Single Market is sexy
The old times when the Single Market was seen as nothing more than bureaucracy and dull technicalities are over. And no, we are not talking about our unforgettable Erasmus experiences or seamless travel opportunities, but about the fact that the Single Market is back in the Brussels political discourse and agenda, at center stage.
After the publication of the Single Market Strategy in May, wherein the EU Commission boldly identified the ‘Terrible Ten’ barriers to the Single Market and recommended actionable solutions to address those (see our update here), the Union Market also featured in the 2025 State of the Union Address by EU Commission"s President von der Leyen. In her own words: “Our greatest asset is the Single Market – but it remains unfinished. The IMF estimates that the internal barriers within the Single Market are equivalent to a 45% tariff on goods. And a 110% tariff on services.”
So, if the Single Market is indeed Europe"s greatest asset in times of economic and geopolitical uncertainty and a key enabler of circularity and competitiveness, why keep undermining it instead of completing it? Let us give you a representative example from the packaging universe:
After being referred to the EU Court of Justice for its inaction under the infringement procedure on the TRIMAN Decree, France adopted in September a national decree setting parameters for the modulation of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) fees in relation to recycled plastics in packaging and other products. To be eligible for a bonus under the relevant EPR scheme, products must satisfy a so-called “proximity principle”, meaning that all stages of collection, sorting, recycling and incorporation of recycled materials must take place within a maximum radius of 1500 km around the barycentre of France. Applicable as of 1st January2026, the measure did not go through the scrutiny of the EU Commission, Member States or stakeholders as it was notified as a fiscal measure and was adopted a few days after its notification to the TRIS database. This is of course regardless of the internal market barriers created by the measure, which will restrict market access for secondary raw materials of comparable quality if originating from other EU countries, further impeding the creation of an EU market for waste in Europe.
As the Single Market remains high on the political agenda, its current state serves as a measure and reminder of how far Europe still is from achieving the goals set out in the Draghi and Letta reports. EUROPEN remains committed to championing a strong Single Market and to challenging self-inflicted barriers to circularity and competitiveness.
WHAT DID YOU MISS?
21 May 2025: Publication of the Single Market Strategy
WHAT'S NEXT?
Q1 2026: EU Commission proposal on a 28th Legal Regime