2015

With the European Commission having recently set out its vision for the entire EU transport sector up to 2050, the European Parliament now proposes additional measures aimed at helping to achieve a competition-oriented and sustainable transport sector. cep assesses the Parliament's main proposals from an economic and legal perspective.

2015

In order to shorten the legislative process in the EU, the European Parliament, Council and EU Commission have agreed to reach agreements in negotiations behind closed doors - the informal trialogues - prior to the respective first reading of the legislative proposal. In cep's view, this procedure is in urgent need of an overhaul.

2015

The European Commission will harmonise the contractual rights of both parties in online purchasing EU wide. In addition, it will submit legislative proposals to prevent "unjustified geo-blocking". Geo-blocking is a technical measure used by online traders to restrict access to cross-border online purchasing by users in a specific geographical location.

2015

EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has given a widely watched speech on the State of the Union. The refugee crisis was at the centre of the speech. Given the predominance of this burning issue it was somewhat overlooked by many observers that Juncker at the same time also presented the Commission Working Programme for 2016.

2015

In 2014, the European Council laid down stricter targets for reducing carbon emissions for the period 2021-2030. The 2030 reduction target in the sectors covered by the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) amounts to at least 43% as compared with 2005 levels. In order to achieve this, the EU-wide permitted volume of emissions ("Cap") will be reduced annually from 2021 by 2.2% instead of the current 1.74%. In addition, the "benchmarks", which aim to create incentives for reducing carbon emissions and are based on the average emission volume of the 10% most efficient installations in a sector in 2007 and 2008, will be subject to a blanket reduction.

2015

The European requirements for economic reform and consolidation are being ignored in many capitals. The eurozone countries openly disagree on what role the market should play as a mechanism for ensuring discipline and coordination. To overcome this dilemma, the eurozone should agree on a sovereign default regime for its member states.

2015

The EU Commission is convinced that EU legislation can be improved. With the "Better Regulation Package" it has therefore taken measures to increase the quality of legislation. cep considers whether it has been successful in this regard.

2015

In the context of increasing electricity generation based on renewable energy, the Commission puts forward its ideas for redesigning the European electricity markets. Thus support for renewable energy should follow a more market-based concept. The simple provision of reserve capacity will only be remunerated by way of capacity mechanisms in the exceptional case that electricity supply cannot be secured by the electricity market itself.

2015

In its Strategy for a Digital Single Market, the Commission lays down numerous measures to strengthen the European digital economy. This cepPolicyBrief deals with the second pillar of the Strategy (Digital networks and services). It deals, inter alia, with the reform of telecommunications regulations, the examination of the rules on audiovisual media services, online platforms, and with the rules on illegal content on the Internet.