Leaders of EU member states supported the “One Europe, One Market” program at Thursday’s summit in Brussels. They agreed that a competitive social market economy requires a commitment to strengthen the Union’s competitiveness, strengthen its strategic autonomy and economic security, while maintaining Europe’s prosperity and social model. The TASR reporter drew attention to the conclusions of the European Council.
- EU leaders supported the One Europe, One Market programme.
- They want to strengthen the competitiveness and strategic autonomy of the Union.
- They focus on innovation, digitization and technological sovereignty.
- They suggested simplifying the rules and reducing the administrative burden.
- They plan to protect key sectors from unfair competition.
The conclusions specify that the “One Europe, One Market” program should be implemented in 2026 if possible, but by the end of 2027 at the latest.
The conclusions emphasize that the further deepening and integration of the single market and its simplification for people and businesses is a shared responsibility of all EU member states and institutions.
They prepared several measures
The European Council called on the member states and the European institutions to address the following measures as a high priority: 28. a legal regime for businesses that should enable European companies to operate and expand in the Union’s single market; a simple, uniform and voluntary electronic declaration system for the cross-border provision of services in order to reduce bureaucracy in the temporary posting of workers to other Member States and ensure the rights of these workers; strengthening the free movement of workers by improving the mutual recognition of professional qualifications; implementation of the “only once” principle, including through the European Business Wallet, in order to digitize business interactions; strengthening consumer protection and enforcement of EU standards; facilitating the free movement of goods.
The conclusions include a call for Member States and the European Commission (EC) to improve the conditions for businesses across the Union to achieve the scale needed to invest, innovate and compete globally.
They reduce the administrative burden
Leaders called on the EU institutions and Member States to continue ambitiously simplifying rules and reducing administrative burdens at EU, national and regional level, without jeopardizing predictability, EU policy objectives, high standards or the integrity of the single market. The conclusions state that the European Council welcomes the commitment of the President of the European Commission to report annually to the leaders of the member countries on the progress achieved in the area of simplifying the rules.
Leaders concluded that to support growth in Europe, it is essential to direct investment in the technologies of tomorrow, accelerate innovation, advance digital technologies and improve the conditions for a sustainable and productive industrial base.
The European Council called on the European Commission to map dependencies in strategic sectors in cooperation with member states by the end of 2026 at the latest, and asks the EU institutions to agree on the Industrial Accelerator Act by the end of the year. The Commission should take measures to protect key sectors from unfair competition and, together with member countries, continue to diversify trade and investment ties. In addition, the European Commission should also present a legislative package aimed at strengthening the technological sovereignty of the Union.