Citizen and business empowerment in the EU’s single market

 

SUMMARY OF:

Communication (COM(2013) 636 final) — Empowering businesses and citizens in Europe’s single market

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THIS COMMUNICATION?

It sets out practical measures to be taken by the European Commission and European Union (EU) countries to provide the general public with more and better information about their EU rights, in particular about how to use their rights effectively at national level and in other EU countries.

KEY POINTS

The Commission proposes 3 sets of actions to be implemented by the Commission and/or the EU countries:

• To further develop and improve the Your Europe portal, to make it more responsive to the needs of citizens and businesses.
• To ensure that good-quality information on national rules and procedures is available and accessible through Your Europe.
• To ensure that more people can access information on Your Europe.

• 1.

  Your Europe portal

The Commission plans a number of actions to improve the portal including:

• expanding its content to fully cover rights, obligations and opportunities in the single market;
• improving online search guidance and synergies with other services;
• conducting a usability and accessibility study and implementing its findings to ensure the best possible access and navigation for all users, in particular people with special needs and those using mobile devices;
• ensuring that its public consultations on topics covered by Your Europe are accessible through the portal so that users can give input to policymaking in their areas of interest.

• 2.

  Information on national rules and procedures

EU countries are asked to:

• make user-friendly information available on their own national portals, to enable individuals and businesses to use their EU rights effectively in the single market;
• cooperate with the Commission to ensure that relevant national information, such as information about residence rights and doing business in another country, is accessible via the portal;
• share good practice in their national portals with other EU countries.

The Commission’s plans include:

• developing different tools for sharing content;
• calling on EU countries to publish information online on all EU-related legislation laying down rights for citizens and/or businesses, so that it could be linked or exchanged with Your Europe.

• 3.

  Increasing the reach of Your Europe

The Commission intends to:

• improve its visibility through optimisation for search engines, online promotion, social media tools, and information and awareness-raising campaigns.

EU countries are asked to:

• promote Your Europe at national level, in particular through links on their national portals and in awareness-raising campaigns on subjects covered by the portal.

BACKGROUND

• Your Europe (European Commission).

MAIN DOCUMENT

Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions — Empowering businesses and citizens in Europe’s single market: An Action Plan for boosting Your Europe in cooperation with the Member States (COM(2013) 636 final, 17.9.2013)

last update 11.04.2017