The EU, the USA and 22 further states have been negotiating a new trade agreement for services, the so-called “Trade in Services Agreement” (TiSA) since 2013. Due to the planned Agreement, public services could come under increased pressure. A controversial debate on the significance of the TiSA negotiations for public services recently took place within the scope of a conference in the European Parliament.

Last week, the European Commission presented its country-specific recommendations within the scope of the “European Semester”. Whilst in particular the United Kingdom and Finland were criticised for their budget deficits, Austria - in spite of some isolated problems - compared favourably. The horror interpretations in the media by some business representatives were greatly exaggerated.

This week, AK EUROPA and the ÖGB Europabüro, the Brussels office of the Austrian Trade Union Federation, hosted a panel discussion concerning the conflict between democracy and technocracy. According to many, the trend towards outsourcing sovereign supervisory competencies to independent agencies - for example in the energy or railway sector - means a weakening of democratic control. Apart from the study’s author, Dr.

This week, the European Commission presented its plans for creating the Digital Single Market. These concern an array of measures, which shall improve the opportunities for businesses and consumers to take part in a European market for digital products and services. In future, the EU shall, among other, set more uniform standards in respect of mail order business, geo-blocking, VAT tax collection and copyright. According to the Commission, this would lead to lower prices, better legal protection as well as growth and employment.

The gender equality strategy of the European Commission expires at the end of 2015. In particular since the mid-1990ies, the Commission has been an important motor for the gender equality policy in the EU Member States.

This week, the Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström presented her proposals for reforming the controversial Investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) in TTIP in the EU Parliament. At the same time, the German Ministry of Economics published its model of a permanent international “investment court“, which should replace ISDS in the trade agreement with the USA. Parliament, which is supposed to vote on the TTIP Negotiation recommendations on June 9, continues to remain divided.

Criticism of ISDS shows effect

In March, die EU Commission presented the so-called guidelines for the employment policies of the Member States. They represent joint priorities for national employment policies. The EU Parliament has now begun to comment on these and debated a first draft report. It was agreed that the proposal by the EU Commission is all right in principle; however, it would have to be amended.

This week, the European Commission presented a draft regulation, which shall provide rules for the possible admission of genetically modified feed and food. Unfortunately, the Commission has missed the opportunity to provide clear rules, which reflect the interest of consumers.

The Commission's proposal provides that the import and processing of genetically modified organisms - even if they were approved based on an EU approval process - could be regulated by individual Member States.

The 9th Round Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership Negotiations TTIP took place in New York this week. In view of the occasion, the European Commission in Brussels once again invited to their regular Civil Society Dialogue, where the Director-General for Trade, Jean-Luc Demarty, among other exchanged views with employee, business and environmental lobbyists. The previous day, his boss, Commissioner Cecilia Malmström, had presented the alleged benefits of TTIP for SMEs.

Regulatory cooperation as opportunity for SMEs?