EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has strongly advocated for the “completion” of Europe’s Single Market. Speaking at the Parliament in Strasbourg, she emphasized that given the current global pressures-including relentless technological change, the climate crisis, and intensified geopolitical competition-it is simply insufficient to merely preserve the Single Market as it exists today. She argued that the market can only continue fulfilling its purpose if it is modernized, fully completed, and adapted to contemporary challenges.
Addressing immediate hurdles, she stressed the urgent need to dismantle persistent internal barriers. While efforts are underway to establish a unified regulatory framework across the continent, action must also be taken at the national level to put an end to what she termed “gold-plating”. The fundamental goal, Von der Leyen stated, is to make it significantly easier for businesses to expand throughout Europe, which is the core promise the Single Market must uphold.
Furthermore, she highlighted the necessity of thinking digitally about the market. According to Von der Leyen, technologies like artificial intelligence must be intrinsically linked to the physical systems they are intended to improve. She noted that Europe holds excellent starting conditions, featuring leading industries and a burgeoning startup sector. To strengthen Europe’s position in the semiconductor value chain, plans are in place for a “Chip Law 2.0” alongside proposed legislative acts governing cloud and AI development.
Sustainability must also become an integral part of the market’s regulations to foster clean innovation. The Commission President added that the Single Market must contribute to Europe’s independence by facilitating the coordination of strategic investments. Importantly, she also placed emphasis on the social dimension, arguing that the foundation of a stronger Single Market must be high-quality jobs.
While describing the Single Market as one of Europe’s greatest success stories, the CDU politician cautioned that success is not a legacy gifted by previous generations; it requires continuous effort, foresight, and political determination. She concluded by stating that this necessary political will has finally arrived with the “One Europe, One Market” roadmap, and urged for its immediate implementation.