The EU Commission wants to increase efforts to combat the spread of antimicrobial resistance. With this aim, it has submitted a European Action Plan in line with the concept of “One Health”. In cep’s view, this is a sensible European initiative because resistant pathogens spread across borders thus making it necessary to take both EU-wide and global combating measures.

By way of a Regulation, the EU-Commission wants to facilitate the free flow of non-personal data and improve competition between cloud providers and other data-processing services in the EU.

Against the backdrop of increased Chinese foreign direct investments in the EU, the Commission wants to create a legal "framework" for screening foreign direct investments (FDI). The Regulation does provide clarity about the screening procedure to be used by Member States. Vague terms however carry a protectionist risk.

The EU Commission wants to give provisions on driving times and rest periods greater clarity and make them more flexible. In addition, enforcement will be improved by ensuring more efficient use of tachographs. In cep’s view, expanding the time frame, for the drivers’ compulsory weekly rest periods, to four weeks, creates more scheduling flexibility.

With the European Electronic Toll Service (EETS), the EU Commission wants to ensure that electronic toll collection systems become interoperable EU-wide. In cep’s view, the removal of legal requirements and the additional options for EETS providers facilitate the latter’s market entry. This creates a broader range of cross-border interoperable solutions.

The EU Commission wants to strengthen the Single Market and, to this end, set up an online portal providing information which citizens and businesses need in order to carry out cross-border activities in the EU. In addition, they will be able to use the portal to access and implement online administrative procedures of the Member States. Certain administrative procedures of the Member States will also be digitised.

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.

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.

The EU Commission wants to increase women’s participation in employment. With this aim, work life balance is to be improved and incentives created for men to claim parental leave. In cep’s view, the proposed Directive can at best make a small contribution to achieving the EU Commission’s objective.

53 retail and wholesale trading companies in 22 EU Member States were asked whether and by what measures they are hampered when trading in the EU internal market. Companies were also asked whether they suffer discrimination as a result of national laws or by national authorities in other EU countries as compared with domestic companies.

The EU Commission wants to make the transmission of personal data to non-EU countries easier in order to promote mutual trade and effectively combat international crime.

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.