1992 and beyond : the institutional dimension of the internal market programme

Abstract

When the Delors Commission decided to make the internal market the first priority of its term, this choice met with some surprise in Community circles. The aim itself, as endorsed by the Brussels European Council in 1985 - 'to achieve a single market by 1992' - appeared extremely modest, especially when compared with the grand designs for relaunching European integration which were still under discussion. At a time when people were debating major issues like the reform of Community decision-making processes, the establishment of European Union, or the necessity to safeguard Europe's position vis-h-vis Japan and the United States, such an objective did not seem lilcely to arouse a renewed interest for integration matters amongst Community citizens. It could even be argued that the abolition of internal frontiers fell short of the goal set by the EEC Treaty almost three decades earlier: the creation of a common marltet in a11 factors of production.