Brussels, 26/03/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 26 March in Riga, Elzbieta Bienkowska, the European commissioner for the single market, made a speech at the Single Market Forum. This conference concluded the 60 different workshops focusing on the advantages and malfunctions identified in the single market over the course of 2014 and the beginning of this year.
The Commissioner acknowledged that “For many in Europe, the Single Market is becoming a dirty term”. She promised an “ambitious” approach for the five following years. She also referred to the single market strategy she is expected to unveil next autumn and explained the two points upon which she would be working in this connection: a possible reform of the single contact points in the Services Directive, bureaucracy (the burden generated by administrative demands and the length of procedures) and the “sharing economy”. On this latter point she said that she wanted “an open debate with industry, consumers and national authorities” to address “concerns over consumer protection, taxes and other obligations”.
She also highlighted two areas in which rapid action would be possible, without having to wait for the strategy to be implemented: assistance to SMEs and the regulated professions. On the latter point, she said member states were currently carrying out a mutual evaluation exercise, which is expected to produce reports at the beginning of next year.
The Commissioner also mentioned progress made on parcel deliveries and explained that “retailers want seamless, affordable and convenient cross-border parcel delivery. So do consumers”. She announced that over the next few months she would be meeting the leaders of the postal companies to discuss the question.
With regard to the method adopted, Bienkowska also said that they should call time on this obsession with legislation and pointed out that other procedures could play a role, such as the European Semester. She is also counting on action to be taken by other Commissioners, such as the Digital Single Market Strategy. (Jean Comte)