For tech startups, the European Single Market remains largely a fiction

A survey of 155 tech startup founders shows that the main challenges they face stem not so much from the level of regulation as from its fragmentation. More than one in two companies has given up on expanding into another member state, and the costs of compliance are an additional obstacle.

The digital single market is often presented as one of the European Union’s main strengths compared to the United States or China. However, a survey published by DutchBasecamp, in partnership with CCIA Europe, paints a much bleaker picture: for many young tech companies, this single market remains largely theoretical. The report does not focus on the GAFAM companies, but rather on 155 startup founders and tech company executives, primarily based in the European Union and active…