Publications Archive

The EU Commission proposes to revise the existing Directive on labelling the consumption of energy and other resources. Currently, the indication and labelling obligation is restricted to lighting sources and large household appliances. In future, any product the use of which is related to the consumption of energy and other relevant resources might be subject to the labelling obligation. This might, for instance, affect TVs, shower heads and windows. In addition, contracting authorities may no longer procure inefficient products according to the Commission.

The Proposal by the Commission serves to recast the Directive on the energy performance of buildings. In future, when undergoing major renovations all buildings will have to comply with national minimum requirements for the energy performance of buildings. Member States are to set minimum requirements as to ensure that the total costs for the investment, maintenance and operation (incl. energy costs) of a building are minimised during its life-cycle. In addition, the energy performance of a building must be stated in all advertisements for sale or rent and the energy performance certificate must be shown to all prospective buyers or tenants.

The concept of a “European maritime transport space without barriers“ aims to eliminate or simplify administrative procedures in intra-EU maritime transport. Thus it is to be made “more attractive, more efficient and more competitive“ and more environmentally friendly.

The Commission wants decisions by stock companies to be based to a greater extent on long-term performance and less on short-term share price fluctuations. It therefore proposes measures aiming to ensure that decisions by stock companies take more account of shareholders' interests.

The Commission and many Member States have announced to support the deployment of boradband networks as part of their economic recovery packages. This includes not only traditional broadband networks but also new "NGA Networks". However, subsidies (State aid) are subject to certain conditions which the Commission clarifies in its latest Guidelines.

In the end there seemed to be too much political pressure. Shortly before the EU-Elections the Commissioner for the Single Market McCreevy presented a proposal for the regulation of alternative investment funds (AIF), in particular of hedge funds and private equity funds.

In response to the financial crisis the EU-Commission strengthens CEBS-, CESR- and CEIOPS-Committees and provides to them additional funding. The Committees are to enhance closer cooperation between national supervisory authorities and to strengthen the stability of the financial system.

The Best Practices Guidelines describe the course of action of European cartel and abuse proceedings (abuse of market power). With the proposed Guidelines the Commission wishes to enhance the transparency and predictability of these proceedings and to contribute to their smooth functioning.

The EU Commission is of the opinion that EU financial supervision needs to be adjusted. According to the Commission, particularly the system of national supervisory models is no longer capable of keeping pace with the challenges emerging from financial firms operating across borders. To this end, the Commission wishes to establish a European system of financial supervisors (ESFS) and a European systemic risk council (ESRC).

The financial crisis has led to a controversial public debate about bonus payments to staff members of the financial industry. The EU-Commission is responding by submitting a Recommendation which has public appeal but is legally non-binding and which is to be regarded above all as a political signal. However, for the banking sector the Commission announced that it would be proposing in June 2009 amendments to the Directive on capital requirements for banks (“Basel II”), which should allow the inclusion of remuneration practices into capital requirements for financial service providers.