Newsletters

On 21 May, the European Commission published a new Single Market Strategy, setting out a roadmap to create a simpler, more seamless and stronger internal market. The strategy proposes a series of actions to address existing barriers to intra-EU trade and investment, support the scaling up of SMEs, and promote digitalisation.

The strategy notes that the establishment of the Single Market has led to the development of a European social market economy that fostered prosperity and cohesion. However, the Commission has identified remaining harmful barriers affecting businesses, including complex procedures for business establishment, diverging national rules, lack of mutual recognition of professional qualifications, and regulatory fragmentation. Removing these barriers is expected to improve the cross-border provision of services, facilitate the circulation of goods, and reduce administrative burden.

Several initiatives outlined in the strategy are particularly relevant to freight transport and logistics. Completing a genuine single EU transport market requires the removal of remaining technical barriers across transport modes. For example, the broad deployment of interoperable digital tools can reduce the administrative burden of regulatory compliance. Improved data and information sharing would also help eliminate the need for paper-based documentation. These include proposals to enable paperless mobility for goods (Q4 2026) and to support the harmonised deployment of Cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems.

Looking beyond the EU, the Strategy also proposes a framework for the inclusion of the Western Balkans, Ukraine and Moldova in the Single Market, alongside the continued participation of the EEA-EFTA countries. These efforts reflect a broader ambition to strengthen the resilience and competitiveness of the Single Market in a changing global environment.

Source: European Commission