Publication Archive

 

 

This archive contains all documents published by cep over the last few years:

cepAdhoc: Incisive comment on current EU policy issues

cepPolicyBrief: Concise reviews of EU proposals (Regulations, Directives, Green Papers, White Papers, Communications) – including an executive summary

cepInput: Impulse to current challenges of EU policies

cepStudy: Comprehensive examination of EU policy proposals affecting the economy

 

 

2014

The Commission wants to get an insight into national safety regulations for tourist accommodation. By way of this Green Paper, it wants to present its ideas and thoughts on how the confidence of providers and consumers can be increased, including, where necessary, by way of follow-up measures at EU level. In addition, the Commission wants to collect additional information on the safety of tourist accommodation by holding a public consultation.

2014

There are currently no standardised measurement procedures in the EU for CO2 emissions from Heavy Duty Vehicles (HDVs) nor are there any provisions on their reduction. The Commission wants, on the one hand, the data on fuel consumption and CO2 emissions from newly registered HDVs, collected by way of a simulation instrument (VECTO), to be made available to vehicle purchasers. On the other hand, it is considering two measures for reducing CO2: mandatory limits on CO2 for newly registered HDVs or the inclusion of road transport in the EU Emission Trading Scheme (EU ETS). In this regard, the Commission prefers the introduction of CO2 limits.

 

 

 

2014

The EU Commission makes proposals for strengthening the internal market for occupational pensions. It wants to facilitate cross-border IORPs business, ensure effective supervision of IORPs and enhance governance. In addition it extends the obligations for providing information to members and beneficiaries and amends the investment rules.

2014

The European Commission proposes measures to ensure a secure energy supply in the EU. It calls on the Member States to complete the internal energy market and protect critical infrastructures such as gas pipelines against the political influence of state-owned companies in non-EU countries. In addition, it considers voluntary demand aggregation in order to improve the negotiating position of individual EU energy importers with respect to energy exporters in non-EU countries.

2014

The European small claims procedure will be made more attractive for consumers and small businesses.

2014

The EU Commission wants to promote financing by way of crowdfunding.

2014

The EU Commission wants to increase the supply of possibilities for long-term financing, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and infrastructure projects.

2014

The Commission indicates that it is generally satisfied with the application of the Regulation on advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMP Regulation) but considers that it could be improved by extending the certification procedure to include universities and other non-commercial institutions. In addition, it calls for restriction of the hospital exemption, which allows ATMPs to be used without a marketing authorisation in domestic hospitals.

2014

The EU Commission wants to promote investment in NGA networks and maintain effective competition on the broadband market. It wants to do this by stricter non-discrimination obligations, greater clarity as to when obligations on price control for NGA networks should be removed and by imposing a standard costing methodology.

2014

Payment service providers must not charge higher fees for cross-border payments than for national payments. Thus, the EU Commission intends to cheapen cross-border payments and to improve payment transactions in the EU. The existing principle of equality of charges for credit transfers and cash card services is to be extended to direct debits.

2014

The Commission wants decisions by stock companies to be based to a greater extent on long-term performance and less on short-term share price fluctuations. It therefore proposes measures aiming to ensure that decisions by stock companies take more account of shareholders' interests.

2014

The Best Practices Guidelines describe the course of action of European cartel and abuse proceedings (abuse of market power). With the proposed Guidelines the Commission wishes to enhance the transparency and predictability of these proceedings and to contribute to their smooth functioning.

2014

The Commission wants to facilitate the establishment of a new form of company known as "Societas Unius Personae (SUP)". A SUP is a private limited liability company with one share owned by a single shareholder. The Directive obliges Member States to introduce the SUP into their legal systems.

2014

The Commission outlines its strategy for health and safety at work 2014-2020. Accidents at work cause the deaths of 4,000 workers each year EU-wide and result in more than three million employees EU-wide being absent from work for more than three days every year.

2014

The Regulation prohibits "proprietary trading" by larger banks and permits the banking regulators to prohibit "trading activities" so that the trading concerned is only carried out by companies which are separate from the bank.

2014

cep analyses the plans enabling the ESM to directly recapitalise ailing banks in the Eurozone. Also, the further development of the ESM serving as backstop for the banking union in being analysed.

2014

The European Commission is not satisfied with the development of the transeuropean transport system. In its Green Paper the Commission presents its visison of a future TEN-T policy and three options for action. Obviously it aims at the establishment of a "priority network" instead of a "core network" in future. In this context the Commission wants the transnational projects to be chosen by rational and comprehensible criteria.