Det Europæiske Råd den 18.-19. februar 2016 - Bilag 3: Brev fra formanden for Det Europæiske Råd og udkast til den pakke, som skal danne grundlag for en aftale om genforhandlingen af Storbritanniens forhold til EU

Europaudvalget 2015-16
Det Europæiske Råd 18-19/2-16 Bilag 3
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European Council

Brussels, 2 February 2016

(OR. en)

EUCO 6/16

NOTE

To:

Subject:

Delegations

Draft European Council Declaration on Competitiveness

Delegations will find attached the draft European Council Declaration on competitiveness.

EUCO 6/16

Det Europæiske Råd den 18.-19. februar 2016 - Bilag 3: Brev fra formanden for Det Europæiske Råd og udkast til den pakke, som skal danne grundlag for en aftale om genforhandlingen af Storbritanniens forhold til EU

DRAFT

EUROPEAN COUNCIL DECLARATION

ON COMPETITIVENESS

Europe must become more competitive if we are to generate growth and jobs. Although this goal

has been at the heart of EU activities in recent years, the European Council is convinced more can

be done in order to exploit fully the potential of all strands of the single market, promote a climate

of entrepreneurship and job creation, invest and equip our economies for the future, facilitate

international trade, and make the Union a more attractive partner.

The European Council highlights the enormous value of the internal market as an area without

frontiers within which goods, persons, services and capital move unhindered. This constitutes one

of the Union's greatest achievements. In these times of economic and social challenges, we need to

breathe new life into the internal market and adapt it to keep pace with our changing environment.

Europe must boost its international competiveness across the board in services and products and in

key areas such as energy and the digital single market.

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The European Council urges all EU institutions and Member States to strive for better regulation

and to repeal unnecessary legislation in order to enhance EU competitiveness while having due

regard to the need to maintain high standards of consumer, employee, health and environmental

protection. This is a key driver to deliver economic growth, foster competitiveness and job creation.

The focus must be on:



a strong commitment to regulatory simplification burden reduction, including through

withdrawal or repeal of legislation where appropriate, and a better use of impact assessment

and ex-post evaluation throughout the legislative cycle, at the EU and national levels. This

work should build on the progress already made with the Regulatory Fitness Programme

(REFIT);



doing more to reduce the overall burden of EU regulation, especially on SMEs and micro-

enterprises;

establishing where feasible burden reduction targets in key sectors, with commitments by

EU institutions and Member States.

The European Council welcomes the Commission's commitment to review every year the success

of the Union's efforts to simplify legislation, avoid over-regulation and reduce burdens on business.

This annual overview done in support of the Commission's REFIT program will include an Annual

Burden Survey and also look at the stock of existing EU law.

The European Council also asks the Council to examine the annual reviews conducted by the

Commission under its Declaration on Subsidiarity with a view to ensuring that these are given

appropriate follow up in the different areas of the Union's activities. It invites the Commission to

propose repealing measures that are inconsistent with the principle of subsidiarity or that impose a

disproportionate regulatory burden.

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The European Council stresses the importance of a strong, rules-based multilateral trading system

and the need to conclude ambitious bilateral trade and investment agreements with third countries,

in a spirit of reciprocity and mutual benefit. In this context it welcomes the recent agreement

reached by the WTO in Nairobi. Work must be advanced in negotiations with the US, Japan and

key partners in Latin America, and in the Asia-Pacific region. Trade must benefit all, consumers,

workers and economic operators alike. The new trade strategy ("Trade for All: Towards a more

responsible trade and investment policy") is a crucial component.

The European Council will keep developments under review and asks the General Affairs Council

and the Competitiveness Council to regularly evaluate progress on the various elements set out in

this Declaration.

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