30 April European Commission

Date: 08/05/1997

TRANSIT arrangements for goods transported from one country to another are to be overhauled under an action plan agreed by the Commission. Following a year-long investigation by the European Parliament into the transit system, Internal Market Commissioner Mario Monti won the support of his colleagues for a wide range of measures to combat fraud estimated to have reached more than 1 billion ecu since 1990. Under the plan, existing procedures will be computerised and a new transit convention negotiated with the Union's main trading partners in central and eastern Europe and in the European Free Trade Association.

A MAJOR reorganisation of the Commission's internal administration will be put in place over the next two and a half years as individual departments are given more responsibility for managing their own affairs. Under the Modernisation of Administration and Personnel (MAP) 2000 programme drawn up by the Personnel Commissioner Erkki Liikanen and approved by the college, many existing tasks will be decentralised, rationalised and simplified. In future, each directorate-general will be largely responsible for its own operating budget and the recruitment of temporary staff.

THE Union's annual budget next year would be increased by just 2.4&percent; to 91.3 billion ecu under proposals put forward by the Commission. The rigorous spending estimates, which must be approved by EU governments and MEPs, are designed to contribute to budgetary stability in the run-up to the single currency. While regional and social spending are due to rise by 6.5&percent; in line with the decision taken by EU leaders in December 1992, expenditure increases in other areas would be limited to 0.5&percent;.

CONSUMER Policy Commissioner Emma Bonino's communication on consumer health and food safety won the support of her colleagues. Under the plan, Bonino's directorate-general will get 263 more officials. The posts will be filled mostly by moving existing staff from other departments. The Commission will now ask MEPs to free up the cash to pay for the rest. The communication stresses scientific advice on food safety issues will be sought from “eminent and fully independent” scientists, their opinions will be accessible to all interested parties and a new scientific steering committee will be set up to coordinate the work of the various groups.

THE long-awaited Green Paper on food law has been published, launching a public debate on the extent to which current EU legislation on foodstuffs meets the needs and expectations of consumers, producers, manufacturers and traders, and whether existing measures to ensure a safe and wholesome supply of food are adequate. The Commission has invited all interested groups to submit their opinions on the paper by 31 July this year.

A DRAFT action plan to fill the gaps in the EU's single market and put it on course for completion in time for arrival of the single currency in 1999 won the support of the full Commission. National governments and the European Parliament will now be given a chance to comment on the action plan before it is finalised at the June summit of EU leaders in Amsterdam.