05/05/2017

Each week we sum up Commission news of particular interest for the UK while also summarising UK events on EU-related subjects. All comments welcome at COMM-UK-PRESS@ec.europa.eu

European Commission approves draft negotiating directives, the next step in Article 50 process

The European Commission has sent a recommendation to the Council (national ministers) to open the Article 50 negotiations with the United Kingdom. It includes draft negotiating directives. This legal mandate follows the adoption on Saturday (29 April) by the European Council (national heads of state and government) of political guidelines. Michel Barnier, European Commission chief negotiator for the Article 50 negotiations with the UK, said "We are on track to make sure that the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union happens in an orderly fashion. This is in the best interests of everyone. As soon as the UK is ready, we shall start negotiating in a constructive manner."

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Michel Barnier's speech

Q&A

Eurobarometer survey shows overwhelming UK public support for EU role in emergency response

The European Commission has published the results of a Eurobarometer survey of public attitudes to the EU's role in emergency response. 83% of UK respondents felt it important that the EU funds humanitarian aid activities (compared to 88% of EU respondents) and almost 9 out of 10 (89%) UK respondents said it was important that the EU helps to coordinate the response to disasters in the EU.

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Navigating Brexit – labour mobility between the UK and the EU

On 2 May, the Institute of Directors hosted a discussion on the future of labour mobility between the UK and the EU. Iain Duncan Smith, former Work and Pensions Secretary set out some principles for controlling immigration but facilitating it where necessary for the economy.

Professor Jonathan Portes from King's College London set out four possibilities for Brexit and argued that all of them were hard. The different options he suggested were: chaotic, cliff-edge, transition to World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules or transition leading to a deep and comprehensive trade agreement.

Julia Onslow Cole from PWC talked about businesses being very anxious including about high-skilled migrants. She suggested regional visas for regions which have a huge need for migration.

Giving a few options, Helen Smith, immigration lawyer, said the post Brexit immigration system needs to be cheap, quick, all skill levels, adaptable, transparent and fair, a route to permanent residence, streamlined and digital. She added that companies make location decisions based on access to talent and therefore on immigration systems, and that EU companies use the UK as a springboard to the US, which should not be jeopardised.

Dr Hayatun Sillem, Royal Academy of Engineering, talked of the need to work with stakeholders to predict staff shortages in the labour market. Dr Sillem explained that even under the existing system, annual shortfall in personnel supply is expected to be 20.000 per year until 2024.

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High participation in the public consultation on the future Common Agricultural Policy

The European Commission has received over 320,000 responses from all 28 member states to the public consultation on "modernising and simplifying the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)", Interest groups, individual citizens, national, regional and local public authorities and organisations representing a wide spectrum of stakeholders took part. The initial results will be presented to a stakeholder event in Brussels on 7 July.

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Back to Schengen: Commission recommends phasing out of temporary border controls over next six months

On 2 May, the Commission recommended that Austria, Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Norway phase out the temporary controls currently in place at some of their internal Schengen borders over the next six months.

Whilst the overall situation continues to stabilise, there is still a significant number of irregular migrants and asylum seekers in Greece. That is why, as a precautionary measure and whilst alternatives are put in place, the Commission is recommending that the Council prolong controls for the last time, meaning they will have to be lifted in six months' time.

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Q&A

Commission proposes simpler and more efficient derivatives rules

On 4 May, the European Commission proposed some targeted reforms to improve the functioning of the derivatives market in the EU. The reforms provide simpler and more proportionate rules for over-the-counter derivatives to reduce costs and regulatory burdens for market participants without compromising financial stability. A good example of better regulation in practice, this is essential to the creation of a Capital Markets Union (CMU), a key part of the Investment Plan for Europe, and for investments, growth and jobs by improving the efficiency of the market while maintaining prudential objectives.

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Q&A

Commission has accepted commitments from Amazon on e-books

The European Commission has adopted a decision that renders legally binding the commitments offered by Amazon on e-books. Amazon has committed that it will no longer enforce or introduce certain clauses in its distribution agreements with e-book publishers in Europe, which may have hindered innovation and competition in European e-books markets. The commitments apply for a period of 5 years and to any e-book in any language distributed by Amazon in the European Economic Area. If Amazon were to breach the commitments, the Commission could impose a fine of up to 10% of Amazon's total annual turnover, without having to find a violation of the EU competition rules. 

All this week's key European Commission announcements can be found here

Every week, we pick out one of the week's most interesting stories or comment pieces….which does not mean we agree with everything it says:

Brexit 'already costing UK households £500 a year', according to a study by the Centre for Economics and Business Research; by Tom Batchelor in the Independent

Decrease in CO2 emissions in the EU

In 2016 carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from fossil fuel combustion slightly decreased (by 0.4%) in the EU, compared with the previous year, according to Eurostat – the EU's statistical office. The UK registered one of the biggest decreases (-4.8%) after Malta (-18.2%), Bulgaria (-7.0%) and Portugal (-5.7%).

The UK is nonetheless the second biggest emitter of CO2 emissions (11.7% of the EU's share), after Germany (22.9%).

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"The security of one member state is the security of all member states, and this includes exercising their police powers, where needed and justified. We encourage member states to cooperate together as much as possible in operational police work, using all available tools to enhance security within Schengen," EU Commissioner for the Security Union Julian King.

Picture taken at the European Council of 29 April