http://www.eubusiness.com daily 1 2008-03-14T00:19:53Z http://www.eubusiness.com/topics/single-market/governance-1 Last April, the Commission adopted the Single Market Act. It identified 12 key areas with the most growth potential in the Single Market and associated new proposals to exploit untapped potential. Today, the Commission presented an update of these efforts aimed a delivering growth, social progress and competitiveness. No publisher eub2 Single Market 2012-02-27T23:02:56Z Guide http://www.eubusiness.com/topics/sme/company-law The European Commission has launched an in-depth consultation on the future of European company law. Europe needs a company law framework that is adapted to the needs of the society of today and to the evolution of the economic environment. EU company law has played a central part in building the single market. The Commission says it is now time to see whether today's needs are still met by the existing legal framework. An on-line public consultation paper has been launched to collect comments from all stakeholders. The deadline for sending contributions is 14 May 2012. No publisher eub2 Single Market SMEs 2012-02-20T23:14:47Z Guide http://www.eubusiness.com/topics/single-market/foundation-2 The European Commission has presented a proposal for a European Foundation Statute to make it easier for foundations to support public benefit causes across the EU. No publisher eub2 Single Market SMEs Social 2012-02-08T21:49:13Z Guide http://www.eubusiness.com/topics/single-market/standardisation-11 The standardisation strategy presented by the European Commission on 1 June 2011 plays an important part in supporting the Europe 2020 Strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. Measures include actions to be taken by the Commission and a series of recommendations addressed to other actors in the European standardisation system. Funding to support standardisation activities will remain a major driver for the development of standards whose primary function is to support EU policy making. The following actions form the core of the standardisation communication. No publisher eub2 Single Market SMEs 2011-06-02T12:27:00Z Guide http://www.eubusiness.com/topics/single-market/ipr-strategy-1 Intellectual property rights (IPR), which comprise patents, trademarks, designs and geographical indications, as well as copyright (authors' rights) and rights related to copyright (for performers, producers and broadcasters), have been around for centuries. Often, without our even realising, they affect our daily lives: they protect the technology we use (cars, mobile phones, trains), the food we eat and the music we listen to or the films we watch. But in the last few years, technological change and, in particular, the growing importance of online activities, have completely changed the world in which IPR operate. The existing mix of European and national rules are no longer adapted and need to be modernised. That is why the Commission has adopted today a comprehensive strategy to revamp the legal framework in which IPR operate. Our objective is to enable inventors, creators, users and consumers to adapt to the new circumstances and to enhance new business opportunities. The new rules will strike the right balance between promoting creation and innovation, in part by ensuring reward and investment for creators and, on the other hand, promoting the widest possible access to goods and services protected by IPR. Getting this balance right will make a real difference to businesses (from the individual artist working alone to the big pharmaceutical companies) by encouraging investment in innovation. This will benefit the EU's growth and competitiveness which is delivered through the single market. Consumers will benefit from wider and easier access to information and cultural content, for example online music. The strategy deals with many issues to ensure IPR are covered comprehensively - from the patent a business needs to protect an invention to tackling the misuse of such inventions via a proposal also adopted today which will strengthen action on counterfeiting and piracy. Among the first deliverables of this IPR overall strategy are today's proposals for an easier licensing system for so-called "orphan works" that will allow many cultural works to be accessible online, and for a new regulation to reinforce customs actions in fighting trade of IPR infringing goods. No publisher eub2 Single Market Research & Technology 2011-05-24T22:09:56Z Guide http://www.eubusiness.com/topics/single-market/machinery-directive CE Marking legislation which covers safety requirements for machinery sold within the Single Market No publisher rossthomson Single Market standards EU Law summaries EU legislation 2011-04-29T22:09:03Z Page http://www.eubusiness.com/topics/single-market/sma-guide.114 Europe must act to create more prosperity and jobs. And it must do this urgently in the wake of the financial crisis. That is why the European Commission adopted the Single Market Act, a series of measures to boost the European economy and create jobs. No publisher eub2 Single Market SMEs 2011-04-14T10:55:12Z Guide http://www.eubusiness.com/topics/single-market/EMC EU CE Marking legislation which covers electromagnetic compatibility of certain products No publisher rossthomson Single Market EU Law EU Law summaries standards labelling EU legislation 2011-03-31T11:52:45Z Page http://www.eubusiness.com/topics/single-market/gambling-4 On-line gambling is a fast developing business in Europe, with almost 15,000 websites already identified and total annual revenues exceeding EUR 6 billion in 2008 and expected to double in size by 2013. National legal frameworks vary enormously across the EU, with different rules applying to licensing, related on-line services, payments, public interest objectives, and the fight against fraud. In order to ensure legal certainty and effective protection of EU citizens in this fast-growing cross-border service activity, it is important to evaluate how possibly differing models can co-exist within the Internal Market. The primary aim of the Green Paper consultation, launched today, is therefore to obtain a facts-based picture of the existing situation in the EU on-line gambling market and of the different national regulatory models. The Commission seeks the views of stakeholders and wishes to collect detailed information and data on key policy issues such as organisation of on-line gambling services and enforcement of applicable laws; consumer protection and other relevant public policy challenges as well as commercial communications and payment services. Contributions to the consultation, which can be submitted until 31 July 2011, will determine the need for and form of any EU follow-up action in this field. Expert workshops on specific themes will be organised to complement this consultation. No publisher eub2 gambling Single Market Consumer Internet 2011-03-24T13:46:22Z Guide http://www.eubusiness.com/topics/single-market/registers-guide The Commission adopted on 24 February a proposal to interconnect business registers within the EU. Company registers provide company information that is essential for consumers and business partners alike, such as information on a company's legal form, its seat, capital and legal representatives. Today's proposal will help to facilitate cross-border electronic access to business information, by ensuring business registers are updated, and business information is more easily and readily accessible. These changes are crucial for companies when setting up branches, conducting cross-border trade or providing cross-border services in the EU. Business registers are currently organised at national, regional or local level, and lack the capacity to share information in an efficient and transparent manner. The proposal will now pass to the Member States and the European Parliament for consideration. No publisher eub2 Single Market SMEs 2011-03-03T12:43:12Z Guide http://www.eubusiness.com/topics/finance/late-payment-directive A summary of the new Late Payment Directive aimed at tackling the problem of late payment for goods and services. No publisher rossthomson Single Market Finance EU Law summaries EU legislation 2011-03-03T12:31:49Z Page http://www.eubusiness.com/topics/single-market/lvd The Low Voltage Directive forms part of the CE Marking system and covers certain low voltage products. No publisher rossthomson Single Market electrical EU Law summaries EU legislation 2011-03-03T12:29:42Z Page http://www.eubusiness.com/topics/single-market/imi-guide The European Commission is taking action to help citizens and businesses to benefit fully from the opportunities offered by the Single Market by publishing a strategy to improve governance of the single market. The expansion of the Internal Market Information (IMI) system to other areas of EU law such as, potentially, gambling and e-commerce1 will help to achieve this. IMI is a multilingual online application that allows national, regional and local authorities to communicate quickly and easily with their counterparts elsewhere in the EU. By December 2010, nearly 6 000 authorities were using this system where they can assist each other in order to, for example, process applications from foreign professionals, grant permissions or check that cross-border service providers comply with security obligations. No publisher eub2 Single Market SMEs 2011-02-22T23:29:27Z Guide http://www.eubusiness.com/topics/single-market/labelling A summary of the EU product labelling rules for goods sold within the Single Market. No publisher rossthomson Single Market EU Law EU Law summaries labelling EU legislation 2011-02-01T22:36:59Z Page http://www.eubusiness.com/topics/single-market/ce-mark A summary of the CE Marking process which is required for certain products to be lawfully sold within the Single Market. No publisher rossthomson Single Market EU Law EU Law summaries standards labelling Cognis EU legislation 2011-03-30T12:42:18Z Page