One Market needs One Law - Towards a European Business Code
Europe has built a single market.
Goods, services, capital, and people circulate freely across 27 nations.
But businesses still navigate 27 different legal systems.
π One market. 27 laws.
That’s not a true single market — it’s a single market with 27 business laws.
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From the 1986 Single European Act under Jacques Delors to today’s momentum led by Ursula von der Leyen, Europe has not yet fully delivered on the vision of “One Europe, One Market.”
Now, it is time to complete it.
π One Market, One Law
π One Market Needs One Law
π One Europe Needs One European Business Code
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Beyond the 28th Regime
Current discussions focus on a “28th regime” — an optional European legal framework alongside national systems.
This is a bold step, an historic opportunity which must not be squandered. It has to be carefully crafted by highly professional lawyers.
It is a credibility issue for Europe.
π The real ambition must be clear:
Moving towards a European Business Code, a common optional business legal framework open to all businesses across Europe.
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From Fragmentation to Coherence
This is not about replacing national systems.
It is about progressively building legal unity, through:
* codification
* harmonization
* convergence
So that the Single Market can finally operate as one.
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Conclusion
The next step for the single market isn’t reinvention.
It’s completion.
Europe already has One Market.
Its businesses have one fundamental need: clarity, simplicity, legal certainty.
π One Market Needs One Law.
π Towards a European Business Code.