The Commission proposes a Directive obliging both the public purse and companies to take efficiency-related measures. For instance, to annually renovate 3% of public buildings in an energy-efficient manner. Energy supply companies are be held statutorily liable for energy savings of their customers of 1.5%.

The Commission wishes to revise the Directive on the recognition of professional qualifications. In the present Green Paper, it presents its concept. The Commission is mainly focusing on the introduction of a European professional card in which the countries of origin certify that all requirements for exercising a certain profession in a host country have been met. The procedure is to be carried out electronically.

By means of modern information and communication technologies (ICT) “smart grids“ are to coordinate the behaviour of all grid users in order to ensure an economically efficient power system. The Commission wishes to draw up “appropriate measures” to expedite the set-up of such grids by the end of 2011.

The “European Semester“ serves to contribute to the yearly ex-ante economic policy coordination of Member States. On the basis of National Reform Programmes, the EU issues country-specific recommendations for action. The implementation of these measures is to eliminate macro-economic imbalances and to serve the targets of the “Europe 2020” strategy.

The Commission wishes to align energy taxation to its energy and climate protection targets by 2020 by linking taxation rates to CO₂ content and to energy content. The CO₂ related taxation component

Is to promote low-carbon motor and heating fuels and covers all consumers of motor and heating fuels who are not subject to the EU Emissions Trading Scheme. 

In 2009, the Lisbon Treaty conferred upon the EU competency for space travel (Art. 189 TFEU). Above all, it empowers the EU to take joint initiatives to promote scientific and technical progress and to boost competitiveness in the space industry. In the communication the Commission presents its ideas on how the EU can execute its new competency for space travel.

The euro zone currently finds itself in an existential crisis. The increasingly dramatic rescue measures that have been taken to save over-indebted euro states from insolvency have failed, without exception, to calm the situation. There are growing concerns about further countries being swept aside with it. Therefore, the cep has developed a fact-based Default Index reflecting the erosion of creditworthiness in euro zone member states.

The EU has been granting tariff preferences to developing countries since 1971 to help them improve their performance on the global market and to aid their economic development. The basis for that is the “Scheme of Generalised Tariff Preferences” (GSP). The Commission wishes to revise the existing tariff preference scheme and to suspend a number of countries which until now have been GSP beneficiaries as it deems them competitive at international level. 

The Commission proposes two Regulations regarding the introduction of a unitary patent protection in 25 Member States. Italy and Spain will not be participating in this enhanced cooperation. The Patent Regulation provides for the possibility of granting unitary patent protection to the European patent, which consists of a “bundle” of various national patents, in 25 Member States. The Translation Requirements Regulation contains translation requirements for the EU Patent with unitary effect.

With its White Paper, the Commission instigates a discussion on how to provide policyholders with comprehensive protection that is harmonised at EU level for the event of insurance companies becoming insolvent. Similar to the bank deposit guarantee scheme, the Commission’s aim is to establish a European guarantee scheme for insurances covering both life and non-life insurances. 

The Data Retention Directive stipulates that providers of telecommunications, mobile and internet services are obliged to retain traffic and location data of users. The purpose of this is the investigation, detection and prosecution of “serious crime”. In its Report, the Commission evaluates the Member States’ application of the Data Retention Directive, its benefit and impact. 

According to the Commission, short-termism and excessive risk-taking endanger sustainable economic growth and the stability of the financial market. To tackle these issues, the Commission proposes to increase shareholders’ participation in corporate decisions and the transparency of asset managers’ and advisors’ activities. Finally the Commission discusses the promotion of women and calls for a women’s quota system.

In order to limit global climate change to a global warming of below 2°C, the EU is to move towards a “competitive low carbon economy” in 2050. To this end, the Commission presents a roadmap for possible action up to 2050 which could enable the EU to meet its climate protection target for 2050. The roadmap is based on analysis of alternative scenarios.

The European institutions have paved the way for a Single European Sky (SES) with two packages of measures in 2004 and 2009. The objectives of the SES are to organise and to control the European airspace more according to actual traffic flows than to national borders; to increase its capacity and to establish an internal market for air navigation services. The cep summarises and analyses the efforts to establish a Single European Sky.

The Commission proposes a Directive serving to contribute to a “smoothly functioning internal market with a high level of consumer protection” for mortgage lending. Herein the Commission focuses on consumer protection and rules for the activities of credit intermediaries.

With the White Paper, the Commission continues the transparent discussion, which was instigated by the Commission itself, on the future of transport. It describes the challenges to European transport policy, teh Commission’s vision for a competitive and sustainable transport system by 2050 and a strategy to implement it. The transport sector is to reduce at least 60% of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 compared to emission levels in 1990.

EU Member States are pursuing the goal of increasing energy efficiency by saving 20% of the EU energy consumption projected for 2020. The Commission estimates that the set target will not be achieved through the current measures and therefore proposes additional actions. Amongst other things, it is considering energy savings by Member States.

The Commission deems early childhood education and care (ECEC) an essential foundation for successful lifelong learning, social integration and personal development. Children with a solid ECEC foundation, later have much better options on the labour market for employability.

In its consultation paper the Commission presents a model for infrastructure financing („Europe 2020 Project Bond Initiative“): Private or public-private project companies issue bonds on capital markets to finance infrastructure (“project bonds”). Limited payment guarantees or credits provided by the European Investment Bank (EIB) are to encourage private investors to buy project bonds.

The Commission wishes to introduce a number of amendments to the Prospectus and Solvency II Directive. The aim is to extend the powers of the EU supervisory authorities (ESMA and EIOPA) to develop technical standards, to substantiate their arbitration powers and to introduce transitional periods for the Solvency II Directive. In addition, the Commission’s power to adopt implementing measures, which are still based on the legal position of the Treaty of Nice, are to be adapted to the Lisbon Treaty.