However, wherever possible, EU institutions and Member States shall take measures to encourage providers of goods and services, in particular manufactured goods, to design accessible solutions, for instance through public procurement practices.

The single market, which was originally based on primary products and manufactured goods, has to provide for the greater integration of services, which are assuming a growing role in a knowledge-based economy.

9. Notes that, in all developed countries, households are spending less on convenience and manufactured goods - even cheaper and better quality goods - and more on health, communication and leisure, and notes also the importance of the services sector in Europe’s GDP and in terms of employment; considers, therefore, that the slowdown in productivity in this sector is a major factor responsible for sluggish growth in Europe; urges therefore that, in this sector, investments and innovation in information and communications technologies, which play a key role in boosting productivity, should be promoted; recommends opening up this sector ...[+++] to a greater extent to private operators and encouraging the spirit of enterprise in it;

10. Notes that, in all developed countries, households are spending less on ordinary consumer goods and manufactured goods - even cheaper and better quality goods - and more on health, communication and leisure, and notes also the considerable importance of the services sector in Europe's GDP and in terms of employment; considers, therefore, that the slowdown in productivity in this sector is a major factor responsible for sluggish growth in Europe; urges therefore that, in this sector, investment and innovation in information and communications technologies, which play a key role in boosting productivity, should be promoted; recommen ...[+++]ds opening up this sector to a greater extent to private operators and encouraging the spirit of enterprise in it;

High productivity growth in the manufacturing sector has contributed to raising real incomes and to making manufactured good relatively cheaper than goods produced in the services sectors.

De-industrialisation is the long-term (not cyclical) decline of the manufacturing sector [15]. This implies an absolute decline in employment, production, profitability and capital stock in the manufacturing sector, as well as an absolute decline in exports of manufactured goods and the emergence of persistent manufacturing trade deficits.