EU moves to make pan-European business easier

Digital single market strategy gets off the ground as officials meet today

UK tech and digital companies will be better able to do business across the EU once a new digital single market (DSM) is put in place, according to a newly created task force.

The Digital Single Market (DSM) strategy was first mooted by UK politicians in January, and today officials from across the EU met for the first time to discuss the matter in more detail, ahead of publishing a strategy in May.

The officials claim that there are too many barriers that block consumers and businesses from getting the most from the internet. Inefficiency in cross-border deliveries and geo-blocking – where users can only access sites in their own region – are the key issues hampering the success of EU businesses, according to the group.

To overcome such obstacles, the EU has asked the Juncker Commission to break down the barriers and create the DSM strategy.

Vice president for the DSM Andrus Ansip said the strategy will make doing business smoother across the EU.

"Let us do away with all those fences and walls that block us online," he said.

"People must be able to freely go across borders online just as they do offline. Innovative businesses must be helped to grow across the EU, not remain locked into their home market.

"This will be an uphill struggle all the way, but we need an ambitious start. Europe should benefit fully from the digital age: better services, more participation and new jobs."

Commissioner for digital economy and society Günther Oettinger added: "Europe cannot be at the forefront of the digital revolution with a patchwork of 28 different rules for telecommunications services, copyright, IT security and data protection. We need a European market, which allows new business models to flourish, start-ups to grow and the industry to take advantage of the Internet of Things. And people have to invest too – in their IT skills, be it in their job or their leisure time."