Today, the European Commission presented its Single Market Strategy – their plan to boost competitiveness, resilience and strategic autonomy by 2030. For the Socialists and Democrats, enhancing the competitiveness of the EU Single Market must go hand-in-hand with improving citizens’ lives. This includes ensuring high levels of protection for consumers’ and workers’ rights, reducing unjustified commercial barriers, promoting high social standards, improving SMEs’ access to the Single Market, fostering territorial cohesion and equality of chances, and supporting a sustainable economy.
The S&Ds regret that, despite some important initiatives being included, such as the recognition of professional qualifications, the digitalisation of procedures to reduce paper work or the social and environmental dimension of public procurement, the overall strategy seems to place profit and big companies before consumers’ and workers’ rights, reducing existing protections for people.
The S&Ds have always been open to making sure that EU laws are simple and enforceable in an effective way. However, we will never accept any simplification exercise that could put at risk social justice, fair economic development – especially for small businesses – and meaningful digitalisation as the foundation for a Single Market that truly benefits all. For us, the internal market must improve people’s lives; it must enhance their well-being and protection.
Gaby Bischoff, S&D vice-president for sustainable economy and social Europe, said:
“Protecting workers’ rights cannot be considered a bureaucratic exercise. We regret that under the guise of ‘simplification’, once again, the European Commission is betraying our EU standards that we have fought for during the previous mandates. Workers’ and social rights cannot be evaluated solely from the perspective of hindering ease of business in the Single Market; in this case, the Commission seems to be yielding to corporate pressure.
“Today, approximately 5 million workers are posted to other member states. The EU Posted Workers Directivewas a huge achievement in establishing the crucial principle in the Single Market of ‘equal pay for equal work in the same place’. The EU must ensure the protection of mobile workers, no matter their background.
“We also have strong reservations regarding the establishment of a 28th regime for setting up and operating a company in the Single Market. This initiative should under no circumstances include labour law. It should not lead to undermining democracy at work or weakening the protection of workers. The Commission must make it clear that it will not come forward with a proposal that could result in downward pressure on national rules and workers’ protection.”
Laura Ballarin, S&D MEP and coordinator on the committee on the internal market and consumer protection, said:
“We share the diagnosis and support the approach of the Commission: simplifying rules, reducing unjustified internal barriers, developing and digitising procedures. Thirty years after its creation under Jacques Delors, the European Single Market needs a new boost to face the current geopolitical challenges, particularly to strengthen our economies by reducing our internal barriers, which represent the highest tariffs we face. A true 21st century Single Market must ensure not only competitiveness, but also cohesion, rights protection, and sustainability.
“The Single Market Strategy must also translate into real rights for people and opportunities for SMEs, not only for the big companies. For this, it is crucial to focus on three main priorities. First, to push for tangible benefits for people and consumers. Second, to accompany this strategy with a reinforcement of territorial cohesion in order to put all territories on the same level and guarantee equal access and opportunities across the European internal market. And third, to ensure strong and fair governance of the Single Market, demanding co-responsibility from member states and putting the focus on SMEs, providing them with legal certainty, freedom and capacities to operate.”
