Presentation and competencies

The Single Market and its free movement of people, goods and services is one of the absolute foundations of the EU. It has provided prosperity and growth, jobs, mobility and freedom of choice to Europe's citizens and businesses.

In the Committee on Internal Market and Consumer protection, we believe that citizens must be placed at the heart of the Single Market. It is our mission to ensure that people can establish themselves anywhere within the EU, to work, study or set up a business.

We want to make sure that consumers know their rights and feel assured that they are safe and protected when buying products in the EU, whether in their local shop or when shopping online across borders.

We aim to make clear rules for businesses, and to make life simpler for small firms while expanding their market opportunities in making, selling or providing services.

The Internal Market Committee initiated the Single Market Act to give a fresh impetus to the Single Market. We remain committed to deliver on its proposals as quickly as possible. Only a well functioning Single European Market can ensure our prosperity and competitiveness in the world in the decades to come.

Malcolm Harbour CBE
Chair of the Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection

Committee responsible for:
 
1.    coordination at Community level of national legislation in the sphere of the internal market and for the customs union, in particular:

(a)    the free movement of goods including the harmonisation of technical standards,
(b)    the right of establishment,
(c)    the freedom to provide services except in the financial and postal sectors;

2.    measures aiming at the identification and removal of potential obstacles to the functioning of the internal market;
 
3.    the promotion and protection of the economic interests of consumers, except for public health and food safety issues, in the context of the establishment of the internal market.