The 27 different regulatory systems in the European Union are equivalent to an internal tariff of 110% on services.

Omissions

• The 110% figure is an IMF econometric estimate based on gravity models, not a directly observed or measured tariff rate. It captures the trade-reducing effect of all internal barriers (regulatory, administrative, linguistic, etc.), not solely the existence of 27 distinct regulatory systems.
• The CEPR (Centre for Economic Policy Research) has published a methodological critique arguing that the IMF's 44-45% estimate for goods does not hold up under scrutiny, which may also affect confidence in the services estimate derived from a similar modelling approach.
• The MEP frames the figure as a customs-duty equivalent of '27 systems', whereas the original IMF research attributes the barrier to the broader fragmentation of the single market, particularly the incomplete single market for services.

Sources

• PrimaryIMF — Europe's Choice: Policies for Growth and ResilienceFor services, these estimated barriers are even steeper, equivalent to a 110 percent tariff.
• PrimaryIMF Finance & Development — Europe's Integration ImperativeHigh trade barriers within Europe are equivalent to an ad valorem cost of 44 percent for manufactured goods and 110 percent for services, IMF research shows.
• SecondaryCEPR VoxEU — No, the EU does not impose a 45% tariff on itselfThe IMF estimates that the internal barriers within the Single Market are equivalent to a 45% tariff on goods and a 110% tariff on services. The article critically examines the methodology behind these estimates.
• SecondaryCEPS — Establishing the 28th Regime in EuropeThose frictions translate into tariff-equivalent costs of roughly 45% for goods and 110% for services traded inside the Union.