EU: Internal Market Reviews Cases

At a meeting of Internal Market ministers in Cambridge on 13 February the vexed issue of infringement proceedings was raised in the context of a discussion concerning non-legislative aspects of the internal market action plan. Lord Simon, the UK’s minister for trade and competition in Europe, argued strongly in favour of strengthening the single market as a means of increasing European competitiveness, with the emphasis on making life more simple for European businesses. The way to achieve this, he argued, was through reducing red tape and eradicating regulatory barriers. It is evident that the UK Presidency is keen to promote a speedier resolution of infringement cases under Article 169, and to reduce the amount of bureaucratic obstacles placed in the way of businesses being able to operate equally across the whole of the EU. The Chairman and Deputy Director-General of the UK Advertising Association will meet Lord Simon in March, prior to the 30 March meeting of the Internal Market Council, which Lord Simon will chair.