Czech Business Today

The Commission´s public consultation on the 50 policy proposals to boost the Single Market was closed at the end of February after having received more than 850 responses. 

Based on the evaluation of these responses, the view of the European Parliament and European Economic and Social Committee plus prioritisation of the Competitiveness Council, the Commission shall propose in mid-April a second Communication outlining the priority legislative actions to be adopted till 2012. 

On 16th March, representatives of Czech and EU institutions, the business sector and NGOs discussed what priorities should remain in (or to be added to) the second SMA proposal. Participants together with speakers agreed that the proposal had to have a balanced approach, clear prioritisation and strong support of European institutions, Member States and stakeholders in order to deliver tangible outcomes to businesses, consumers and citizens. The debate took place on the “Single Market day” – right after the adoption of the European Economic and Social Committee´s opinion and prior to the vote in the European Parliament’s IMCO Committee. 

Main aim of the Single Market shall be economic growth and job creation. Top priorities of the Czech Republic regarding the Single Market Act are: a friendly business environment including smart regulation, implementation of SME test, access to finance or public procurements, to further digital market and services sector, and a number of others. 

However the success of the whole process depends on the ownership and support by all parties involved, including European institutions, Member States, businesses, consumers and citizens. 

On 6th April the Parliament adopted three non-legislative resolutions on SMA. According to the MEPs the Single Market needs stronger leadership, project bonds to fund innovative undertakings in energy, transport and telecommunications, as well as a European Skills Passport to ease cross-border mobility of workers and professionals. The European Economic and Social Committee outlined in its opinion that the main aim of the Single Market is to enable all participants to make full use of its benefits. The EESC agreed priorities include, among others, a Charter of Fundamental Rights, services, retail financial services, SGI, sustainable development, SME, public procurements, social economy, energy efficiency, competitiveness and external growth. European chambers network´s top priorities include the Services Directive, e-commerce, SME access to finance, national transposition of EU rules, recognition of qualifications and inter-connection of business registers. 

According to European Association of SMEs and crafts UEAPME the SMA does not defend the SME interest enough. The Commission should seek for tools that will increase competitiveness of SMEs, take into account the diversity of SMEs, apply the “think small first” principle and look for better governance. BUSINESSEUROPE and its members promote agreement on the EU patent, enhanced work on standardisation, better governance, more effective implementation of European legislation on national level and share a slightly hesitant view towards the revision of the legal framework of public procurement.