Single Market Scoreboard 2022: Finland continues to perform well in enforcing EU rules 

The EU has updated its Single Market Scoreboard especially with regard to the transposition of EU legislation in 2022. The results indicate that Member States have made some progress in implementing and enforcing the single market rules despite the shock to the single market caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Finland’s performance continues to be above EU average.

In July, the European Commission issued its new Annual Report on Monitoring the Application of EU Law. The report sets out the action the Commission took in 2022 to ensure that EU rules are enforced. Finland supports the efforts to improve the enforcement of EU legislation. The Commission also published its Single Market Scoreboard for 2022 enforcement data.

The single market guarantees the free movement of goods, people, capital and services in the EU. By improving their implementation of the single market rules, Member States can ensure that companies and people get more out of the freedoms and rights of the single market.

Every year the Commission publishes the Single Market Scoreboard reviewing each Member State’s performance in implementing and applying the single market rules. The comparison by country aims to show Member States the areas where they should focus on to improve the performance of the single market. The Scoreboard compares the implementation of the single market rules in different policy areas and the use of enforcement tools.

The July update to the Scoreboard focuses on the enforcement of single market rules in 2022. The next Scoreboard update will be published in early 2024.

Ensuring the functioning of the single market a special focus in 2022

Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Commission has focused especially on the functioning of the single market and taken decisive action against barriers, such as export bans on cereals and construction materials. 

The Commission has also worked hard to protect the free movement of workers, for example by fighting discrimination based on residence in the area of employment benefits and family allowances. It has also worked to safeguard the residence rights of first-time EU jobseekers in another Member State.

Progress in enforcing the single market rules; the number of infringement cases continues to fall

The 2022 Single Market Scoreboard shows that Member States made progress in transposing, implementing and enforcing the single market rules. The average percentage of all single market directives that have not been transposed into national law within the transposition period decreased from 1.6% to 1.1%. Finland’s transposition deficit was below the EU average at 0.9%. The EU-level percentage of directives that have not been correctly transposed remained stable at 1.3%.

The number of pending single market infringement cases has continued its declining trend. Altogether 713 infringement cases were pending in 2022, showing a decrease of 4%. One explanation for the fall is the wider use of the early problem-solving mechanism (EU Pilot), combined with the use of compliance tools such as dialogue with Member States, which has helped remove trade barriers despite the pandemic. The Commission used the EU Pilot mechanism, among others, as an efficient means to check and clarify transposition issues, to gather additional factual or legal information from Member States or to remind them of notification and reporting obligations. 

Excellent performance by Finland in cross-border cooperation in information and assistance services

Finland performed particularly well in administrative cooperation between national authorities. The use of the Internal Market Information System (IMI) has increased steadily since its launch in 2008.   In 2022, IMI supported 95 cross-border procedures in 19 legal areas. As of January 2022 IMI supports four new procedures, including the enforcement of the posting rules for operators and drivers in the road transport sector.

The Single Market Transparency Directive (EU) 2015/1535 prevents trade barriers to products and information society services. In 2022, 924 technical regulations and services were notified to the Commission by EU Member States, EEA countries, Switzerland and Türkiye. Finland made 22 notifications.

SOLVIT is an informal network of Member States that helps citizens and companies in solving problems with incorrect or incomplete application of EU regulations. In 2022, SOLVIT reached its 20th anniversary.

The number of SOLVIT cases was 2,271 in 2022. Finland’s caseload totalled 24. The European Labour Authority (ELA) and SOLVIT concluded an agreement allowing national SOLVIT centres to refer to the ELA any outstanding SOLVIT cases concerning the free movement of labour in the EU.

Ensuring sufficient human resources is crucial for the further development of the SOLVIT network. Cases are always processed by two centres, which means that limited human resources in one centre can delay the processing of the case in other centres. Finland, too, should do more to ensure sufficient resources at its SOLVIT centre. Finland’s national SOLVIT centre operates under the auspices of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment.

Inquiries:
Isabella Paju, Senior Specialist, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, tel. +358 50 574 4877

Links:
Single Market Scoreboard
Single Market Scoreboard: Country data for Finland
Press release of the European Commission on the 2022 Single Market Scoreboard, 14 July 2023
Single market of the EU and free movement – Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment