2014

The European Commission wants incentives for demand-side flexibility in electricity markets ("demand response") to be increased thereby contributing to network stability. For this purpose, electricity consumers will be increasingly offered variable real-time electricity tariffs. The Commission also points out, in connection with demand response, the required investment in network infrastructure and consumer concerns about data protection.

2014

The European Commission is proposing national ceilings on the emission of certain air pollutants for the period from 2020 and from 2030 and is extending these to other pollutants. The Member States must set up national "air pollution control programmes". These have to contain details of the proposed measures to reduce air pollutants. Intermediate emission levels to be achieved by 2025 will also be introduced.

2014

The Commission wants to hold an open debate on the possibilities of mobile health and, in particular, to establish whether and what problems exist in relation to extending the sector. It calls on the public to answer a list of 23 questions.

2014

The European Commission identifies in a report the developments and problems of road haulage in general and the cabotage rules in particular. Cabotage refers to domestic commercial haulage operations carried out by a haulier established in another Member State. Cabotage is only allowed in the EU as an exception. According to the European Commission the cabotage provisions raise problems because they limit hauliers in increasing their efficiency, they restrict the markets accessible to hauliers and they cause empty runs. Therefore the Commission calls for relaxing the cabotage provisions.

2014

In the EU, operators of fixed installations and aviation companies are only allowed to emit greenhouse gases where they have emission rights. The fall in the price of emission allowances results, in the Commission's view, from an "imbalance between supply and demand". It wants to remove this imbalance by introducing a "market stability reserve". Depending on market conditions, stabilisation of the allowance market will be achieved either by removing allowances from the market and placing them in the reserve, or by releasing them from the reserve and channelling them into the market.

2014

The European Commission reports on the trends in electricity and gas prices in the EU and the resulting impact on the international competitiveness of EU companies. It calls on Member States to ensure greater cost efficiency with regard to environmental and energy-policy measures so as to reduce taxes and levies and considers additional state measures to support energy efficiency.

2014

The Commission wants to extend the existing network of employment services "EURES" in order to improve employee mobility. In particular, the Commission wants more job vacancies to be EU-wide available.