“Barriers down - how to restore the freedom to provide services and regain competitiveness.” Take a look at Session I of the European Labour Mobility Congress 2026, recently organised in Warsaw by the European Labour Mobility Institute (ELMI).
Barriers within the Single Market are no longer just a regulatory issue. They are increasingly becoming a structural threat to Europe’s competitiveness and, in the light of the Draghi Report, part of a broader, existential challenge concerning Europe’s future, security, prosperity and quality of life.
Session I focused on one central question: how can we restore the freedom to provide services in practice?
The scale of the problem:
– barriers in services within the EU are estimated to be equivalent to a 110% tariff
– administrative burdens related to posting cost European service providers €635 million annually
The discussion brought together Marcin Kiełbasa, Nadia Winiarska, Grzegorz Marciniszyn, Stefan Schwarz and Przemysław Schmidt, who pointed to a growing paradox:
– the Single Market is designed to enable cross-border service provision
– in practice, national regulations and administrative practices increasingly restrict it
One conclusion stood out clearly: without removing these barriers, there will be no real competitiveness and no effective Single Market for services.
Beyond the immediate discussion, the session also touched on the broader context of European policies and the growing divergence in national regulations, which affects competitiveness and the long-term development of the EU economy.
Held under the patronage of the Coalition of Polish Service Exporters, the session highlighted how central this issue has become for business and policymakers alike.
An open question remains: how can business and policymakers work together to remove these barriers before they cause further damage to Europe’s economy?
🎬 Watch the full session here:
