In Depth: A Series on the EU’s Single Market. [1] Integrity is everything
By Morris Schonberg
Welcome to the first of a series of briefings which will look at the legal framework that underpins the European Union’s single market policies and the current challenges they face in light of the economic crisis and efforts to move beyond it. This piece will introduce the general foundations of the single market, technically known as the internal market, while subsequent pieces will explore individual aspects in greater depth.
By all accounts, the European Union is currently facing serious economic difficulties. The European Council and Commission have the difficult task of both fire-fighting multiple sovereign debt crises and preventing future outbreaks, as well as trying to put together a plan to get the EU growing again in the long term. When juggling such diverse measures under pressure, particular attention has to be given to making sure they are consistent. The Single Market Act and the Franco-German Competitiveness Pact are examples of two such measures that risk working against each other if not carefully managed. Read full article »