Internal Market

The Single Market is the core as well as the motor of European integration. The four freedoms enshrined in the EC Treaty enable European enterprises and citizens to profit directly from the advantages of the EU. A well functioning Single Market without barriers is a political and business priority.

The Internal Market has produced great benefits for the European economy over the period 1992-2006, with estimated gains around 2.2% of the EU GDP and the creation of 2.75 million extra jobs. The single market initiative was much more than just an economic policy decision. From the beginning, it was accompanied by a social and regional policy agenda and backed up by EU structural funds.

However, a truly integrated Internal Market is not yet a reality - as barriers remain in many sectors, particularly for goods and services. This state of affairs often negatively affects companies -especially SMEs. EUROCHAMBRES strives to ensure a business-friendly development of the Internal Market, which would give companies of all sizes fair conditions in which to compete in a dynamic and constantly evolving business environment.

Among many other policy activities in this field, EUROCHAMBRES closely monitors the implementation of the Services Directive in Member States, with a survey run regularly through the Chambers’ network. Businesses attach great importance to the implementation of this cross-cutting piece of legislation, which is of relevance not only for deepening and enlarging the internal market but also for progressing towards administrative simplification in Europe.