Deputy Minister of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy Nicodemos Damianou participated in the EU Competitiveness Council on the Internal Market and Industry in Brussels.
During the 8 December meeting, he presented the Presidency’s work programme in the fields of the Internal Market and Industry, highlighting Cyprus’ clear commitment to strengthening Europe’s resilience and its role on the international stage.
Key items on the agenda included the presentation of the Commission’s annual report on simplification and reduction of administrative burden, the supervision of e-commerce products, and the removal of barriers within the Single Market.
A press release issued by the Deputy Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy said that the Ministers of the 27 exchanged views on the annual review report concerning simplification, its implementation, and enforcement. In his intervention on the matter, the Deputy Minister stressed that a structural change in the EU’s approach is not only necessary but urgent in order to safeguard Europe’s competitiveness. In this regard, he noted that every new legislative initiative must be based on an impact assessment that justifies its necessity, placing existing legislation and digital solutions at the forefront principles which, as he underlined, the Cypriot Presidency will also apply.
A policy debate followed on how to ensure better supervision of products sold through e-commerce platforms. To address the challenges arising from the rapid increase in small-parcel imports into the EU from third countries, stronger coordination and a stricter, clearer regulatory framework for products entering the EU are required, Damianou noted.
During the discussion on removing the obstacles that hinder the smooth functioning of the Single Market, the Deputy Minister described the Single Market Enforcement Task Force (SMET) as the driving force in this process, provided that it receives the support necessary to address those obstacles and facilitate cooperation among Member States within the Single Market.
At the working lunch that followed, ministers exchanged views on the need to unlock investments in innovative green technologies, especially in a context of intense geopolitical competition and technological developments. Damianou spoke of legislative restraint, encouraging the application of rules that are essential for mobilising investment, emphasising that simplification and digitalisation are important tools, particularly for enhancing the administrative capacity of states.
In view of Cyprus assuming the Presidency of the Council of the EU in the first half of 2026, the Deputy Minister presented the Presidency’s work programme in the fields of the Internal Market and Industry, highlighting Cyprus’ clear commitment to strengthening Europe’s resilience and its role on the international stage, the press release said.
(Source: CNA)
