In its recent opinion on the Single Market Act*, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) welcomes the Commission’s commitment to adopt a regulation on a European Foundation Statute. The ESSC opinion sets out the Committee’s top priorities out of the 50 proposals from the Commission to relaunch the Single Market for a highly competitive social market economy. The EESC hails the Commission's intention to view consultation and dialogue with civil society as a priority in the preparation and implementation of new measures
The EESC also applauds the EC proposal to undertake a study on the mutual societies which it believes should lead to a statute for a European Mutual, and urges the Commission and Member States to take the necessary steps to ensure that the European Association Statute also becomes a reality
The Committee highlights the need to improve the business climate and the governance of the Single Market and communication methods. It calls in particular for the fast implementation of Common Consolidated Corporate Tax Base (CCCTB) and the revision of the VAT directives should improve cross-border activities of companies .
Other specific topics pinpointed by the Committee as priority areas include:
- Making the Charter of Fundamental Rights an integral part of the Single Market including the right to take collective action The EESC recommends the Commission to invite those Member States that have an opt-out to adopt it.
- Promoting sustainable development through the energy efficiency plan and the feasibility of an initiative on the Ecological Footprint
- Advancing the European Digital Single Market
- Enhancing corporate governance to further develop employee involvement and improve transparency of information provided by businesses
- Simplifying and updating the EU rules on Public procurement
- Finally, regarding Services of General Interest (SGI), the opinion : welcomes the initiative to support evaluation of SGI and to remove obstacles to universal access and repeats its request for a binding framework directive
The EESC also identified a number of measures that are missing in the Single Market Act and will make proposals in due time. These missing measures include the revision of the copyright directive, data protection, investor protection, the social progress protocol, gender equality, youth, micro- and family businesses, measures to support the formation of new companies and the extension of the existing ones, European private company statutes, consumer credit and overindebtedness, e-procurement, European credit rating agencies, measures to complete the implementation of the euro and to consolidate the operation of the Single Euro Payments Area.
Details of the EESC’s opinion are available here
*EESC opinion on the Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions Towards a Single Market Act - For a highly competitive social market economy - 50 proposals for improving our work, business and exchanges with one another . (Reference INT/548 Single Market Act)