Single market: report 1995

The Committee notes that progress has been made in 1995 in adopting new decisions affecting the Single Market and in implementing Directives. However the ESC - finds that such progress is not yet enough to compensate for the persistent drawbacks in terms of global optimization, international competitiveness, economic growth, job-creation, currency stability, ease of understanding for ordinary citizens and economic operators; - is also concerned about the effects on the operation of the Single Market of the increasing tendency of the Member States to introduce their own national regulations in parallel with the European Union. - intends, particularly within the framework of its Single Market Observatory, to examine a number of major topics which have been too neglected by the Commission in its report, notably those concerning employment policy, SMEs, consumer protection and environment protection. The Committee calls for decisive action to be taken in the course of the next three years to revitalize the process of completing the Single Market, seizing the opportunities offered by the Intergovernmental Conference, the achievement of Economic and Monetary Union, and the last few years before further enlargement. The Committee would like the Intergovernmental Conference to examine ways and means of extending qualified majority voting to all questions where obstacles to the operation of the Single market are concerned, accompanied by an extension of Community powers regarding the free movement of persons and customs cooperation. The Committee calls upon the Commission, when the latter draws up its report in the second half of 1996 on the impact of the Single Market, to lay down a timetable for adoption of the remaining required measures, based on the key aim of achieving EMU in 1999, and including a methodology for imposing Community convergence on national administrative practices, even if some long-term projects might require extra deadlines.