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 European Commission reports on the trends in electricity and gas prices in the EU and the resulting impact on the international competitiveness of EU companies. It calls on Member States to ensure greater cost efficiency with regard to environmental and energy-policy measures so as to reduce taxes and levies and considers additional state measures to support energy efficiency.

2014

The Commission wants to extend the existing network of employment services "EURES" in order to improve employee mobility. In particular, the Commission wants more job vacancies to be EU-wide available.

2014

The European Commission proposes new targets for 2030 for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the development of renewable energy. An energy-efficiency target will not be discussed until autumn 2014 following the assessment of the Energy Efficiency Directive. Consultation will take place, in the framework of a new "governance structure", between the Commission and the Member States regarding the latter's plans for climate and energy policy.

2014

Where the market is unable to secure adequate electricity generation, the Member States should, in the European Commission's view, be able to set up "capacity mechanisms" under certain conditions. These capacity mechanisms should meet certain criteria; they should, inter alia, be technology-neutral and accessible across borders. Beforehand, however, the Member States should firstly, assess whether there is in fact a shortfall in generation, secondly, identify and remove the causes for the shortfall of generation, and thirdly, evaluate which alternatives to capacity mechanisms could remove these shortfalls in generation, where appropriate.

2014

The Commission is considering four options for the future of 1 and 2 cent coins. These range from continued issuance of small coins to reducing the production costs of small coins to abolition of small coins.

2014

Within the framework of the European Semester, the Commission wants to improve the surveillance and coordination of developments in social and employment policy. In addition, it wants to make EU funds available to combat unemployment and improve cross-border cooperation between employment services. It is also calling for an autonomous budget to absorb asymmetric shocks and the transfer of legislative competence regarding social policy to the EU.

2014

The European Commission wants to set up a "Blue Belt" in the seas around Europe. It will strengthen the Single European Transport Area for Shipping by allowing vessels to operate freely inside the EU internal market with a "minimum" of red tape. For this purpose, the existing regular shipping service scheme is to be shortened and simplified and an EU-wide standard electronic cargo manifest ("eManifest") introduced detailing the status of the goods being carried - e.g. origin.

2014

With renewables taking up a growing share of energy production, the European Commission wants support for renewables to be carried out more competitively. For this purpose, feed-in tariffs should be largely replaced by feed-in premiums and quota models. Degressive elements of the support system should mean that overcompensation and distortions of competition are avoided. Support for existing installations should not be changed retrospectively.