Main results

Ministers responsible for the internal market and industry exchanged views on issues falling under their competence in relation to the “Recovery plan for Europe“, presented by the Commission on 27 May 2020.

It is time we put into practice the lessons drawn from the COVID-19 crisis. We need to take all necessary steps for the prompt and sustainable recovery of the EU economy as a whole. A recovery based on solidarity and close cooperation, a fully functioning internal market and a just and sustainable transition towards a green and digital economy. A recovery capable of preventing similar shocks in the future by strengthening the resilience and autonomy of our strategic value chains.

Mr. Darko Horvat, Croatian Minister of the Economy, Entrepreneurship and Crafts

Ministers broadly welcomed the objectives of the “Recovery Plan for Europe” and stressed that the Competitiveness Council should be entrusted with the coordination and the monitoring of the implementation of the internal market and industry aspects thereof.

There was broad support for restoring, strengthening and deepening the single market. To that effect, ministers called upon the Commission to follow-up (and if need be update) the measures foreseen in the March 2020 package, which set out a new industrial strategy, an SME strategy, an action plan for single market enforcement, an analysis of remaining barriers to the single market and a new circular economy action plan.

The political will to pursue a balanced and fair transition to a green and digital economy was confirmed.

Taking account of lessons learnt during the COVID-19 crisis, ministers underlined the importance of strengthening the EU’s economic resilience and strategic autonomy across key technologies and value chains, while upholding the principles of an open economy, including free and fair trade.

Calls for reviewing the EU competition and state aid policies in the light of new technological and global market developments were reiterated.

At the end of the discussion, ministers issued the following joint statement setting out their vision regarding the implementation of the Recovery Plan for Europe :

Work programme of the upcoming German presidency of the Council

Ministers were informed by the upcoming German presidency of the Council of the work programme in the fields of internal market and industry for the second semester 2020. It was noted that the main focus will be on restoring and strengthening the single market, strengthening the European industrial sector as an engine for growth and an enabler for the digital and green transformation, fostering resilience and economic prowess in business, especially SMEs, and modernising competition law and state aid policy.