The Commission aims to eliminate “health inequalities“ between Member States, different population groups and between men and women. To this end, it plans to have the data base on health inequalities in the EU extended, to promote the exchange of best practices and to fund these actions through the framework of cohesion policy.

According to the Commission key enabling technologies are of “systemic relevance“ for the European economy and provide the basis for process, goods and service innovation. Therefore, a process is to be launched whose purpose is to identify and promote the key enabling technologies in the EU. The research base for the development of key enabling technologies in the EU is to be strengthened through “the right framework conditions and support instruments“.Synergy effects created by a better coordination of research promotion and joint action by Member States are assumed to be beneficial to European companies. The Commission promotes the establishment of an EU patent and a unified patent litigation system in Europe.

The food supply chain comprises agricultural enterprises producing commodities, commodity exchange traders, food processing companies, (producers) and food retailers. The Commission criticises the lacking “resilience“ to boosting commodity prices (“shocks in agricultural prices“).It deems a “better functioning food supply chain“ as “urgently“ needed to avoid an “escalation“ in prices as the economic recovery sets in. In its Communication it presents measures to achieve these objectives. Amongst other things, it intends to prepare sets of standard contracts, whose use would be voluntary for the market players.

Since the onset of the financial crisis the EU Financial Market Supervision, which is still very nationally-oriented, is up for discussion. Now, the Commission proposes the establishment of three European supervisory authorities (ESA) which are to ensure an improved prudential supervision of banks, insurances and investment firms.

In 2007, with its Green Paper „Towards a new culture for urban mobility” [COM(2007) 551; cp. cepPolicyBrief] the Commission initiated a consultation. Based on the results of that consultation the submitted Action Plan is to set out a “coherent framework” for “EU initiatives” by 2012. In detail, the Commission plans to introduce action concerning the user-friendliness, environmental friendliness, funding, optimisation and exchange of knowledge regarding urban transport.

The GDP was already developed in the 1930s. In the meantime it has become the best known indicator of macro-economic activity. According to the Commission there “is a clear case for complementing” GDP with indicators covering social and environmental issues “on which people’s well-being critically depends” but which are not taken account of in the current GDP calculation. In its Communication the Commission presents its ideas regarding new indicators.

Since the onset of the financial crisis the EU Financial Market Supervision, which is still very nationally-oriented, is up for discussion. Now, the Commission proposes that the ESRB is to monitor the stability of the entire European financial system. Moreover, three European Supervisory Authorities are to ensure an improved prudential supervision of single financial institutions.

In order to attain independence from fossil fuels, the EU is planning to accelerate the development and introduction of various low carbon technologies with the help of the European Strategic Energy Technology Plan (“SET-Plan”). The Commission substantiates the strategic and technological targets, the planned measures and an estimation of how much private and public investment will be required for the research and development of low carbon technologies until 2020.