Industry body shocked at President Von der Leyen’s failure to mention the EU Single Market once in her State of the Union speech.

Brussels, 13 September 2023 – Responding to the Commission President’s State of the European Union speech today, EUROPEN* secretary-general Francesca Stevens said: “We are shocked at the lack of any mention of the EU Single Market in the President’s speech. The Single Market is arguably the EU’s greatest achievement, yet Governments are no longer standing up for it with the zeal they used to. It is the key to generating jobs, wealth, investment and scale across the continent, yet capitals are shying away from the minor losses of national sovereignty that building the Single Market entails.”

“We nonetheless welcome the mandate given to Mario Draghi to produce a report on the future of European competitiveness, but would caution that any serious report on EU competitiveness must take a long hard look at why Europe’s commitment to the Single Market is slipping backwards. Draghi must outline what Europe should do to rediscover its belief in consolidating the barrier-free marketplace that has served it so well in the past.”

“The Single Market will also help Europe bridge the gap between competitiveness and sustainability. It will enable Europe to scale up and take a world lead in growth areas, like environmental technology, that will generate future prosperity.”

 

For all enquiries, please contact:

• Francesca Stevens
• Email: francesca.stevens@europen-packaging.eu
• www.europen-packaging.eu