One of the EU's greatest successes is the creation of a common economic market and 2023 marks 30 years since its birth. The European Single Market has ensured economic unity across Europe and made the free movement of goods, people, services and capital possible. Let’s dive back into the history of one of the pillars of the EU as we know it.

consumer protection

economic policy

rights of the individual

DSM (Digital Single Market)

Timeline: 30 years of the European Single Market

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/67874182/1674043589711_N01_AFPS_220115_TSU2-EN.srt

This is all thanks to the European Single Market,

were laid the 1980s and in 1993 it became reality.

By then, Europe had almost completely harmonised standards

"This year, Europeans should for the first time really see and experience

in a community without border posts and without customs."

Until 2006, services such as postal systems

The European Parliament adopted numerous directives

to make them more easily available across the EU.

But the 2008 economic and financial crisis

put the achievements of the Single Market at risk.

In 2010, Parliament called for new momentum

and improving the market access of small businesses.

"The Single Market project is a project for everyone,

for citizens, for consumers, for small enterprise,

is to really make it speak to those people."

2012 saw further moves to develop the Single Market.

Members of Parliament called for a better,

that wouldn't discriminate against any customer or business.

Part of that was abolishing roaming charges

to the new Digital Markets and Digital Services Acts,

"For a business user the competition will work better,

they will feel safer when buying goods."

"The Digital Markets Act will introduce a new era of tech legislation

and in the future, it will be big tech companies that will have

to prove to authorities that they abide by the law."

The Single Market is playing an increasingly important role

and are pushing for a right to repair goods

- moves that will increase products' lifespans

The war in Ukraine and the Covid pandemic show

that the Single Market can be a powerful tool

today we also take a look at the Single Market

- how cooperation in the Single Market is the core

in 2023 Parliament is pushing for stricter rules

to increase the safety of products sold both on- and offline.

"If the product that you bought is recalled,

If something goes wrong, you will have options:

for instance, you want your product to be replaced,

or you want to have the product repaired,

So, you as a consumer will have a choice."

for the benefit of 31 countries and 450 million consumers.

The European Parliament is shaping the path

for safe, diverse and fair conditions on- and offline.