Publications Archive

By way of a new Directive, the EU Commission wants to improve the working conditions of drivers in the passenger and freight transport sector. It is therefore proposing to extend the current monitoring obligations of Member States to include the drivers’ Working Time Directive.

The European Stability Mechanism (ESM) will be transformed into the “European Monetary Fund” (EMF) and incorporated into EU law. In addition, the EU Commission wants to establish a financial backstop for the European Single Resolution Board (SRB) by way of the EMF.

The EU Commission wants to further deregulate international bus and coach services. In addition, national bus and coach services are to be opened up to foreign competition and inter-urban buses and coaches guaranteed fair access to bus stations.  

The EU Commission wants larger quantities of plastic waste to be recycled and, with proper disposal, prevented from entering the oceans. It has therefore submitted a Strategy for Plastics in the Circular Economy.

The European supervisory authority EIOPA will take on more responsibility for the supervision of insurance companies. In this regard, the establishment of an independent Executive Board may reduce Member States’ ability to interpret EU regulations improperly, to their own advantage. The establishment of an Executive Board will also facilitate the punishment of infringements of EU law committed by national supervisory authorities (NSAs) and allow for more effective resolution of conflicts between NSAs.

The EU Commission wants to introduce a “reform delivery tool” to provide financial support for structural reforms in the Member States and test it in a pilot phase. In cep’s view, financial support by way of the reform delivery tool may facilitate necessary structural reforms and thereby improve the stability of the eurozone.

With the creation of an EU Finance Minister, the European Commission wants to improve coordination of economic policy in the EU. With this aim, he will combine three offices into one - EU Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Union, Chair of the Eurogroup and Chair of the Board of Governors of the European Monetary Fund.

The EU Commission wants to improve cybersecurity in the EU and for this purpose strengthen the cybersecurity agency ENISA. In cep’s view, this is urgently needed. The proposal to give ENISA a permanent mandate and increasing its funding and staff is also appropriate.

By introducing new support criteria for "combined transport", the EU Commission wants to shift more freight traffic off the roads and onto railways and waterways. In cep's view, this may reduce CO₂ emissions, but there is also a risk that inefficiencies will be subsidised.

The European Commission wants to give the European Banking Authority (EBA) more responsibility for financial supervision. In cep’s view, however, the EBA’s new tasks, to allow for “ecological and social factors” and to promote consumer protection, may lead to a conflict of interest with its actual task - safeguarding financial stability.