(Jamma) The European Commission resumes work after the summer break. The Internal Market Commission has published the agenda for 5 September which includes among the items on the agenda the vote on the report on the proposal for a directive on the awarding of concession contracts. This is a directive proposed on 20 December 2011 with the aim of arriving at the adoption of a separate legal instrument governing the award of concessions which aims to create a modern legislative framework for public procurement. During the process of examining the proposal, some amendments were presented to the text which include the gaming sector among the services excluded from the directive itself. This choice is motivated by the consideration of the "very specific nature of these activities and the need on the part of the Member States to maintain the possibility of controlling this activity with a view to objectives of general interest (fight against clandestine gaming, fraud and money laundering money and the fight against addiction). Submission to the rules of the directive, as expressed by the rapporteur himself, would prevent the Member States from being flexible in their capacity to intervene. The exclusion of gaming activities, such as the national lottery, is therefore envisaged.
