Raad concurrentievermogen bespreekt toekomst interne markt, industrie en innovatie en Horizon 2020 (en)

Lithuanian Ministers of Economy Evaldas Gustas and Education and Science Dainius Pavalkis will chair a two-day meeting of the Competitiveness Council in Brussels on 2-3 December, which will be mainly devoted to discuss a range of important issues related to raising the competitiveness and growth of Europe.

On 2 December the Internal Market and Industry ministers plan to adopt three sets of Council conclusions - on the European Industrial Policy, Single Market Policy and Smart Regulation.

‘The Council conclusions presented by the Presidency respond to the latest calls by the European Council and cover ambitious political agenda of the Council and urge the Commission to contribute to better enforcement of the Single Market rules, the stock-taking on the mutual recognition principle as facilitator of cross-border small-medium business activities, further reforms in the services sector, including concrete deadlines and actions, and development of a roadmap for reduction of overall regulatory burden for businesses’, - said Minister of Economy Evaldas Gustas.

According to the Lithuanian Minister of Economy, the Council conclusions put forward a number of suggestions addressing the main challenges to industrial competitiveness, aiming for a stable and predictable framework for the European industry and reduction of overall burden of regulation. The outcome of debate that will follow the adoption of conclusions will contribute to the European Semester and will make a positive input while preparing for the upcoming meeting of the European Council.

The ministers responsible for Internal Market and industry are also going to discuss defense industry issues and will seek General Approach on such important legislative proposals, as Directive on Certain Rules Governing Actions for Damages under National Law for Infringements of the Competition Law Provisions of the Member States and of the European Union and Directive on the electronic invoicing in public procurement. According to the Minister, the latter one is particularly significant, as it aims to improve the functioning of the Internal Market by introducing mechanisms that would diminish market access barriers in cross-border public procurement, generated by insufficient interoperability of e-invoicing technical requirements or standards and could help generate savings of funds allocated for public procurement of up to €2.3 billion across the EU.

During the research part of the EU Competitiveness Council meeting on 3 December, chaired by Lithuanian Minister Dainius Pavalkis, the EU ministers of research are set to adopt two major EU 2014-2020 programmes - Horizon 2020 for research and innovation and Erasmus+ for education, training, youth and sport.

“Lithuanian Presidency will be proud to have accomplished it's major goals in research and education successfully setting two promising new programmes Horizon 2020 and Erasmus+ into motion. It has been a pleasure working together with our trio partners, with Danemark and Cyprus, as well as with the European Commission and the European Parliament towards the common goals of open and growing Europe because these two programmes hold a great promise for European future - jobs, growth and our youth“, D. Pavalkis says.

Minister D. Pavalkis will also chair a political debate on ways to make public sector more innovative, high performing and more responsive. The research ministers also seek for a General Approach on a new generation of public and private partnerships, which will allow to carry out large-scale and long-term innovation acitivities under the umbrella of “Horizon 2020”, the EU's next research framework programme, aimed to stimulate creation of jobs and growth.