Internal Market and Relevant Policies

Internal Market

One of the fundamental objectives of united Europe is the establishment of a single internal market amongst the EU member-states, within which people, goods and services may enjoy freedom of movement, without paying duties or encountering other barriers.

Despite important steps being taken to this day, the Single Market has not been completed yet and for this reason, the European Commission took an initiative in order to determine the reason why the potential offered by the Single Market has not been fully harnessed over the past 20 years and to look for ways to boost growth and social cohesion in the post-Lisbon era. In October 2009, European Commission President José Manuel Barroso tasked former European commissioner Mario Monti with preparing a report on relaunching the single market with alternative choices and recommendations.

Monti’s report entitled “A new strategy for the Single Market”, the outcome of broad consultations with all the interested parties and Presidents of the European Parliament’s political groups, was presented on 9 May 2010. The report points out 140 problematic points hindering the Single Market’s smooth functioning and includes 67 recommendations expected to help resolve these problems. Monti pointed out that “well before the crisis there were clear signs of integration fatigue”, and a disenchantment of European citizens regarding the single market.

Commenting on the Monti report, member states consider the following initiatives as key priorities for relaunching the Single Market: a) implement the Small Business Act and support, in general, to SMEs in order to facilitate their access to credit, b) develop a single digital market and connect it with the Services Directive, c) connect the Europe 2020 Strategy and, by extension, development and employment, d) create basic infrastructure with an emphasis on transport and energy, e) promote the European patent and f) protection of consumers and citizens.