Internal Market Unit

Role of the Internal Market Unit

The role of the Internal Market Unit is to coordinate Ireland’s overall approach to the European Internal Market, including representation at the Competitiveness Council and associated fora and to pursue, on an ongoing basis, with the European Commission and Member States, problems encountered by Irish companies and citizens in exercising their rights under Internal Market rules. The Internal Market Directorate General in Brussels publishes a free magazine (Single Market News) with up to date Internal Market news, it can be accessed at: http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/smn/index_en.htm

The European Internal Market which permits the free movement of goods, services, capital and persons is the world’s largest domestic market. Its creation was one of the main objectives of the Treaty of Rome which was signed in 1957. The eight year programme to complete it between 1985 and 1992 was the most ambitious target that the European Community ever set itself. The fact that the Internal Market came into being on 1 January 1993 is one of the major success stories of the Community.

The Internal Market consists of the countries of the European Union and the three countries of the European Economic Area (EEA), Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein.

The Internal Market is not simply an economic structure – at its heart is over 370 million people seeking better employment opportunities, improved living and working conditions and a wide choice of quality products and services at lower prices. The Internal Market is working in their interest. Much has already been achieved. Individuals already enjoy the right to more work throughout the Union. The Internal Market sets basic standards of health and safety, equal opportunities and labour law.

Benefits of the Internal Market include:

• Better protection for consumers;
• Growing competition between companies in both manufacturing and services;
• An accelerated pace of industrial restructuring, with the resultant benefits in terms of greater competitiveness;
• A wider range of products and services are available to retail, public sector and industrial consumers at lower prices, particularly in newly liberalised service sectors such as transport, financial services, telecommunications and broadcasting;
• Faster and cheaper cross-frontier deliveries resulting from the absence of border controls on goods, which in turn allow a wider choice of suppliers
• Greater mobility between Member States for both workers and those not economically active (including students and retired people);
• Increasing economic convergence and cohesion between different EU regions.

However, despite the impressive results achieved so far much remains to be done to ensure the proper functioning of the Internal Market. Barriers still remain and there is a demand for a Internal Market that works better for everyone – citizens, consumers, small business and larger companies.