Single market emergency instrument : September 2022.
Date: 2023-01-25
Institutions: Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs
Subjects: State aid, aid to undertakings, company in difficulties, coronavirus disease, epidemic, goods and services, infectious disease

SINGLE MARKET 
EMERGENCY INSTRUMENT
September 2022

#SOTEU

2022

Recent crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic have disrupted the 
normal functioning of the Single Market and Europe’s economy. The 
Single Market Emergency Instrument builds on the lessons learned 
from these crises to ensure that Europe is better prepared to face 
possible emergencies in the future. 

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF THE INITIATIVE?

FOR EVERYONE

Improved EU response to crises

• 
•  Better availability of crisis-relevant goods and services 
•  Avoid obstacles to the free movement of goods, services and persons

FOR COMPANIES
•  Better foresight and planning for emergencies
•  Less trade restrictions, less delays in production, lower prices of inputs
•  More legal certainty and predictability 

FOR CITIZENS
•  More secure employment due to less disruptions to cross-border trade 
•  Better availability of products and services at lower prices
•  Better quality of life for citizens 

HOW WILL THE SMEI RELATE TO OTHER EU RULES? 

SMEI does not apply when other EU 
instruments lay down crisis relevant 
provisions such as HERA (Health 
Emergency Preparedness and Response 
Authority), the EU Chips Act or the UCPM 
(EU civil protection mechanism).

Introduces possible derogations 
to EU harmonised product 
legislation to allow for a quicker 
placing on the market of crisis-
relevant goods. 

 
 
NEW CRISIS GOVERNANCE FRAMEWORK FOR THE SINGLE MARKET
The Single Market Emergency Instrument proposes a comprehensive new governance architecture for different 
levels of risks to the functioning of the Single Market. 

Advisory Group 
coordinates and advises the Commission 

      Contingency  
      Planning 
This framework applies when 
there is no crisis and the Single 
Market functions normally. 

      Single Market  
      Vigilance 
Activated by a Commission 
decision when an event requires 
vigilance measures. 

      Single Market  
      Emergency
Activated by a Council decision if 
a crisis leads to a severe impact 
on the Single Market. 

TOOLBOX OF CRISIS RESPONSE MEASURES

Contingency Planning
•  Preparing crisis protocols, crisis communication, training and simulations
•  Establishing an early warning system for Single Market disruptions

Single Market Vigilance
•  Monitoring the supply chains of goods and services of strategic importance
•  Building up strategic reserves of identified goods of strategic importance
•  Facilitates public procurement of identified goods or services of strategic 

importance

Single Market Emergency 
EMERGENCY FRAMEWORK
•  Principles to facilitate and re-establish the free movement of people, goods and                      

services on the Single Market

•  Freeze on new restrictions to the free movement of goods, services and people
• 

Improved transparency requires Member States to notify new restrictions as soon as possible and  
establish single points of contact for companies

•  Recommendations to Member States to facilitate availability and supply of crisis-relevant goods by expanding   

or repurposing production facilities or accelerating permitting

•  Recommendations to Member States to facilitate targeted and coordinated distribution of strategic reserves
•  Facilitates public procurement of crisis-relevant goods and services by the Commission on behalf of Member  

States

LAST-RESORT MEASURES
•  Requests for information from economic operators
•  Calls for priority rated orders
•  Targeted derogations of harmonised product legislation

© European Union, 2022. Reuse of this document is allowed, provided appropriate credit is given and any changes are 
indicated (Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license). For any use or reproduction of elements that are not 
owned by the EU, permission may need to be sought directly from the respective right holders. All images © European 
Union, © AdobeStock © flaticon

Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2022

PDF       ISBN 978-92-76-56742-4    doi:10.2873/549121    ET-09-22-498-EN-N