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The ubiquitous digital single market

EU Fact Sheets 01-02-2024

The digital single market benefits the economy, reduces environmental impacts and enhances quality of life through e-commerce and e-governance. With services transitioning from fixed to mobile platforms, this shift necessitates an EU framework for cloud computing, cross-border content access and seamless mobile data, while ensuring privacy and cybersecurity. The European digital single market was vital during the COVID-19 crisis. The Digital Services and Digital Markets Acts will significantly transform ...

Information and communication technologies (ICTs), as well as data services, now surpass traditional telephone services in importance for both consumers and businesses. With the surge in on-demand content and 4G/5G growth, the EU has introduced a telecommunications regulatory framework. This encompasses all types of telecommunications, including broadcasting. Research indicates that these services contribute EUR 86.1 billion to the EU’s GDP annually, with new measures potentially adding another EUR ...

Digital agenda for Europe

EU Fact Sheets 01-02-2024

Digital service platforms and emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) profoundly influence our societal landscape. These innovations have redefined how we communicate, shop and access information online, making them daily essentials. The European digital agenda for 2020-2030 addresses these shifts. It prioritises establishing secure digital spaces, ensuring fair competition in digital markets and enhancing Europe’s digital sovereignty, all while aiming for climate neutrality by 2050 ...

The internal market: general principles

EU Fact Sheets 30-01-2024

The internal market is an area of prosperity and freedom, providing access to goods, services, jobs, business opportunities and culture. Continuous efforts ensure its further expansion bringing benefits for EU consumers and businesses. The digital market opens up opportunities to boost the economy via e-commerce and cuts red tape through e-governance. However, challenges still persist, for example, in the way in which COVID-19 reintroduced obstacles to the four freedoms (free movement of goods, services ...

Consumer protection measures

EU Fact Sheets 29-01-2024

European measures for consumer protection are intended to protect the health, safety, and economic and legal interests of European consumers, wherever they live, travel or shop in the EU. EU provisions regulate both physical transactions and e-commerce, and contain rules of general applicability together with provisions targeting specific products, including medicines, genetically modified organisms, tobacco products, cosmetics, toys and explosives.

Public procurement contracts

EU Fact Sheets 25-01-2024

Public authorities enter into contracts for works and services accounting for a trading volume of EUR 2.448 billion in the EU, making public procurement a major driver of economic growth, job creation, and innovation. The public procurement package adopted in 2014 adds EUR 2.88 billion annually to EU GDP. Furthermore, EU directives concerning public procurement have fostered an increase in total award values, which rose from under EUR 200 billion in 2009 to approximately EUR 525 billion in 2017.

Free movement of goods

EU Fact Sheets 22-01-2024

The free movement of goods was bolstered by eliminating customs duties as well as other non-tariff barriers. Principles like mutual recognition and standardisation further advanced the internal market. The 2008 New Legislative Framework enhanced the movement of goods, EU market surveillance, and the CE (European Conformity) mark. Yet, challenges on internal market harmonisation remain, as the COVID-19 pandemic and other factors can still hinder the full free movement of goods.

The mutual recognition of diplomas

EU Fact Sheets 16-01-2024

The freedom of establishment and the freedom to provide services are cornerstones of the single market, enabling the mobility of businesses and professionals throughout the EU. In order to implement these freedoms, diplomas and qualifications issued nationally need to be widely recognised. Different measures for harmonisation and mutual recognition have been adopted, and further legislation on the subject is underway.

Effective consumer protection policy ensures that the single market functions properly. It safeguards consumers’ rights against merchants and provides extra protection for vulnerable consumers. Consumer protection rules can boost market outcomes overall. They promote fairer markets and, with better consumer information, foster greener, more social outcomes. Empowering consumers and safeguarding their interests are key EU policy goals.

The freedoms of establishment and service provision are pivotal for business and professional mobility within the EU. The complete implementation of the Services Directive is crucial for solidifying the internal market, but obstacles still persist. The COVID-19 pandemic added new challenges. In response, the European Parliament passed a resolution in February 2022, outlining how economic recovery after COVID-19 can best mitigate the negative effects on these vital freedoms.