news & events

The European Parliament's Committee on Transport (TRAN) made a considerable concession to the Council, on 24 May, with its adoption of a report on the draft directive establishing an information exchange system on road traffic infringements.

Members of the European Parliament backed, on 11 May, the draft interinstitutional agreement (IIA) on the creation of a joint Commission and Parliament transparency register (formerly known as lobbyist register). The target date for the launch of the register is the end of June. It will not be mandatory and the Council, which is likely to issue a political declaration in support, will not join in.

Vote in parliament paves way for ambitious trade deal to take effect in July.

The European Commission adopted on 27 April a Decision on how free emission allowances should be allocated from 2013 to industrial installations covered by the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS). Although auctioning will become the main principle for allocating allowances as of 2013, a proportion of free allowances will still be given to industry until 2020, notably to reduce costs for installations in sectors deemed to be exposed to significant competition from outside the EU.

The Directorate-General for Climate Action is launching a public consultation on two forthcoming Commission regulations related to the implementation of the EU Emissions Trading System. These are a Regulation on Monitoring and Reporting of greenhouse gases and a Regulation on Accreditation of verifiers and on Verification of annual emission reports.

Plans for an EP/ Commission joint register of lobbyists and other interest groups were backed by the Constitutional Affairs Committee on 19 April. MEPs add that all lobbyists should be made to register, and also urge that their exchanges with lead MEPs be listed in a "legislative footprint" annex to parliamentary reports.

As part of the Single Market Act presented 13 April the European Commission has tabled a package of two legislative proposals, under enhanced cooperation, that will radically reduce the cost of patents in Europe by up to 80%. This will allow any company or individual to protect their inventions through a single European patent which is valid in 25 Member States.

Commissioner Šemeta to outline plans for carbon and fuel taxes, while businesses are concerned about impact on trade.

EU-Japan summit expected to take place in May.

The Europe 2020 Strategy includes the "Resource efficient Europe" flagship initiative, under which the European Commission will present proposals to modernise the transport sector and thereby contributing to increasing competitiveness and lowering emissions.