The Single Market is one of the main achievements of the European Union. It allows the removal of barriers and the simplification of rules to achieve its goal of free movement of goods, persons, services and capital.
Flag_of_Europe - wikipedia“The Digital Single Market is a huge potential,” according to Michel Barnier, the European Commission, responsible for Internal Market and Services.
The European Union frankly admits encourage the development of electronic commerce within the Single Market is one of the key areas to make the most competitive and most dynamic in the world. Indeed, cross-border e-commerce can benefit both consumers and businesses. This is a significant potential to increase the European economy. The financial and economic crisis has hit all economies and across all sectors. The single market is an asset to boost the economy of the Member States. Thus, “if the e-commerce accounted for 15% of total European trade – instead of the current 5% – this would result in 1.7% extra growth per year” according to Michel Barnier.
EU institutions and Member States to meet the needs of online consumers and European firms, creating a true digital single market, with the ability to order and take delivery of their purchases, wherever one is in the Union.
The area of information technology and communication is very promising for the European Union economy. Once completed the digital single market could increase by 5% of European GDP by 2020.
European companies must be able to develop, export and be more competitive than they are. However, they find themselves confronted with a coexistence of multitude of national rules coexist, leading to additional costs. These barriers may discourage them to engage in cross-border trade. Both European businesses and consumers face barriers that make it difficult for e-commerce and that is still fragmented. In this common market, consumers in turn must be able to benefit from better prices, a wider choice of products and services.
Thus, in order to increase the development of electronic commerce, close coordination is required of the states within the European Union. Because of its transnational dimension, the development of electronic commerce must be based on the coordination of solutions between the Member States.
In any event, the promotion of electronic commerce in the digital single market could provide the European Union with more growth and jobs but her potential is not fully exploited due to a number of technical and legal obstacles. Should the Member States and the European institutions consider the perspectives that are open to them.
 
Marie Ena
 
Marie-Ena JACOBY-KOALY
 
Source image : Wikipédia