Enterprise Policy

The main priority of the Working Group for Enterprise Policy and Internal Market Affairs is the Single Market Strategy for Goods and Services, which was adopted by the European Commission in October 2015. Based on this strategy the Commission will adopt a number of measures (legislative and non-legislative) in 2016 and 2017 with the aim of creating a deeper and fairer EU Single Market. 

 

The Single Market Strategy aims to unleash the Internal Market's full potential, adapting to changing economic conditions and making it the launch pad for European companies and industry to thrive in the global economy. The strategy will focus on concrete measures, including:

 

• Helping start-ups to grow;

• Releasing the potential of new business models emerging from the collaborative economy;

• Facilitating the cross-border provision of services; and

• Upgrading the standards system and ensuring that Single Market legislation is properly applied and enforced in practice. 

 

In July 2015, the EEA EFTA States sent a comment to the EU on the forthcoming Strategy for Goods and Services, in which they declared their support for the work of the Commission. 

 

The Working Group also follows the development the Internal Market Information System (IMI). IMI is a multilingual electronic tool that allows national, regional and local authorities to share information and communicate quickly and easily with their counterparts in the EEA about EU Internal Market law. It does so by helping them to overcome barriers to communication, such as differences in administrative structures or language. This administrative cooperation applies in areas such as the recognition of professional qualifications, the application of patients’ rights in cross-border healthcare and the posting of workers. The IMI Regulation was incorporated into the EEA Agreement in April 2015.

 

The Working Group also monitors the work of SOLVIT, an online problem-solving network through which Member States work together to solve problems caused by the misapplication of Internal Market law by public authorities, without having to initiate legal proceedings.

 

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