Brussels, 08/02/2011 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission is all prepared to complete the final version of the Single Market Act in a few weeks' time, said the President of the European Commission and a handful of Commissioners at a conference on the single market on 8 February 2011. The four dozen measures in the Single Market Act aim to turn the single market into a key vector of economic growth, competitiveness and jobs in Europe over the next ten years by removing obstacles to Europeans and European companies. It aims to tackle the “fatigue” of Europeans and companies with the single market that they often see as a burden rather than an opportunity. The Single Market Act is also designed to counter protectionist, populist trends taking advantage of this disillusion.
This is the key message from President Barroso, EU Internal Market Commissioner Barnier, and Commissioners Šemeta (taxation) and Dalli (consumer protection) at the high-level conference on the single market on 8 February, held in the wake of a public consultation exercise on the same topic that was launched on 27 October 2010 (see EUROPE 10245). The Commissioners were joined by the Hungarian chair of the Competitiveness Council, Zoltán Cséfalvay; the former EU Competition Commissioner Mario Monti, commissioned by President Barroso to evaluate and make tangible suggestions on reform of the single market; Director General of DG Internal Market at the European Commission Jonathan Faull; and a host of MEPs, members of the Committee of the Regions, representatives of the social partners, interest groups and reporters.
Commissioner Barnier said that the introduction of the Single Market Act over the next two years should enable a fiscal, administrative and regulatory ecosystem to be put in place to encourage innovation, investment, trade and mobility to make the single market work and prove its advantages to public opinion in practice. Seeking sources of growth that do not require vast outlays of natural resources and are located close-to-home could generate up to 4% of extra growth to the benefit of the 21 million companies and the 500 million consumers in the 27 member states. Such a renewal is crucial, he said, because it responds to strong demand from Europeans and without it, the single market could be the first victim of the protectionist tendencies feeding on disillusion, as was clearly explained by Mario Monti. These ideas were taken up by Barroso, who said that the Commission was putting renewal of the single market at the centre of its work over the next few years. Greater efficiency in the single market is the foundation for achieving the EU 2020 strategy and the current raft of economic and financial reforms, he added, like correcting public finances, strengthening the stability pact, legislation on economic governance and reform of the financial system. Commissioner Šemeta explained the tax measures he is planning to make the internal market work more smoothly, eliminate barriers and cut costs, like the common consolidated corporate tax basis, changes to VAT, updating the energy directive, tackling double taxation and updating Customs Union to facilitate trade. (F.G./transl.fl)