Europe - Prof Monti calls for a digital single market in his report on the internal market

[bepa] The Single Market is the cornerstone of Europe's integration and sustainable growth. As the European Union approaches the 20th anniversary of the symbolic date of 1992, President Barroso believes, as announced in his Political Guidelines, that the Single Market requires renewed political determination so that it can withstand the threat of economic nationalism and reach its full potential.

President Barroso has therefore decided to entrust Mario Monti, President of Bocconi University and former Commissioner for the Internal market, Financial services and Tax policy (1995-1999) and for Competition (1999-2004), with the mission of preparing a report containing options and recommendations for an initiative to relaunch the Single Market as a key strategic objective of the new Commission.

The report highlights that today the single market is at a critical juncture, as it
faces three challenges. The first challenge comes from the erosion of
the political and social support for market integration in Europe. The single
market is seen by many Europeans – citizens as well as political leaders – with
suspicion, fear and sometimes open hostility. Two mutually reinforcing trends
are at work: an "integration fatigue", eroding the appetite for more Europe and
for a single market; and more recently, a "market fatigue", with a reduced
confidence in the role of the market. The single market today is less popular
than ever, while Europe needs it more than ever.

Report on a new stategy for the Single Market (1992 - 2012)
see also full text of the report