An SME expanding abroad in the EU spends on average EUR 10,000 and 14 weeks on paperwork.

Omissions

• The precise figure in the Commission study is 14.4 weeks, which the MEP rounded down to 14 weeks.
• The study covers SMEs (and self-employed workers) carrying out cross-border administrative procedures in the EU, of which expanding into another country is a representative case; it was published in October 2024, before the 2026-07-09 session, so the MEP could have known this data.
• The study's main purpose was to quantify potential savings from the Once-Only Technical System (OOTS), not to single out the cost of expansion per se.

Sources

• PrimaryEuropean Commission — Single Market Economy (news on Once-Only study)SMEs, which currently estimate spending an average of €10 000 on the entire administrative procedure, could reduce their expenditure by 53%.
• PrimaryEuropean Commission — Digital Building Blocks (Once-Only Technical System study)SMEs, who currently spend an average of 14.4 weeks on the entire procedure, could reduce time spent by 6.4 weeks, representing a 44% reduction.