EU Competitiveness Council

Lord Willetts Excerpts

Monday 25th November 2013 Written Statements

[The Minister for Universities and Science (Mr David Willetts)]

The European Competitiveness Council will take place in Brussels on 2 and 3 December 2013. The UK will be represented by Shan Morgan, Deputy Permanent Representative.

The internal market and industry substantive agenda items on 2 December will be: a general approach on electronic invoicing in public procurement; a general approach on the directive for rules governing actions for damages under national law for infringements of competition law; a progress report on the revision of the European trade mark system; a presentation by the Commission on the annual growth survey; and adoption of Council conclusions on industrial policy, single market policy and smart regulation.

Four “any other business” points will be discussed: information from the presidency on the collective rights management directive; information from the presidency on the European patent and the unified patent court; information from the Commission on the general block exemption regulation; and information from the Greek delegation regarding the work programme for the upcoming presidency.

The substantive space items for day two will be: general approach on the regulation establishing the Copernicus programme and repealing regulation (EU) No. 911/2010; and progress report on establishing a space surveillance and tracking support programme.

The substantive research items for day two will be: general approach on Commission proposals to establish public-public partnerships with member states for the joint implementation of national research programmes; political agreement on amending the council decision establishing the European joint undertaking for international thermonuclear experimental reactor (ITER) and the development of fusion energy; general approach on Commission proposals for joint technological initiatives; and a policy debate on public sector innovation.

The Government objectives for the Council are to:

Ensure that the general approach on the electric invoicing in public procurement is consistent with the Government’s negotiating position;

Support the objectives of the trade mark reforms to improve the well-functioning system so that it delivers even better solutions for users;

Support the directive for rules governing actions for damages under national law for infringements of competition law and ensure that the mandate is consistent with UK priorities;

Endorse the conclusions on the industrial policy, single market policy and better regulation;

Ensure that the regulation establishing the Copernicus programme and repealing (EU) No. 911/2010 is agreed without further modification. Secure political agreement on the ITER proposal which will enable Euratom to make the European contribution to costs of ITER construction over 2014-20.