On 29 February 2016, the Competitiveness Council adopted the Conclusions on the Single Market Strategy for services and goods (download the pdf file).
The Council urged to strengthen the Single Market by actions directed to promote SMEs. In line with better regulation principles, it is recommended to speed up the adoption, transposition and implementation of Union legislation and to enhance efforts to remove barriers and to complete the Single Market in products and services. Also, the Council stressed the importance of simplification and transparency of all Single Market legislation and recommended to reduce the overall regulatory burden on business and to eliminate unnecessary administrative burdens.
With regard to services, it is recommended to remove all unjustified or disproportionate regulatory or non-regulatory restrictions to cross-border activity. Therefore, it is emphasised the need to ensure more consistent proportionality assessment of applicable requirements and restrictions.
(Eleonora Cavalieri)