Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-dh8gc Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-03T05:12:38.888Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Compliance in the single market

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Maria Helena Guimarães
Affiliation:
University of Minho, Portugal

Abstract

This article focuses on the barriers faced by firms due to non-compliance with European law. Although there is an extensive literature on non-compliance in the European Union, there has not been any systematic assessment of the barriers faced by firms in trying to market their products across different national boundaries. We draw on a comprehensive database of over 2000 cases of business complaints about regulatory and administrative barriers encountered in the single market. Our empirical findings survey the range and type of barriers that affect different industrial sectors, the variation in compliance with European law among member states, and the different solutions used to address business complaints about the functioning of the single market. The data shows that firms continue to face considerable challenges in operating the single market, and that there are still trade and growth dividends to be harnessed from addressing the remaining barriers to trade.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © V.K. Aggarwal 2013 and published under exclusive license to Cambridge University Press 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Abbott, K. W. and Snidal, D. 2000. “Hard and soft law in international governance.” International Organization 54 (3): 421456.Google Scholar
Atkins, W. S. 1998. The single market review. Dismantling of barriers, technical barriers to trade. Subseries III, Volume 1. Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities.Google Scholar
Aussilloux, V., Emlinger, C. and Fontagné, L. 2011. What benefits from completing the single market? La Lettre du CEPII No. 316. Paris: Centre d’Études Prospectives et d'Informations Internationales.Google Scholar
Börzel, T. A. 2000. “Why there is no ‘southern problem’. On environmental leaders and laggards in the European Union.” Journal of European Public Policy 7 (1): 141162.Google Scholar
Börzel, T. 2002. “Pace-setting, foot-dragging and fence sitting: member state responses to Europeanization.” Journal of Common Market Studies 40 (2): 193214.Google Scholar
Börzel, T. 2003. Environmental leaders and laggards in Europe: why there is (not) a ‘Southern problem. Aldershot, UK: Ashgate.Google Scholar
Börzel, T., Hofmann, T. and Panke, D. 2012. “Caving in or sitting it out? Longitudinal patterns of non-compliance in the European Union.” Journal of European Public Policy 9 (1): 454471.Google Scholar
Brenton, P., Sheehy, J. and Vancauteren, M. 2001. “Technical barriers to trade in the European Union: importance for accession countries.” Journal of Common Market Studies 39 (2): 265284.Google Scholar
Chatham House (and Accenture). 2004. Unfinished business: making Europe's single market a reality. London: Chatham House.Google Scholar
Chayes, A. and Chayes, A. 1993. “On compliance.” International Organization 47 (2): 175205.Google Scholar
Checkel, J. T. 2001. “Why comply? Social learning and European identity change.” International Organization 55 (3): 553588.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chen, N. and Novy, D. 2011. “Gravity, trade integration, and heterogeneity across industries.” Journal of International Economics 85 (2): 206221.Google Scholar
Economics, Copenhagen. 2005. Economic assessment of the barriers to the internal market for services, 92 p.Google Scholar
Eberlein, B. and Radaelli, C. 2010. “Mechanisms of conflict management in EU regulatory policy.” Public Administration 88 (3): 782799.Google Scholar
EBTP (European Business Test Panel). 2004. ‘Trading goods across the EU – Applying the principle of mutual recognition’. Available at: «http://ec.europa.eu/yourvoice/ebtp/consultations/trading21062004/mutual_en.pdf».Google Scholar
EBTP (European Business Test Panel). 2009. ‘Consultation on Solvit’. Statistics. European Commission. Available at: «http://ec.europa.eu/yourvoice/ebtp/consultations/2009/solvit/solvit_en.pdf».Google Scholar
EBTP (European Business Test Panel). 2011. “Help us identify business obstacles in the Internal Market.” Report. European Commission. Available at: «http://ec.europa.eu/yourvoice/ebtp/consultations/2011/obstacles/report_en.pdf».Google Scholar
Egan, M. 2011. “Single market.” In: Jones, E., Menon, A. and Weatherill, S. (eds.), Handbook of EU politics. Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Commission, European. 2008. Single market review: one year on. (SEC 2008) 3064. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union. European Commission. 2007. “Observatory for SME. 2007. Observatory Survey.” Available at: «http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/sme/facts-figures-analysis/sme-observatory/index_en.htm».Google Scholar
Commission, European. 2010a. “Towards a single market act, for a highly competitive social market economy, 50 proposals for improving our work, business and exchanges with one another.” COM (2010) 608 final, 27 October 2010.Google Scholar
Commission, European. 2010b. Guide to the application of treaty provisions governing the free movement of goods. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union.Google Scholar
Commission, European. 2011. “Single market act. Twelve levers to boost growth and strengthen confidence.” COM (2011) 206 final, 13 April 2011.Google Scholar
Commission, European. 2012. “Single market act II. Together for new growth.” COM (2012) 573 final, 3 October 2012.Google Scholar
Falkner, G. and Treib, O. 2008. “Three worlds of compliance or four? The EU-15 compared to new member states.” Journal of Common Market Studies 46 (2): 293313.Google Scholar
Falkner, G., Treib, O., Hartlapp, M. and Leiber, S. 2005. Complying with Europe. The impact of EU minimum Harmonisation and soft law in the member states. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fontagné, L., Mimouni, M. and Pasteels, J.-M. 2005. “Estimating the impact of environmental SPS and TBT on international trade.” Integration and Trade Journal 22 (3): 737.Google Scholar
Guimarães, M. H., Faria, A. P. and Barbosa, N. 2010. “Determinants of non-tariff barriers in intra-EU trade.” In: Guimarães, M. H. and Faria, A. P. (eds.), Product market integration: a multifaceted approach. Bingley, UK: Emerald.Google Scholar
Hamilton, D. S. 2010. Europe 2020: Competitive or complacent? Washington: Center for Transatlantic Relations, Johns Hopkins University.Google Scholar
Hartlapp, M. and Falkner, G. 2009. “European union politics problems of operationalization and data in EU compliance research.” European Union Politics 10 (2): 281304.Google Scholar
Hartlapp, M. and Leiber, S. 2010. “The implementation of EU social policy: the ‘Southern problem revisited’.” Journal of European Public Policy 17 (4): 468486.Google Scholar
Heremans, T. 2011. The single market in need of a strategic relaunch. Egmont Paper No 43. Brussels: Royal Institute of International Affairs.Google Scholar
Héritier, A. 1999. Policymaking and diversity in Europe: escaping from deadlock. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Héritier, A., Kerwer, D., Knill, C., Lehmkuhl, D., Teutsch, M. and Druillet, A.-C. 2001. Differential Europe: new opportunities and restrictions for policymaking in the member states. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield.Google Scholar
Ilkovitz, F., Dierx, A., Kovacs, V. and Sousa, N. 2007. “Steps towards a deeper economic integration: the internal market in the 21ste century. A contribution to the single market review.” European Economy Economic Papers 271. Brussels: European Commission.Google Scholar
Kelemen, R. D. and Sibbitt, E. C. 2004. “The globalization of American law.” International Organization 58 (1): 103136.Google Scholar
Knill, C. 1998. “Implementing European policies: the impact of national administrative traditions.” Journal of Public Policy 18 (1): 128.Google Scholar
Knill, C. and Lenschow, A. 1998. “The impact of British and German administrations on the implementation of EU environmental policy.” Journal of European Public Policy 5 (4): 595614.Google Scholar
Koutalakis, C. 2004. “Environmental compliance in Italy and Greece: the role of non-state actors.” Environmental Politics 13 (4): 754774.Google Scholar
Kox, H., Dekker, P., van der Horst, A., Lejour, A., Straathof, B., Tammes, P. and Wennekers, C. 2007. Market place Europe − 50 years of market integration in the European Union. European Outlook 5, The Hague: Netherlands Institute for Social Research and Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis.Google Scholar
Krislov, S., Ehlermann, C. D. and Weiler, J. 1986. “The political organ and the decision-making process in the United States and the European community.” In: Cappelletti, M., Seccombe, M. and Weiler, J. (eds.), Integration through law, methods, tools and institutions: political organs, integration techniques and judicial process. Berlin: De Gruyter.Google Scholar
Lejour, A. 2010. “The prospects for the internal market in services after the great recession.” Paper presented at the State of the European Economic Union Conference, November, American University, Washington DC.Google Scholar
Linos, K. 2007. “How can international organizations shape national welfare states? Evidence from compliance with European Union directives.” Comparative Political Studies 40 (5): 547570.Google Scholar
Majone, G. 1996. Regulating Europe. New York: Routledge.Google Scholar
Mansfield, E. D. and Busch, M. L. 1995. “The political economy of non-tariff barriers: a cross-national analysis.” International Organization 49 (4): 723749.Google Scholar
Maskus, K. E. and Wilson, J. S. (eds.). 2001. Quantifying the impact of technical barriers to trade: can it be done? Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.Google Scholar
Mastenbroek, E. 2005. “EU compliance: still a black hole?Journal of European Public Policy 12 (6): 11031120.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mbaye, H. A. D. 2001. “Why National states comply with supranational law. Explaining implementation. Infringements in the European Union, 1972–1993.” European Union Politics 2 (3): 259281.Google Scholar
McCubbins, M. and Schwarz, T. 1984. “Congressional oversight overlooked: police patrols versus fire alarms.” American Journal of Political Science 28 (1): 165179.Google Scholar
Menz, G. 2005. Varieties of capitalism and Europeanization: national response strategies to the single European market. Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Mitchell, R. 1996. “Compliance theory: an overview.” In: Cameron, J., Werksman, J. and Roderick, P. (eds.), Improving compliance with international environmental Law. London: Earthscan.Google Scholar
Monti, M. 2010. “A new strategy for the single market. At the service of Europe's economy and society.” Report to the president of the European Commission, Brussels.Google Scholar
OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development). 2007. Economic survey of the European Union: ever closer union? Moving forward in the single market. Paris: OECD Economics Department Publications.Google Scholar
Pelkmans, J. 2007. “Mutual recognition in goods, on promises and disillusions.” Journal of European Public Policy 14 (5): 699716.Google Scholar
Pelkmans, J. 2010. Mutual recognition: rationale, logic and application in the EU internal goods market. Paper presented at the XIIth Travemuender Symposium on Oekonomische Analyse des Europarechts: Primaerrecht, Sekundaerrecht und die Rolle des EuGH, March, Hamburg.Google Scholar
Pelkmans, J. 2011a. “European Union single market: economic impact.” In: Durlauf, S. N. and Blume, L. E. (eds.), The new palgrave dictionary of economics. Online Edition.Google Scholar
Pelkmans, J. 2011b. “The case for ‘more single market’.” Policy brief 234. Brussels: Center for European Policy Studies.Google Scholar
Perkins, R. and Neumayer, E. 2007. “Do membership benefits buy regulatory compliance?European Union Politics 8 (2): 180206.Google Scholar
Roberts, D. and DeRemer, K. 1997. An overview of foreign technical barriers to U.S. agricultural exports. Staff Paper AGES-9705. Washington: Economic Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture.Google Scholar
Siedentopf, H. and Ziller, J. (eds.). 1988. Making European policies work: the implementation of community legislation in the member states. London: Sage.Google Scholar
Steuenberg, B. 2000. “Seeing what you want to see: the limits of current modelling on the European Union.” European Union Politics 1 (3): 368373.Google Scholar
Surinach, J., Manca, F. and Moren, R. 2011. Extension of the study on the diffusion of innovation in the internal market. European Economy Economic Papers 438. Brussels: European Commission.Google Scholar
Tallberg, J. 2002. “Paths to compliance: enforcement, management, and the European Union.” International Organization 56 (3): 609643.Google Scholar
UNCTAD (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development). 2000. Non-tariff measures with potentially restrictive market access. Implications emerging in a post-uruguay round context. New York: United Nations Publications.Google Scholar
Vancauteren, M. 2002. “The Impact of Technical Barriers to Trade on Home Bias: An application to EU data.” Discussion Paper (IRES) 2002032, Université catholique de Louvain, Institut de Recherches Economiques et Sociales (IRES). Belgium.Google Scholar
Van den Braak, P. C. 2010. “The practitioners’ view: a prosperous European product market is our ongoing business.” In: Guimarães, M. H. and Faria, A. P. (eds.), Product market integration: a multi-faceted approach. Bingley: Emerald.Google Scholar
Walkenhorst, P. 2004. “Pervasiveness and patterns of non-tariff measures affecting EU agri-food exports.” Agricultural Economics Review 5 (1): 4555.Google Scholar
Young, O. R. 1979. Compliance and public authority: a theory with international applications. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.Google Scholar