New package of measures to facilitate free movement of goods in the internal market01/05/07 / cata_european-union-news

The Commission submitted a package of measures on 14 February 2007 aimed at facilitating the free movement of goods in the internal market. Many companies currently feel discouraged from doing business outside their domestic market as they have to comply with various technical rules in other Member States. The Commission has adopted a draft Regulation aimed at tackling the issues, establishing procedures for applying certain national technical rules to products lawfully marketed in other Member States and repealing Decision 3052/95. The draft Regulation contains two important aspects. Firstly, the burden of proof has been reversed so that it now falls on Member States to justify denying access to goods coming from another Member State. Secondly, the proposal foresees the creation of Product Contact Points in each Member State, with responsibility for providing information on technical rules to businesses and competent authorities in other Member States. In terms of scope, the proposal applies to restrictions on any industrially manufactured product or agricultural product lawfully marketed in one Member State and which has not been the subject of Community harmonisation. The proposal will now be forwarded to the Council and to the European Parliament for their views.