12th May 2026
New Taskforce, Advisory Panel and Single Market Office positions Ireland as a leader of reform ahead of EU Presidency
Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke TD, has today secured Government approval for a major overhaul of Ireland’s approach to the EU Single Market aimed at tackling persistent barriers holding back Irish businesses and European growth.
Minister Burke said:
“The Single Market is one of Europe’s greatest strengths but it is clear it is not working as it should. Businesses are still facing too many barriers when they try to trade and grow across EU borders.
“The time for action is now. I am putting in place the structures and leadership needed to break down those barriers, support Irish companies to trade and scale across Europe, and ensure the Single Market works in practice, not just in theory.
“With Ireland taking on the EU Presidency later this year, we have a real opportunity to drive progress - cutting unnecessary complexity, supporting our businesses to scale across Europe, and strengthening Europe’s competitiveness in an increasingly challenging global environment. I am pleased that my Department is leading the charge on implementing the Single Market, both in Ireland and as torch-bearers for this topic within the EU.”
At the heart of the plan is a new national implementation framework for the EU’s Single Market Strategy, an initiative designed to tackle fragmented rules across Europe that currently limit trade, competition and growth.
Despite decades of progress, businesses across Europe still face significant obstacles to trading across borders, particularly in services, which account for around 70% of EU GDP but only 20% of intra-EU trade.
The European Commission calculates that fully deepening the Single Market could deliver up to €1.3 trillion in additional economic benefits annually across the EU, driven by increased cross-border trade in goods and services.
Today’s decision sets out a new national framework to drive real progress under the EU’s Single Market Strategy, an initiative designed to tackle fragmented rules across Europe that currently limit trade, competition and growth.
Minister Burke’s plan introduces a coordinated set of measures to strengthen Ireland’s leadership and accelerate delivery:
- A new Single Market Taskforce to drive cross-Government delivery and remove barriers
- A Single Market Office within the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment to spearhead engagement and trouble-shooting across Government Departments, ensuring a joined-up approach
- An Advisory Panel bringing together business, academic and stakeholder expertise to identify and prioritise barriers to tackle
- Appointment of Secretary General Declan Hughes as Ireland’s Single Market “Sherpa”, tasked with ensuring that the political direction is translated into practical action, at both national and EU levels.
Together, these measures will strengthen Ireland’s compliance with Single Market rules, reducing unnecessary regulatory complexity, and ensuring businesses can compete and scale more easily across Europe.
The reforms come at a critical moment. Ireland will hold the Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the second half of 2026, with competitiveness and the Single Market at the centre of the agenda.
Today’s decision ensures Ireland is not just participating in the Single Market debate but is actively leading its reform by reshaping the agenda. By strengthening national governance and taking a proactive approach to removing barriers, Ireland will be well placed to drive progress on one of Europe’s most important economic priorities.
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