Agreement on emergency instrument

Following intensive negotiations, in which Germany was able to play a key role, the EU member states have adopted the Internal Market Emergency and Resilience Act. Following the experiences of the Covid-19 pandemic, the EU Commission presented an ambitious proposal for an emergency instrument in September 2022 to make the EU internal market resilient to future crises and supply chain difficulties.

"Recent crises have shown that the internal market can face particular challenges, especially in crisis situations, but at the same time its functioning is indispensable for overcoming the crisis. Against this backdrop, it is good that the negotiations on a common internal market emergency instrument have been concluded before the end of the current legislative period. With this instrument in place, the EU and its members have created the basis for preparing for future, as yet unknown and unforeseen emergencies and crises and, if necessary, being able to respond to them in a coordinated, rapid and adequate manner. With the regulation, we are creating a balanced instrument that is efficient and at the same time avoids unnecessary bureaucratic burdens for companies and the administration," said Parliamentary State Secretary Dr. Franziska Brantner.

The Regulation serves to improve resilience and crisis preparedness in the EU and to strengthen its ability to act in future crises. To this end, the instrument improves transparency and the exchange of information between the member states, the EU Commission and companies. Crisis protocols, stress tests and simulations are intended to enable the EU to take coordinated action in future crises. On the other hand, in the event of a crisis, certain uncoordinated national measures that impair the internal market are to be prohibited in future.

In order to counter supply bottlenecks, the EU Commission, with the involvement of the member states, can also request information from companies that is required to overcome the crisis and recommend the production of certain crisis-relevant and strategically important goods for the EU. The Single Market Emergency Instrument also includes adjustments to the harmonized procedures for standardization, conformity assessment and market surveillance for so-called crisis-relevant goods in order to be able to place them on the market more quickly in the event of a crisis. Finally, the EU Commission can centrally procure products and services required to overcome the crisis at the request of the member states or together with them.

Following today's decision by the EU Member States, the Single Market Emergency Instrument still has to be formally adopted by the European Parliament. Following the formal decision by the Council, the EU Commission and the member states will then have 18 months to take the necessary implementation measures, including setting up liaison offices and central contact points and expanding existing IT systems.