European Commission

The Commission adopted on 20 November 2007 a package of initiatives to turn its Citizens' Agenda into a consistent set of actions:

• a Communication on "A single market for 21st century Europe" : this concludes the review initiated in 2006 and transforms the "vision paper" of February 2007 into an operational set of initiatives to re-position the single market. This Communication is supported by five staff working papers on:
  • the single market: review of achievements [79 KB]
  • instruments for a modernised single market policy [208 KB]
  • implementing the new methodology for product market and sector monitoring: results of a first sector screening [165 KB]
  • the external dimension of the single market review [63 KB]
  • initiatives in the area of retail financial services [26 KB]
• a Communication on "Opportunities, access and solidarity: towards a new social vision for 21st century Europe ": the aim of this document is to enrich the consultation on social reality, which is extended until 15 February 2008, and pave the way for a renewed Social Agenda in mid-2008.

It also adopted in this context a Communication on "Services of general interest, including social services of general interest: a new European commitment".

On May 10, 2006 the Commission adopted an ambitious agenda to deliver real change for Europe’s citizens.

The Commission’s agenda is rooted in the strategic objectives of prosperity, solidarity and security, with the continued focus on jobs and growth. Public expectations of the European Union are high, but confidence in Europe's ability to meet these expectations will only come through delivering solutions with a direct impact on citizens' lives. The agenda must bring an open and fully functioning single market; promote solidarity, opportunity, access and sustainability; and increase security.

• A forward looking single market review, to see whether it should be reshaped to offer citizens the freedoms they need in the modern globalised economy;
• A social reality check – a stocktaking of social changes and trends so as to set an agenda for access and solidarity, in parallel to the single market review.

The 10 May paper set the scene for the decision by the European Council in June 2006 to set in train a parallel process to address the outstanding institutional issues. This "twin track" strategy – delivering concrete policies in parallel to moving ahead towards an institutional settlement – now constitutes one of the key guidelines for further EU action.