The European Parliament adopted a resolution on the single market package.

The resolution was tabled by the ALDE and EPP groups.

Parliament welcomed the Commission communication of 22 November 2018 entitled ‘The Single Market in a changing world”, adopted just months before the European elections of 2019 and on the 25th anniversary of the single market. Whilst emphasising that a well-functioning single market is one of the essential foundations of the European Union, Members pointed out that the single market is not fully exploiting its potentia l, and that the deepening of the single market should therefore be brought back to the top of the political agenda.

Deepening the single market

According to Parliament’s own research, the anticipated gain from completing the single market stands at EUR 1 trillion in increased GDP collectively across the Union, including significant gains to be made in the services sector. Accordingly, the resolution stated that unjustified barriers must be eliminated and the EU must work to ensure that the free movement of services is given the same priority as the free movement of goods within the single market.

Parliament strongly supported the Commission’s invitation to the European Council to dedicate an in-depth discussion at the level of heads of state or government to the single market in all its dimensions. It asked the European Council to commit to a new pledge to complete the single market by 2025, including a new public timetable for actions, as European leaders did in 1985. Parliament expressed its concern, however, that several legislative proposals are completely blocked in the Council, and called on the Council to put an end to this situation.

Digital single market

Parliament criticised the outdated separation of the ‘digital’ single market from the ‘offline’ single market, pointing out that digital solutions are an indispensable part of the modern economy, and every aspect of the single market should be digitally fit. It noted that only 7 % of SMEs offer goods and services online to customers in other Member States and only 15 % of consumers make use of this possibility. However, the completion of the digital single market could bring in more than EUR 415 billion and new jobs created in this area. Accordingly, the Commission was asked to continue working towards completing the digital single market with ambitious proposals, with a view to establishing modern and effective common rules in order to protect consumers, help public administrations, enhance the competitiveness of European businesses and SMEs, and generate fair competition.

Non-tariff barriers

Members noted that despite the abolition of tariff barriers in the single market, a vast number of various unjustified non-tariff barriers still exist. Strengthening the single market requires urgent action at both EU and national level in order to address these unjustified barriers.

Transposition

According to the Commission communication, the transposition deficit for 16 directives with transposition dates between December 2017 and May 2018 was 25 % in June 2018, which Parliament felt was not reassuring. Members urged the strengthening of effective monitoring mechanisms and the need to detect inadequate transposition of single market legislation or inadequate implementation and application, thus ensuring that infringement procedures are applied where necessary.

National measures

Members indicated that the single market is increasingly coming under pressure from national rules that run counter to the principles underpinning it, especially rules at national level that impact the free movement of goods and services. They urged the Commission to make better use of existing instruments to take action against national rules not in line with single market legislation.

Lastly, Parliament regretted that the Commission presented a number of legislative proposals too late for the co-legislators to be able to work on them properly and urged the next Commission, in view of the upcoming political term 2019-2024, to ambitiously plan single market actions.