MEPs comment on Michel Barnier's Single Market proposals and the Japanese Ambassador to the EU asks the Union to start negotiations on a free trade agreement.

The News: Boosting EU Growth - EU-Japan Trade Relations

MEPs react to the Commission's  12 new proposals

Japan sets its sights  on a free trade agreement with Europe.

And the rest of today's news in brief  and in pictures.

The Internal Market Commissioner says  we have to look inside the EU's borders.

To do this, he emphasises 12 priorities.

Among them, easier access to financing  for the 22 million SMEs

and the removal of legal barriers  for e-trading.

There can't be durable economic  performance without innovation,

a market that functions well  and social cohesion.

This Romanian MEP thinks  the 12 priorities are a good start.

The digital economy will have  better chances competing globally.

We also tried  to strengthen property rights

and fight against counterfeiting  and piracy

and the EU patent is also something  that is very important.

But Europe is not just about consumption.

The principal users of services are  the EU citizens themselves.

For this MEP, growth is only compatible  with maintained social rights for workers.

The Single Market can't be relaunched  without the workers and citizens.

There are things for consumers  but not for "citizen consumers".

It's a key dimension of the Single Market  and I don't believe it's there.

The Interior Market will celebrate  its 20th birthday in 2012.

Before then, MEPs and Member States  will debate these measures

The Ambassador of Japan to the EU has  personally pleaded his country's case:

Europe must start negotiations to secure  a free trade agreement with Japan.

There's an interest in Japan  to open up its market and the country

whatever happens,  tsunami or earthquake,

In 2010, Japan was  the third largest global economy

The recent earthquake and tsunami  which hit Japan

have cast shadows over  its growth in 2011.

But other reasons are also prompting  Japan to open up its market.

Firstly, it's the South Korean  free trade agreement

as it puts Japan's car industry  at a major disadvantage

Cars are still  a very important product for Japan.

They're also at a disadvantage with other  products, but cars are top of the agenda.

MEPs are laying down several conditions  for the creation of a free trade agreement.

and open up public procurement more  to EU enterprises.

European companies who want  to supply train equipment, for example,

are facing problems with  non-tariff barriers

which make it nearly impossible  to enter the Japanese market.

And we have indentified  27 so-called important non-tariff barriers.

But the idea of a free trade agreement  also worries some EU manufacturers.

The car industry fears an end  to import duties on Japanese cars.

Spokesmen from the parliaments of  Kosovo and Croatia have met with MEPs

to discuss the Balkans  and their possible EU entry.

The human rights commission in Serbia  says the region remains fragile,

88% of EU consumers want products  derived from sustainable fisheries

according to a survey by the nature  conservation organisation, the WWF.

It's a call to control overfishing  which is threatening EU fish stocks.

The Commission is preparing  a review of the Common Fisheries Policy.

A new draft of the EU-wide carbon tax  was presented by the Commission.

especially in the areas of land transport,  fossil fuels and heating.

It must be adopted  by all Member States,

but the UK, Ireland and Luxembourg  are against all EU tax initiatives.