Single Market Week: Marking the 20th anniversary of the Single Market
The Single Market Week will take place from 15 to 20 October and will bring together policy-makers, social partners, businesses and citizens to discuss the achievements and challenges of the single market. Under the slogan ''Together for new growth'', this year's week marks the twentieth anniversary of the European Single Market.
Under the slogan ''Together for new growth'', a series of events in cities all across Europe will take place from 15 to 20 October at the Single Market Week and will bring together policy-makers, social partners, businesses and citizens to discuss the achievements and challenges of the single market. The European Commission presented the Single Market Week 2012 programme in September 2012.
The activities will focus on mobilizing the views and expectations of young adults about the single market; recalling the achievements of 20 years of the single market; and presenting and discussing new initiatives to stimulate growth in the single market. In parallel to the Single Market Week events, the European SME Week 2012 will also take place in 37 countries from 15 October. The week will offer visitors insight into what the EU and national authorities do to support micro, small and medium-sized businesses.
The Single Market Week will officially kick off with a launch event in the European Parliament in Brussels on 15 October. Over 200 national events will be organised all over Europe in the days and weeks following 15 October. They will bring together citizens, students, experts, businesses trade unions and public organisations to examine and discuss the state of the single market. Events will include forums, fairs, conferences, exhibitions, radio and TV programmes, etc. Also, an interactive online debate on the European Single Market will take place. On 10 October at 19:00 CET, politicians, experts and intellectuals will argue for or against the idea that completing the single market is the only realistic way out of the crisis. Citizens can have their say by joining the debate live on Google+ and YouTube.