In the past two years it was the corona pandemic – today it is the war in Ukraine that is causing the European economy to falter. In order to be better prepared for future crises, the European Commission has now presented an emergency instrument for the internal market (SMEI). This should make supply chains within the EU more crisis-proof.

Emergency plan in two stages

The Commission’s proposal envisages two crisis levels that can be used to respond to emerging crises: the „vigilance mode“ and the “emergency mode”. The aim is to continue to maintain the movement of goods, services and people within the EU.

The emergency instrument is intended to replace the previous ad hoc measures with structural solutions and ensure coordinated cooperation with the EU member states, explains Thierry Breton, European Commission.

Positive feedback

Praise for the proposal comes for example from the federal government. Coordination and transparency are essential for a functioning internal market in times of crisis, according to Dr. Franziska Brantner, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection. The Government wants to get involved in the negotiations.

Peter Adrian, President of the Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (DIHK), also welcomes the SMEI project, as the DIHK reports. Clear processes can save valuable time in an emergency. However, he warns against imposing too many bureaucratic obligations on companies.

Sources: dihk.de, Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection (german)