The Single Market Programme as a Stimulus to Change: Comparisons between Britain and Germany (National Institute of Economic and Social Research Occasional Papers)

This book offers an up-to-date analysis of the differences in the impact of the Single European Market (SEM) on the UK and Germany. It outlines the effect that the SEM was expected to have on the two countries and contrasts this with actual progress. This comparison is based on published data and a detailed survey of four industries. It shows that while the SEM has had an impact, many measures have had a far weaker effect than expected. The existence of other barriers not tackled by the SEM program, poor implementation, and delays all helped to mute the response; while German unification, global business trends and the recent recession helped dominate the impact of the SEM. Nevertheless, the SEM stands out as one of the striking influences on British and German industries for many years.