the  directive  on 
the recognition of refugee status and 
on  the  approximation  of  forms  of 
subsidiary protection 

the  asylum 

Health package: 

a)  Communication  and  Council 
Recommendation  on  Patient  Safety 
and Quality of Health Services 

a) Non-Legislative 
action/Communication 
b) Legislative proposal/ 
Directive 
Legal basis: EC Treaty, 
Art. 63(1)(b) 
c) Legislative proposal/ 
Directive 
Legal basis: EC Treaty, 
Art. 63(1)(a) 
d) Legislative proposal/ 
Directive 
Legal basis: EC Treaty, 
Art. 63(1)(d) 
e) Legislative proposal/ 
Directive 
Legal Basis: EC Treaty, 
Art. 631(c), 2(a), 3(a) 
a) Non-Legislative 
action/Communication  
b) Non-Legislative 
action/Recommendation 

assessed. 

c)  In  the  Communication,  the  Commission  is  intending  to  propose  the  setting  up  of  a  European  Border 
Surveillance System in three phases: 

1) 

Interlinking  and  streamlining  existing  reporting  and  surveillance  systems  and  mechanisms  at  Member 
States level (2008-2009) 

2)  Development and implementation of common tools and applications for border surveillance at EU level 

(2008-2013) 

3)  Creation  of  a  common  information  sharing  environment  for  the  maritime  domain,  covering  the 

Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea (2012-2013) 

This 3-phased approach for the creation of a European border surveillance system should noticeably increase 
internal  security  in  the  Schengen  area  by  preventing  illegal  immigration,  trafficking  of  human  beings, 
terrorism etc., but also reduce considerably the tragic death toll of illegal immigrants by rescuing more lives 
at sea. 

a)  The  objective  of  the  policy  plan  is  to  outline  a  possible  "blueprint"  for  the  Common  European  Asylum 
System (ECAS), which will depend largely on the outcome of the discussions on the Green Paper published 
on 6 June 2007. It will include proposals for the relevant long term components of the CEAS as described in 
the  Hague  Programme,  inter  alia  the  common  asylum  procedure,  the  uniform  status  for  refugees  and  for 
beneficiaries of subsidiary protection and the European support office for all forms of cooperation between 
Member States. 

b) c) d) e) The proposals – on the basis of the experiences of its transposition and application by Member 
States  and  the  outcome  of  the  consultation  on  the  Green  Paper  on  the  future  Common  European  Asylum 
System – intend to amend / clarify certain provisions of the current Directives, to make them more efficient 
and to solve certain problems of application in order to further harmonise the relevant standards as well as to 
ensure coherency with the evolving asylum acquis. 

a)  The  two  primary  objectives  of  the  initiative  on  Patient  Safety  and  Quality  of  Health  Services  are  (i)  to 
support Member States in ensuring the highest possible levels of patient safety throughout EU health systems 
by providing necessary and relevant practical and legal tools and mechanisms for the Member States, as well 
as the key stakeholders, to take appropriate actions to improve safety and quality of care and (ii) to improve 
EU citizens' confidence that they have sufficient information available on the safety of EU health systems, 

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b)  Council 
health care associated infections 

recommendation  on 

2008 ‘Enlargement Package’: 

a) Strategy Paper on Enlargement  
b) Progress Reports  

a) Non-legislative action/ 
Communication 
b) Non-legislative action/ 
Other 

European  Neighbourhood  Policy: 
country progress reports 

Non-legislative action/ 
Other 

Communication  'Concrete  follow  up 
measures  to  the  Joint  EU-Africa 
Strategy' 

Non-legislative action/ 
Communication 

Better Regulation Package: 

a) Non-legislative action/ 
Communication 

a) Strategic Review 

b)  Second  progress 
simplification 

report  on 

b) Non-legislative action/ 
Communication 

c) Progress Report on Administrative 
Burden 

c) b) Non-legislative 
action/Other 

including healthcare providers in their own country and in other Member States. 

b) The recommendation on health care associated infections would propose a number of specific measures to 
be  implemented  by  the  Member  States  in  order  to  contain  the  spread  of  Healthcare-Associated  infections: 
control  and  preventive  measures,  infection  prevention,  control  programmes,  establish  or  strengthen  active 
surveillance  systems  and  foster  education,  training,  research  and  information  exchange  on  prevention  and 
control. 

a)  The  "Strategy  Paper"  comprises  the  main  findings  of  the  Progress  Reports  and  includes  proposals  for 
policy recommendations.  

b) The Progress Reports assess the progress made by Croatia and Turkey and the former Yugoslav Republic 
of  Macedonia  towards  accession  as  well  as  the  progress  made  in  implementing  the  Stabilization  and 
Association process by Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia and by Kosovo (under UNSCR 
1244). 

The Commission will continue to support political, economic and social reforms in Neighbourhood countries, 
providing  a  diversified  response  to  their  needs  within  a  common  policy  framework,  implementing  its  own 
undertakings  to  strengthen  the  incentives  to  partner  countries,  and  working  closely  with  Member  States  to 
ensure effective delivery of this policy. 

The  Commission  will  produce  an  analysis  of  progress  on  the  ground  as  well  as  a  second  set  of  progress 
reports  on  Israel,  Jordan,  Moldova,  Morocco,  Palestinian  Authority,  Tunisia  and  Ukraine,  and  for  the  first 
time on Armenia, Azerbaijan, Egypt, Georgia and Lebanon. 

The Communication will present the second evaluation of the EU Strategy for Africa implementation. It will 
integrate the priorities identified in the first action plan implementing the Joint EU-Africa Strategy and set 
the  necessary  guidelines  for  their  implementation.  The  Communication  will  be  based  on  a  questionnaire 
circulated to Member States in early 2008 so as to create and EU monitoring document. Adequate synergies 
with the Monterrey Communication shall be ensured. 

a) A Communication will present the state of play of the Commission's better regulation agenda (including th
first experiences with the Impact Assessment Board) and announce new initiatives within that agenda.  

b) This initiative includes an overview of the state of play of the simplification rolling programme as well a
new  proposals  for  simplification.  At  inter-institutional  level,  progress  of  adoption  of  simplification  proposal
will also be reviewed. It will also present a state of play of the indicative codification programme 2006-2008.  

c)  In  January  2007,  the  Commission  presented  an  ambitious  Action  Programme  to  reduce  by  25% 
administrative burdens imposed by legislation in the EU. This reduction should be achieved jointly by the EU 
and Member States by 2012. The Action Programme sets out how to identify, assess and reduce information 
obligations put on business. It provides a list of approx. 40 pieces of legislation and 13 priority areas believed 
to account for 80% of administrative costs on businesses. In order to produce concrete results on the short 

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(26 initiatives regrouped in 12 packages) 

(*) Initiatives also contributing to the simplification programme, see Annex 2 

term,  the  Programme  also  identifies  a  first  series  of  ‘fast  track  actions’.  These  actions  are  intended  to 
generate significant benefits through relatively minor changes in the underlying legislation.  

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PRIORITY INITIATIVES 

Title 

Budget review 

Type of proposal or 
act 
Non-legislative 
Communication 

action/ 

Commission  Communication 
EMU@10 - 

on 

Non-legislative 
Communication 

action/ 

Description of scope and objectives 

The  objective is  to  examine  what  reforms  are  needed  to  optimise  Europe's  contribution  in  addressing key 
challenges of the next decade, based on the principles of added value in pursuing the common interest and 
effectiveness  of  spending.  This  analysis  is  therefore  potentially  an  important  input  to  proposals  to  be 
presented by  the  next  Commission  for  a  new  multi-annual  financial  framework,  covering  the  period from 
2014 onwards. 

In the spring of 2008, it will be 10 years that the decisions on the transition to the 3rd stage of EMU were 
taken and on its initial participants. After 10 years, the time seems ripe for an in-depth strategic review of 
the functioning of EMU so far with a view to drawing lessons for its future functioning. 

The Commission Communication should draw out the main findings from this review and present the main 
recommendations for the future, based on the in-depth review of EMU. 

Green  Paper  on  European  territorial 
cohesion 

Non-legislative/ 
paper 

Green 

The objectives of this action are: 

• 

• 

to analyse from an institutional, political and operational perspective the way in which Member States 
understand  and  apply  the  concept  of  territorial  cohesion.  This  work  will  be  mainly  based  on 
questionnaires and analysis of operational programmes.  

to provide a common definition of the concept and to propose possible tools for a better integration of 
this  territorial  dimension  in  the  Structural  funds  and  in  some  sectoral  policies  having  a  territorial 
impact. 

• 

to initiate an in-depth dialogue between Member States and the Commission. 

Amendment of Capital Requirements 
Directives 2006/48/EC and 
2006/49/EC  

proposal/ 

Legislative 
Directive 
Legal  Basis:  EC  Treaty, 
Art. 47(2) 

Revision  of  a  number  of  important  sections  of  the  Capital  Requirement  Directive  (CRD)  to  update  and 
reduce regulatory burdens for Member States and the banking industry:  

• 

Improved framework for co-operation and the exchange of information between supervisors (in 
particular, emergency situations). Access of host supervisors to branch information; 

•  Revision of the large exposure requirements; 

•  Prudential treatment for hybrid capital instruments eligible in tier 1 capital; 

•  Extension of waivers for cooperative banks; 

•  Clarification and technical adjustments of the CRD (including default risk treatment in the trading 

EN 

book). 

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Regulation  for  a  European  Private 
Company Statute 

proposal/ 

Legislative 
Regulation 
Legal  Basis:  EC  Treaty 
Art. 308 

The objective of the European Private Company is to enhance the mobility and competitiveness of European 
SMEs.  Providing  SMEs  with  common  rules  in  Member  States  would  make  it  easier  for  them  to  conduct 
cross-border  business  by  facilitating  the  formation  of  new  businesses  in  other  Member  States  and/or  the 
restructuring of existing businesses into simpler structures. Operating across Member States with the same 
corporate rules could reduce compliance costs, and make the creation and operation of companies in the EU 
simpler and cheaper. 

Communication “Small Business Act 
(SBA) for Europe” 

Non-Legislative 
Communication 

action/ 

The  Small  Business  Act  for  Europe  will  combine  a  mix  of  general  principles  (for  example,  specific 
treatment  for  SMEs  in  legislation  according  to  'Think  Small  First'  principle,  reduce  obstacles  to  go  cross 
border,  improved  access  to  EU  programmes  and  increase  SMEs  access  to  innovation  and  growth),  legal 
actions (for  example  proposal  for  a  European  Company  Statute)  and  concrete  actions to  be  taken both  by 
Member States and the Commission (for example improving SMEs access to public procurement). 

Review  of  existing  legislation  on 
VAT reduced rates 

proposal/ 

Legislative 
Directive 
Legal  Basis:  EC  Treaty 
Art. 93 

On the basis of the results of an independent think tank study on the impact of reduced rates notably in terms 
of job creation, economic growth and the proper functioning of the internal market, the Commission adopted 
a  Communication  on  other  VAT  rates  than  the  standard  rate  (COM(2007)  380)  with  a  view  to  launch  a 
debate in the Council, the European Parliament and with other stakeholders. All relevant views collected on 
this very sensitive issue will serve to initiate a sustainable and well balanced proposal in the medium term 
on VAT reduced rates. 

Pharmaceuticals Package: 

a)  Communication  on  the  future  of 
the  single  market  in  pharmaceuticals 
for human use 

b)  Directive  on  Pharmaceuticals  - 
Information to patients  

c)  Strengthening  and  rationalising 
EU Pharmacovigilance 
Commission  Recommendation  on 
Active Inclusion 

a) Non-legislative action/ 
Communication  
b) Legislative proposal/ 
Directive 
Legal Basis: EC Treaty 
Art. 95  
c) Legislative proposals/ 
Directive and Regulation 
Legal basis: EC Treaty 
Art. 95 

Non-legislative action/ 
Recommendation 

a) The objectives of this Communication are to provide an opportunity to review, in brief, the achievements 
since  2004,  to  outline  the  challenges  ahead  and  to  set  out  deliverables  for  the  Commission  and  Member 
States over the next few years. 

b)  The  aim  of  this  directive  is  to  establish  harmonised  rules  taking  account  of  developments  in  society 
(empowered patients seeking more information) and technology (increased use of the internet).  

c) The objectives of these initiatives are to rationalise and strengthen public health protection, to improve 
the functioning of the Internal Market and the safety of pharmaceuticals that flow across the EU. 

At  the  start  of  2008,  political  attention  within  the  EU  will  be  driven  by  the  lessons  drawn  by  the 
Commission  from  the  Social  Reality  Stocktaking  exercise.  This  initiative  constitutes  the  final  stage  of  a 
process  initiated  in  2006  with  Art.  138-based  consultation  on  active  inclusion  of  people  furthest  from  the 
labour  market,  which  was  based  on  three  pillars,  namely  (a)  a  link  to  the  labour  market  through  job 
opportunities  or  vocational  training,  (b)  income  support  at  a  level  that  is  sufficient  for  people  to  have  a 
dignified life, and (c) better access to quality services. In the framework of the Lisbon strategy, this initiative 
is complementary to the flexicurity approach by reaching out to people further from the labour market. 

EN 

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 Proposal for a Regulation on a 
Dedicated Legal Framework for the 
Construction and Operation of new 
Pan-European Research 
Infrastructures 

proposal/ 

Legislative 
Regulation 
Legal  Basis:  EC  Treaty, 
Art. 171 

The  purpose  of  the  legislation  should  be  to  facilitate  the  formation  of  European  consortia  for  the 
construction  and  operation  of  research  facilities  of  Pan-European  interest  and  necessary  for  the  efficient 
execution  of  Community  research  programmes.  Complementing  national  or  inter-governmental  schemes, 
the  EC  regulation  would  provide  a  common  and  easy-to-use  legal  framework,  leaving  a  large  degree  of 
flexibility to the individual consortia to set up the adequate rules for the specific infrastructure at European 
level. The framework regulation is based on Article 171 EC: it will set out the main characteristics of the 
Pan-European  research  infrastructures,  as  well  as  the  rules  and  procedures  governing  their  establishment, 
necessary for the efficient execution of Community programmes. 

The  framework  regulation  would  allow  current  issues  related  to  Community  research  such  as  liability, 
taxation and staffing issues, to be dealt with, and it would also highlight the catalysing role of the European 
Commission in the setting-up of new legal entities at European level. 

 Communication 
programming of research” 

“Towards 

joint 

Non-Legislative 
Communication 

action/ 

The objective would be to increase the value of well chosen national investments in research through joint 
programming  so  that  these  joint  programmes  reach  the  critical  mass,  scale  and  scope  required  to  have  an 
impact at a global level. 

Euro area initiatives: 

a) Convergence Report – 2008 

b)  (Possible)  proposal(s)  for  Council 
Decision(s) under Art. 122(2)on euro 
area  entry  of  one  or  more  new 
Member States 

the  euro  and 

c)  Possible  Proposals  for  a  Council 
Regulation 
amending  Regulation 
(EC)  No  2866/98  on  the  conversion 
the 
rates  between 
currencies  of  the  Member  States 
adopting the euro 
the 
Communication 
for 
GMES 
Security) 
Environment 
programme 
long-term 
governance and financing framework 

(Global  Monitoring 
and 

launching 

and 

its 

a) Non-legislative action/ 
Communication 

b) Legislative proposal/ 
Decision  
Legal Basis: EC Treaty, 
Art. 122(2) 

c) Legislative proposal/ 
Regulation  
Legal Basis: Art. 123(5) 
EC Treaty 

a) At least every two years, or at a request of a Member State, the Commission and the ECB each prepare a 
convergence report in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 122(2). The reports examine to 
which extent the Member States with derogation have achieved a high degree of sustainable convergence. 
The compatibility of their national legislation with Community law also forms part of the assessment. The 
next  regular  two-yearly  report  foreseen  in  2008  (the  latest  having  been  published  in  December  2006). 
Positive convergence assessment on one or more Member States might lead to euro area enlargement. 

b) If one or more Member States are deemed to fulfil the conditions for euro adoption, their derogation is 
abrogated by the Council. 
c) If one or more Member States are deemed to fulfil the conditions for euro adoption, the Council decides 
on  conversion  rates  of  new  euro  area  entrants  in  accordance  with  Art.  123(5).  Euro  area  enlargement 
Secondary legislation related to euro adoption. 

Non-legislative 
action/Communication 

The Communication will shape the long term sustainability of GMES covering: a programmatic framework 
to  follow  up  the  preparatory  action,  the  coordination  of  contributions  in  the  space  and  in-situ  observation 
infrastructures for the guaranteed provision of data and the long-term GMES governance scheme. It may be 
accompanied or followed by legislative proposals to implement it. 

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Sustainability package: 

a)  Communication  and  Action  Plan 
on Sustainable Industrial Policy (SIP) 

b)  Sustainable  Production 
Consumption (SPC) Action Plan 

and 

a) Non-legislative action/ 
Communication  
b) Non-legislative action/ 
Communication 

Regulation (EC) No 761/2001 of the 
the 
European  parliament  and  of 
Council  of  19  March  2001  allowing 
voluntary 
by 
organisations  in  a  Community  eco-
management 
scheme 
and 
(EMAS) (*) 

participation 

audit 

proposal/ 

Legislative 
Regulation  
Legal  Basis:  Art.  175  EC 
Treaty 

Regulation  (EC)  No  1980/2000  of 
the  European  Parliament  and  of  the 
Council of 17 July 2000 on a revised 
Community eco-label award (*) 

proposal/ 

Legislative 
Regulation  
Legal  Basis:  Art.  175(1) 
EC Treaty 

Biodiversity package: 

the 
a)  Mid-term 
implementation  of  the  Biodiversity 
Action Plan  

report 

on 

b) Communication on policy options 
to tackle invasive alien species 

a) Non-legislative action/ 
Other 

b) Non-legislative action/ 
Communication 

The  SIP/SCP  initiative  consists  of  an  integrated  strategy  to  help  the  EU  economy  become  more 
environmentally  sustainable  and  competitive.  The  strategy  covers  innovation,  the  internal  market  and  the 
external dimension, including production and consumption patterns. This initiative will set out the approach, 
map out action plans for delivery and may include legislative proposals. A key element of the initiative will 
be the launch of a new product policy setting dynamic sustainability requirements, through an extension of 
the  Energy-using  products  Directive,  coupled  with  voluntary  "performance  standards".  These  will  be 
leveraged internationally through international sectoral agreements. There will also be important measures 
to stimulate innovation (e.g. a European Environmental Technology Verification Scheme), stimulate smarter 
consumption  (including  through  the  revision  of  the  Ecolabel)  and  measures  to  help  Industry  to  make 
production processes more sustainable (including through the revision of the EMAS scheme and through the 
SME  Environmental  compliance  programme)  and  initiatives  towards  more  sustainable  public  and  private 
procurement. 

The revision aims at improving environmental performance of the organisations participating and increasing 
participation  from  both  industrial  and  public  sector.  Legal  compliance  and  environmental  performance 
improvement  of  the  participating  organisations  will  be  facilitated  by  providing  access  to  advice  on 
environmental legal obligations and guidance on the best environmental management practice. Among other 
benefits  for  participating  organisations,  administrative  burden  will  be  reduced  for  large  corporations  by 
allowing  corporate  registration  and  for  small  organisations  by  cluster  registration.  Synergies  with  other 
environmental  management  systems  will  be  facilitated.  Incentives  and  regulatory  relief  for  participating 
organisations by the Member States will be encouraged. 

The revision aims at enhancing effectiveness and market impact by increasing the range of eligible product 
groups and the number of eco-labelled goods and services actually available to the consumer. The procedure 
of  developing  and  adopting  eco-label  criteria  will  be  thoroughly  changed  and  simplified.  Economic 
stakeholders  will  be  involved  to  a  greater  extent  into  the  process,  thereby  increasing  ownership  and  self-
regulatory aspects of the scheme, whereas the administrative burden put on Member States will be reduced. 
Synergies with existing eco-labels at national level will be facilitated and limits will be put on the costs and 
fees Member States' authorities may charge on the applicant. Furthermore, the criteria should be defined in 
such a way that they can be easily used for the purpose of green public procurement. 

a)  The  Biodiversity  Action  Plan  requires  the  Commission  to  report  on  its  implementation  in  2008,  taking 
into account Member States reports and other data. The objective is to provide an informed overview of the 
current  rate  of  progress  of  the  Action  Plan,  highlighting  areas  of  concern  in  the  light  of  the  2010 
commitment. 

b)  This  Communication  aims  to  present  the  different  policy  options  available  to  reduce  the  threat  to  EU 
natural heritage from the arrival within the EU of non-native species. On the basis of a study that is currently 
taking  place,  further  actions  against  invasive  species  will  be  proposed  in  2009-10.  The  objective  is  to 
prevent and control the ingress of invasive alien species, thus protecting European biodiversity. 

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Green  Paper  on  agricultural  product 
quality policy  

Non-Legislative 
Green Paper 

action/ 

The  Green  Paper  will  explore  ideas  and  options  for  farmers  and  producers  who  want  to  orient  their 
production towards quality and thereby better meet consumer demand and add value to their production. The 
document will ask for contributions, views and proposals for developing measures and the appropriate legal 
framework to facilitate a shift to quality production and marketing. It will build on the outcome of the Food 
Quality Certification Conference (5-6.2.2007, Brussels) and respond to calls for EU agriculture to follow a 
path  of  greater  market  orientation.  The  Green  Paper  will  also  seek  the  views  of  stakeholders  on  the 
development of existing EC quality schemes for geographical indications and traditional specialities. 

Council  Regulation  -  Review  of  the 
Less Favoured Areas Scheme  
(delimitation of designated areas) 

proposal/ 

Legislative 
Regulation 
Legal  Basis:  EC  Treaty, 
Art. 37 

Support for Less Favoured Areas (LFAs) is granted with the objective to contribute through the continued 
use of agricultural land to maintaining the countryside, as well as to maintaining and promoting sustainable 
farming systems. It is a vital part of the Rural Development Policy. The initiative will result in an improved 
delimitation system for areas with handicaps, thus adjusting the measure to changed circumstances. 

Communication 
Development 
Aquaculture 

on 

of 

Sustainable 
Community 

Non-legislative 
Communication 

action/ 

Modernisation and recast of the CFP 
control  system  under  Regulation 
(EC) No 2847/93 (*) 

Legislative 
Proposal/Regulation 

Legal  Basis:  EC  Treaty, 
Art. 37 

a) Non-legislative 
proposal/Communication 
b) Legislative proposal/ 
Regulation 
Legal basis: 
c) Legislative proposal/ 
Regulation 
Legal basis: Art. 71, 75 
EC Treaty 

Maritime Transport package: 

a)  Communication  on  the  future  EU 
Policy 
Maritime 
accompanied 
legislative 
proposals: 

Transport 
by 

b)  Revision  of  Regulation  (EC)  No 
1406/2002  establishing  a  European 
Maritime Safety Agency 

c) Legislative proposal on a Maritime 
Space without Barriers 

The Communication would build on the 2002 strategy (COM(2002) 511), and note that its growth objectives 
have not been fully met as foreseen, while the environment and health ones have been generally been better 
addressed.  The  aim  would  therefore  be  to  identify  the  main  constraints  and  challenges  hampering 
sustainable growth and to assess which role should be played by all actors, in particular by public authorities 
in  contributing  to  establish  the  most  transparent  and  predictable  business  and  legal  environment  which  is 
needed  by  entrepreneurs  to  invest  and  develop.  (This  initiative  is  part  of  the  Integrated  Maritime  Policy 
Action Plan) 

The main objectives are the strengthening , harmonisation and simplification of existing rules in the fisheries 
control  area.  The  modernisation  of  the  procedures  will  facilitate  a  better  enforcement  and  alleviate  the 
burden and constraints for the sector and public administrations by increasing the use of IT tools to reduce 
reporting obligations. It is an essential step towards reinstating sustainability of fisheries. Included in the EU 
Action Plan for reducing administrative burden (COM(2007) 23). 

a) This Communication will take account of developments since the 1996 maritime transport strategy. It will 
address  all  the  questions  raised  in  connection  with  the  role  and  contribution  of  maritime  transport  to  the 
European  economic  system  as  a  whole.  All  implications  resulting  from  the  intensification  of  the 
globalisation  process,  the  growth  in  trade,  energy  and  climate  change  constrains,  security  factors, 
sustainable  development,  human  factor,  competitiveness  and  emerging  logistics  trends  will  be  examined. 
(This initiative is part of the Integrated Maritime Policy Action Plan) 

b) The maritime legislation of the EU has considerably evolved since the creation of EMSA as witnessed 
by the three modifications already adopted of the founding regulation. The third maritime safety package 
proposed  by  the  Commission  in  2005  will  further  enhance  EMSA's  tasks.  The  following  extensions  are 
under consideration: taking over certain activities of the Paris Memorandum of Understanding in the area 
of Port State Control; new tasks in the areas of security, research and general maritime policy. Cooperation 
with third countries and governance issues will also be examined. 

c) To establish an effective Internal Market for short sea shipping, the administrative procedures for short-

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Air transport package: 

a)  Communication  "Developing  the 
single European Sky"  

b)  Proposal  to  amend  the  Single 
European Sky Regulations 

c)  Extension  of  the  competence  of 
the  European  Aviation  Safety 
Agency  towards  airports  and  ATM  / 
ANS 

d) Launch of the Development Phase 
of SESAR (2008-2013) 

a) Non-legislative action/ 
Communication 
b) Legislative proposal/ 
Regulation 
Legal Basis: EC Treaty, 
Art. 80 
c) Legislative proposal/ 
Regulation 
Legal Basis: EC Treaty, 
Art. 80 
d) Other 

sea  shipping  need  to  be  simplified.  This  will  result  in  less  congestion,  negative  environment  impacts  and 
energy consumption, as well as improved safety. The effective implementation of Single Market concepts in 
coastal  waters  around  the  EU  requires  a  change  in  the  existing  regulatory  and  administrative  framework. 
(This initiative is part of the Integrated Maritime Policy Action Plan) 

a)  This  Communication  will  present  the  three  initiatives  linked  to  the  further  development  of  the  Single 
European Sky.  

b) The legislative proposal will: 

- Improve performance of Air Traffic Management 

- Ensure that ATM infrastructure meets the expected traffic growth requirements 

- Promote new technologies in line with the Lisbon objectives 

- Make Air Traffic Management contribute to sustainability objectives 

c) Legislative Proposal to amend Regulation (EC) No 1592/2002 to extend the common aviation safety rules 
to  Air  Navigation  Services,  Air  Traffic  Management  and  airports  in  order  to  enhance  safety  and 
interoperability. 

d) Commission Report on the progress of the SESAR development phase including : 

- Presentation of the ATM Master Plan for endorsement by Council 

- Presentation of ways of transition from Development to Deployment Phase of SESAR 

- Presentation of modalities for Non-EU Member State involvement 

Proposal  for  a  directive  on 
the 
conditions  of  entry  and  residence  of 
seasonal workers 

proposal/ 

Legislative 
Directive  
Legal  Basis:  EC  Treaty, 
Art. 63(3) 

Proposal  for  a  directive  on 
the 
procedures  regulating  the  entry  into, 
the  temporary  stay  and  residence  of 
Intra-Corporate  Transferees 
(ICT) 
and  on  the  conditions  of  entry  and 
residence of remunerated trainees 

proposal/ 

Legislative 
Directive 
Legal  Basis:  EC  Treaty, 
Art. 63 

The proposal aims at establishing common entry and residence conditions for seasonal workers from third-
countries.  It  is  part  of  a  comprehensive  package  of  measures,  proposed  in  the  Policy  Plan  on  Legal 
Migration  of  2005  and  further  developed  in  the  Communication  on  circular  migration  and  migration 
partnerships  of  2007.  Specific  objectives  are  to  ensure  a  secure  legal  status  and  a  reinforced  protection 
against exploitation to a particularly weak category of third-country workers, such as seasonal workers, and 
the development of the circular migration policy. 

As concerns the ICT, this scheme will set out common procedures to regulate the entry into, temporary stay 
and  residence  in  the  EU  of  ICT,  in  those  fields  which  are  not  covered  by  the  GATS  negotiations.  These 
procedures will therefore be without prejudice to international commitments entered into by the EC or by 
the  EC  and  its  Member  States.  As  concerns  the  remunerated  trainees,  its  main  objectives  concern  the 
development of the circular migration policy, also with the view of supporting the EC development policy: 
allowing third-country nationals to acquire skills and knowledge through a period of training in Europe can 
in fact be a way to encourage brain circulation, beneficial for both the sending and receiving country. 

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Communication  on  the  next  multi-
annual strategy to establish an area of 
freedom, security and justice 

Non-Legislative 
action/Communication 

The main aim of this initiative is to define over a certain number of years the priorities and objectives for the 
future development of the EU as an area of freedom, security and justice, and to determine the means and 
initiatives to best achieve them. 

Green  Paper  on  Migration  and 
Education 

Non-Legislative 
action/Green paper 

Commission  Communication  on  "A 
renewed 
social 
commitment 
justice in Europe: deepening the open 
method  of  coordination  in  social 
protection and social inclusion" 

to 

Non-legislative 
action/Communication 

Communication  on  anticipating  and 
managing change 

Non-Legislative 
action/consultation 

Proposal  for  revision  of  Council 
Directive  94/45/CE  of  22  September 
1994 (European Works Councils) 

for 

Proposal 
Directive 
implementing  the  principle  of  equal 
treatment outside employment 

a 

Legislative 
proposal/Directive  Legal 
basis:  EC  Treaty,  Art. 
137(2)(b) 
Legislative 
Proposal/Directive 
Legal  basis:  Art.  13  EC 
Treaty 

The Green Paper will underline the central role of education in integration policies, raise awareness on the 
problems  faced  by  migrant  pupils  and  analyse  possible  solutions  and  good  practices.  It  will  also  address 
what Community programmes and funds can do to support policy development. 

As a result of inequalities of opportunities, not all EU citizens can achieve their full potential. There is scope 
for  improving  the  existing  process  supporting  Member  States'  efforts  to  eradicate  poverty,  promote  social 
inclusion, and modernise social protection. Policy coordination and mutual learning should be strengthened. 
"Deepening the OMC" means helping Member States identify more clearly the challenge of social inclusion 
and  the  gaps  in  their  social  protection  systems  as  well  as  the  policies  best  suited  to  tackle  them  through 
closer monitoring and benchmarking, and a clearer focus on policies and the mechanisms for implementing 
them. 

The  Communication  will  present  a  political  overview  of  initiatives  undertaken  since  the  adoption  of  the 
Communication  on  Restructuring  and  employment  (COM(2005)  120).  The  communication  will  launch  a 
European partnership for the adaptation to change highlighting the role and responsibilities of main actors in 
change  management  (Commission,  Member  States,  regions,  sectors,  enterprises,  workers  and  social 
partners). The Communication will launch the second phase of consultation of European social partners on 
anticipating company restructuring. 

EU legislation needs to be modified to make it more coherent and efficient with the aim of reinforcing the 
role of European Works Councils, in particular in anticipating and accompanying restructuring.  

Article  13  provides  the  legal  base  for  the  European  Union  to  take  appropriate  actions  to  combat 
discrimination based on sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation 
but  the  principle  of  non-discrimination  only  becomes  operational  when  contained  in  a  Directive  or  other 
instrument made under Article 13 EC. Three Directives have already been adopted under this legal base but 
they  are  not  applicable  against  discrimination  outside  of  the  employment  sphere  only  for  racial  or  ethnic 
origin  and  sex.  Although  some  Member  States  may  go  beyond  the  current  Directives  and  provide  for  the 
same  level  of  protection  for  all  the  grounds  of  discrimination,  it  is  necessary  to  ensure  certain  coherence 
throughout Europe in this field. Only a European Directive can provide such a coherent framework. 

Lack  of  uniform  protection  can  affect  people's  choices  on  whether  to  work  or  study  in  another  Member 
State,  or  whether  to  travel  there  and  access  services.  The  consultation  of  European  Business  Test  Panel 
shows  that  many  businesses  believes  it  matters  if  there  are  different  levels  of  protection  between  the  EU 
Member States against discrimination in access to goods, services and housing on grounds of age, disability, 
religion  and  sexual  orientation  (63%)  and  26%  believe  that  a  difference  in  the  level  of  protection  would 

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Proposal  for  a  Directive  amending 
Directive  92/85/EEC  of  19  October 
1992 on the introduction of measures 
to  encourage  improvements  in  the 
safety and health at work of pregnant 
workers  and  workers  who  have 
recently  given  birth  or  are  breast-
feeding 
Green  paper  on  Health  Professionals 
in Europe 

affect their ability to do business in another Member State.  

The basis for a new initiative is that the level of protection against discrimination based on religion & belief, 
age, disability and sexual orientation is lower than that afforded in the case of discrimination based on race.  

proposal/ 

Legislative 
Directive 
Legal  basis:  EC  Treaty, 
Art. 137 

Directive 92/85/EEC provides for measures aimed at the improvement of the health and safety at work of 
pregnant women and women who have recently given birth or are breastfeeding; including a minimum of 14 
continuous  weeks'  maternity  leave.  The  objective  is  to  enhance  the  reconciliation  of  professional,  private 
and family life by improving existing maternity protection provisions. 

Non-Legislative 
Communication 

action/ 

The aim of the proposal is to launch a high level reflection process on issues related to the mobility of health 
professionals. Any future Commission proposals would only follow at a later stage and will be based on the 
outcome of the reflection process. 

Commission  Communication  on  a 
European Action in the field of Rare 
Diseases 

Non-Legislative action/ 
Communication 

Directive  on  quality  and  safety  of 
organ  donation  and  transplantation 
accompanied  by  an  Action  plan  for 
closer  cooperation  between  MS  on 
organ donation and transplants 

Communication 
Communication 
Infrastructure Protection (CIIP) 

Critical 
Information 

and 

on 

Legislative 
Directive  

proposal/ 

Legal  basis:  EC  Treaty, 
Art. 152 

Non-Legislative action/ 
Communication 

Non-legislative 
Communication 

action/ 

The  Commission  Communication  on  a  European  action  in  the  field  of  rare  diseases  (including  genetic 
diseases) intends to improve the chance for patients to get appropriate care and information on rare diseases 
and to reverse the current situation of uncertainty and invisibility for people suffering from a rare disease. 
Health  professionals  and  public  health  authorities  have  insufficient  knowledge  of  the  majority  of  rare 
diseases. This lack of knowledge underlies diagnostic error - a great source of suffering for patients and their 
families - and delayed care provision, which can sometimes be prejudicial. This will in turn contribute to the 
overarching goals - an improvement in health outcomes, and therefore a growth in Healthy Life Years, a key 
Lisbon Strategy indicator. 

The Directive will include the principles needed to establish a basic quality and safety framework for the 
therapeutic use of human organs, such as: establishment of national authority responsible for implementing 
the requirements of the directive, common set of quality and safety standards for preservation and 
transportation of organs and ensure traceability and reporting of serious adverse events. 

The action plan will establish a close cooperation between Member States to help maximise organ donation 
and equalise access to transplantation. The plan will also identify common objectives for which it is agreed 
that a Community response is necessary, describe the actions, agreed quantitative and qualitative indicators 
and benchmarks and establish regular reporting. 

The objective is to develop, within the broader and evolving European Programme for Critical Infrastructure 
Protection  (EPCIP)  framework,  the  EU  policy  on  critical  information  infrastructure  protection.  The  aim 
would  be  to  ensure  that  there  are  adequate  and  consistent  levels  of  protective  security  and  resilience  of 
critical information infrastructure in order to guarantee continuity of services. 

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Communication  on  telemedicine  and 
innovative  technologies  for  chronic 
disease management 

Non-legislative 
Communication 

action/ 

This communication will aim at: 

•  Assessing  with  major  stakeholders  the  situation  of  telemedicine  in  the  Member  States,  from 

technological, legal and regulatory points of view; identify obstacles and opportunities 

•  Proposing a set of actions to facilitate innovative technologies deployment as well as the development of 
a legal context for telemedicine tools Europe-wide. Pilots will be developed, notably in the context of the 
Competitiveness and Innovation Programme (CIP) 

•  Proposing  appropriate  technology  assessment  and  accreditation  mechanisms  to  tackle  market 

fragmentation and transparency, safety of patients. 

A  programme  to  protect  children 
using the Internet and the new media 
(2009-2013) 

Legislative 
Decision 

proposal/ 

This new programme builds upon the results obtained with the Safer Internet plus programme. It will aim to 
promote safer use of the Internet and new online technologies, particularly for children, and to fight against 
illegal content and content unwanted by the end-user, as part of a coherent approach by the European Union. 

Communication 
functioning 
Regulation 

of 

reviewing 
the 

the 
Roaming 

Legal  Basis:  EC  Treaty, 
Art. 153 
Non-legislative 
Communication 

action/ 

The  Commission  shall  review  the  functioning  of  the  Roaming  Regulation  and  report  to  the  European 
Parliament and the Council no later than 30 December 2008. The Commission shall evaluate in particular 
whether  the  objectives  of  this  Regulation  have  been  achieved.  In  its  report  the  Commission  shall  review 
developments  in  wholesale  and  retail  charges  for  the  provision  to  roaming  customers  of  voice  and  data 
communication  services,  including  SMS  and  MMS,  and  shall,  if  appropriate,  include  recommendations 
regarding the need to regulate these services. 

In  its  report,  the  Commission  shall  assess  whether,  in  the  light  of  developments  in  the  market  and  with 
regard to both competition and consumer protection, there is need to extend the duration of this Regulation 
beyond the period set out in Article 13 or to amend it, taking into account the developments in charges for 
mobile  voice  and  data  communication  services  at  national  level  and  the  effects  of  this  Regulation  on  the 
competitive situation of smaller, independent or newly started operators. 

Legislative Proposal on 
strengthening Eurojust 

proposal/ 

Legislative 
Decision 
Legal  Basis:  EU  Treaty, 
Art. 31(2), 34(2)(c) 

Eurojust  plays  an  important  role  in  the  coordination  and  cooperation  between  national  authorities  of  the 
Member  States  in  the  fight  against  transnational  organised  crime.  At  present,  the  powers  of  the  national 
members of Eurojust are limited and focus on the coordination of investigations and prosecutions. In order 
to improve the fight against transnational organised crime, the powers of Eurojust should be increased and 
relationships  between  Eurojust  and  the  European  Judicial  Network  should  be  restructured.  If  this  is  done, 
Eurojust will be able to contribute more substantially to the fight against transnational organised crime. 

Communication on E-Justice 

Non-legislative 
Communication 

action/ 

The Communication aims at defining a global Commission strategy on the issue of e-Justice, which relates 
to  a  large  scale  to  existing  and  envisaged  Community  instruments  such  as  criminal  records  and  an  EU 
electronic  payment  order.  An  important  aspect  is  also  to  take  stand  on  the  plans  concerning  the  Portal 

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Interconnection at EU level. 

Legislative instrument in the field of 
successions and wills 

proposal/ 

Legislative 
Regulation  
Legal  Basis:  Art.  67  EC 
Treaty 

The objective is to facilitate European citizens' lives establishing a coherent legal framework concerning law 
conflict  settlements  in  the  area  of  successions,  questions  of  judicial  competence,  mutual  recognition  and 
execution  of  decisions,  documents  and  extrajudicial  acts  necessary  for  the  non  contentious  settlement  of 
successions (wills, deeds, administrative acts). A European heredity certificate and a mechanism allowing to 
know precisely if an EU resident has left a testament or last will are also foreseen. 

Communication on violent 
radicalisation 

Non-legislative 
Communication 

action/ 

The policy objectives are to develop initiatives in the field of the fight against violent radicalisation based on 
studies, a questionnaire and a large conference. The studies are based on field research and the collection of 
new empirical data and adopt comparative and inter-disciplinary approaches. 

Proposal  for  a  Framework  Directive 
on Consumer Contractual Rights (*) 

proposal/ 

Legislative 
Directive 
Legal  basis:  EC  Treaty 
Art. 95 

The  overall  aim  of  the  revision  of  the  acquis,  is  to  simplify  and  improve  the  coherence  of  the  consumer 
regulatory  framework  and  thus  enhance  legal  certainty  both  for  consumers  and  business.  The  legal 
instrument will be a combination of codification and repeal of parts of existing directives and enactment of 
new rules. The most likely regulatory action, depending on the final outcome of the review, will be a mixed 
approach to the revision of the acquis. This will consist of a horizontal instrument, underpinned whenever 
required by vertical solutions. 

Communication on Multilingualism: 
Addressing the challenge of 
European Society 

Non-Legislative action/ 
Communication 

The  Communication  will  provide  orientations  for  a  better  synergy  between  European  and  Member  States 
policies  to  promote  multilingualism,  notably  through  the  Open  Method  of  Coordination  and  by  making 
better use of existing European programmes and initiatives. 

Communication  EU  Development 
Aid : Doing more, better and faster - 
Delivering on our commitments 

Non-Legislative 
Communication 

action/ 

Communication 'The EU, Africa and 
China: Towards trilateral dialogue 
and cooperation on Africa's peace, 
stability and sustainable 
development' 

Non-Legislative 
Communication 

action/ 

The new strategy should in particular contribute to improving citizens' employability, the competitiveness of 
European enterprises, intercultural dialogue and social inclusion as well as to creating a European space for 
dialogue with citizens. This new approach should, therefore, embrace all policy areas of the EU, involve all 
stakeholders concerned and be conceived and implemented in close co-operation with all Member States. 

This Communication will outline the EU contribution to the Third High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness 
(Accra, September 2008) and to the Follow-Up Conference on Financing for Development to Review the 
Implementation of the Monterrey Consensus (Doha, December 2008). It will also address Policy Coherence 
for Development drawing the lessons form the debate of the EU report issued in September 2007 and the 
state of play regarding the EU contribution on Aid for Trade. 

The Communication aims at spelling out an innovative agenda for a trilateral dialogue and cooperation as a 
response to major new developments in the EU's relations with both partners and South-South cooperation. 
The impacts on security, stability, sustainable development in Africa and on global governance, notably of 
China's emergence as a leading partner for Africa in the last few years require a policy response by the EU 
and  an  effort  to  improve  coherence  of  our  agendas  regarding  both  Africa  and  China.  It  will  propose  a 
constructive dialogue, cooperation and ways to manage competition in such a way as to make it beneficial to 
peace, prosperity and sustainable development in Africa.  

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Communication 'Economic 
Development and regional 
integration in the ACPs' 

Forest package: 

a)  Communication  on  measures  to 
reduce deforestation  

b) Communication on the prevention 
of  the  placing  on  the  market  in  the 
EU  of  illegally  harvested  timber  and 
timber  products 
(with  possible 
accompanying legislative proposal) 

Non-Legislative 
Communication 

action/ 

The Communication will look at how best to foster economic development and regional integration in the 
ACPs (including trade) with a strong focus on private sector development. The objective will be to develop 
a strategy to ensure complementarity of actions and instruments existing at EU and Member States level. 

a) Non-Legislative action/ 
Communication  
b) Non-Legislative action/ 
Communication 

a)  The  Communication  will  propose  policy  options  for  a  future  scheme  with  the  objective  of  halting 
deforestation. 

b)  This  Communication  will  explore  the  policy  options  to  avoid  the  import/placing  in  the  EU  market  of 
illegally  harvested  timber  and  products  made  from  such  timber.  It  might  be  accompanied  by  a  legislative 
proposal  depending  on  the  results  of  the  on-going  impact  assessment.  Following  on  from  the  current  and 
future bilateral negotiations with major timber producing countries to conclude bilateral FLEGT agreements 
(Forest  Law  Enforcement,  Governance  and  Trade),  this  initiative  aims  to  protect  vulnerable  forests  from 
illicit lumbering and to eliminate the sale in the EU of products originating from it. 

(61 initiatives regrouped in 49 packages) 

(*) Initiatives also contributing to the simplification programme see Annex 2. 

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ANNEX 2 – List of simplification initiatives 

 Title 

Legislative  proposals  arising  from  the  Communication 
on  the  'Health  Check'  in  the  Common  Agricultural 
Policy 

Type of 
simplification 
action 

Revision 

Scope and objectives 

Following  the  2007  Communication  on  the  "Health  Check"  in  the  Common  Agricultural  Policy 
(CAP), the legislative proposals will provide options aiming at making the Single Payment Scheme 
more effective, adapting the market support instruments and addressing the new challenges facing 
the sector. The "Health Check" is not a fundamental reform, rather it essentially aims to ensure that 
the  CAP  functions  effectively  and  to  simplify  it  where  possible.  This  initiative  arises  from  the 
review  clauses  regarding  the  Single  Payment  Scheme  and  certain  agricultural  markets  that  were 
included 2003/04 CAP reforms. 

Commission Regulation on information and promotion 
actions for agricultural products on the internal market 
and in third countries 

Revision 

This initiative has as objective to establish the conditions regarding co-financing of information and 
promotion programmes for agricultural products in the internal market and in third countries. It will 
take the form of a consolidation of two existing Commission Regulations ((EC) No 1071/2005 and 
(EC) No 1346/2005). 

Private  Storage:  Commission  Regulation  laying  down 
common  rules  for  private  storage  of  agricultural 
products under Common Agricultural Policy 

Revision 

The  aim  of  the  proposal  is  to  replace  multiple  sectoral  rules  by  horizontal  ones  and  to  simplify 
management  mechanisms  relating  to  the  private  storage  of  agricultural  products.  Existing  sectoral 
provisions, which may vary from one sector to another, will be examined with a view to eliminating 
unnecessary provisions and to harmonising the system of private storage. 

Council  Regulation  amending  Regulation  (EC)  No  … 
establishing a common organisation of markets (CMO) 
and  on  specific  provisions  for  certain  agricultural 
products (single CMO regulation) 

Revision, 
recast 
repeal 

and 

The  single  common  market  organisation  (CMO)  regulation,  scheduled  for  adoption  by  Council  in 
October 2007, merges existing CMOs into a single text. It does not modify policy but streamlines 
and  harmonises  legislation.  Various  substantive  amendments  were  made  in  the  meantime  to  the 
existing CMOs. This is notably the case in the milk, the sugar and the fruit and vegetables sectors, It 
is important to incorporate these amendments into the single CMO in order to achieve the aim of 
having one single simplified legal text which will facilitate the access to the existing legislation and 
thus create a much higher degree of transparency and legal clarity. The initiative thus concerns the 
subsequent Commission proposal. 

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Milk Package (two separate initiatives):  

Revision 

1)  Commission  Regulation 
laying  down  certain 
implementing  rules  with  regard  to  intervention  for 
butter 

laying  down  certain 
2)  Commission  Regulation 
implementing  rules  with  regard  to  intervention  for 
skimmed milk powder 

The purpose of the initiative is to simplify the procedures relating to intervention buying of butter, 
to abolish national butter quality grades, and to abolition private storage aid for cream and skimmed 
milk  powder.  Technical  clarifications  and  simplification  (e.g.  concerning  the  security  provisions) 
will improve the readability of the text. 

Streamline  Controls:  Amendment  of  Commission 
Regulation  (EC)  No  796/2004  regarding  the  detailed 
rules  of  cross  compliance  and 
integrated 
administration and control system 

the 

Revision 

This proposal stems  directly  from  the  Commission  report  to  the  Council  on  the  application of  the 
system  of  cross-compliance  (COM(2007)  147).  Its  amendments  will  lead  to  simpler  and  more 
effective rules concerning the controls on direct payments to farmers with regard to the selection of 
the  control  sample,  the  timing  of  these  controls,  and  the  specific  rules  concerning  on  the  spot 
checks. 

Starch  Production  Refunds:  Commission  Regulation 
amending  Regulation  (EEC)  No  1722/93  laying  down 
detailed rules for the application of Council Regulation 
(EEC)  No  1766/92  concerning  production  refunds  in 
the cereals sector 

Revision 

Objective of this initiative is the simplification of control procedures by increasing the threshold for 
special  control  requirements.  It  will  simplify  the  business  environment  in  which  EU  starch 
producers operate by eliminating the unnecessary / disproportionate administrative measures related 
to the control on modified starches This proposal has been elaborated following the consultation of 
NGOs/stakeholders. 

Controls  of  export  refunds:  Commission  Regulation 
amending  Regulations  (EC)  No  2090/2002,  (EC)  No 
3122/94 and (EC) No 800/1999 as regards physical and 
substitution controls in the framework of export refunds 
on agricultural products 

Revision 

Modification  of  Regulation  (EC)  No  2090/2002  laying  down  detailed  rules  for  applying  Council 
Regulation  (EC)  No  386/90  as  regards  physical  checks  carried  out  when  agricultural  products 
qualifying for refunds are exported. 

Fresh  fruit  and  vegetables:  proposal  for  a  Commission 
Regulation  laying  down  the  marketing  standards  for 
fresh fruit and vegetables and establishing requirements 
on checks on conformity to these marketing standards 

Revision 

The objective of the proposal is to merge 34 regulations on marketing standards for fresh fruit and 
vegetables  into  one  regulation,  reduce  the  list  of  products  covered  by  marketing  standards  and 
rationalise checking operations. 

Common  market  organisation  of  wine:  amendment  of 
the Council Regulation establishing the single Common 
Market Organisation (not yet published) to include the 
provisions with regard the common market organisation 
of wine. 

Revision 

The  amendment  will  include  the  specific  rules  concerning  the  common  organisation  of  the  wine 
market  into  the  general  rules  concerning  the  organisation  of  the  common  market  in  agricultural 
produce. This will clarify and simplify the EU legislation. 

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Commission  Regulation  on  the  application  of  Articles 
87  and  88  of  the  Treaty  to  regional  aid,  SME,  R&D, 
environmental 
training.
(General Block Exemption Regulation - final adoption) 

employment, 

aid, 

Proposal  of  Directive  amending  Council  Directive 
2001/23/EC  on  the  approximation  of  the  laws  of  the 
the  safeguarding  of 
Member  States 
employees' 
transfers  of 
undertakings,  businesses  or  parts  of  undertakings  or 
businesses 

relating 
in 

the  event  of 

rights 

to 

Revision 

Revision 

Community  initiative  on  work-related  musculoskeletal 
disorders 

Recast 

of 

the 

Pharmaceutical 

Revision 
"Variations" 
Regulations:  change  to  the  legal  basis,  in  Directives 
to 
2001/83/EC  on 
medicinal products for human use and 2001/82/EC for 
veterinary use 

the  Community  code  relating 

Revision 

The  final  objective  pursued  by  the  Commission  is  to  group  all  existing  Block  Exemption 
Regulations into one single Regulation for the first time ever. This will bring a qualitative impact in 
terms of clarity, predictability and transparency of EU rules for business and national and regional 
authorities.  The  new  GBER  will  cover  areas  already  covered  by  block  exemptions  (training, 
employment,  SME)  and  new  areas  (innovation,  environment,  risk  capital,  regional  aid).  Texts  on 
research  and  capital  risk  were  adopted  in  2006,  but  those  applicable  to  the  environment  will  be 
adopted in 2007. Finalisation of the draft new GBER is scheduled for 2007 and formal adoption by 
the Commission in 2008.  

Directive 2001/23/EC does not contain any provisions on conflict of laws. As a result, there is a lack 
of clarity as to how to apply the provisions of the Directive to cross-border transfers. The aim of the 
proposal  -  to  be  made  by  the  Commission  following  the  two  phases  of  consultation  of  social 
partners  -  is  therefore  to  clarify  the  application  of  the  Directive  to  cross-border  operations.  The 
proposal would increase legal certainty for economic and judicial agents and result in costs savings 
for undertakings and better protection for workers. 

The objective of this initiative is to integrate into a single legislative instrument the provisions on 
the  protection  of  the  health  and  safety  of  workers  from  the  risks  of  musculo-skeletal  disorders  at 
work. These provisions are currently fragmented over different directives, namely Council Directive 
90/269/EEC on the minimum health and safety requirements for the manual handling of loads and 
Council  Directive  90/270/EEC  on  the  minimum  health  and  safety  requirements  for  work  with 
display  screen  equipment.  A  single  legislative  instrument  would  be  more  comprehensive,  clearer 
and  easier  to  apply.  It  will  benefit  employers  in  terms  of  legal  clarity  and  workers  in  terms  of 
providing better protection against the risks of musculo-skeletal disorders. 

The  objective  is  to  simplify  the  rules  concerning  post-licensing  changes  to  medicines  (so-called 
‘Variations’ Regulations). Administrative management of these rules currently mobilise more than 
60%  of  the  human  resources  and  financial  costs  of  companies’  regulatory  departments.  In  some 
cases,  this  burden  may  hinder  innovation  by  preventing  the  introduction  of  changes  that  are 
beneficial  to  patients  and  society.  The  objective  of  this  initiative  is  to  reduce  the  administrative 
burden  for  industry  by  streamlining  the  circumstances  obliging  industry  to  fill  applications  for 
variations of human and veterinary medical products. The current legal basis for implementing rules 
on  changes  to  the  marketing  authorisation  doesn't  allow  the  Commission  to  set  rules  for  purely 
national  marketing  authorisation.  This  legal  basis  should  be  widened  to  close  the  gap  for 
harmonisation.  This  initiative  aims  at  changing  the  legal  basis  for  Directives:  2001/83/EC  on  the 
Community  code  relating  to  medicinal  products  for  human  use  and  Directive  2001/82/EC  on  the 
Community code relating to medicinal products for veterinary use. 

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of 

Revision 
"Variations" 
Regulations:  simplification  and  modernisation  of 
Regulation (EC) No 1084/2003 and (EC) No 1085/2003 

pharmaceutical 

the 

Revision 

The  objective  is  to  reduce  the  administrative  burden  for  industry  by  simplifying  the  rules  for 
variations of human and veterinary medicinal products. The Variations regulation are implementing 
rules adopted by the Commission on changes to the marketing authorisation of pharmaceuticals.  

Regulation on Advanced Safety Features and Tyres 

Revision 

Textiles:  simplification  and  replacement  by  a  single 
regulation 

Revision 

Pressure Vessels and Transportable Pressure Equipment  Repeal 

The  proposal  will  simplify  EC  legislation  in  the  domain  of  vehicle  safety  by  replacing  existing 
legislation in the area into one main Regulation. It will include electronic stability control and low 
rolling resistance tyres. The proposal will repeal some 50 separate Directives and will replace them, 
where appropriate, with references to UNECE Regulations. The beneficiaries of the simplification 
aspect  of  this  proposal  will  primarily  be  vehicle  manufacturers  and  national  approval  authorities. 
Replacing  Directives  with  a  Regulation  will  also  ease  the  administrative  burden  on  the  Member 
States since they would not have to transpose legal acts in the domain of vehicle safety in the future. 
Furthermore, references to UNECE Regulations will avoid the existing duplication between EU and 
UNECE law and will thus lead to "better regulation".  

The  replacement  of  3  Directives  by  1  Regulation  will  simplify  procedures  for  Member  States, 
companies  and  the  Commission  leading  to  shorter  periods  for  adoption  of  new  fibre  names.  The 
standard  methods  of  quantitative  analysis  of  binary  and  ternary  textile  fibre  mixtures  currently 
included in two of the directives are to be transferred to the standardisation process. This means that 
consumers and companies could benefit faster from the use of new innovative products. Innovation 
and  technological  developments  will  be  thus  encouraged.  In  addition,  the  legal  nature  of  the 
legislation (Regulation) will facilitate the application of technical adaptations by the Member States. 

The objective is to repeal 4 Directives on Pressure Vessels (76/767/EEC, 84/525/EEC, 84/526/EEC, 
84/527/EEC) and integration of the still relevant provisions into the revision of Directive 99/36/EC 
(Transportable Pressure Equipment).  

Metrology:  extension  of 
the  scope  of  Directive 
2004/22/EC  on  measuring  instruments  and  repeal  of  8 
"old approach" methodology Directives 

Repeal 

The objective is to provide for a coherent legal framework for legal metrology. The extension of the 
scope  of  the  Directive  is  the  legal  prerequisite  for  the  repeal  of  the  following  "old  approach" 
Directives.  

Eco-management  and  audit  scheme:  revision  of  the 
Regulation  (EC)  No  761/2001  of  19  March  2001 
allowing  voluntary  participation  by  organisations  in  a 
Community  eco-management  and  audit 
scheme 
(EMAS) 

Revision  

The  revision  aims  at  improving  environmental  performance  of  the  organisations  participating  and 
increasing participation from both industrial and public sector. Legal compliance and environmental 
performance improvement of the participating organisations will be facilitated by providing access 
to advice on environmental legal obligations and guidance on the best environmental management 
practice.  Administrative  burden  will  be  reduced  for  large  corporations  by  allowing  corporate 
registration  and  for  small  organisations  by  cluster  registration.  All  participating  organisations  will 
benefit from reduced procedural requirements, simplified rules for the use of logo and harmonised 
rules  for  accreditation,  verification  and  registration.  In  addition  SMEs  and  small  local  authorities 

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Eco-label  award  scheme:  revision  of  Regulation  (EC) 
No  1980/2000  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the 
Council of 17 July 2000 on a revised Community eco-
label award scheme 

Revision  

Biocides:  revision  of  the  legislation  on  the  placing  of 
biocidal products on the market 

Recast 

WEEE:  revision  of  Directive  2002/96/EC  on  Waste 
Electric and Electronic Equipments 

Revision 

RoHS:  revision  of  Directive  2002/95/EC  on 
the 
limitation of the use of certain hazardous substances in 
the electric and electronic equipments 

Revision 

will  benefit  from  reduced  verification  and  reporting  obligations  and  lower  registration  fees. 
Synergies  with  other  environmental  management  systems  will  be  facilitated.  Incentives  and 
regulatory relief for participating organisations by the member states will be encouraged. 

The revision aims at enhancing effectiveness and market impact by increasing the range of eligible 
product  groups  and  the  number  of  eco-labelled  goods  and  services  actually  available  to  the 
consumer.  For  this  purpose,  the  procedure  of  developing  and  adopting  eco-label  criteria  will  be 
thoroughly changed and simplified. Economic stakeholders will be involved to a greater extent into 
the  process,  thereby  increasing  ownership  and  self-regulatory  aspects  of  the  scheme,  whereas  the 
administrative burden put on Member States will be reduced. Once the criteria are adopted, it will be 
easy for economic operators to apply for the award of the eco-label to their products. Synergies with 
existing eco-labels at national level will be  facilitated and limits will be  put on the costs and fees 
Member States' authorities may charge on the applicant. Furthermore, the criteria should be defined 
in such a way that they can be easily used for the purpose of green public procurement. 

This proposal follows the 2007 Report on the implementation of the Biocides Directive (98/8/EC). 
The  objective  is  to  provide  a  revised  legal  framework  for  regulating  the  placing  on  the  market  of 
biocidal products. The revision aims to address concerns regarding complexity and the cost, as well 
as  the  availability  of  certain  biocidal  products,  and  bring  about  a  significant  simplification  of  the 
current  legislative  framework  and  procedures.  The  revision  of  the  biocides  legislative  framework 
will bring it in line with the EU Chemicals policy (REACH Regulation).  

The revision of the Directive 2002/96/EC will examine possibilities to increase the efficiency and 
effectiveness  of  the  directive  in  achieving  its  environmental  goals  and  eliminate  any  unnecessary 
costs  to  business,  consumers,  NGOs  and  public  authorities  arising  from  implementation  of  the 
directive. The revision will concern the targets, scope, treatment requirement and the operation of 
the producer responsibility provisions. 

The  revision  aims  at  clarifying  concepts  and  facilitate  the  implementation  and  enforcement  while 
increasing  the  environmental  benefits.  It  will  enhance  legal  certainty  for  all  stakeholders  and  will 
facilitate implementation by manufacturers by streamlining the mechanism for granting exemptions 
and enforcement by national authorities through market surveillance and administrative cooperation 
clauses.  It  will  furthermore  provide  a  more  transparent  level  playing  field  for  manufacturers  and 
simplify  procedures  through  introduction  of  harmonised  compliance  checking.  Most  of  these 
measures  will  also  enhance  the  internal  market  effect  of  the  Directive  and  reduce  administrative 
costs for administrations and manufacturers. 

EN 

34 

EN 

 
  
Ozone 
2037/2000 on substances that deplete the ozone layer 

revision  of  Regulation 

layer: 

(EC)  No 

legislative  proposal 

SEIS: 
Communication 
a 
Information System (SEIS)  

on 

to 

the 
follow  up 
Shared  Environmental 

Recast 

Revision 

As  the  production  and  consumption  of  the  substances  covered  have  been  reduced  or  phased  out, 
many provisions of the Regulation, after seven years in force, need to be repealed or updated. Other 
provisions  may  benefit  from  simplification  such  as  clarification  of  definitions  and  procedures  and 
interaction with other pieces of legislation. This will reduce the cases of ambiguous interpretation 
and  the  risk  of  infringements  and  consequent  administrative  burdens.  In  particular,  most  of  the 
administrative cost reduction will result from ending exemption provisions on some uses of ozone 
depleting substances. The beneficiaries will be the Member States and the Commission. Overall, the 
cost savings from ending the exemptions is expected to exceed any additional cost associated with 
new control measures to combat illegal trade of ozone depleting substances. 

Following the 2007 Communication the Commission will adopt legislative proposals underpinning 
the development of SEIS that could address reporting streamlining and/or coherence of approaches 
to  monitoring  and  information.  This  initiative  aims  to  improve  the  availability,  quality  and 
comparability of data, avoid redundancies in reporting requirements to Member States and therefore, 
the  administrative  burden,  remove  obstacles  related  to  information  accessibility  and  enhance  the 
coherence of monitoring systems and indicators. 

Revision  of  Regulation  (EC)  No  638/2004  of  the  EP 
and of the Council on Community statistics relating to 
the trading of goods between Member States 

Revision 

Simplification of Intrastat with a view to alleviate the statistical reporting of economic operators, in 
particular  SMEs,  taking  into  account  the  outcome  of  the  ongoing  pilot  project  of  administrative 
costs and a future feasibility study to analyse workability of a collection system limited to one flow.  

Modernisation  and  recast  of  the  CFP  control  system 
under Regulation (EC) No 2847/93 

Recast 

Proposal  for  a  Commission  Regulation  laying  down 
implementing rules for  the  collection  and management 
of data needed to conduct the CFP 

Revision 

The main objectives are the review, harmonisation and simplification of existing rules - Regulation 
(EC) No 2847/93 - in the fisheries control area. The modernisation of the procedures will facilitate a 
better  enforcement  by  alleviating  the  burden  and  constraints  for  the  sector  and  public 
administrations  and  increasing  the  use  of  IT  tools  to  reduce  reporting  obligations  (e.g.  reducing 
administrative  burdens).  It  would  be  also  of  interest  for  NGOs  which  campaign  for  stringent  and 
effective rules.  

The proposal is intended to establish implementing rules according to the new framework Council 
Regulation on data collection, currently under discussion at the Council. The main innovations will 
include  the  support  for  new  approaches  such  as  fleet  and  area  based  management  and  the  move 
towards  the  ecosystem  approach  as  well  as  the  promotion  of  a  more  regional  approach  to  data 
collection. Moreover, new provisions for the access to data are to be included. 

Revision of the company law, accounting and auditing 
acquis 

Recast 

Measures  to  simplify  the  company  law  environment  for  companies  in  the  context  of  the  "Better 
Regulation" framework. 

EN 

35 

EN 

 
  
Consolidation 
interpretations endorsed for use in the EU 

accounting 

of 

standards 

and 

Recast 

Consolidated  version  of  published  Regulations  on  International  Financial  Reporting  Standards 
(IFRS) will enable constituents to refer to only one Regulation as it will contain all endorsed IFRS. 
In this context any translation errors contained in the current Regulations will be corrected. 

Recasting - Codification Motor insurance Directive 

Codification 

Proposal  for  a  Framework  Directive  on  Consumer 
Contractual Rights  

Revision 

Simplify  procedures  of 
information in the veterinary and zootechnical fields 

listing  and  publishing 

Revision 

Harmonisation  of  Maximum  Residues  Levels  (MRL) 
for pesticides 

Revision 

Review of the provisions related to the total feed ban 

Revision 

Codification of the current 6 Directives into one single Motor Insurance Directive in order to have a 
motor  insurance  acquis  more  comprehensible,  easier  to  apply  and  more  effective  in  achieving  its 
goals. 

The  overall  aim  of  the  revision  of  the  acquis,  is  to  simplify  and  improve  the  coherence  of  the 
consumer regulatory framework and thus enhance legal certainty both for consumers and business. 
The legal instrument will be a combination of codification and repeal of parts of existing directives 
and enactment of new rules. The most likely regulatory action, depending on the final outcome of 
the review, will be a mixed approach to the revision of the acquis. This will consist of a horizontal 
instrument, underpinned whenever required by vertical solutions. 

The  general  objective  is  to  harmonise  and  simplify,  essentially  by  means  of  electronic  tools,  the 
current  procedures  for  listing,  updating  and  publishing  information  in  the  veterinary  and 
zootechnical  fields  such  as  lists  of  approved  animal  health  establishments  and  breeding 
organisations  in  Member  States  and  Third  Countries  and  lists  of  certain  national  reference 
laboratories. 22 Council acts are concerned.  

The main objective of this proposal will concern the transfer and up-date by comitology of the list of 
MRLs  (Annex  II)  and  temporary  MRLs  (Annex  III)  based  on  European  Food  Safety  Agency 
(EFSA) assessment and mathematical models/expert calculations. The proposal will be a final step 
towards harmonisation of divergent national MRLs. Completion of the replacement of 4 Directives 
by one Regulation. 

A  ban  on  the  feeding  of  mammalian  meat  and  bone  meal  (MBM)  to  cattle,  sheep  and  goats  was 
introduced as of July 1994. This partial ban was extended to a total EU wide suspension on the use 
of processed animal protein in feed for any animals farmed for the production of food on 1 January 
2001 with some exceptions like the use of fish meal for non-ruminants. Any presence of prohibited 
constituents of animal origin in feed is considered as a breach of the feed ban i.e. the zero-tolerance.  

Following the adoption of the TSE Road map the Commission issued a Commission staff working 
paper i.e. Work Programme on TSE [SEC(2006) 1527] on future legislative actions in the field of 
transmissible  spongiform  encephalopathy.  One  of  the  topics  concerns  a  revision  of  the  feed  ban 
provisions. The starting point when revising the current feed ban provisions should be risk-based but 
at  the  same  time  taking  into  account  the  control  tools  in  place  to  evaluate  and  ensure  the  proper 

EN 

36 

EN 

 
  
Revision  of  food  safety  in  EU  Switzerland  trade  in 
agricultural products  

- Decision n° 1/2008 of the Joint Veterinary Committee 
set  up  by  the  Agreement  between  the  European 
Community  and  the  Swiss  Confederation  on  trade  in 
agricultural  products  amending  appendix  to  Annex  11 
to the Agreement 

to 

-  Decision 
amend  Commission  Decision 
2001/881/EC  on  import  controls  to  abolish  border 
inspections posts between EC and Switzerland 

implementation of this feed ban. 

Revision 

The revision of the safety provisions will consist of: 

- Completion of the equivalence determination between the Swiss legislation related to food safety 
and veterinary policies including border veterinary controls and import conditions, updating of the 
content of the Agreement with regard to legislations adopted since the last Agreement modification.  

- As Switzerland has accepted to apply the EC acquis in relation to animal health, food safety and 
hygiene controls, a uniform high level of protection will therefore exist in the EC and Switzerland. 
This permits the abolition of border controls on trade in animals and animal products between the 
two. 

Recast  of  basic  safety  standards  legislation  for  the 
protection against the dangers arising from exposure to 
ionising radiation  

Recast 

Recast into a single Council Directive of relevant Euratom acts on radiation protection including a 
substantial revision of the Basic Safety Standards (BSS) directive. The objective is to bring the BSS 
directive  in  line  with  the  forthcoming  recommendations  of  the  International  Commission  on 
Radiological  protection  (ICRP),  when  available.  At  the  same  time  the  legislation  in  the  field  of 
radiation protection has to be simplified. 

Legislative  proposal 
revising  Council  Directive 
2006/67/EC with the aim of strengthening the European 
emergency oil stocks system 

Revision 

The  current  system  of  emergency  oil  stocks  shows  limitations  and  shortcomings  on  several 
accounts.  The provisions  of  the  existing  legislation  will  be  revised  in order  to  create  a  system  for 
coping with oil supply disruptions. The new proposal will replace existing Directives and contribute 
to simplification of EU legislation.  

Recasting  of  Directive  2002/91/EC  of  16  December 
2002 on the Energy Performance of Buildings 

Recast 
Revision 

or 

The  Energy  Performance  of  Buildings  Directive  makes  certificates  for  the  energy  performance  of 
buildings  mandatory  when  buildings  are  constructed,  sold  or  rented  out  and  requires  minimum 
energy  performance  requirements  for  new  buildings  and  existing  building  which  undergo  major 
renovation.  Furthermore,  the  Directive  requires  regular  inspections  of  boilers  and  air-conditioning 
systems in order to guarantee their energy efficient operation. An amended Directive could enlarge 
the  scope  to  more  buildings,  strengthen  and  specify  some  of  these  requirements  and  add,  for 
instance,  financing  aspects.  The  changes  under  consideration  aim  at  overcoming  multiple  barriers 
that hinder the utilization of the vast potential for energy demand reductions in the buildings sector. 
The recasting of the Directive is part of package on the Strategic Energy Review and included in the 
Energy Efficiency Action Plan. The amendments will cover some articles of the Directive and add 

EN 

37 

EN 

 
  
new ones. The "simplification" will consist of using the "recasting" technique to facilitate reading 
and comprehension for the implementing authorities and for the many stakeholders affected. 

Recast  of  Council  Directive  92/75/EEC  of  22 
September  1992  on  the  indication  by  labelling  and 
standard  product  information  of  the  consumption  of 
energy and other resources by household appliances 

Recast 

Amend  the  existing  framework  Directive  to  enlarge  its  scope  (beyond  domestic  appliances)  and 
update  for  modern  communication  tools  (e.g.  internet)  to  enhance  public/consumer  awareness  on 
efficient  products.  The  simplification  will  be  obtained  by  using  the  recasting  technique  for 
consolidating the original Directive with its amendment in one single document.  

Proposal  to  recast  the  legislation  concerning  the  "first 
railway  package"  following  the  report  in  2006  of  its 
implementation,  in  particular  for  the  requirements 
concerning 
infrastructure 
managers and railway undertakings 

relations  between 

the 

Recast 

Revision  of 
the  Council  Directive  94/56/EC 
establishing  the  fundamental  principles  governing  the 
investigation  of  civil  aviation  accidents  and  incidents 
and of Directive 2003/42/EC on occurrence reporting in 
civil aviation 

Revision 
Recast 

or 

The  first  and  successive  railway  packages  are  legal  instruments  to  achieve  the  Community's 
objective  to  create  a  European  Railway  Area  through  market  opening,  as  well  as  technical  and 
regulatory market integration. As rail markets transform, an ongoing review of the suitability of the 
EU  legal  framework  appears  appropriate  with  possible  simplification  and  streamlining.  The 
Commission intends to present a communication accompanied by a proposal for modification/recast 
of  the  existing  acts,  especially  Directives  91/440/EEC  and  2001/14/EC.  The  political  goal  is  to 
enhance  the  competitiveness  of  rail  transport  in  Europe  and  to  hence  contribute  to  achieving  the 
objectives  of  the  Lisbon  strategy.  The  recast  aims  at  a  simplification  of  the  text  of  the  three 
Directives of the 1st railway package by merging them into one legal act, a 'railway access code'. By 
eliminating existing cross-references between the Directives the reading and implementation will be 
come easier for the implementing authorities and the many stakeholders affected. 

The older directive needs to be modernised following the establishment of EASA and following the 
advice  of  the  Group  of  Experts  established  by  EC  Decision  2003/425/EC.  In  addition  the  newer 
directive needs to be built on to create a minimum set of centralised functions, including a database 
to  allow  appropriate  entities  to  carry  out  trend  analysis  or  other  studies,  and  keep  track  of  safety 
recommendations,  while  providing  information  to  the  general  public.  Both  directives  will  be 
replaced by a single piece of legislation. The objective of the simplification is to take advantage of 
the necessary revision of the Directive 94/56 to adapt it to recent developments by merging it with 
Directive  2003/42/EC  to  create  a  single  legislative  act  as  both  directives  deal  with  the  use  of 
feedback information to improve accident prevention.  

 Modernise the Marine Equipment Directive 96/98/EC 

Recast 
Revision 

or 

The  objective  is  to  modernise  and  reform  the  existing  system  established  by  Council  Directive 
96/98/EC on marine equipmentIts main objectives are : 1) to produce a consolidated version of the 
text  following  the  successive  amendments  of  the  Directive  2)  to  improve  the  functioning  of  the 
Directive's system by addressing the existing shortcomings ; 3) to adapt it to the reform of the New 

EN 

38 

EN 

 
  
Approach. It is intended to abrogate the existing Directive and replace it with an entirely new one, 
while  recourse  to  recast  is  not  excluded.  At  present,  the  Directive  needs  periodic  amendments  in 
order  to  keep  pace  with  the  safety  requirements  and  technical  standards  produced  by  the 
International  Maritime  Organisation  as  well  as  the  international  and  European  standardisation 
bodies.  This  produces  an  inevitable  mismatch  between  the  European  and  international  regulatory 
frameworks, sometimes spanning several years, whose correction will greatly facilitate the work of 
the  sectors  concerned  and  thus  favour  the  competitiveness  of  the  European  marine  equipment 
industry. Furthermore, the adaptation of the directive to the new regulatory framework for the free 
movement  of  goods  (revision  of  the  new  approach)  is  expected  to  improve  the  readability  of  this 
instrument and reduce the administrative burden on the industry. Timing of adoption is conditional 
on significant progress being achieved by December 2007 in the legislative process as regards the 
revision of the New Approach. 

The  objective  is  to  update  and  simplify  the  Community  regulatory  framework  for  transporting 
than  20  Directives,  Regulations  and 
radioactive  material  There  are  currently  more 
Recommendations  governing  the  transport  of  radioactive  material  within  the  EU.  Harmonisation 
will lead to simplification of rules and procedures. 

Transport of radioactive material 

Recast 

(45 initiatives) 

EN 

39 

EN 

 
  
ANNEX 3 – List of withdrawals of pending proposals 

Title 

COM/SEC/inter-
institutional number 

Justification 

Proposal for a Council Regulation amending Council Regulation (EEC) No 827/68 on 
the  common  organization  of  the  market  in  certain  products  listed  in  Annex  ii  to  the 
Treaty 

COM(91) 328 

This proposal has been overtaken by subsequent reform and has 
become obsolete. 

Proposal  for  a  European  Parliament  and  Council  Regulation  amending  Council 
Regulation  820/97,  establishing  a  system  for  the  identification  and  registration  of 
bovine animals and regarding the labelling of beef and beef products 

COM(1999) 487/2 -
1999/0205/COD 

Proposal for a Council Regulation on the use of inward processing arrangements in the 
management of certain agricultural markets 

COM(2000) 868 -  
2000/0349/CNS 

Following  adoption  of  Regulation  (EC)  No  1760/2000  on 
identification  of  bovine  animals  and  labelling  of  beef  products, 
and  repeal  of  Regulation  (EC)  No  820/97,  this  proposal  has 
become obsolete. 

This  proposal  has  been  overtaken  by  subsequent  reform  and  in 
particular  by  the  proposal  on  a  single  CMO  currently  discussed 
by the Council, and has become obsolete. 

Proposal for a Council Decision on the position to be taken by the Community within 
the Association Council established by the Europe Agreement between the European 
Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Bulgaria, 
on  the  other  part,  with  regard  to  the  adoption  of  provisions  for  the  co-ordination  of 
social security schemes 

Proposal for a Council Decision on the position to be taken by the Community within 
the Association Council established by the Europe Agreement between the European 
Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Romania, 
on  the  other  part,  with  regard  to  the  adoption  of  provisions  for  the  co-ordination  of 
social security schemes 

COM(1999) 677 

After the  accession  of  Bulgaria  and  Romania,  this  and  the  next 
two proposals (677, 683, and 495) have become obsolete.  

COM(1999) 683 

As above. 

EN 

40 

EN 

 
  
 
Proposal  for  a  Council  and Commission  Decision  EC/ECSC  on  the  conclusion  of  an 
additional  Protocol  to  the Europe  Agreement  establishing  an  association  between  the 
European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of 
Romania,  of  the  other part, with  regard  to  an  extension  of  the period foreseen  in  the 
provisions of Article 9(4) of Protocol 2 of the Europe Agreement with Romania 

SEC(2002) 495/4 - 
2002/0215/CNS 

As above. 

Proposal  for  a  Directive  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council on  the 
Protection of the Environment through Criminal Law 

COM(2001) 139 - 
2001/0076/COD 

As  a  new  proposal  has  replaced  it  on  the  same  subject  - 
COM(2007)  51,  2007/0022/COD,  9.2.2007  - this  proposal  has 
become obsolete. 

Proposal  for  a  Council  Decision  amending  Directive  2002/95/EC  of  the  European 
Parliament  and  of  the  Council  for  the  purposes  of  establishing  the  maximum 
concentration  values  for  certain  hazardous  substances  in  electrical  and  electronic 
equipment 

COM(2004) 606 

This was a proposal in comitology on which the Council was not 
able  to  deliver  an  opinion.  The  Commission  did  thus  go  on  to 
adopt  Commission  Decision  618/2005/EC and  this  proposal  has 
become obsolete. 

Proposal for a Council Decision amending for the purposes of adapting to the technical 
progress  the  Annex  to  Directive  2002/95/EC  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the 
Council on the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and 
electronic equipment 

COM(2005) 241 

This was a proposal in comitology on which the Council did not 
act  within  three  months  and  subsequently  the  relevant  measures 
were  adopted  by  the  Commission.  The  proposal  has  become 
obsolete. 

Proposal for a Council Regulation amending Regulation (EC) No 3317/94 as regards 
the transmission of applications for fishing licences to third countries 

COM(2005) 238 - 
2005/0110/CNS 

New  proposal  adopted  by  Commission  -  COM(2007)  330, 
2007/0114/CNS,  18.6.2007  - on  authorisations  for  fishing 
activities, which has rendered this proposal obsolete.  

Proposal  for  a  Council  Regulation  concerning  the  conclusion  of  the  Agreement 
between the European Community and the United Republic of Tanzania on fishing in 
Tanzania’s fishing zone 

COM(2005) 693 - 
2005/0276/CNS 

Following  non  ratification  by  Tanzania  of  the  draft  agreement 
that had been initialled, this proposal serves no purpose and has 
become obsolete. 

Proposal on a Council Common Position on notifying the Council of Europe, pursuant 
to Article 28(3) of the European Convention on Extradition of 13 December 1957, of 
the application by the Member States, as between themselves, of the European arrest 
warrant 

COM(2003) 253 

This  proposal  serves  no  purpose  as  Member  States  have  made 
their own declarations to the Council of Europe. It has therefore 
become obsolete. 

EN 

41 

EN 

 
  
 
 
Proposal for a Council Regulation preventing the supply of certain goods and services 
to  Libya  and  restricting  the  use  of  funds  or  other  financial  resources  owned  or 
controlled by Libya 

COM(1994) 91 

As  a  proposal  on  this  matter  has  been  adopted  and  planned 
measures  have  been  implemented,  this  proposal  has  become 
obsolete. 

Proposal for a Council Regulation amending Regulation (EC) No 2894/94 concerning 
arrangements for implementing the Agreement on the European Economic Area 

COM(1999) 561 - 
1999/0223/AVC 

Proposal  for  a  Council  Decision  on  a  Community  position  within  the  EU-Mercosur 
Co-operation Council on the rules of procedure of the Co-operation Council 

COM(1999) 600 

The  objective  of  this  proposal,  that  the  Council  authorise  the 
Commission  to  decide  on  extending  programs  to  the  EEA 
countries,  as  requested  from  the  EFTA  side  who  were  seeking 
earlier  participation  in  these  programs,  could  not  be  attained, 
because  Member  States  in  the  Council  want  to  maintain  the 
existing  rule,  that  they  decide  on  each  programme  extension  to 
the  EEA,  as  this  always  has  budgetary  implications.  In  these 
circumstances,  as  the  Commission  has  decided  to  change  its 
approach  and  accept  the  existing  rule,  this  proposal  has  become 
obsolete. 

Adoption of these rules of procedure was not foreseen, since the 
Commission  proposals  were  considered  incomplete,  and  the 
matter  was  taken  off  the  agenda  of  the  first  EU-Mercosur  Joint 
Council  which  concluded  at  its  meeting  of  24  Novemner  1999 
that they would be adopted later. However, no decision was taken 
on  this  issue  ever  since.  This  proposal  has  therefore  become 
obsolete. 

Proposal  for  a  Council  Regulation  amending,  for  the  third  time,  Council  Regulation 
(EC)  No  2465/1996  concerning  the  interruption  of  economic  and  financial  relations 
between the European Community and Iraq 

COM(2003) 214 

Changed  circumstances  and  approach  by  the  Commission.  The 
proposal has become obsolete. 

Proposal  for  a  Council  Decision  amending  decision  2002/834/EC  on  the  specific 
programme  for  research,  technological  development  and  demonstration:  Integrating 
and strengthening the European research area (2002-2006) 

COM(2003) 390 - 
2003/0151/CNS 

This proposal is relevant to the 6th Framework Programme which 
was terminated in 2006. It has therefore become obsolete. 

Proposal  for  a  Directive  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  on  the 
approximation  of  the  laws  of  the  Member  States  on  extraction  solvents  used  in  the 
production of foodstuffs and food ingredients (Codified version) 

COM(2003) 467 -  
2003/0181/COD 

This proposal will be replaced by recast proposals incorporating 
alignment to the new Comitology rules. It has become obsolete.  

Amended  Proposal  for  a  Council  Regulation establishing a  Cohesion Fund (Codified 
version) 

COM(2003) 352 - 
2003/0129/AVC 

This proposal has become obsolete because the act being codified 
has been repealed. 

EN 

42 

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Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on foodstuffs 
intended for particular nutritional uses (Codified version) 

COM(2004) 290 - 
2004/0090/COD 

This proposal will be replaced by recast proposals incorporating 
alignment to the new Comitology rules. It has become obsolete.  

Proposal  for  a  Council  Regulation  on  the  conversion  rates  between  the  euro  and  the 
currencies of the Member States adopting the euro (Codified version) 

COM(2004) 32 - 
2004/0009/CNS 

This  proposal  has  become  obsolete,  because  an  insuperable 
problem  with  the  legal  base  makes  it  that  there  is  no  way  of 
adopting the codification. 

Proposal for a Council Regulation on financial and technical measures to accompany 
(MEDA) the reform of economic and social structures in the framework of the Euro-
Mediterranean partnership (Codified version) 

COM(2004) 77 - 
2004/0024/CNS 

This proposal has become obsolete because the act being codified 
has been repealed. 

Proposal  for  a  Council  Directive  introducing  minimum  Community  measures  for  the 
control of certain diseases affecting bivalve molluscs (Codified version) 

COM(2004) 326 - 
2004/0100/CNS 

This proposal has become obsolete because the act being codified 
has been repealed. 

Proposal  for  a  Council  Decision  on  Coordination  and  Information  Procedures  in 
Matters  of  Officially  Supported  Export  Credits,  Credit  Insurance,  Credit  Guarantees 
and Financial Credits 

COM(1992) 502 

The  context  for  export  credits  has  totally changed  since  the 
proposal  was  introduced  and  the  content  does  not  reflect  up-to-
date  financial  practices.  This  proposal  has  therefore  become 
obsolete. 

Proposal for a Council Decision approving the Protocol (2001) amending the Annex to 
the Agreement on Trade in Civil Aircraft 

COM(2002) 112 - 
2002/0055/ACC 

This proposal has become obsolete in the light of a new aircraft 
agreement 

Proposal for a Council Regulation establishing additional customs duties on imports of 
certain products originating in the United States of America 

COM(2002) 285 - 
2002/0121/ACC 

This proposal has been replaced by a modified one on the same 
subject  adopted  by  the  Commission  as  COM(2002)  316, 
2002/0095/ACC, 19.4.2002. It has therefore become obsolete. 

Proposal for a Council Decision on the conclusion of an Agreement in the form of an 
exchange  of  letters  between  the  European  Community  and  the  Republic  of  Croatia
concerning the transitional points system applicable to heavy goods vehicles travelling 
through Austria 

COM(2003) 833/2 -  
2003/0319/CNS 

The  Ecopoints  scheme  effectively  expired  at  the  end  of  2006, 
therefore  adoption of  this proposal for  a  Council Decision -  and 
the  conclusion  of  the  agreement  with  the  Republic  of  Croatia  is 
neither necessary nor desirable. 

Proposal for a Council Decision on the conclusion of an Agreement in the form of an 
exchange  of  letters  between  the  European  Community  and  the  Republic  of  Slovenia
concerning the transitional points system applicable to heavy goods vehicles travelling 
through Austria from 1 January 2004 to 30 April 2004 

COM(2003) 835/2 -  
2003/0320/CNS 

The  Ecopoints  scheme  effectively  expired  at  the  end  of  2006, 
therefore  adoption of  this proposal for  a  Council Decision -  and 
the conclusion of the agreement with the Republic of Slovenia is 
neither necessary nor desirable. 

EN 

43 

EN 

 
  
Proposal for a Council Decision on the conclusion of an administrative arrangement in 
the  form  of  an  exchange  of  letters  between  the  European  Community  and  the  Swiss 
Confederation  concerning  the  transitional  points  system  applicable  to  heavy  goods 
vehicles travelling through Austria 

COM(2003) 836/2 -  
2003/0322/CNS 

The  Ecopoints  scheme  effectively  expired  at  the  end  of  2006, 
therefore  adoption of  this proposal for  a  Council Decision -  and 
the conclusion of the agreement with the Swiss Confederation is 
neither necessary nor desirable. 

Proposal for a Council Decision on the conclusion of an Agreement in the form of an 
exchange  of  letters  between  the  European  Community  and  the  former  Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia concerning the transitional points system applicable to heavy 
goods vehicles travelling through Austria 

COM(2003) 837/2 -  
2003/0323/CNS 

The  Ecopoints  scheme  effectively  expired  at  the  end  of  2006, 
therefore  adoption of  this proposal for  a  Council Decision -  and 
the  conclusion  of  the  agreement  with  the  former  Yugoslav 
Republic of Macedonia is neither necessary nor desirable. 

(30 withdrawals) 

EN 

44 

EN 

 
  
ANNEX 4 

COMMUNICATION PRIORITIES FOR 2008 

The  Commission  agreed  to  consider  the  following  as  inter-institutional  communication 
priorities: 

Inter-institutional communication priorities envisaged for 2008 

• 

• 

• 

Reform Treaty 

Energy and Climate Change 

European Year of Intercultural Dialogue 

Communication priorities envisaged for 2008 

• 

• 

• 

Reform Treaty  

The Lisbon Strategy for growth and jobs and better regulation 

Energy and Climate Change  

•  Migration  

• 

• 

• 

EU´s role in the World  

The Budget Review  

The Social Reality Stocktaking 

EN 

45 

   EN