(STRASBOURG) - EU lawmakers approved on Thursday plans to sweep away the last few obstacles to the free flow of goods in the 27-nation bloc by easing internal trade restrictions.

The shake-up aims to prevent EU countries from using technical hurdles to keep out goods from fellow members by requiring detailed justification for refusing a product allowed elsewhere in the European Union.

The package targets the 15 percent of intra-EU trade in goods that is not covered by Europe-wide technical rules, including such things as bread, pasta, furniture, bicycles, ladders and precious metals.

The measures, which could save European consumers 15O billion euros (220 billion dollars) a year, are due to take effect in 2009 after EU governments approve them.

In practice, the package puts an end to such bizarre practices like Belgium's blocking of imports of Dutch-made bicycles without hand brakes or Sweden's refusal to allow imports of aluminium pots from its EU partners.

"If one good has been accepted in country A it should be accepted in country B as well," said conservative Finnish EU lawmaker Alexander Stubb, one of the three rapporteurs behind the legislation at the European Parliament.

"There's absolutely no right or prerogative of a member state authority to prevent the entry of a good into their market unless, of course, health or the environment is concerned," he said.

While the unhindered flow of goods within the EU is enshrined in its treaties, in practice red tape and often a lack of information about rights and obligations can hamper trade within the bloc.

"In the future, it's up to the member states to provide evidence that products are not allowed in their market rather than inducing lengthy and costly procedures on businesses," Dutch liberal lawmaker Toine Manders said.

"It is estimated these costs amount to 150 billion euros every year."

The package is also supposed to improve rules on market surveillance and clarify the use of CE markings on goods while also providing a common legal framework for industrial products.

Common framework for the marketing of products - current status of legislation (European Parliament, ref COD/2007/0030)

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