10 Reasons
for supporting the European Union and the Single Market
Guarantor of Peace
The European integration has ensured peace in Europe for more than 70 years. This has never happened before in the history if the continent. This is probably the greatest value of the European Union.
Single Market
The European Union is an economic heavyweight with the largest internal market in the world. More than 500 million people live here, and more than 30 million companies generate an annual value of €14 trillion in the world’s second largest economy.
No Borders
The Single Market is one of the major achievements of the European Union, because it guarantees the free movement of goods, persons, services and capital – borderless – as in a national market.
Unhindered
Thanks to the EU isolated monopolistic markets were liberalised, individual norms and standards of the Member States were harmonised. Many technical, legal and cultural obstacles have been overcome.
Free
In large parts of Europe, in the Schengen area, citizens of 22 EU states as well as Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and Liechtenstein can travel across national borders without passports or delays. In the internal market, the movement of goods benefits from the abolition of trade restrictions and customs duties and from uniform regulations.
Guaranteed
No Member State may prevent another from gaining access to its market in order to promote the sale of its own products. The free movement of goods within the European Union guarantees that goods can be traded and transported freely from one country to another, without waiting times at borders.
Variety
A much wider variety of products is available to citizens in the EU Single Market compared to times prior to the Single Market. Competition in the Single Market has led to lower prices for consumers.
Protection
To ensure competition in the Single Market, price-fixing and market manipulation are prohibited in the EU. As the highest antitrust authority, the European Commission primarily protects consumers and imposes high fines not only on European, but also on international companies in the event of infringements. The money earned from these fines flows into the EU budget and reduces the taxpayer’s contributions.
Sustainable
The objective of the European Union is to achieve prosperity and full employment and to protect the rights of workers and employers in a balanced way. To achieve this, the principles of the social market economy must always be renegotiated and fought for. Proper social conditions are met and respected, without restricting the free movement of goods with the Internal Market. Another objective is to work for a decarbonisation of the transport sector so the climate targets are met.
Strong together
Europe faces global competition. No EU Member State is big enough to tackle increased international competition. The economy, including logistics, needs the EU – not least for a strong negotiating position on topics including foreign trade, energy and climate protection. Only if the Member States stand together will Europe’s companies continue to be amongst the world leaders.
