EuroCommerce calls for a robust Single Market to propel retail investments in green, digital, and skills transformation

29 November 2023
by eub2 -- last modified 29 November 2023

At its meeting today, EuroCommerce's Board exchanged with Prof. Enrico Letta, the architect behind the forthcoming High-Level Report on the future of the Single Market. The focus was on concrete barriers and issues facing retailers and wholesalers and how to improve the strength and resilience of the Single Market.

Coinciding with this initiative, EuroCommerce launched its comprehensive Single Market position paper, offering an exhaustive analysis of existing barriers. Christel Delberghe, the Director General of EuroCommerce, emphasised the essential role that the Single Market plays in retail and wholesale. She underscored the urgent need for an enabling, predictable framework that empowers businesses to make strategic investments in the sector's transformation.

"The Single Market is a foundation for our sector's competitiveness in a rapidly evolving global landscape. Our success hinges on having a framework that facilitates investments in the digital, sustainability, and talent transitions" she stated.

EuroCommerce called upon the European Commission, European Parliament, and Member States' governments to re-establish the four freedoms as top political priorities, ensuring the future economic security of the European Union.

To achieve this, EuroCommerce urged EU institutions to steer clear of divergent national regulations and gold-plating, emphasising the necessity for justified, proportionate, and non-discriminatory national rules. Additionally, adherence to better regulation principles and enhancements to the current infringement procedure were highlighted as essential measures.

As the Single Market forms the central pillar of the European economic framework, EuroCommerce's position paper serves as a clarion call for unified efforts to create a conducive environment for retail and wholesale, fostering innovation, sustainability, and talent development in an increasingly competitive global environment.

EuroCommerce is the principal European organisation representing the retail and wholesale sector. It embraces national associations in 27 countries and 5 million companies, including leading global players and many small businesses. Over a billion times a day, retailers and wholesalers distribute goods and provide an essential service to millions of business and individual customers. The sector generates 1 in 7 jobs, offering a varied career to 26 million Europeans, many of them young people. It also supports millions of further jobs throughout the supply chain, from small local suppliers to international businesses. EuroCommerce is the recognised European social partner for the retail and wholesale sector.

EuroCommerce