Strokovna skupina za enotni trg, proizvodnjo in potrošnjo (INT) - Related Opinions

COM(2022) 204 concerns the reform of the current EU rules on Distance Marketing of Consumer Financial Services, which govern financial services sold at a distance.

The EESC believes that the single market is essentially about achieving social and economic convergence aimed at reducing inequalities and ensuring that worsening social imbalances do not end up becoming serious obstacles to European integration. The EESC recommends a coordinated approach between Member States on the marketing of products affected by the crisis in Ukraine. The crisis caused by Russia’s aggression has created formidable supply restrictions. An "open strategic autonomy" should be adopted, especially in key sectors, to help build resilience, diversification and an ambitious trade agenda.

This own initiative opinion intends to explore the role of business transfers in the sustainable recovery and growth in European SME sector and how the business transfers could be further promoted and facilitated at the European level. There is a need to accelerate concrete follow-up actions for the promotion of business transfers, which is also one of the action points of the recent EU SME Strategy. It is crucial to raise awareness of the potential that business transfers have to the economic growth and the SME sector.

This opinion will look into how digital sovereignty is critical for the EU to reach digital targets and could be a game changer in the single market. Digital sovereignty would help boost the EU's potential strengths and address strategic weaknesses in the tech sphere. It would also widen the use of open markets and supply chains to avoid an over-reliance on proprietary systems.