Single Market: Commission launches consultation on the Single Digital Gateway

The European Commission is today launching a public consultation on the Single Digital Gateway, an instrument that will provide user-friendly access to information, e-procedures and advice services throughout Europe. Citizens and businesses who want to move to another EU country, do business or buy products from abroad are often confronted with a lack of information available online, limited access to assistance and no possibility to use e-procedures across borders. As a result, they do not move to, or buy or sell to other EU countries, which in turn stifles job creation and slows down economic growth. In the Single Market Strategy and the Digital Single Market Strategy the Commission announced the creation of a Single Digital Gateway – a tool providing online all the information that entrepreneurs and citizens need to know to move or do business in another EU country. Commissioner Elżbieta Bieńkowska, responsible for Internal market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs said: “Citizens and businesses are often not aware of their rights or face difficulties to access the relevant information when they want to move or do business in another EU country. We need to create the conditions and tools that will allow them to tap into opportunities the EU Single Market offers. Such a tool is the Single Digital Gateway which will provide everything people need to know to do business cross-border, travel, live, study or work within the EU. It will guide users online through the whole process, from accessing information to getting advice and assistance when encountering problems. If we are to create jobs and build a competitive economy, we must unleash the full potential of the Single Market.” The Gateway will focus on addressing the current information gap and fragmentation by integrating, completing and improving relevant EU and national-level online information, assistance services and procedures in a user-friendly way. The consultation on the Single Digital Gateway is available here and will be open until 21 November 2016. The Commission seeks the views of entrepreneurs, citizens and public administrations, as well as other stakeholders, on how to best develop such a tool according to the needs of its users.