The BERR report last week following a UK-wide consultation on implementation of the EU Services Directive has taken on board a number of the key comments made by SITPRO, the UK trade facilitation body. SITPRO’s response to the consultation had highlighted practical concerns for cross-border trade and, in particular, some of the difficulties around the implementation of the Point of Single Contact (PSC).
SITPRO welcomes the proposal by BERR to consider adding foreign language provision to the PSC – albeit not from day one - and the recognition of the need for redirection from one member state’s PSC to another. In the absence of a Europe wide PSC, BERR’s decision to promote the view that European Commission’s web site should carry links to all the member states’ individual PSCs is also seen as a practical way forward.
BERR also supports SITPRO’s views on the importance of EU branding of all PSCs with the member states and will discuss with the European Commission whether an agreement can be reached to the benefit of all EU service providers.
SITPRO Chairman, Norman Rose, observes, “These proposals are a welcome recognition that the PSC is primarily for persons and companies wishing to trade with the UK and must, therefore, be easy to access and use by them.”
SITPRO welcomes strongly the commitment by BERR to publish its screening report and to encourage other Member States to be equally transparent, but believes that this approach should extend to all implementation reports to the Commission.
However, it is disappointing to note that BERR has made no mention of extending the International Trade Single Window concept of a ‘one-stop shop’ to cater for UK licence applications. “This is a missed opportunity for government and the trade,” says Norman Rose, “and something that SITPRO will continue to pursue with the implementation team.”
SITPRO was one of 60 organisations to respond to BERR’s public consultation on the UK’s implementation of the EU Services Directive. It is clear from the many references to SITPRO and the identification of points that it had raised in the consultation that the organisation’s comments were well received and helped form the Government’s response.Notes for Editors
Implementing the Services Directive: Government response to consultation on implementing the EU Services Directive in the UK was published by the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) on 19 June 2008. It can be found on their website at http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file46592.pdf.
SITPRO, the UK's Trade Facilitation Agency, was established in 1970 to simplify international trade and much of its work has focussed upon improving the procedures at ports and borders, looking at issues such as improving the arrangements for inspecting goods at the border and streamlining the submission of data to government, including the UK International Trade Single Window, a tool that will allow a business to submit to one place all the data required by Government to clear import or export goods.
While SITPRO is better known for its work aimed at simplifying international trade in goods, it is also active in the area of trans-national services, since many services are facilitators of trade in goods. SITPRO welcomed the creation of the EU Services Directive and has played an active role in the BERR consultation on the UK proposals for its implementation.
SITPRO is a non-departmental public body funded by the Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and undertakes policy work at national, European and international levels. For further information visit SITPRO’s website at http://www.sitpro.org.uk/.
SITPRO News Release - 25 June 2008
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