A single, pan-European online portal would make sense as a central point of contact for these kinds of public services. The plan to create a central digital gateway for administration in the EU (European Union) is therefore a step in the right direction. However, the digital economy also presents new challenges for the single market, for example owing to network effects.
This relates to safeguarding competition and protecting consumers, say. A case in point: the large platforms developed by leading tech firms. They give their users a venue with more and more features to attract them. Yet, in most cases, these playing fields are less like open parks and more like walled gardens. The operators set the rules for them.