According to the results from the latest Eurobarometer, most of citizens are satisfied with the Single Market offers in terms of a bigger choice of products, jobs and fair competition. However, they also consider only the big companies benefit the Single Market. Also in the survey a 35% of Europenas are not aware of the Single Market and its benefits.

The European Commission published the results from the latest Eurobarometer survey on the Single Market. Among the conclusions, a 74% of citizens consulted were satisfied with the possibilities that the Single Market offers in terms of a bigger choice of products as well as the possibility of having more jobs. The Commission has recently promoted the Single Market for services. On the other hand, the Single Market is perceived as only benefiting big companies (62%), worsening working conditions (51%) and not benefiting poor and disadvantaged people (53%). 35% of those interviewed were not aware of the Single Market and its benefits.

In addition to the results, the Commission published a report which shows the 20 most frequently encountered problems faced by EU citizens and businesses when travelling, moving or working abroad. As a general matter, the 20 main concerns report confirms that there is still a divide between expectations and reality in the single market and that this divide stems from those inter-related gaps: an information gap, an application gap and a legislative gap.

The report will serve as a basis the Single Market Forum (SIMFO) on 2-4 October. The SIMFO is co-organised together with the Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU and the European Parliament and will bring citizens, stakeholders and policy-makers at all levels of government together to discuss the state of the single market. This will be done in the framework of eight workshops and that will debate some of the concerns identified such as: recognition of professional qualifications, posting of workers and fundamental social rights, and improving the functioning of the EU public procurement legislation.