Single Market programme: Internal Market Council, Luxembourg, 21.6.99

Single Market programme:

Internal Market Council, Luxembourg, 21.6.99. The Council held an open debate on the follow-up to the Single Market Action Plan and the Joint Work Programme of the Three Presidencies (Germany, Finland and Portugal) for the Internal Market. The Commission informed the Council of the results to date of phase 4 of the SLIM initiative (Simplification of Legislation for the Internal Market), and introduced the fourth edition of the Single Market Scoreboard. The Presidency reported on progress in meeting the European Council's mandate to develop a strategy to integrate environmental protection, in particular with a view to sustainable development into Internal Market policy. The Council took note of a Presidency progress report on ongoing work in the field of standardisation. The Commission introduced a recent Communication on how to facilitate and improve the application of the principle of mutual recognition in the Single Market. The Council examined the question of the international exhaustion of trademark rights. The proposed Directive on cocoa and chocolate products intended for human consumption still could not advance, due now to Commission objections (subsequently resolved) to the limitations of the implementing powers conferred on it by the Council. The Council reached political agreement, in first reading on the modified proposal for a Regulation on orphan medicinal products. The Council had an extensive discussion on the proposal for a Directive on the resale right for the benefit of the author of an original work of art. The Council reached a political agreement on the text of the draft 13th Company Law Directive, with the exception of one particular aspect which is not directly related to the substance of the Directive.

Source: Press Release (Council), PRES/99/201 (21.6.99) (Follow Source url and click on 'Council' - 'Internal market')

[Report on RAPID]