(8) In order to guarantee a clear, flexible and efficient application of the Cross-Border Cooperation along external borders a separate inclusive legal package on this issue should be adopted.

18. Notes that European citizens want a high-quality, area-wide and affordable supply of necessary and important public services, while increasing competition and promoting a more level playing-field between providers of those services, whether they are public or private; highlights that, to that end, safeguarding competition between different providers is crucial; stresses that the recent SGEI package could lead to a simpler, clearer and more flexible framework in this regard; emphasises the Commission’s responsibility, under the TFEU competition rules, to ensure that the compensation granted to SGEIs is compatible with EU rules on s ...[+++]tate aid, in order to avoid imposing low-quality but expensive services on the public; expresses its concern with regard to exempting too many services from the scrutiny of competition authorities;

When the Commission published its original proposal, many of the manufacturers made it clear that they wished to settle for nothing less than 160g CO2/km, a figure which, in turn, struck most of us in Parliament as being far too relaxed and complacent. In the end, the package that we have all agreed on, and which is before you today, has a fairly sensible compromise position of 147g CO2/km.

- finally, the principle of progressivity: 2003 constituted the first decision concerning an open reform in stages, since once the basic principles had been launched (decoupling, financial discipline and the application of management flexibility) it provided reference for further sectoral changes (from the reforms to the so-called Mediterranean package to the reform of the wine sector and more recently the cotton sector).

This loophole encourages the widespread introduction of soft packages in Canada.

We need to remove the exemption afforded to soft packages, like this, for obligatory inclusion of package inserts.