Economic growth and improving Europe’s competitiveness depend on the development of a true single market. Emergence of a true single market, however, requires businesses to be able to easily expand their activities into other countries, entering new markets to maximise their potential.
The Simple Procedures Online for Cross-border Service (SPOCS) project, in tandem with the EU Services Directive implemented in 2009, has made it easier to set up businesses in another country through Points of Single Contact (PSC) – a one-stop shop providing businesses with electronic access to all the administrative steps needed to create and/or expand their business beyond national borders.
Good practice example:
An Italian real estate agent wants to expand his business to Bremen, Germany. The information provided by the Bremen PSC does not currently specify the Italian documents required. Will he be able to find his way through, including the information from his own home office? Will the transaction be secure? Yes, SPOCS will allow him to do all the administrative procedures online and cross-border via the Point of Single Contact!
From an original participation of five countries, SPOCS has expanded to include 16 countries. Throughout its implementation, SPOCS has worked with standardisation bodies and influential market players, such as the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), to help ensure the sustainable continuation of the project in the years to come.
With this in mind, a Consultation Meeting on SPOCS Final Reports will take place on 20 June 2012 in Brussels. Importantly, this meeting will provide an ideal opportunity for those countries and industry stakeholders outside SPOCS to hear for themselves the lessons learned from the SPOCS project, the successes stemming from it and its sustainability. Furthermore, it will help build relationships among those partners taking place in future projects.