BusinessEurope Headlines No. 2016-22

Mission to Canada

BusinessEurope Director General Markus J. Beyrer was in Canada on 9-10 June to express the support of European business to CETA - the comprehensive EU-Canada free-trade agreement. Talking to representatives of Canadian business and Canadian officials in the government and the opposition, Markus J. Beyrer reiterated the commitment from the business community in Europe to have the agreement implemented as soon as possible and hopefully in the first half of 2017. In this context, the EU-Canada summit on 27 October in Brussels would be an excellent occasion to showcase the expected benefits of the agreement and the new opportunities it opens for businesses on both sides. Photos

Contact: Luisa Santos

EU social partners should support reforms and growth to secure EU's social model

"Europe needs more structural reforms to increase our long-term growth rate and increase the sustainability of our social model. Experience in countries such as Spain, Ireland and Portugal shows that both product and labour market reforms can quickly deliver improved growth and employment", BusinessEurope Director General Markus J. Beyrer said at an extraordinary 'macro-economic dialogue' on 14 June in Brussels, chaired by the President of the Eurogroup and the Economic Council, Jeroen Dijsselbloem. "Recent agreements in Finland and France demonstrate the positive role that social partners can play in helping to drive reforms, and we need to build on these positive examples at both member state and EU level", he added.

EU ETS reform must be a success for all covered sectors

"The EU emission trading scheme (ETS) after 2020 should strike the right balance between ensuring liquidity with regard to the available auctioning volumes and providing the necessary volume of free allowances on the level of best performers to avoid carbon and investment leakage." This was stressed in a cross-industry statement published on 13 June, with which BusinessEurope, together with major industrial sectors, calls out the Environment Ministers ahead of their meeting on 20 June. The signatories support the principles of the EU ETS as the cornerstone mechanism to deliver cost-efficient emission reductions while securing a global level playing field for the industry. For this to happen, striking the right balance between share for auction and free allowances will be key.

Preparing for the 6^th EU-Africa Business Forum in 2017

As one of the main organisers of the EU-Africa Business Forum that takes place every three years – the previous one was in 2014, the next one will be in 2017 – BusinessEurope participated in a dedicated workshop on 15 June, in the framework of the European Development Days 2016. In her address, Luisa Santos, International Relations Director, referred to the significant trade and economic potential of EU-Africa relations and stressed the importance of involving the private sector in the development of effective policies. Creating an enabling environment for business, promoting good governance policies and improving transparency are key factors in attracting long-term, sustainable investment. As preparations for the next EU-Africa Business Forum gradually start, the EU and Africa need to join forces and develop solutions to address common challenges and deepen their economic and trade relations. In this regard, the sustainable development goals and the economic partnership agreements currently signed or negotiated between the EU and African regions serve as an ideal framework for discussions.

Contact: Sofia Bournou

European and Japanese sector associations make progress on regulatory cooperation

"Our meeting today in Tokyo demonstrates the strong commitment of industries on both sides to engage in regulatory cooperation", Maurice Fermont, Adviser for Japan at BusinessEurope, said at the 5^th BusinessEurope-Keidanren sector-to-sector meeting on 14 June in Tokyo. "It is important that regulatory issues, where possible, are resolved through the free-trade agreement negotiations as this agreement provides a unique opportunity to create real growth for two of the world’s largest economies", he added. While substance should prevail over timing, both BusinessEurope and its Japanese counterpart Keidanren have asked the EU and Japan to make substantial efforts to speed up negotiations in order to conclude a comprehensive and ambitious agreement in 2016. "We expect a lot from the EU-Japan free-trade agreement (FTA) in terms of market access, procurement, removal of non-tariff barriers, services and investment", Maurice Fermont concluded.

Uphold the SME Supporting Factor in EU prudential rules for banks

Make the ‘SME Supporting Factor’ in the capital requirements regulation (CRR) permanent and remove the €1.5 million limit for loans to small and medium-sized companies, BusinessEurope Director General Markus J. Beyrer wrote to Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union Commissioner Lord Hill. The SME Supporting Factor has been very important for the financing of smaller and medium-sized companies. Considering these positive effects and the fact that small and medium-sized companies will remain dependent on bank lending, the SME Supporting Factor should benefit all small and medium-sized companies without exception to support additional lending and spur growth.

Calendar

20 June 2016: New Skills Agenda for Europe - launch event, Brussels
21 June 2016: 'Do we need an energy chapter in the TTIP?' - EESC seminar, Brussels
21 June 2016: IPR enforcement conference, Brussels
22-23 June 2016: European Parliament plenary sitting, Brussels
23 June 2016: UK's EU referendum

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