Carried out among more than 1,000 company directors throughout the European Union, this survey highlights a series of obstacles that continue to compromise free circulation within the single market.
At Beci, we hope that these results will contribute to changes in legislation to make the single market work better and reduce the administrative burden for businesses.
When the results of the survey were presented in Brussels on 11 January, Eurochambres president Vladimír Dlouhý urged policymakers to work with the business community to identify and implement practical solutions to these obstacles.
Main obstacles and proposed solutions
The main trade barriers identified in the survey include disparate contractual and legal practices, varying national rules for the provision of services and limited accessibility to information on these different rules and requirements.
Entrepreneurs are calling for practical solutions to reduce or remove these barriers. Clearer information on a multilingual EU online portal containing all the procedures and formalities needed to operate in another EU country, cutting unnecessary administrative formalities and taking greater account of the impact of new regulations on SMEs are among the most important measures demanded by businesses.
Fewer administrative burdens and proper application of existing rules
As Vladimír Dlouhý pointed out, ‘single market fatigue’ among EU policy-makers and national authorities is not shared by entrepreneurs: ‘Business leaders are fully aware of the value of doing business in Europe, not only for their own bottom line, but also for our economic recovery and competitiveness’. Nevertheless, the president of Eurochambres pointed to a feeling of fatalism among chamber member companies about recurring obstacles: ‘Despite what is set out in the EU treaties and legislation, the reality is that our businesses do not have unlimited access to the EU's 450 million consumers. The theory must be put into practice quickly!
The Chambers of Commerce and Industry believe that the real change for the single market is not more rules, but the correct application of existing rules to ensure a level playing field. The next European Commission must prioritise the rigorous transposition of EU legislation by Member States and the implementation of a European strategy to reduce the administrative burden in order to sharpen Europe's competitive edge.
➤ Consult the full results of the Eurochambres survey
➤ And its infographic
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A survey by the European Commission on the EU's single digital portal The European Commission has just launched a survey on the European Union's single digital portal. It is aimed at SMEs that carry out or plan to carry out cross-border activities within the European Union. It aims to assess the extent to which SMEs are aware of the services provided by the single digital portal and find these services useful. The aim is also to find out what these businesses expect from the portal. Take part in this survey to make your voice heard. BECI, through Enterprise Europe Brussels, will pass on companies' concerns to the European Commission. Link to the survey: EUSurvey – Survey (europa.eu) |
About the author
Jean-Philippe Mergen, Director Internationalisation Enterprise Europe Network Brussels at BECI
