The Delors Plan is an internationally recognized and respected blueprint for making the European Union (EU) work better. The Plan was agreed upon in March 1989, and has since become a guiding document and policy tool for the European Union. It sets out a comprehensive vision for developing and sustaining a more prosperous, secure and united Europe.
The Delors Plan was initially presented to the European Council by former European Commission President Jacques Delors in March 1989. The Plan outlined a three-part agenda aimed at centralizing power, enhancing economic and monetary cooperation, and strengthening the European Union’s competitive position in the global market.
The first component of the Delors Plan was the Single Market Program, which was meant to facilitate the free movement of goods, services, people and capital across member states. The main purpose of the single market was to remove barriers to free trade between countries, as well as to create a single unified economic area for the benefit of consumers and businesses.
As part of the single market program, the European Community would establish a common regulatory framework for product standards and market access, which would be binding on all member states. The European Parliament would set out the criteria for the harmonization of product standards and market access, which would be implemented by the European Commission. The European Commission would also set out guidelines on competition rules, product safety and security, food safety, health and safety, and product labeling regulations.
The second component of the Delors Plan was the European Monetary System (EMS), which was needed in order to promote European economic and monetary cooperation. The EMS allowed for the creation of a single European currency (the euro), which replaced the currencies of the participating countries. The EMS also created a common interest rate and enabled the harmonization of exchange rates.
The third component of the Delors Plan was the European Investment Bank (EIB), which was designed to finance development specifically in the poorer member countries of the European Union. The EIB would provide financial assistance to those nations in order to help them to develop their economies and to become more competitive. The EIB would also create a uniform framework for the development of infrastructure and services, such as roads, railways, telecommunications, water, waste and energy.
The Delors Plan has had a profound effect on the European Union and its members, and has changed the way that Europe is viewed by its citizens. The plan has been instrumental in helping the European Union to become a more dynamic, competitive and efficient economic zone that is better able to respond to global economic change. The Plan has also helped to create a common set of economic standards and rules that are applied on a regional level. This has enabled the European Union to create a single, unified economic area for the benefit of businesses, citizens and the environment.