12. Regrets that Directive 2005/29/EC does not cover business-to-business transactions and that Member States appear reluctant to extend its scope; notes, however, that Member States may unilaterally extend the scope of their national consumer legislation to cover business-to-business transactions, and actively encourages them to do so and also to ensure cooperation between Member States' authorities as provided for in Regulation (EC) No 2006/2004 in order to make it possible to track down cross-border activities of this kind engaged in by business-directory companies established within the EU or in a third country; moreover, requests ...[+++]the Commission to report by December 2009 on the feasibility and possible consequences of extending the scope of Directive 2005/29/EC to cover business-to-business contracts with specific regard to point 21 of Annex I thereto;

the Member States are invited to: stimulate innovative and entrepreneurial mindsets among young people by introducing entrepreneurship as a key competence in school curricula, particularly in general secondary education, and ensure that it is correctly reflected in teaching material ensure that the importance of entrepreneurship is correctly reflected in teacher training step up cooperation with the business community in order to develop systematic strategies for entrepreneurship education at all levels ensure that taxation (in particular gift tax, taxation of dividends and wealth tax) does not unduly hamper the transfer of businesses put in place scheme ...[+++]s for matching transferable businesses with potential new owners provide mentoring and support for business transfers provide mentoring and support for female entrepreneurs provide mentoring and support for immigrants who wish to become entrepreneurs.

To make future regulation fit with the ”Think Small First” principle, the Commission: is strengthening the assessment of the respect of the Protocol on the application of the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality in forthcoming legislative and administrative initiatives will, wherever practical, use common commencement dates for regulations and decisions affecting business and publish an annual statement of such legislation entering into force the Commission will, and the Member States are invited to: ensure that policy results are delivered while minimising costs and burdens for business, including by using a smart mix of tools such as mutual recognition and self- or co-regulation, to achieve policy outcomes rigorously assess the ...[+++]impact of forthcoming legislative and administrative initiatives on SMEs (“SME test”) and take relevant results into account when designing proposals consult stakeholders, including SME organisations for at least 8 weeks prior to making any legislative or administrative proposal that has an impact on businesses use specific measures for small and micro-enterprises, such as derogations, transition periods and exemptions, in particular from information or reporting requirements, and other tailor-made approaches, wherever appropriate, and the Member States are invited to: consider the usefulness of introducing common commencement dates and annual statements of legislation entering into force make use of flexibility provisions aimed at SMEs when implementing EU legislation and avoid “gold-plating” To improve the regulatory environment in view of the “Think Small First” principle, the Commission: will come forward with all the proposals to reduce the administrative burden on business which are necessary to achieve the EU reduction target of 25% by 2012 will complete by the end of 2008 a complete screening of the acquis and include the results in the updated simplification rolling programme to be presented in early 2009.

Although the Action Plan focuses mainly on e-government applications, the suggested actions will also benefit businesses’ applications insofar as the means to be put in place can also be used in Business to Business (B2B) and Business to Consumers (B2C) transactions.

A specific role for interoperability could be found in the exchange of information between businesses and administrations, while the interconnectivity in business-to-business and business-to-consumer logistics is also vitally important.

The business to business (B2B) part of this market is the most significant, the fastest growing and the most profitable, though the other market segments, B2C (business to consumer) and C2B/C (consumer to business or consumer) are also significant, and of potential strategic importance, for example in terms of e-commerce.