Bonjour,
le texte de conclusion du Conseil aprés la communication de la Commission sur la compétitivité externe de l’UE, du 4 octobre. Le Conseil partage les conclusions de la Commission. Il s’agit du dernier avatar de la mise en place de l’agenda de Lisbonne, concernant notamment la nécessité de parvenir à un accord multilatéral à l’OMC.
Je vous inivite particuliérement à lire le point 7, et cette phrase
"A well functioning internal market is a precondition for the development of successful global firms. "
Traduction : le bon fonctionnement du marché intérieur est un prérequis pour le développement réussi des firmes "globales" (cad transnationales)"
Hasard de calendrier, la commission IMCO a voté le 23 octobre la mouture de la directive Bolkestein reféltant la position commune des gouvernement.
La directive service n’est qu’un des aspects d’un marché intérieur fonctionnant "bien".
FV
DRAFT / 17.10.2006
Council Conclusions following the Commission’s Communication "Global Europe : Competing in the World"
The Council :
Welcomes the Commission’s Communication "Global Europe : Competing in the World", discussing the external aspects of Europe’s competitiveness and linking external policies to the EU’s broader competitiveness agenda, as presented in the Lisbon strategy for Growth and Jobs.
Shares the Commission’s analysis on the changing context of EU’s trade and competitiveness policy, and on the challenges posed by globalisation. The ongoing transformations in the global economic order create significant opportunities for growth and development, but also necessitate rapid and deep-going adjustments. For the EU to maintain its competitive position, it must constantly strive to improve upon its policy and regulatory framework.
Acknowledges that an effective policy to foster competitiveness must cover both internal as well as external measures. Trade policy can make a significant contribution to growth and jobs, and must therefore be considered an essential element of a European policy of competitiveness. Internal and external policies should work in tandem, in a coherent and mutually supporting way.
Shares the Commission’s view on the basic parameters concerning the future development of the EU’s trade policy and its recognition of the need for an integrated, coherent approach to domestic and global challenges.
Therefore considers that :
1.
trade policy must build upon the premise that Europe’s economic prosperity is inextricably linked to that of other regions of the world. Hence, the answer to growing global competition is not to protect the EU from that competition, but to adopt an increasingly active policy of openness abroad.
2.
addressing barriers to trade, investment and business activity in third countries plays a key role in improving the competitive position of European industries. Our work on trade barriers must be ever more broad-based so that it looks at the whole operating environment of European firms in third markets and puts more weight on regulatory obstacles and restrictions to competition. This is particularly important for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs).
3.
in current conditions where innovation is the main driving force of new business and where capital and technology markets are global, it is equally important to guarantee an effective and secure access of European companies to raw materials, including energy, and to other inputs to the production process. This underlines the need to maintain an open import regime in the EU and in third countries, and to tackle any foreign restrictions to exports that are likely to harm EU industries.
4.
the WTO will remain centre stage in the international trading system and the EU continues to need a strong and rules-based multilateral trading system. The Doha Development agenda remains our first priority and the EU will work intensively to restart the negotiations as soon as circumstances in other countries allow.
5.
in parallel to our efforts at the WTO, however, there is a need for complementary mechanisms that allow us to achieve additional improvements in market access and business environment, particularly in our future major trading partners. IPR enforcement, public procurement, regulatory cooperation, competition (including state aid) and investment are all key issues in this respect.
6.
as one of the policy initiatives, the EU should aim at a new generation of bilateral FTAs that extend beyond present bilateral agreements The agreements should strive for the highest possible degree of trade liberalisation, including far-reaching liberalisation of services and investment, and should place special emphasis on new types of regulatory, non-tariff issues. In setting geographical priorities for these agreements, economic considerations should play a primary role. Based on these criteria, the Council supports the early launch of negotiations with ASEAN, India and South Korea. Attention must also be paid to the EU’s ongoing negotiating processes and to the development of the Transatlantic trading relationship.
7.
the completion of the Internal Market and effective innovation policies at the European level are cornerstones of European competitiveness and a critical platform for the EU’s success abroad. A well functioning internal market is a precondition for the development of successful global firms. It also serves as a solid demonstration of how barriers to trade and investment can be eliminated for increasing productivity and growth. External aspects of competitiveness will have to be factored in the forthcoming Internal Market review.
8.
it is important to ensure that external considerations, including the global position of European firms, are taken into account when setting key internal policies. The EU must play a leading role in sharing best practice and developing global rules and standards. To do so effectively it must actively look for means to improve the compatibility between its regulations and those of its main trading partners. Progress in regulatory cooperation can bring about considerable benefits to all parties and lessen the risks of unnecessary compliance costs for traders.
9.
in the context of globalisation and increasing openness, appropriate attention should be paid to policy measures that help European citizens adapt to these changes. It is also important to ensure that the positive effects of trade opening benefit all groups of economic actors and are not captured by specific interests. A broad distribution of benefits is essential for winning the political argument for change.
10.
as we pursue social justice and cohesion at home, we should also seek to promote Europe’s values, including social and environmental standards and cultural diversity, around the world. Future initiatives will have to take into account the development needs of our partners and the potential impact of any new arrangements on developing countries, in particular as concerns their effects on poor countries’ preferential access to EU markets.
Commends the Commission for the open-minded, inventive thinking that has resulted in the policy initiatives set out in the Communication and invites the Commission, as appropriate and without undue delay, to submit proposals on the different new initiatives to the Council for further discussion.
Invites Member States to support these efforts and to reflect the initiatives at EU level by appropriate policy measures at home.
In light of the significance of issues concerning the external aspects of Europe’s competitiveness, agrees to revert to the matter at its forthcoming meetings.
