On 16 March, the Commission proposed a comprehensive set of actions to ensure the EU's access to a secure, diversified, affordable and sustainable supply of critical raw materials. Critical raw materials are indispensable for a wide set of strategic sectors including the net zero industry, the digital industry, aerospace, and defence sectors.

European Critical Raw Materials Regulation - Communication - Questions & Answers - Factsheet

Critical Raw Materials are essential for the deployment of the technologies that enable the green and digital transitions and allow Europe to reach its climate neutrality ambitions by 2050. The acceleration of the green and digital transitions will increase the European and global demand for those critical raw materials. The EU must ensure that it can secure the critical raw materials it will need in the future. Check out our latest Business Planet video on Critical Raw Materials.

On 16 March, the Commission proposed the Net-Zero Industry Act to scale up manufacturing of clean technologies in the EU and make sure the Union is well-equipped for the clean-energy transition. The proposed act will create better conditions to set up net-zero projects in Europe and attract investments, with the aim that the Union’s overall strategic net-zero technologies manufacturing capacity approaches or reaches at least 40% of the Union’s deployment needs by 2030. This will accelerate the progress towards the EU’s 2030 climate and energy targets and the transition to climate neutrality, while boosting the competitiveness of EU industry, creating quality jobs, and supporting the EU’s efforts to become energy independent.

A Net-Zero Industry Act - Questions & Answers - Factsheet on the Net-Zero Industry Act

On 16 March, the Commission has published two Communications celebrating the 30^th anniversary of the Single Market and setting out how to secure Long-term competitiveness of the EU. The Single Market is undoubtedly the engine of the EU's society and economy. Further reduction of barriers and integration, especially for services, are essential for the Single Market to remain the key driver of EU's competitiveness. In the current geopolitical context, the EU is at a make-or-break moment to succeed in the twin green and digital transition and remain an attractive place for businesses. The long-term view on competitiveness outlines how the EU can build on its strengths and achieve more than merely bridging the growth and innovation gap. A forward-looking, well-defined and coordinated EU framework will foster thriving businesses, able to compete on the global market, with attractive jobs and setting global standards.

Communication On the Single Market at 30 - Long-term view on Competitiveness - Questions & Answers - Factsheet on the 30^th anniversary of the Single Market - Factsheet on the Long-term Competitiveness Strategy of the EU

On 7 March, the Industrial Forum reconvened to exchange on the Green Deal Industrial Plan recently adopted by the Commission, the Global Gateway Strategy and on the 30th Anniversary of the Single Market. Commissioner Thierry Breton highlighted the importance of accelerating the twin transition with the new Green Deal Industrial Plan, enhancing skills, improving access to private capital, decarbonising energy supply and scaling up investment in research and innovation. The Critical Raw Materials Act and the Net-Zero Industry Act recently adopted by the Commission will provide a more supportive environment for the scaling up of the EU's manufacturing capacity for net-zero technologies and products, reducing administrative burdens. This will also contribute to European strategy to boost long-term competitiveness in the Single Market. Collaboration is key to better build the future of Europe and the role of the Industrial Forum is essential to make those policies a success. Representatives of young Europeans were also invited to take part in the discussion, their interventions were welcome and enriched the debate.

On 16 March, the Commission published a Communication that presents the vision for the concrete implementation of the Public Procurement Data Space (PPDS) and the expected benefits for companies, SMEs, public buyers, policymakers and citizens. As this holds high value for the Single Market, the present Communication is published along with the communication “Single Market at 30”, as it showcases the expected benefits for companies, SMEs, public buyers, policymakers and citizens which holds high value for the Single Market.  

On 3 March, EU and stakeholders met in a roundtable under the EU-US Trade and Technology Council to discuss due diligence for responsible business conduct in supply chains. Over 400 stakeholders representing various industries and NGOs met with EU and US government representatives to discuss recent developments, potential areas of cooperation, necessary supporting measures and the role stakeholders can play in implementing effective due diligence in supply chains. 

The European Labour Authority (ELA), in cooperation with DG GROW’s SOLVIT team, organised on 8-9 March in Bratislava, a training programme in the field of EU labour mobility dedicated to SOLVIT representatives from all EU Member States. 

The study provides a varied picture in terms of the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic had on EU start-ups and also provides some insights concerning the public support during the pandemic as well as the challenges that start-ups face.

On 7-8 March, the 30th Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs Network Meeting in Santiago de Compostela marked several significant milestones in the programme – celebrating 11 000 built business exchanges, welcoming new local organisations to the programme, discussing 30 years of the single market, awarding the most innovative programme entrepreneurs of the programme and highlighting the growing role of women in entrepreneurship on 8 March.

The Commission has launched two calls for proposals under the joint title “ReadyForEU”, with a total budget of €7.5 million. The two calls aim at helping Ukrainian entrepreneurs and businesses to benefit from the Single Market. The calls are funded under the Single Market Programme and follow the recent agreement for Ukraine to join the programme, signed by President von der Leyen and Ukraine's Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal on 2 February 2023.

On 27 March, EISMEA will host an informative session about the Call for proposals 'Erasmus for Young entrepreneurs - Ukraine'

Enterprise Europe Network Thuringia is organising thematic tables among experts, stakeholders and Thuringian SMEs on 24 March. The five thematic tables will cover - the need for skilled workers, sustainability, financing, internationalisation and digitalisation. Regional experts will show how companies can benefit from the advantages of the EU internal market and who can provide practical support. Click the 'More' button to register.

The EU FINANCE DAYS are organised by the European Commission and implementing partners to present new financial and support programmes such as InvestEU, Single Market Programme and the European Innovation Council to businesses and relevant stakeholders. Join us at the next EU FINANCE DAY in Athens (web streaming will be available) on 30 March. Click the 'More' button to register.

On 31 March, the European Commission Representation in Latvia will organise an information event on the 30th Anniversary of the Single Market and the future opportunities for entrepreneurs in Latvia. Latvian entrepreneurs, as well as organisations related to it, will have the opportunity to get acquainted more widely with the advantages of the European Union Single Market for entrepreneurship, the assessment of the Latvian business environment, as well as the available support tools to promote the growth of their company.

DG GROW will be at the Hannover Messe 2023! If you plan to visit the fair, make sure to pass by the European Commission exhibition stand (D-05) in hall 12! Next to our interactive exhibition space we will offer you a varied program in our on-stand auditorium. Listen to talks or come an join us for panel discussions with our experts. Each day of the fair, a different topic will be in the spotlight: Energy and Net-Zero Industry (Monday 17 April); Raw Materials (Tuesday 18 April); Access to Finance (Wednesday 19 April); Industrial Cooperation (Thursday 20 April); 30 years of the Single Market (Friday 21 April). If you have concrete questions – be it on access to finance, finding business partners or intellectual property rights – our experts will sit down with you in our support corner and try to find a solution. 

The European Labour Mobility Congress is the most prestigious cyclical event on the posting of workers and legal aspects of cross- border provision of services in the European Union. The 2023 edition is taking place in Krakow on 24-25 April.

The Single Market Forum conference is organised in Stockholm by the the European Commission together with Swedish Presidency and will mark the 30th anniversary of the EU single market. It will be a full-day event and include high-level discussions in addition to thematic workshops.

The 2023 yearly cycle of GROW Fellowship Programme has just been launched. The programme has attracted numerous submissions, allowing to pick ten fellow economists with very high reputation and an interesting range of fields of expertise and research interests. This programme aims to generate rich exchanges contributing to DG GROW analysis and policy making, but also feeding back into the academic activity of the fellows with possible reciprocal benefits.

Building on the success of the previous edition of the Intelligent Cities Challenge programme (2020-22) and its predecessor Digital Cities Challenge (2017-19), the second phase of the Intelligent Cities Challenge (ICC) has now been launched and cities are called to express their interest by applying now on the ICC website. 

Are you ready to transform the world of electronic invoicing? The Commission is collecting feedback via the eInvoicing Call for Evidence from relevant stakeholders and the wider public regarding the effects of the eInvoicing Directive on the internal market; its adoption in public procurement; the success of the Directive in meeting its objectives; and the consistency of the Directive with other EU initiatives, such as the VAT in the Digital Age, the EU standardisation strategy and the specifications of the eDelivery Building Block. The input received will be used to inform a report on the evaluation of the Directive and any potential future actions.

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