The retail sector is a key pillar of the European economy. Today, it accounts for 11% of the EU’s GDP and 15% of EU employment and offers job opportunities to millions of European workers. What is more, retailers play a crucial role in bringing the Single Market closer to consumers across Europe in their daily lives, be it in local shops or online.
However, a number of barriers continue hampering the good performance of the retail sector, from an economic, social or environmental point of view, and prevent European retailers from providing the greatest benefits to consumers and to the European economy as a whole. The Services Directive, which applies in this area, contains unequivocal obligations for Member States concerning access to, and exercise of retail activities, including an obligation to eliminate requirements such as economic needs tests.
In addition, a number of bottlenecks have been identified, notably through the Commission's 2010 retail market monitoring report, which often cut across various policy areas and require joint action by EU institutions, Member States and retail stakeholders at all levels, ranging from facilitating consumer decisions, to improving access to retail services, promoting fairer and sustainable trading relationships along the retail supply chain, promoting innovation and creating a better working environment.
In an effort to address those barriers and move towards a more efficient and fairer internal market in retail services, IMCO prepared two specific parliamentary resolutions during the period 2009-2014.
During this period, IMCO also engaged in a regular dialogue with stakeholders, throughout the supply chain and across different sectors, notably in the framework of the annual Retail Market Roundtable, the first of which was held 26 September 2013.
Source : © European Union, 2014 - EP