By Martin Banks - 24th January 2012
I want to see the committee investigate enforcement of the single market
Malcolm Harbour
UK Conservative MEP Malcolm Harbour has been re-elected as chairman of parliament's internal market and consumer protection committee for the remainder of the parliamentary term until 2014.
Harbour's position had been seen as possibly being under threat in the traditional division of chairmanships at the half-way point of each parliamentary mandate.
But the deputy, widely lauded for his work in the committee in the first half of the current legislature, was confirmed on Tuesday as chairman for the next two and a half years.
He said he aimed to work "solidly to agree a number of initiatives aimed at bringing the single market into the digital age and giving businesses the opportunities and flexibility they need to grow".
He also recommitted the committee to being the "champion of the EU's 500 million consumers".
He said, "It is great honour to be re-elected to this position. The first two years saw the committee setting a new agenda for reforming and modernising the EU's single market and we intend to use the next two years to deliver it.
"Attentions are understandably focused on the current sovereign debt crisis but the EU is also facing a crisis of competitiveness. The internal market committee is focused on creating better conditions and new opportunities for businesses of all shapes and sizes so that they can drive us back into prosperity in the future."
Harbour is among the first of several committee chairs and deputy chairs who will be named this week. Other key elections include Elmar Brok returning as chair of the foreign affairs committee, Eva Joly as development committee chair, Pervenche Berès at employment and social affairs and Sharon Bowles as chair of the economic and monetary affairs committee.
Speaking after his election, Harbour added, "There is so much work still to do. We are still delivering the initiatives contained within the single market act, which aims to increase skilled worker mobility, cut red tape for small businesses and create a test to ensure that legislation complements the single market rather than erect barriers to it.
"Our next major reform will be to public procurement rules. We aim to encourage innovation in the way that public bodies commission goods and services so that taxpayer money is saved and smaller businesses are given access to this untapped potential.
"Consumers are increasingly shopping across the whole single market yet not enough people feel confident buying from abroad - especially on the internet."
"We intend to create a digital single market where small businesses and consumers alike feel they are able to trade with clarity and security in the largest global marketplace," said the ECR member.
"As well as our legislative agenda, I also want to see the committee investigate enforcement of the single market by national authorities. I still do not believe all EU governments are delivering on their promise to make the single market the open, vibrant marketplace that we need in the 21st century."
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