With legislative proposals and numerous non-legislative initiatives enshrined in two editions in 2011 and 2012, the Single Market Act is the biggest political initiative to boost the Single Market since 1992.
In order to remedy the identified shortcomings, and to give the internal market the opportunity to develop its full potential, the European Communication launched a debate on possible priority actions with its Communication "Towards a Single Market Act", adopted in October 2010, to which the Parliament's response was adopted on 6 April 2011 on the basis of three parallel reports prepared the IMCO committee:
- A Single Market for Enterprises and Growth. Rapporteur: Cristian Silviu Buşoi (ALDE),
- A Single Market for Europeans. Rapporteur: Antonio Fernando Correia De Campos (S&D),
- Governance and Partnership in the Single Market. Rapporteur: Sandra Kalniete (EPP).
On 13 April 2011, the Commission published a conclusive Communication - the Single Market Act: Twelve levers to boost growth and strengthen citizens' confidence (SMA I) - setting out twelve key and fifty complementary actions in various policy areas, which was then followed by relevant legislative proposals and other documents, dealt with by sectoral Parliament committees (including IMCO).
Looking forward to the presentation of Single Market Act II, IMCO coordinated the preparation of a resolution on ‘Single Market Act: The Next Steps to Growth' which was adopted by plenary on 14 June 2012 and the Commission presented in October 2012 its Communication containing another 12 key actions cantered on four main drivers for growth, employment and consumer confidence, that is integrated networks, cross-border mobility of citizens and businesses, digital economy, and actions that reinforce social entrepreneurship, cohesion and consumer confidence. Again, following specific legislative proposals, the Parliament participated in the work on each of them via its competent committees.
Source : © European Union, 2014 - EP