Agenda highlights
Late payment regulation
Ministers will discuss a report on the advance of the works to reach an agreement on the late payment regulation.
The proposal is part of the ‘SME relief package’, a series of initiatives presented by the Commission on 12 September 2023 to address the needs of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the current economic environment.
One of the main problems that SMEs are facing is the frequent payment delays from administration or other companies. The proposal introduces a stricter maximum payment limit of 30 days, eliminates ambiguities, and addresses the legal gaps in the current EU legislation.
The 2024 annual single market and competitiveness report
Ministers will be informed about the 2024 annual single market and competitiveness report (ASMCR) and will have an exchange of views on this document.
The annual single market and competitiveness report is published by the Commission at the beginning of each year. It shows how the single market benefits the EU economy and provide a detailed overview of how EU single market rules are applied across the European Economic Area, with the objective of identifying improvements for the single market.
Future of EU industrial policy
During the informal lunch, ministers will debate on the future of EU’s industrial policy, and more concretely on the sectors which should be high on the political agenda during the next legislative cycle.
Other business
Among the ‘Other business’ items on the agenda, ministers will be informed of the state of advancement of different legislative proposals, and in particular the forced labour ban regulation, the corporate sustainability due diligence directive, and the single market emergency instrument.
- Forced labour products ban (background information)
- Corporate sustainability due diligence (background information)
The presidency and the Commission will also inform about the ‘European agenda for tourism 2030’ and the outcome of the informal council of tourism ministers that the Belgian presidency organised in Louvain-la-Neuve on 19-20 February.
At the request of the German and Dutch delegations, there will be an information point on the updated strategy for the maritime sector at the European level.
At the request of the Swedish delegation, there will be an information point on the impact of state-aid rules for long-term competitiveness.
Finally, at the request of the French delegation, there will be an information point on the security of supply of medicines in the EU.