Single market should serve people, and not the other way around

To mark the EU single market's 30th anniversary this year, the EESC's January plenary hosted a debate with commissioner Margrethe Vestager to discuss ways to overcome what could be the biggest challenge for the next generation.

The single market is widely considered the EU's greatest achievement, but ongoing crises, such as climate change, COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine have shown its vulnerability to unforeseen disruptions. How do we achieve the green and digital transitions in the EU without infringing the free-market principles and hurting the competitiveness of European businesses? The Commission has a plan to overcome these issues and will unveil it in February.

At its January plenary, the EESC suggested specific ways to further develop the single market, while recommending focusing on Europe's competitiveness. EESC President Christa Schweng said: "Only a competitive Europe can create prosperity and wellbeing, as well as sustainable solutions to climate and environmental problems. It is vital to provide EU businesses with a favourable environment in which to innovate, invest and trade, including a level playing field with foreign competitors."

The European Commission's Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager acknowledged that the single market is something the EU needs to keep working on, while recalling that "Europe would be a completely different place if the single market hadn't been created thirty years ago".

One of the key elements of the debate was the issue of state aid for economic recovery and the twin transitions. There's a growing fear that this will put smaller economies and global trade at risk if it becomes more than a short-term boost.

The debate ended with statements by the president of the EESC's Civil Society Organisations' Group Séamus Boland, the president of the EESC's Workers' Group Oliver Röpke, and a member of the EESC's Employers' Group Felipe Medina. (tk)