September 2013

Did you Know?

The European Commission is working towards bringing down barriers and simplifying existing rules to enable everyone in the EU – individuals, consumers and businesses – to make the most of the opportunities offered to them by having direct access to 27 countries and 480 million people. This is being done through the creation of the EU Single Market!

EDC News: The EU Single Market

The purpose of the Single Market is to treat the EU as one territory thereby simplifying the process of interaction between people, money, goods and services, to stimulate competition and trade, and improve efficiency. By increasing the choice of goods and services this will lead to the ultimate goal of raising quality and cutting prices.

Since its introduction the Single Market has been responsible for a number of achievements:

• Abolishing trade barriers and physical customs controls

• Harmonising national rules preventing companies trading across borders

• Changing public procurement rules for the EU

• Modifying legislation to allow Europeans to move to and work in other Member States

• Removing barriers to the services sector and allowing companies to provide cross-border services

The Single Market can now be accessed by over 500 million people across 27 Member States. While individual Member States are still responsible for taxation and social welfare, the European Single Market is supported by a large number of related pieces of legislation put in place by the EU over the years.

For more information on Single Market Legislation (Source: European Commission, 19.6.2013):

• Single Market Act

• Legal foundation: see the Treaty on European Union (article 3, paragraph 3) and the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (articles 21, title I, 26, 28, 29, title IV, title V, articles 114, 115)

• Legislation in force: see the list of Internal Market directives. You can also see the following chapters of the Community legislation directory on EUR-Lex:

  • Internal Market

  • Free movement of people

  • Free movement of workers

  • Free movement of goods

  • Right of establishment and freedom to provide services

  • Free movement of capital

  • Law relating to undertakings

  • Public contracts

• Legislation in preparation: you can monitor the decision-making process between EU institutions by searching in PreLex. See also the pending proposals page.

In an attempt to ensure the smooth running of the Single Market, the European Commission utilises a number of tools at each stage of theGovernance Cycle. These tools help develop a Scoreboard which aims to give an overview of the practical management of the Single Market. It not only gives a performance overview for all the Member States but also covers the results that have been achieved, thefeedback received and conclusions drawn, providing a basis for future action in:

• Formal and informal cooperation between the European Commission and the Member States:

  • Transposition

  • Infringements

  • EU Pilot

  • Priority areas

• Administrative cooperation between national authorities:

  • Internal Market Information System (IMI)

  • Consumer Protection Cooperation (CPC) Network

• Assistance services for citizens and businesses:

  • European Consumer Centre Network

  • Enterprise Europe Network

  • EURES

  • Your Europe

  • Your Europe Advice

  • SOLVIT

  • Points of Single Contact

Check out the following links for further practical information and problem solving:

• Rights and opportunities in the Single Market

• Contact points for service providers

• Questions on legislation