A deeper and fairer Single Market: Commission boosts opportunities for citizens and business

EU News 298/2015

Brussels, 28 October 2015
IP/15/5909

Today the European Commission has presented a roadmap to deliver on President Juncker’s political commitment to unleash the full potential of the Single Market and make it the launchpad for Europe to thrive in the global economy.

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The actions agreed today will deliver results for:

Consumers: The Commission will take action to ensure that consumers seeking to buy services or products in another Member State, be it online or in person, do not face diverging prices, sales conditions, or delivery options, unless this is justified by objective and verifiable reasons. The European Commission and European Consumer Centres frequently receive consumer complaints involving unjustified differences in treatment on grounds of nationality or residence.

SMEs and start-ups: Start-ups contribute a lot to the economy, but a number of entrepreneurs leave Europe because they can’t bring their innovative ideas to the market. Efforts are under way in the context of the Investment Plan and the Capital Markets Union to ease access to finance for SMEs. In addition, the Commission intends to simplify VAT regulation, reduce the cost of company registration, put forward a proposal on business insolvency and make all information on regulatory requirements accessible in a single digital gateway. The Commission will also work on clear and SME-friendly intellectual property rules and take the final steps needed for the Unitary Patent to become an attractive and affordable way for European companies, including SMEs, to capitalise on their ideas.

Innovative services: The Commission will develop a European agenda for the collaborative economy. New business models bring benefits to citizens and companies alike and help optimising the use of existing resources. However, questions arise whether existing regulations are still fit for purpose or whether new rules are needed. At the same time, we need to make sure that public policy objectives such as consumer protection are respected and tax and labour law complied with.

Professionals: The Commission will improve the opportunities for businesses and professionals to be mobile across borders. It will improve the recognition of professional qualifications and facilitate the cross-border provision of business services, construction and other services that generate growth. Taken together, these actions will make it easier for companies and professionals to access new markets, allowing them to grow from small national actors into larger European players.

Source and additional information:
http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-15-5909_en.htm?locale=en

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