What are the main features of the Single European Act and how does it affect the
Frustrations with the progress being made to widen and deepen the European community, a sluggish European economy and greater moves towards a single currency led to the passing of the Single European Act in 1986. ... The Single European Act, signed in February 1986 was not ratified because of difficulties in Ireland till mid 1987. The Single European Act is a mixed bag containing tidying up provisions, provisions designed to give a new impetus to the community and provisions that would speed up decision making. ... Additionally, the council had to involve the European Parliament to a much greater extent under the cooperation procedure. The European Parliament had greater influence under the Single European Act, but did not have full legislative powers. ... Most importanly the Single European Act Article 100A created most of the measures which have as their object the establishment of the Internal Market . ... The Single European Act provided a major boost to the European integration process. ... It also strengthened the community’s institutional system by increasing the capacity of the council of ministers to take decisions by Qualified Majority Voting and the increased legislative power given to the European Parliament (see earlier). Many of the community elites who made decisions were disappointed with the Single European Act. ... Many member states came to the view that only a single currency within the European Monetary Union would make the S. ... A single currency was seen more and more as being necessary to eliminate distortions to trade by the changing values of each of the national currencies.