Regions and cities must be closely involved in shaping and implementing Single Market policies so that businesses and citizens can fully benefit from Europe’s economic integration. This was the main message of an opinion adopted unanimously by the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) during its plenary session.
The opinion, drafted by Emma Blain (IE/EPP), Dublin City Councillor, addresses the proposed Single Market and Customs Programme 2028–2034 and highlights the crucial role local and regional authorities play in ensuring that the Single Market works effectively across all territories.
Presenting the opinion, Emma Blain (IE/EPP), Dublin City Councillor, said: “I’m calling for stronger involvement of local and regional authorities in how the Single Market works in practice, because they’re often the first point of contact for businesses, especially SMEs working across borders. The Single Market is one of Europe’s greatest strengths but for it to boost competitiveness and remove barriers, it has to work on the ground for real businesses, at the heart of our regions and cities. That means better cooperation, smarter digital tools and stronger safeguards for EU funding. Because when the Single Market works better, Europe’s SMEs can grow, trade and thrive.”
In the opinion, the Committee of the Regions stresses that local and regional authorities are indispensable partners in implementing Single Market policies. They provide direct support to SMEs, help workers and service providers exercise their mobility rights and ensure that EU rules are effectively applied in regions and cities.
The opinion proposes several key measures to strengthen the territorial dimension of the programme. These include:
• Systematically involving local and regional authorities in implementing and enforcing Single Market policies, particularly in border regions.
• Recognising regions and cities as key partners in programme governance in line with the principles of multi-level governance.
• Strengthening administrative capacity across EU territories through training, digital tools and enhanced cross-border cooperation involving regional and local authorities.
• Ensuring the programme fully reflects the role of cohesion policy in supporting a well-functioning Single Market across all regions.
• Introducing territorial impact assessments and using the CoR’s Better Regulation tools, including the Regional Hubs Network, to provide feedback from the ground.
• Improving the digitalisation of implementation and enforcement instruments to make the Single Market easier to navigate for businesses and administrations.
• Providing targeted support for outermost regions to help them overcome structural barriers and access the Single Market more effectively.
• Strengthening anti-fraud measures and tax coordination to safeguard EU funds that support local development and public services.
The opinionalso emphasises that the programme should continue to support SMEs and long-term advisory services, given their central role in regional economies. By reinforcing cooperation between EU institutions, national governments and local and regional authorities, the European Committee of the Regions believes the programme can help ensure that the Single Market delivers tangible benefits for businesses, workers and communities across Europe’s regions and cities.
