EU Pushes Toward a Single Market That Can Fuel Large-Scale Growth

In a recent State of the Union speech, Ursula von der Leyen called for turning the EU’s sheer market size into a genuine engine of growth, setting the tone for a comprehensive competitiveness plan. The Commission’s agenda now spans Single Market completion, curbing national “gold-plating”, capital-market integration, faster permitting and banking simplifications, with more than 200 initiatives logged and dozens already enacted.

The “One Europe, One Market” roadmap, agreed in April 2026, sets legislative targets through the end of 2027 and includes quarterly progress reviews. Parallel to institutional efforts, the Rhine Group—launched by Mario Draghi and Stripe co-founder Patrick Collison—advocates for the political conditions needed to implement these reforms. A key financial tool, the Scaleup Europe Fund, aims to mobilise around €5 billion, anchored by a €1 billion EU pledge, and has already co-financed a round for Finnish satellite operator ICEYE.

While financing is crucial, experts warn that without harmonised rules, reduced compliance costs and integrated energy and capital markets, companies will still face fragmented barriers across member states. The upcoming Greek Council Presidency in 2027 will steer the final push toward cohesive implementation.