Translation of "Action liée aux marchés " (French → English) :

A focussed action where managing authorities and other beneficiaries of EC funding would be strongly recommended to use GPP for the implementation of EC funded projects, would create an important incentive for the overall uptake of GPP, as those projects cover an important part of total public procurement expenditure.

(9a) The EU possesses a series of instruments and policy orientations which strive for equality between the sexes, such as the Communication from the Commission of 21 February 1996 on incorporating equal opportunities for women and men into all Community policies and activities, the Community initiative Equal concerning trans-national cooperation to promote new means of combating discrimination and inequalities in connection with the labour market,the Communication from the Commission of 20 December 2002 on the implementation of gender mainstreaming in the Structural Funds programming documents 2000-2006, and the Council Recommendation o ...[+++]f 2 December 1996 on the balanced participation of women and men in the decision-making process, which establish gender equality as a pivotal EU objective.

2. The Group, at its own initiative or at the request of the Commission, shall advise and assist the Commission in consolidating the internal energy market, in particular with respect to the preparation of draft implementing measures in the field of electricity and gas, and on any matters related to the internal market for gas and electricity.

This includes policies and activities relating to the completion of the Internal Market in general, and directives on public tendering procedures in particular.

Issues to be addressed will be, inter alia, the appropriate legal base; internal market considerations; international treaty obligations; the scope of such actions; suitable products or product groups; the required level of detail of the design requirements; the role of minimum product standards; the appropriate means of enforcement and reporting; the costs and benefits of such an approach; its likely environmental effects; and how it should be integrated with policies and measures affecting the environmental dimensions of products, including IPP tools.

After assessing the energy challenges that Europe faces, especially climate change and the security of supply, the Commission sets out a number of steps to take in areas such as the internal energy market, security of supply, energy efficiency, renewable energy resources, energy technology and international energy policy.