Single market: Action plan

The Committee congratulates the Commission on presenting the broad lines of its Action Plan for the single market just a few months after the preliminary observations in its communication of October 1996 on the single market. The Committee endorses the strategic targets identified in the Action Plan. The four areas of intervention emerge clearly from the analyses summarized in last October's communication on the impact and effectiveness of the single market, and they also strongly echo the views expressed by interest groups during the hearing organized by the Committee on the subject last March. Turning to the measures envisaged to put the rules into effect, the Committee welcomes the emphasis placed by the Commission on the active role which national governments will play in completing the legal framework to ensure better application of the rules, more rapid problem-solving and a faster response to infringements. Of particular interest is the proposal to introduce an appraisal form for each Member State which will provide a regular update on the progress of implementation of the single market. This will represent an important step towards establishing transparency in relations between the European partners, helping to underscore the consensus that each has managed to achieve in this area. �