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EU without the single market

What the EU would look like without the single market?

EU without the single market

The EU single market turns 25 in 2018. It brought growth and prosperity for EU citizens and businesses.

But what would the European Union look like without the single market?

For people

  1. 500 euros per year - net loss for every EU citizen
  2. 3.6 million - jobs would disappear
  3. Qualifications - would not be recognised across borders
  4. Visas - would be necessary to work in another EU country  
  5. Pensions, social protection and healthcare - would be lost by EU expats 

For businesses

  1. 10% - the loss for trade inside the EU
  2. 3 out of 4 - ratio for intra-EU trade deals facing technical barriers
  3. 2 days - average delay for parcels delivered across borders
  4. Charges and tariffs - additional requirements for cross-border deliveries  
  5. 100.000 - national standards which would increase EU red tape
  6. 500% - drop in cross-border investment

Way forward 

The EU is not yet exploiting the full potential of the single market.

Completing the single market would:

  • Boost global EU GDP by 5% to 9%
  • Create at least 7.5 million jobs by 2030

Sources: the European Commission and European Parliament

For more information on the single market, see: 

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