EU Competitiveness Council (Pre-Council Statement)
The Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (Mr Mark Prisk)
My noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, (Baroness Wilcox), has today made the following statement:
“The EU Competitiveness Council will take place in Brussels on 10 December 2010. I shall represent the UK on industry and internal market issues and Andy Lebrecht, the UK’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the EU will represent the UK when I am not in attendance.
The main agenda items will include the proposed adoption of two sets of Council conclusions: one on the Single Market Act and one on the EU framework for betting and gambling. There will be an exchange of views on the EU patent to consider the way forward and possible enhanced co-operation process. There will also be a ministerial lunchtime discussion on the use of EU impact assessments in the EU institutions to support the development of EU legislation. A proposed regulation on EU state aid to support the closure of coal mines in the EU and the adoption of Council conclusions on EU industrial policy will also be discussed.
The following items will be taken under any other business:
Presidency information on transposition of EU directives into national law;
Commission information on implementation and mutual evaluation of the EU services directive;
Commission information on the proposed EU consumer rights directive;
Commission information on the EU consumer market scoreboard;
The Government’s main aims will be to:
To agree Council conclusions on the Single Market Act.
Support progress on the EU patent.
Endorse Council conclusions on an EU framework for gambling and betting in member states.
Support the importance of impact assessments in the EU institutions to support EU decision making.
Accept the proposal on EU state aid for coal mines closure.
Agree Council conclusions on EU industrial policy.”