A Single European Market for all

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A Single European Market for all
ELENA GRECH
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The Single Market a success story

• 1992-2006
• approx.1 840 billion Euros in value added
• 2.75 million extra jobs (1.4 of total
  employment)
• (figures do not include Services, where there is
  a huge potential)

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Remember

• How much you used to pay for roaming charges a
  year ago and how the Single Market has brought
  down prices
• How much you used to pay for a cross-border money
  transfer now for free in most countries

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Citizens

• Live, work, study, retire in other EU countries
• Wider choice of high-quality products services

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Businesses

• Almost 500 mio potential customers
• Less red tape reduced costs thanks to an
  improved regulatory framework
• EU level playing field makingit easier to export
  worldwide

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• Photo Marc Riboux

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Todays challenges

• Enlargement from 12 to 27 members
• Shift towards a services economy
• Social and environmental challenges (ageing,
  climate change, energy)

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the response a new approach to Single Market
policy

• A Single European Market for All
• A new approach
• Focus on consumers
• and small firms

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Opportunities for consumers

• Retail financial services
• Improve consumers choice and confidence
• facilitate switching of bank accounts
• improve financial literacy
• a basic bank account for everyone
• mortgage credits, transfer of credit data

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Opportunities for consumers

• Strengthen consumer rights and redress
• Simpler and clearer contractual rights for
  consumers
• Collective redress
• A consumer scoreboard to monitor progress

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Opportunities for small firms

• Creating a Single Market for SMEs to grow and add
  jobs
• A European Private Company statute
• A European Small Business Act

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Making Globalisation deliver for Europe

• Using the Single Market to defend the EUs
  competitiveness and promote its values world-wide
  
• Expanding the competitive space of the Single
  Market
• Setting rules and standards
• Ensuring that benefits of trade reach EU
  citizens.

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Foster knowledge and innovation

• e-single marketset up e-invoicing,
  e-procurementavoid e-barriers
• Promote knowledge and innovation as the fifth
  freedom Mobility of researchers
• A modernised frameworks for e-communications,
  Intellectual Property Rights and fight against
  piracy.

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An Assistance Service for Citizens

• Help for citizens and firms to exercise their
  Single Market rights
• Networks between national administrations to sort
  out problems - SOLVIT
• Creating a single gateway to advice /
  problem-solving for citizens and firms

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• www.europa.eu/solvit

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To conclude

• The Single Market helps Europe to meet the
  challenges of the 21st century.
• It increases opportunities for people and
  businesses and brings concrete benefits.
• It is not just a means in itself it is a means
  to
• advance the interests and values of Europeans in
  an area of globalisation
• foster economic growth, which in turn
• can deliver more jobs,
• universal access to key services,
• high social and environmental standards and
• high levels of investment in research and
  education
• to prepare for the future.

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Services of General Interest (SGI)

• Essential for daily life ensure social, economic
  and territorial cohesion
• The Single Market helps to ensure that citizens
  have access to high-quality, accessible and
  affordable SGIs
• Continue pragmatic approach modernise where
  necessary, provide guidance, monitor effects