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The EU Single Market (formally established in 1993), is a unified economic area where goods, services, capital and people move freely without borders or tariffs. The concept is often called the “four freedoms,” as it allows EU citizens live and work within the bloc’s 27 member states as a “single domestic” economy. The new single market strategy – formulated just a year ago – aimed at creating more simple, seamless and strong European market, outlining ambitious actions to reduce trade barriers, support SMEs and accelerate digitalisation.
Background
The EU-wide “single market” is more than just a continental marketplace: it connects together and “binds” citizens, businesses and even the Union’s values. Thus, the so-called four basic freedoms in goods, services, capital and people managed for decades deliver the Union’s growth, jobs and socio-economic opportunities.
The Commission President has focused recently on six vital points concerning the “single market’s” development in the modern circumstances.
The European “single market” managed through decades to create better choices for consumers, larger markets for businesses with higher social standards across the member states. Hence the Union’s single market remains the EU’s most effective tool, both for the socio-economic prosperity and the strategic developmental influence.
With over 450 million people and a market of market’s evaluation of about € 18 trillion, the European Union has the power to set global standards, notes the Commission President. However, “at times of restless technological change, climate urgency and geopolitical competition”, just preserving the Single Market is not enough; it can only remain fit for purpose with the adequate efforts to modernise, complete and adapt it to the modern challenges.
Source and citation from: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/da/speech_26_1110
The EU Single Market is one of Europe’s great success stories: but success, as the President notes, “is not something we inherit from previous generations”; it requires constant work, vision and political will. The political will is finally there with the ‘One Europe-One Market” roadmap, which the President has revealed in detail; and this article has re-formulated…
Vital “single market’s” development points
= First of all, the President reminds, that it is necessary “to finish what we started”: i.e. removing the barriers that still persist in the Single Market. There are two ways to remove barriers:
a) at the European level, the Commission was addressing these drawbacks through the so-called “Terrible Ten” proposal and with the EU Inc. approach, as additional set of the EU-wide rules. Thus, the “terrible ten” refers to the ten most harmful and restrictive barriers to cross-border trade within the EU Single Market. These priority areas were officially targeted for reform as part of the Commission’s single market strategy to streamline business operations and boost economic competitiveness.
More on “Terrible Ten” (May 2025) in: https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/publications/single-market-our-european-home-market-uncertain-world_en; and on “New Single Market Strategy towards 2030” in: https://www.twobirds.com/en/insights/2025/the-new-single-market-strategy-towards-2030
Recently, this April, the Commission published guidance for EU countries on complying with their notification obligations under the Single Market Transparency Directive, SMTD; it requires national authorities to inform the European Commission of any draft technical regulations on products and information society services before they are adopted in national law. The EU states are required to ensure these drafted rules do not impede the smooth functioning of the single market. The guidance provides national authorities in the EU with information on how to apply the principle of proportionality when adopting national measures; that is, how to ensure that new rules are strictly necessary to protect public interests while minimising business burdens. By helping the EU states better implement EU law, the guidance document contributes to the objectives of the Communication on a simpler, clearer and better enforced EU rulebook.
More on SMTD in: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/EN/legal-content/summary/single-market-transparency-directive.html
b) at the national level, the Commission intends to make it easier to scale up across Europe, as “the basic promise of the Single Market to be fulfilled”.
More in: https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/news/commission-aims-tackle-terrible-ten-single-market-barriers-publishing-guidance-eu-countries-2026-04-30_en
= Second, the Single Market must be digital: i.e. the new phase of global innovation is defined by the ways the digital technologies and capabilities are applied in the real socioeconomic world. Besides, the digital technologies (like GenAI and agentic algorithms) must be “connected to the physical systems they are meant to improve”, points the President.
The EU-27 has had positive competitive points, like professional corporate and industrial leaders, the growing number of start-ups and scale-ups scene, as well as the “scientific excellence and a highly skilled workforce”.
Now it is necessary to create the EU-wide “environment” to stimulates the demand for the European digital solutions. To succeed, the states need projects of strategic importance and new digital technology’s champions. Thus, three years ago, the Commission launched the Chips Act, followed by more than € 32 billion in semiconductor’s investments, and the draft of a new Chips Act 2.0 – to strengthen European role in the semiconductor value chain. Besides, the Commission will also bring forward a Cloud and AI Development Act in order to support the strong AI systems’ support and create first AI Gigafactories.
Source: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_26_901
= Third, sustainability’s concept must be fully introduced into the single market fabric: e.g. following the new climate objectives and that of the circular economy, which require some novices in the “single market” concept that incentivise clean innovation and low-carbon goods and services. The European sustainability is a legally binding growth strategy designed to transform Europe into a climate-neutral continent by 2050. It focuses on decoupling economic growth from resource consumption, protecting vital biodiversity and enforcing strict corporate transparency to ensure green policies are socially fair.
With the Industrial Accelerator Act, the Commission will create so-called lead markets for clean products in the EU member states forming, basically the “industries of the future” to leverage the single market to the scale such industrial sectors.
More in: https://www.eea.europa.eu/en/topics/at-a-glance/sustainability
= The President’s fourth point is about European independence in the Single Market: since the last COVID-pandemic, the EU companies have faced a long series of supply chain disruptions. The Single Market concept must continue to leverage the scale to conclude new global trade deals: for example, this year, the Commission managed to conclude deals with India, Australia, Mercosur and Switzerland; the EU is expected to finalise a “modernised trade agreement” with Mexico, which is a key supplier for critical raw materials.
Besides, the Single Market can also facilitate the coordination of strategic investments and aggregate demand: the energy sector could be an example. The Commission proposed RESourceEU plan and created a new Critical Raw Materials Centre; another example is the EU-wide electricity grids – the backbone of the energy system. The EU has had one of the most extensive electricity networks in the world, but it needs more coordination through the EU new Grids Package; and in a few weeks, the Commission will present the Electrification Action Plan. All of these initiatives are aimed at creating a stronger Single Market for a more independent Europe.
Note. The RESourceEU Action Plan is a European Commission initiative designed to secure the EU’s supply of critical raw materials (CRMs) and cut strategic dependencies on single foreign suppliers by up to 50% by 2029. It accelerates the goals of the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA) through massive funding, joint purchasing and fast-tracked permitting process.
Source: https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/document/download/e9ac2181-0dc7-4e61-a964-ba0a39c2aea8_en
= Fifth, inclusion matters, as the benefits of the Single Market must reach every region and every citizen: i.e. skilled workers must be able to move where their talents are needed, even if that is on the other side of the “non-existing” internal borders, as the President notes.
Hence, the Commission is drafting a comprehensive Fair Labour Mobility package with a new European Social Security Pass and the digitalised recognition of professional qualifications.
With this in mind, the Commission is strengthening the European Labour Authority to better enforce the fair mobility rules.
More in: https://employment-social-affairs.ec.europa.eu/european-employment-and-social-rights-forum/replays-2026/fair-labour-mobility_en
= Sixth, the social dimension, which – as Jacques Delors used to say – has been the “precondition and the goal” of the single market, i.e. a vital element in moving forward “within the social dimension of the European integration.
This May, the Commission adopted first-ever anti-poverty strategy, aimed to raise more people into the middle class and avoid backsliding. This initiative will have a strong focus on enabling parents to go back to work – especially single parents.
The President explanation is clear: parents need jobs – but to take the job while having children, they need good childcare for their children. Thus, the Commission provide adequate supports through the European Social Fund and Cohesion funds: e.g. by investing €1.3 billion just in one state – Poland – for new childcare places; but the support can be enhanced through the next MFF.
This is the most effective approach, says the President: e.g. for parents, a job is earning their own income and taking pride in their own skills; for the children, it is education through childcare, and it means inclusion – children need other children. Therefore, jobs and education are the best possible poverty prevention; but talking about jobs, presently always means “quality jobs”, which create skilled workforce able to compete globally; the process reflects a virtuous circle of greater productivity and better salaries.
This is why the Commission is working with social partners on the specifics of the future Quality Jobs Act: i.e. quality jobs are good for workers, good for business, good for Europe; and they must be at the heart of a stronger Single Market, concluded the President.
On quality jobs initiative in: https://employment-social-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies-and-activities/rights-work/quality-jobs-companies-and-workers-europe_en
General source and citations from: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/da/speech_26_1110
thanks