Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 245: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his views on the EU single market review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27152/07]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Internal (or Single) Market is one of the European Union's most significant achievements. It has created jobs and stimulated growth. It has created an agreed set of rules for businesses that now have access to a market of 500 million consumers. It has generated high quality safety standards and has offered consumers (including business consumers) a wider choice of goods and services at lower prices. Despite its achievements, however, it is still not a fully functioning entity.

The Commission's Interim Report on the Single Market, entitled A Single Market for Citizens, was presented to the March 2007 European Council. It stressed that the Single Market must be a market for consumers and citizens; for an integrated European economy; for a knowledge society; for a well-regulated Europe; for a sustainable Europe; and for a Europe that must be open to the world.

The Commission's Final Report is likely to state that the internal market should focus on issues that affect the everyday lives of consumers and businesses, such as telecommunications, energy and retail financial services. It is likely to refer to the need to support SMEs due to the difficulties that small businesses often experience in negotiating the Single Market. It is also likely to refer to the need for more progress in the area of services, including the transposition of the Services Directive. It is likely to make reference to the social and environmental dimension of internal market policy. In that regard, new approaches are necessary (for example, transition towards a low-carbon economy) if the EU's citizens are to be able to meet the challenges of the future. The Report is also likely to refer to the international dimension of the Single Market, which would make Europe more attractive for foreign investors and allow Europe to take a leading role when global rules and standards are being defined.

Ireland has contributed to the Review through our participation in the various European fora at which it was discussed. In addition, my Department asked Forfas to undertake a critical assessment of the Single Market from an Irish perspective. The study addresses where the real barriers are and what is preventing Irish businesses and consumers from exploiting the Single Market to its full potential. The study, which will be available to my Department shortly, will contribute to Ireland's position in the discussions following the publication of the Report.

I look forward to the publication of the Commission's Final Report, which is expected to be published later this month. As a trading nation, we can only benefit from a fully functioning Single Market that addresses the remaining areas that need to be tackled and whose rules are applied in a fair, transparent and timely fashion. A fully functioning Single Market will also increase the confidence of citizens, consumers and businesses in the institutions of the EU generally and in its future.