Phaseless Brexit
On 20 October, the Heads of State and Government of the remaining 27 EU Member States were not yet ready to kick of negotiations on a trade agreement with the UK. However, it all looks like this could change from mid-December onwards. It is about time. The EU's two-phase strategy was a dishonourable one. Asking the British in the first phase, to submit themselves as a third country to the European Court of Justice with regard to the rights of EU citizens, is quite far stretched. Which other third country would be prepared to do so? And demanding the British to fully commit to their "financial obligations" without them knowing the design of future trade relations, is oddly formalistic. It may be that the EU wanted to strengthen its own negotiating position and create a deterrent effect in order to impress potential Brexit-imitators. Maybe the EU succeeded in doing so for the time being. But it is not a compelling strategy: Members should be convinced of the benefits of staying in the EU. The fear of exit costs is not a good motivation. But now, however, negotiations on trade relations should begin. There is really enough to do.
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| Pan-European Personal Pension Product |
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| The EU Commission wants to create a framework for a pan-European Personal Pension Product (PEPP). An internal market for personal pensions will promote competition, channel savings towards the capital markets and away from traditional savings deposits in banks and increase the distribution of personal pension products in the EU.
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The EU Commission wants to harmonise road-use charges in the EU. In cep’s view, extending the scope of the Road Charging Directive could prevent distortions of competition. The proposed rules on the imposition of road-use charges for cars are, however, in breach of the principle of subsidiarity.
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| Monitoring the CO2 from Heavy Duty Vehicles |
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The EU Commission is aiming to bring in a new registration and monitoring system for the CO2 emissions and fuel consumption of new lorries and buses. This means additional bureaucratic obligations for vehicle manufacturers and registration authorities. The obligation to publish sensitive data weakens the competitiveness of European vehicle manufacturers on markets outside the EU.
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"Twenty billion is peanuts. The problem is 50 or 60 billion euros. This is the real situation."
European Parliament president Antonio Tajani on London’s Brexit divorce Bill |
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"Europe is moving forward, I welcome the ambitious agreement on secondment work: more protection, less fraud."
Emmanuel Macron, President of France |
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"Government bond purchases by the ECB must be stopped as soon as possible."
Prof. Lüder Gerken, President of cep |
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"I am all in favour of freedom of movement but it must be organised in a fair way... The internal market is based on rules, it's not a jungle."
Marianne Thyssen, MEP |
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Facts
The first electronic signing of an EU legislative act took place on Wednesday 25 October in the European Parliament in Strasbourg. EP President Antonio Tajani and Matti Maasikas, of the Estonian Presidency of the Council, signed electronically the legally-binding texts of the revised regulation on "Security of gas supply", paving the way for its entry into force. |
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