Vol. 405 No. 6
42 Mr. Kavanagh asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce when he proposes to give Dáil Éireann an interim report on the progress achieved to date in completing the Internal Market; the outstanding items which remain unresolved; the concerns which he has in relation to these matters; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
All of the 282 proposals contained in the Commission's White Paper, Programme for the Completion of the Internal Market have been tabled. Of these, 186 have been finally adopted, five partially adopted and common positions agreed on four.
Internal market measures are classified as physical, technical or fiscal.
Greatest progress has been achieved in dealing with the removal of technical barriers. Of the 160 proposals in this area, only 41 remain to be adopted. Most notably, virtually all of the measures dealing with capital movements, the free movement of labour and the professions and the new approach in technical harmonisation and standards policy have been adopted. Progress has also been good in public procurement and certain services areas.
Progress has been less satisfactory with regard to physical and fiscal barriers. In the former, 30 out of a total of 82 proposals in the veterinary and phytosanitary areas await final adoption while under the control of individuals heading, four out of eight proposals have yet to be adopted. In the latter, 18 measures out of a total of 22 dealing with VAT and excise duties remain to be adopted.
The European Council in Rome last December stressed that every effort must be made to complete the programme before the deadline. It placed particular emphasis on completing the proceedings in the area of indirect taxation.
