European Economic
and Social Committee
The Single Market Act - identifying missing measures
Key points
The EESC:
- draws the Commissions attention to the fact that there are more obstacles to the Single Market today than when it was established;
- believes that the EU's economic line needs to be redirected. The crisis has had a heavy impact on citizens, who expect their sacrifices to result in new perspectives. In this respect, the adoption and implementation of the Single Market Act I and II initiatives are considered to be too slow;
- emphasises the need for concrete measures to combat any kind of poverty caused by the financial crisis;
- reiterates its call for Member States to demonstrate their ownership of these measures through proper implementation and enforcement. A future-proof Single Market must be built on a sustainable, highly competitive economy based on sustainable processes and products, a decent working environment and on innovation;
- considers it important to put the EU's 500 million citizens at the heart of the Single Market;
- points out that initiatives under the SMA I and II must be coordinated with the measures and steps undertaken to strengthen EMU (FiscalPact, ESM, Euro plus, etc.);
- finally, believes that negotiations on free trade agreements should be used to enforce the level playing field while maintaining high standards of consumer, environmental and social protection.
Related EESC opinions:
- Single Market Act II (CESE 2039/2012, INT/655)
- Key Actions towards a Single Market Act II (CESE 1575/2012, INT/648, exploratory opinion requested by the European Commission)
- Single Market Act - 12 levers (CESE 1583/2011, INT/582)
- Single Market Act (CESE 525/2011, INT/548)