HC Deb 10 December 2001 vol 376 cc651-3W
Mr. Connarty

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the outcome was of the Internal Market, Consumer and Tourism Council held in Brussels on 26 November; what the Government's stance was on each issue discussed, including its voting record; and if she will make a statement. [18900]

Ms Hewitt

The Commission presented two reports concerning tourism, highlighting a need for a more systematic and co-ordinated approach among tourism stakeholders through a package of 10 activities. The Commission acknowledged the long-term impacts of September 11 on tourism.

The Council reached political agreement on the Seventh amendment to the Cosmetics Directive which will introduce a EU-wide ban on animal testing of cosmetic products. This means that cosmetic products cannot be sold in the EU if the finished product, or any of its ingredients or combinations of ingredients, have been tested on animals, once an alternative to that test has been accepted and published by the OECD

The Council reached political agreement to amend Directive 76/769/EEC on dangerous substances, which would introduce a ban on certain carcinogenic azodyes. There was also a common approach agreed on the ban of carcinogens, mutagens or substances toxic to reproduction (CMRs)—22 substances would now be banned under this directive. A progress report on phthalates was also discussed

The Presidency gave an oral progress report on the proposal for the establishment of the European Food Authority. The Commission said that it would report in about a year's time on the implementation of the Data Protection Directive.

The Council adopted a draft Resolution on consumer over-indebtedness, and the Presidency gave a short report on the October Brussels conference on consumer involvement in the Single Market.

The Council discussed the principles of the Community patent focusing in particular on the role of National Patent Offices and the language regime.

The Council agreed draft conclusions on the Commission's proposals to make a negotiated agreement (rather than introduce legislation) with car manufacturers to make cars less dangerous for pedestrians.

Commissioner Byrne gave an account of the green paper on Consumer Protection. He spoke on the opportunities of the internal market, the Euro and e-commerce being dependent on consumer confidence and said that enforcement at EU level was particularly important. The green paper would be open to a formal hearing and in-depth consultation.

The Council discussed simplification of the regulatory environment focusing on the Commission's Action Plan and the report by the intergovernmental Mandelkern Group. Member states welcomed the Mandelkern report and the Presidency concluded there would be further discussion of this at Laeken.

The two proposed directives on public procurement (which aim to simplify, clarify and modernise public procurement) were subject to a progress report, and the Commission called on the Council to aim for a common position as soon as possible.

The Council reached political agreement on the insurance intermediaries directive. This aims to create a passport for insurance intermediaries to operate throughout the EU and to set minimum professional standards and information requirements to ensure consumer protection. Political agreement was also reached on the proposed regulation concerning cross border payments in euro—which proposes that the price of retail cross-border payments in euro should be the same as the price of equivalent domestic payments.

The Council agreed conclusions on Services of General Economic Interest (SGEI) which envisaged a new framework on state a id and SGEI; an examination of the case for a horizontal Directive based on Article 16; steps to improve the evaluation of SGEI.

The Council took note of the joint work programme of the three Presidencies (Belgium, Spain and Denmark) and there were presentations on the Single Market Scoreboard, the Commission's Services Strategy and the Commission's Internal Market Strategy.

The Council reached agreement on the following legislative items: political agreement was achieved on cosmetics directive, dangerous substances directive covering azocolourants, CMRs, the insurance intermediaries directive and the regulation on cross-border Euro payments, all of which the UK supported. The Commission's voluntary agreement with industry on pedestrian protection was approved again with UK support.