Two influential committees in the European Parliament are locked in a power struggle to control the digital single market strategy.
Parliament last week assigned the lead role to Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO), because its core competencies are closely aligned with the strategy. However, the committee for Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) is trying to cut in, claiming expertise in cybersecurity, the data economy and fostering of interoperability.
“I am writing to express my disagreement with the fact that the ITRE committee has not been attributed the proper role in the procedure given the content of this communication,” according to a letter from Jerzy Buzek, chair of ITRE, who asked for a review of the May 21 decision.
He also noted that the telecoms single market package, the predecessor to the digital single market, is “currently being negotiated under ITRE lead.”
Buzek did not respond to requests for comment.
Róża Gräfin von Thun und Hohenstein, a Polish MEP and chair of the IMCO working group on the digital single market, is staking her claim.
“To me it is important it goes to IMCO,” she told POLITICO.
The digital single market package, released May 6, is a hot property because it is a top priorities of European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker. Taking the lead on the package bestows significant prestige on a committee, elevating its status in Parliament and beyond, with more face-time with the Commission.
The digital single market package is a hot property because it is a top priorities of EU Commission President Juncker.
The package of legislation and directives, which will be negotiated and rolled out over several years, will cover everything from copyrights and e-commerce to Internet access and data privacy.
Now that ITRE has raised an objection, the conference of committee chairs will review the decision at their next meeting on June 9. If they can’t agree, the matter will be decided by the conference of presidents, which will meet June 11 and July 2.
Regardless of which committee takes pole position, several committees ultimately will be responsible for implementing the package. The Committee on Legal Affairs, or JURI, will likely take on intellectual property and copyright reforms, while the committee on civil liberties, LIBE, will most likely look at privacy.
The biggest challenge will be ensuring the digital single market package doesn’t suffer the same fate as its predecessor. The telecoms package has been gutted and blocked in tense negotiations between Parliament and the Council.
“If European citizens knew that it’s their ministers who block reforms, they would put pressure on them,” said Thun. “Citizens come to us and say ‘why do we still have roaming [charges]?’ Well they must look at their governments.”