Internal Market Council (Hansard, 22 June 1990)

§ Mr. Redwood

I attended the Internal Market Council in Luxembourg on 20 June. A series of decisions was reached in the insurance sector. Ministers agreed a common position on the life insurance services directive which confirmed the political agreement of last December. This will allow the measure to go before the European Parliament again under the co-operation procedure. A common position was reached on the motor insurance services directive, enabling insurers to sell motor insurance across borders to consumers in other member states, though subject to a number of restrictions. A progress report was also made on the insurance accounts directive,730W the entry into force of which will partially determine the full application of the motor services directive. Agreement in principle, subject to the opinion of the European Parliament, was reached on a measure permitting the Commission to grant a block exemption from article 85 of the treaty of Rome (prohibition of restricted agreements) for certain kinds of insurance agreement.

Common positions were reached on two company law directives. The first relates to small and medium-sized enterprises, and the second will improve transparency in disclosures made by certain types of partnership, especially GMBH and Co KG in Germany. It will not affect ordinary United Kingdom partnerships.

A common position was reached on a regulation on Community transit which will ease the movement of Community goods across internal frontiers post-1992. A further 11 measures in the area of customs procedures and industrial standards were adopted without discussion.

Progress reports were made on trans-European networks, biotechnological inventions and recognition of vocational training and education, and further work was discussed in the area of food irradiation. Further consideration on the use of certain dangerous substances was postponed until the next Internal Market Council.

Three measures concerning rights of residence for economically inactive persons were agreed subject to the view of the Danish Folketing.