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EN

European Economic and Social Committee (EESC)

Section for the Single Market, Production and Consumption (INT) Single Market Observatory (SMO)

Brussels, 26.04.2013

SINGLE MARKET OBSERVATORY

Activity report (October 2010 - April 2013)

SMO president: Mr Edgardo Maria Iozia (Gr. II – Employees – Italy) Vice-presidents: Ms Evangelia Kekeleki (Gr. III, Various Interests – Greece) and Mr Pedro Almeida Freire (Gr. I, Employers – Portugal)

BACKGROUND

The Single Market Observatory was set up in 1994 within the Section for the Single Market, Production and Consumption (INT) by the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), with the support of the European Parliament, the Council and the European Commission:

its objective: to be a "pressure group" made of representatives of EU civil society organisations to identify shortcomings of the Single Market, propose solutions and help the legislator refine its proposals,

It has 33 members assisted by a secretariat,

Focus: Single Market Act I and II and all aspects of Better Lawmaking (or Smart Regulation); Since 2006, the EFTA Consultative Committee has been associated to our meetings and events as an observer.

The SMO priorities were in line with Staffan Nilsson's programme "Dialogue and Participation"1 and involved a clear "going local" dimension, which the SMO has

traditionally implemented over the years by way of public hearings in the Member States.

1 http://www.eesc.europa.eu/?i=portal.en.staffan-nilsson-work-programme-2010-2013.

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A SPOT ON THE MAP…

Over the last years, members of the SMO and SMO staff have been involved in a number of events related not only to Better (Smart) Regulation but increasingly to Commissioner Barnier's relaunch of the Single Market. Various forms of co-operation have been initiated:

Visibility Follow-up of the visibility policy

Regular participation in events organised by the EU institutions (e.g. The Single Market Week and Forum), various workshops organised by think tanks, institutes as well as foundations and networks (see below); Early flanking of EP Committees' work on identical topics (see EP "Work in Progress – by parliamentary Committee")2. Contacts made with various EP Committees for the INT Section/SMO. ON 05.11.2012 in London, Malcolm Harbour, Chair of the EP's IMCO Committee, insisted on co-operating with the SMO especially on assessing progress in the digital Single Market, incl. e-procurement;

Networking and co-operation Universities

Cooperation with the Hague Institute for the Internationalisation of Law (HiiL) and, through HiiL, with the European University Institute in Florence (EUI), on self- and coregulation; Other co-operation partners: University College Dublin (UCD) in 2011 on the Single Market Act;

EU Institutions European Commission Co-operation with DG MARKT, DG ENTR, DG SANCO and SecGen (on Smart Regulation), DG CNECT (on self-regulation or codes of conduct in corporate governance);

Co-operation with the national SOLVIT centres and national IMI coordinators in the context of the SMO public hearings in Member States;

European Parliament Co-operation with JURI and IMCO;

Think tanks Implemented co-operation with the European Policy Centre (EPC) and the Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS), The secretariat of the SMO has also been involved by Malcolm Harbour in an expert group to the British government (BIS) on Single Market issues (first meeting on 22.01.2013). A contact has been made by the SMO secretariat with the

2 The SMO secretariat has long integrated the follow-up of its opinions, esp. at the relevant EP Committees, in its work programme. This is an integral part of its "Who does

what?" check-list.

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Scottish government that considered a Single Market event in Scotland either in 2013 or 2014. Cooperation with Confrontations Europe;

Others Joint SMO/EFTA Consultative Committee meetings in Oslo in December 2011;

Participation of the SMO in external events on self-regulation (organised by interest groups and networks);

Co-operation with the European Social Platform on the SMO public hearing in Nicosia (19.10.2012).

Horizontal cooperation Cooperation between Observatories

Co-operation with the EU 2020 Steering Committee on the EESC major conference "Step up for a stronger Europe", 25.09.2012.

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APPENDIX

SINGLE MARKET OBSERVATORY MEETINGS

Single Market Observatory meetings from October 2010 until April 2013:

16 meetings including five external meetings and public hearings, two public hearings in connection with the SMO meetings in Brussels (more information and the record of the proceedings is available on the website via links below): o Dublin on 11.03.2013: Digital public procurement in an integrated Single Market o Brussels on 06.02.2013: Better regulation: implementing acts and delegated acts o Nicosia on 19.10.2012: The Social Dimension of the Single Market with the participation of INT Bureau members o Tallinn on 01.06.2012: Digital Estonia - Benchmarking good practices o Brussels on 18.10.2011: A Digital Single Market For All - a public hearing in cooperation with the TEN Section o Bucharest 12.09.2011: The Single Market Act – Time for Action! The priorities of Romanian organised civil society o Budapest 21.02.2011: Towards a Single Market Act – The priorities of the Hungarian organised civil society with the participation of INT Bureau members

OPINIONS DRAFTED BY THE SINGLE MARKET OBSERVATORY

Title and link to the opinion (in all languages on the website / in the Official Journal)

Official Journal reference / Follow-up by the European Commission

Inclusive digital Internal Market Rapporteur: Ms Anna Maria Darmanin, own-initiative opinion Website: http://www.eesc.europa.eu/?i=portal.en.int-opinions.21796

(not yet published in OJ – no EC follow-up yet)

Single Market Act II Rapporteur: Mr Martin Siecker, co-rapporteurs: Ms Benedicte Federspiel and Mr Ivan Voleš COM(2012) 573, CESE 2039/2012 – INT/655, adopted on 16.01.2013 Website: http://www.eesc.europa.eu/?i=portal.en.int-opinions.24243

OJ C 76, 14.03.2013, p. 24 (no EC follow-up yet)

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Title and link to the opinion (in all languages on the website / in the Official Journal)

Official Journal reference / Follow-up by the European Commission

Key Actions towards a Single Market Act II Exploratory opinion at the request of the European Commission, Mr Barnier, Commissioner for the Internal Market and Services Rapporteur: : Mr Ivan Voleš CESE 1575/2012 – INT/648, adopted on 12.07.2012 Website: http://www.eesc.europa.eu/?i=portal.en.int-opinions&itemCode=23919

OJ C 299, 04.10.2012, p. 165 Link to EC follow-up (in EN)

Developing a people-orientated, grassroots approach to internal market policy Own-initiative opinion, rapporteur: Mr Jorge Pegado Liz, CESE 466/2012 - INT/563, adopted on 22.02.2012 The EFTA Consultative Committee adopted on 12 December 2011 its opinion on "A citizen's approach to the Single Market". A joint publication with the EFTA Consultative Committee: http://www.eesc.europa.eu/?i=portal.en.publications.24628 Website: http://www.eesc.europa.eu/?i=portal.en.int-opinions.15901

OJ C 143, 22.05.2012, p. 17 Link to EC follow-up (in FR)

Better governance of the Single Market through greater administrative cooperation Rapporteur: Mr Bernardo Hernández Bataller COM(2011) 75 final and COM(2011) 522 final, CESE 1848/2011 - INT/572, adopted on 07.12.2011 Website: http://www.eesc.europa.eu/?i=portal.en.int-opinions.15919

OJ C 43, 15.02.2012, p. 14 Link to EC follow-up (in EN)

Single Market Act - Twelve levers to boost growth and strengthen confidence - "Working together to create new growth" Rapporteur: Ms Benedicte Federspiel, co-rapporteurs: Mr Ivan Voleš and Mr Martin Siecker COM(2011) 206 final, CESE 1583/2011 – INT/582, adopted on 27.10.2011 Website: http://www.eesc.europa.eu/?i=portal.en.int-opinions.18567

OJ C 24, 28.01.2012, p. 99 (EC follow-up in detailed opinions on twelve levers)

Towards a better functioning Single Market for services – building on the results of the mutual evaluation process of the Services Directive Rapporteur: Mr Martin Siecker COM(2011) 20 final, CESE 1161/2011 - INT/568, adopted on 13.07.2011 Website: http://www.eesc.europa.eu/?i=portal.en.int-opinions.15912

OJ C 318, 13.07.2011, p. 109 Link to EC follow-up (in FR)

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Title and link to the opinion (in all languages on the website / in the Official Journal)

Official Journal reference / Follow-up by the European Commission

Smart Regulation in the European Union Rapporteur: Mr Jorge Pegado Liz COM(2010) 543 final, CESE 984/2011 - INT/544, adopted on 15.06.2011 Website: http://www.eesc.europa.eu/?i=portal.en.int-opinions.15850

OJ C 248, 25.08.2011, p. 87 Link to EC follow-up (in EN)

Towards a Single Market Act - For a highly competitive social market economy Rapporteurs: Mr Ivan Voleš, Mr Martin Siecker and Ms Benedicte Federspiel COM(2010) 608 final, CESE 525/2011 – INT/548, adopted on 15.03.2011 The rapporteurs presented the opinion at the plenary on 15 March 2011 during the debate on the theme "Challenges and prospects for the Single Market Act" attended by Mr Michel Barnier, European Commissioner for the Internal Market and Services Website: http://www.eesc.europa.eu/?i=portal.en.int-opinions.15477

OJ C 134, 03.05.2011, p. 47 Link to EC follow-up

(no EC follow-up - see follow-up on INT/648)

EVENTS ORGANISED BY THE SINGLE MARKET OBSERVATORY OR INVOLVING THE SINGLE MARKET OBSERVATORY

Event (more information via the website link: record of the proceedings, opinions, photos)

Date and place

Digital public procurement in an integrated Single Market A public hearing in Dublin in order to accompany Commissioner Barnier's initiative to relaunch the European Single Market and to take stock of Ireland's move towards an e-environment for public procurement. The EESC and its SMO showed support for this innovation and promoted it as a key element of the modernisation and further integration of the Single Market. Link: http://www.eesc.europa.eu/?i=portal.en.events-and-activities-single-market-digital-procurement

11.03.2013 Dublin

Better regulation: implementing acts and delegated acts A mini hearing organised to better target the information report on the topic, rapporteur Mr Jorge Pegado Liz (on-going, INT/656) Link: http://www.eesc.europa.eu/?i=portal.en.int-opinions.24246

06.02.2013 Brussels

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Event (more information via the website link: record of the proceedings, opinions, photos)

Date and place

The Single Market 20 years on - What's in it for the UK? To mark the 20th anniversary of the Single Market, the European Commission Representation Office in the UK together with the EESC organised a conference on "The Single Market 20 years on - What's in it for the UK?" with the participation of Christine Dalby, Acting Head of the European Commission Representation in London, and Staffan Nilsson, President of the European Economic and Social Committee, to discuss the UK's role and future in the Single Market. Guest speakers included Lord Brittan of Spennithorne, former Vice-President of the European Commission, and Malcolm Harbour, MEP, Chair of the Committee for the Internal Market and Consumer Protection of the European Parliament. Link: http://www.eesc.europa.eu/?i=portal.en.events-and-activities-single-market-20-years

05.11.2012 London

The Social Dimension of the Single Market A public hearing in co-operation with the Cyprus Workers´ Confederation (SEK).The issue of the social dimension of the Single Market is most relevant at a time when Europe is facing high unemployment and the real risk of a weakening of the Single Market. According to Mr Nilsson, EESC President, the current crises were the ultimate stress test and that if we wanted this success story to remain one, we must absolutely make sure it provided the answers people were expecting in such troubled times. This was only possible if its social dimension became tangible while its economic advantages remained visible – achieving this was quite a challenge in today's extremely competitive global environment. In other words, "economic freedoms had to be in balance with the respect of fundamental social rights". Link: http://www.eesc.europa.eu/?i=portal.en.events-and-activities-social-single-market

19.10.2012 Nicosia

Participation of the Committee in the Single Market Forum and events during the Single Market Week The EESC played a very active role celebrating the twentieth anniversary of the Single Market. EESC President, Mr Nilsson, participated in the Single Market Week Launch Event on 15 October at the European Parliament and in the closing ceremony of the Single Market Week in Cyprus on 20 October 2012. More than 180 national events were organised in connection with the Single Market Week: http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/20years/singlemarket20/ The Section for the Single Market, Production and Consumption (INT), and in particular its Single Market Observatory (SMO), were closely involved in the celebrations and participated in the working group set up by DG MARKT. Events were also held in Cyprus and London and EESC members participated in various national events.

15.-20.10.2012

Conference: Step up for a stronger Europe! Organisation of Workshop 2 on Relaunching the Single Market: http://www.eesc.europa.eu/?i=portal.en.events-and-activities-stronger-europe2020-workshop2

25.09.2012 Brussels

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Event (more information via the website link: record of the proceedings, opinions, photos)

Date and place

Digital Estonia - Benchmarking good practices “e-Estonia” illustrates the partnership between a forward-thinking government, a pro-active ICT sector and a switched-on, tech-savvy population. Estonian citizens and the Estonian State enjoy a wide range of e-solutions that those living elsewhere can only dream about. Estonia is an example for others who wish to follow the same path: http://e-estonia.com/. The e-Governance Academy (eGA) is a non-governmental, non-profit organisation, founded for the creation and transfer of knowledge concerning e-governance, e-democracy and the development of civil society: http://www.ega.ee/. The EESC has made recommendations in a number of opinions that fed the debate. Link: http://www.eesc.europa.eu/?i=portal.en.events-and-activities-digital-estonia

01.06.2012 Tallinn

A Digital Single Market For All A public hearing in cooperation with the Section for Transport, Energy, Infrastructure and the Information Society with participation of Malcolm Harbour, Chairman of the Committee for the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) of the European Parliament. The public hearing was not only about taking stock of the advantages of going digital but essentially about making it clear that it addresses all - citizens, consumers, workers and businesses alike. E-commerce or interoperability are just two of many areas that illustrate how fragmented the Single Market can be. The EESC has made recommendations in a number of opinions that fed the debate. Link: http://www.eesc.europa.eu/?i=portal.en.events-and-activities-digital-single-market-all

18.10.2011 Brussels

Participation of the Committee in the Single Market Forum in Krakow The first Single Market Forum and Single Market Fair took place in Krakow under the auspices of the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Polish Presidency from 2 to 4 October 2011. Some 1,000 participants attended the Forum and some 6,000 visitors passed by the Single Market Fair on Krakow's main square. The EESC was represented by its president, Staffan Nilsson, who took the floor at the 4 October Plenary. Ivan Voleš (Group I) participated in Workshop n° 8 ("Implementing the Single Market – Success Stories"). A 9 member Committee delegation also attended the event. Commission website: http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/top_layer/single_market_forum_en.htm Link: http://www.eesc.europa.eu/?i=portal.en.news&itemCode=20147

02.-04.10.2011 Krakow

The Single Market Act – Time for Action! The priorities of Romanian organised civil society A public hearing in cooperation with the Economic and Social Council of Romania to better target the opinion on the Single Market Act – Twelve levers Rapporteur: Ms Benedicte Federspiel, co-rapporteurs: Mr Ivan Voleš and Mr Martin Siecker (CESE 1583/2011 - INT/582, COM(2011) 206 final) Opinion in all languages: http://www.eesc.europa.eu/?i=portal.en.int-opinions.18567 Link to more information on the public hearing: http://www.eesc.europa.eu/?i=portal.en.events-and-activities-single-market-act-romania

12.09.2011 Bucharest

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Event (more information via the website link: record of the proceedings, opinions, photos)

Date and place

Towards a Single Market Act – The priorities of the Hungarian organised civil society A public hearing in cooperation with the Economic and Social Council of Hungary to better target the EESC opinion on the Single Market Act Rapporteurs: Mr Ivan Voleš, Mr Martin Siecker and Ms Benedicte Federspiel (CESE 525/2011, INT/548 COM(2010) 608 final) Opinion in all languages: http://www.eesc.europa.eu/?i=portal.en.int-opinions.15477 Link to more information on the public hearing: http://www.eesc.europa.eu/?i=portal.en.events-and-activities-single-market-act-and-hungary

21.02.2011 Budapest

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ACTIVITIES OF THE SINGLE MARKET OBSERVATORY IN THE FIELD OF COMMUNICATIONS

1. EESC/SMO BROCHURES

Brochures published in 2012

This summary of the Committee's opinions related to Single Market policies is based on the input from the Monti, Grech and Herzog reports and allows for a global vision of civil society's pluralist, fact-based contribution to shaping Europe's future. Link: http://www.eesc.europa.eu/?i=portal.en.publications.24624

After 20 years of existence, the Single Market is still a work in progress. While a number of barriers have been abolished, new ones have appeared. It is therefore important to track developments in this area, take stock of the remaining obstacles and set up a road map for the Single Market to operate smoothly in the interest of all. Link: http://www.eesc.europa.eu/?i=portal.en.publications.24626

The EESC adopted in February 2012 an opinion on A people-orientated, grassroots approach to the Single Market. In parallel, the EFTA Consultative Committee (EFTA CC) adopted an opinion on A citizen’s approach to the Single Market. The EFTA CC and the SMO stressed the importance of a coordinated effort by all 30 EEA States to increase citizens’ participation in the Single Market. Link: http://www.eesc.europa.eu/?i=portal.en.publications.24628

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INT/SMO hand-

out for the public

(EN)

SMO hand-out for

the public on self-

and co-regulation

database

(EN)

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2. ELECTRONIC INFORMATION TOOLS

Websites SMO website http://www.eesc.europa.eu/?i=portal.en.smo-observatory

Self- and co-regulation database (developed in conjunction with and at the request of the Secretariat General of the European Commission)

http://www.eesc.europa.eu/?i=portal.en.self-and-co-regulation

Social media Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Single-Market-Observatory-SMO/138728772855121

Twitter https://twitter.com/#!/smo_eesc

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e-Newsletter

Sent to approx. 600 contacts after SMO meetings/public hearings (also using the HERMES database). In line with the updated EESC graphic charter. This was dropped in 2011 and replaced by the INT newsletter.

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LIST OF THE SMO MEMBERS (OCTOBER 2010 - APRIL 2013)

GROUP I - Employers MS GROUP II - Employees MS GROUP III – Various Interests MS

Almeida Freire (Vice-President, ECO/CCMI/SOC/REX)

PT Adamczyk (INT/REX) PL D'Sa (CCMI/INT/REX) UK

Bröms (INT/REX) SE Carr (INT/REX/TEN) EE de Lamaze (INT/SOC) FR

Dell'Alba (INT/REX) IT Dantin (ECO/INT) FR Domonkos (ECO/INT/NAT) SK

Mallia (ECO/INT/NAT) MT Iozia (President, CCMI/INT/TEN) IT Federspiel (INT/REX/TEN) DK

Oravec (ECO/INT/REX) SK Ivaşcu (INT/TEN) RO Hernández Bataller (INT/TEN) ES

Peltola (ECO/INT/REX) FI Kittenis (ECO/NAT/REX) CY Kekeleki (Vice-President, INT/TEN) EL

Sartorius Álvarez de Bohorques (INT/ECO)

ES Lechner (INT/REX) AT Kessler (ECO/INT) DE

Schröder (INT/TEN) NL Moreno Preciado (INT/REX) ES Longo (INT/SOC) IT

Stantič (ECO/INT/REX) SI O'Riordan (ECO/CCMI/REX) IE Nicosevici (CCMI/INT/ECO) RO

Varfalvi (CCMI/ECO/INT) RO Preidienė (ECO/NAT/TEN) LT Pegado Liz (CCMI/INT/TEN) PT

Voleš (INT/REX) CZ Siecker (CCMI/INT/NAT) NL Persson (INT/REX) SE

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A SELECTION OF PHOTOS OF EVENTS ORGANISED BY THE SINGLE MARKET OBSERVATORY

The SMO presidency. From left to right: Evangelia Kekeleki, vice-president (Group III, Various Interests - Greece), Edgardo Maria Iozia, president (Group II, Employees - Italy), Pedro Almeida Freire, vice-president (Group I, Employers - Portugal).

From left to right: Bryan Cassidy, president of the INT Section, Benedicte Federspiel, rapporteur, Ivan Voleš and Martin Siecker, co-rapporteurs, Nicolae Idu, Head of the European Commission Representation in Romania

From left to right: Bryan Cassidy, president of the INT Section and Malcolm Harbour, chairman of the Committee for the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) of the European Parliament

From left to right: Evangelia Kekeleki, SMO vice-president, Andreas

Pavlikkas, Christoph Lechner, Manus O'Riordan, Martin Siecker (all SMO).

From right to left: Pedro Almeida Freire, vice-president of the SMO, Tomáš

Domonkos, Rose D'Sa and Minel Ivașcu, SMO members

From left to right: Commissioner Barnier and SMO president

Edgardo Maria Iozia on 20 May 2011.

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