Competitiveness Council to discuss EU single market emergency instrument and ecodesign
The EU competitiveness ministers will meet in Brussels on 29 September 2022 to discuss internal market and industrial policy issues. The ministers will debate the resilience of the EU’s internal market and ecological design of products. Minister of Employment Tuula Haatainen will represent Finland at the meeting.
The Council will discuss the European Commission’s proposal for a single market emergency instrument. The proposal aims to ensure the functioning of the internal market, i.e. the free movement of goods, services and people, in crises. Another objective is to improve the preparedness of the internal market for different types of crises and disruptions in supply and demand.
The need for an emergency instrument arose from temporary disruptions in the internal market caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
“It is very important to strengthen the EU’s resilience. The functioning of the internal market must also be ensured in crisis situations. That is why we support the objectives of the Commission’s proposal. However, the emergency instrument should not be used too lightly to prevent regular market disturbances,” Minister Haatainen says.
New regulation to expand environmental requirements for product design
The Council will also discuss the Commission’s proposal to promote sustainable and ecological design of products. According to the proposal, the requirements that currently apply to the design of energy-related products would be extended to apply to all products. The aim is to make sustainable products a norm in the EU market and to reduce the products’ general environmental and climate impacts.
Finland considers the Commission’s proposal very important, because the choices made in designing products affect the environmental impact of the product significantly. The Regulation would also create a level playing field for businesses operating in the EU.
Inquiries:
Taru Löyttymäki, Senior Specialist, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, tel. + 358 295 047 177