During the Competitiveness Council on Monday 12 March, on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the single market, several EU member states called on the European Commission to conduct an analysis and to take overall stock of implementation of European legislation in the single market.
Many national delegations and also the commissioner for industry and the internal market, Elzbieta Bienkowska, noted that, even though progress has been made in many areas, the single market is still far from complete. Many delegations pointed at the failings in implementation of EU law, especially in the field of services.
Several member states - including Finland, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Poland, Denmark, Ireland, Estonia, Luxembourg and the United Kingdom - also made their voices heard in this respect and called on the European Commission to draw up an inventory of implementation of EU law in the single market. Some also called for it to be determined which sectors enjoyed the greatest advantages.
During the press conferences, the commissioner said she was willing to make such an analysis but was not, however, able to commit to this.
Digitalisation of the economy, posted workers, Brexit
During the discussions, several member states underlined the importance of completing the digital single market and of strengthening digitalisation of the European economy, while placing emphasis on skills.
The question of posted workers, currently reaching a final agreement, came up again. Two member states – Hungary and Lithuania – expressed their displeasure at the common approach found during the night of 28 February to 1 March (see EUROPE 11972).
Another intervention was noteworthy – that of the United Kingdom which reiterated that the single market was one of the major successes of the European Union, indicating that London would like in future to have the closest relationship “in the world” with the EU and the European internal market, once Brexit is complete. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)