Single market programme mid-term evaluation : supporting study : final report

The Single Market Programme (SMP) is an EU funding programme providing EUR 4.2 billion over the period of 2021-2027 for an integrated package to improve the functioning of the internal market and protect and empower citizens and businesses, in particular SMEs. It brings together six predecessor programmes and a number of predecessor budget lines from the previous period (2014-2020). The programme is implemented in six pillars, each of which is focussed on one of the six specific objectives set out in the SMP Regulation. These pillars relate to, respectively: i) making the internal market more effective; ii) strengthening the competitiveness and sustainability of SMEs; iii) ensuring effective European standards and international financial and non-financial reporting and auditing standards; iv) promoting the interests of consumers and ensuring a high level of consumer protection and product safety; v) contributing to a high level of health and safety for humans, animals and plants in plant, animal, food and feed areas; and vi) developing, producing, disseminating and communicating high quality European statistics. This programme-level report presents the findings of the mid-term evaluation, which relates to activity during the years 2021-2023. It is complemented by separate reports for each of the six pillars.