Glyphosate – Toxin or Explosive?
The EU Member States have done it. After a long struggle, they have renewed the licence for glyphosate in the EU for another five years. The responsible EU Commissioner, Andriukaitis was visibly relieved. Finally, EU Member States had taken on the burden of responsibility and saved the EU Commission a difficult decision. In order to make EU Member States take more responsibility for politically sensitive decisions in the future, such as the approval of glyphosate or genetically modified organisms, the EU Commission has proposed a change to the corresponding procedure. In the meantime, controversy over glyphosate continues at national level because the Member States can prohibit or restrict the use of herbicides containing glyphosate. This will also be an issue in the negotiations on continuing the grand coalition. In this case, as well as being toxic to plants, glyphosate may turn out to be politically explosive.
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| Driving Times and Rest Periods for Drivers |
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The EU Commission wants to give provisions on driving times and rest periods greater clarity and make them more flexible. In addition, enforcement will be improved by ensuring more efficient use of tachographs. In cep’s view, expanding the time frame, for the drivers’ compulsory weekly rest periods, to four weeks, creates more scheduling flexibility.
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| Electronic Road Toll Systems |
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With the European Electronic Toll Service (EETS), the EU Commission wants to ensure that electronic toll collection systems become interoperable EU-wide. In cep’s view, the removal of legal requirements and the additional options for EETS providers facilitate the latter’s market entry. This creates a broader range of cross-border interoperable solutions.
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The EU Commission wants to strengthen the Single Market and, to this end, set up an online portal providing information which citizens and businesses need in order to carry out cross-border activities in the EU. In addition, they will be able to use the portal to access and implement online administrative procedures of the Member States. Certain administrative procedures of the Member States will also be digitised.
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“Perhaps the other EU Members should use the situation in Germany as an opportunity to consider what reforms they want initiate in the EU.”
Margrethe Vestager, EU-Commissioner |
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“A European finance minister would strengthen the Commission and jeopardise the institutional balance of the EU. Responsibility for fiscal policy lies with the Member States and that is where it should remain in the future.”
Prof. Lüder Gerken, President of cep |
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“In the event that financial support for the Bank Resolution Fund comes from a future European monetary fund, it is essential to ensure that EU tax payers are not required to share the costs of bank resolution in other EU countries.”
Dr. Bert Van Roosebeke, Head of Division at cep |
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“EU Commission President Juncker is relying on the carrot rather than the stick. Instead of fines, reform-averse eurozone countries are to receive financial incentives.”
Dr. Matthias Kullas, Head of Division at cep |
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Facts
60 percent of British businesses want to trigger contingency plans by March 2018 at the latest if the threat of a disorderly no-deal Brexit is still on the table. This was the result of a survey by the British business group, the CBI. |
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