MEPs call for better enforcement of Single Market rules

On Wednesday 16 July, the MEPs of the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) approved by a large majority the report by Anna-Maja Henriksson (Renew Europe, Finnish) on compliance with Single Market rules. In this own-initiative report, MEPs call for simplification efforts to continue, without losing sight of the EU’s environmental and social objectives.

For the IMCO Committee, what businesses on the internal market need above all is visibility and simpler rules. They conclude that it is up to the Member States to apply the rules adopted at European level, on the one hand, and to avoid any regulatory over-transposition, on the other.

The first draft of Anna-Maja Henriksson’s report focused heavily on the importance of simplifying the rules and therefore reducing the administrative burden for businesses, particularly for SMEs.

Compromise amendments have made it possible to take account of the position of the groups on the left of the Chamber, who are concerned about deregulation. “Simplification should also reinforce the EU’s long-term objectives, including the digitalisation of the economy, the green transition and consumer protection, while ensuring technological neutrality”, MEPs added to the text.

To avoid adopting unnecessarily complex rules, the Commission must also make impact assessments more systematic, including when Parliament or the EU Council propose so-called ‘significant’ amendments.

Implementation.  Predictability also requires the Commission to set a clear timetable for the publication of guidelines whenever they are necessary for the application of new legislation. This will avoid uncertainty and delays in implementing the rules.

Secondly, where capitals fail to comply with legislation, the Commission must not hesitate to initiate infringement proceedings, insist MEPs, who advocate effective implementation of the texts.

To see Anna-Maja Henriksson’s report: https://aeur.eu/f/hwh and the compromise amendments adopted: https://aeur.eu/f/hwi (Original version in French by Léa Marchal)