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BusinessEurope Headlines No. 2016-33

Trade brings growth and job creation to Europe

“All the big challenges facing us today - security, migration, the decision of the United Kingdom to leave the European Union, under-investment, climate change, economic and social development - have an international dimension. Efficient solutions can only be found if we work together at European level.” said BusinessEurope President Marcegaglia during her intervention in the Annual Public Assembly of Confindustria Mantova, in presence of Italian Minister of Economic Development Carlo Calenda and the President of Confindustria Vincenzo Boccia. She added “We must fully support the EU trade policy. For decades, trade has brought large benefits to EU companies as well as citizens and should continue to do so. An immediate challenge is to ensure a rapid signature and implementation of the CETA agreement with Canada and to continue negotiations to conclude an ambitious and comprehensive TTIP with the United States”.

Contact: Daniele Olivieri​

Company survey reveals risk of investment leakage

“It is key to prevent investments from flowing out of Europe. BusinessEurope supports a meaningful carbon price, but today’s survey confirms that there is an associated investment leakage risk with this.”, Director General Markus J. Beyrer said in response to BusinessEurope’s first carbon pricing survey that finds a large majority of European companies (71%) would consider reducing investments in Europe when the EU ETS carbon price increases. Director General Beyrer added, “That is why, it is pivotal that the EU ETS Directive is properly equipped to respond to the challenge of investment leakage.” He made his remarks at a high-level conference on the issue at the Permanent Delegation of the Netherlands, co-organized by MEP Ivo Belet and under the auspices of the Slovak Presidency.

    Contact: Leon de Graaf​

CETA: why it matters for EU companies

“If there is an agreement that can stand public scrutiny, this is CETA. And it deserves to be judged in its own merits.” said Markus J. Beyrer at the breakfast event CETA: Why it Matters to EU Companies, organised by BusinessEurope and hosted by MEP Artis Pabriks, Rapporteur on CETA, on 13 October at the European Parliament in Brussels. The event had the objective of raising awareness on the expected benefits of CETA for European companies, including SMEs: invited company representatives described the increased opportunities of doing business with Canada for different sectors, ranging from food and drinks to clothing. BusinessEurope calls for a swift implementation of the agreement and counts on the European Parliament to ensure that this agreement starts producing good results as soon as possible. The agreement is highly ambitious and forward looking in a number of areas that are important for an effective and modern trade policy in the EU but also in Canada. CETA is the best example of how trade agreements can support economic growth, while at the same time promoting high standards in key areas of public interest.

Contact: Eleonora Catella​

Geo-blocking proposal is no game-changer for SMEs

While fully supporting the aim to boost cross-border e-commerce, this proposal will not help businesses and in particular SMEs to sell their goods and services across borders. Geo-blocking and different treatment in the single market needs to be addressed at the root. Difficulties and extra costs for companies for instance linked to distance, different and additional national regulation and divergent contract law regimes (fragmentation) need to be tackled decisively to make a real difference for consumers and businesses in practice. This was stressed by Guido Lobrano, Deputy Director in the Internal Market and Legal Affairs Department at the European Parliament’s SME Intergroup breakfast meeting on geo-blocking on 11 October, in the presence of MEPs working on the dossier and Kamila Kloc, Deputy Head of Cabinet of Vice-President Ansip. BusinessEurope recently adopted a position paper on this topic also arguing for more clarity in the proposal, for instance in terms of after-sales services and legal guarantees.

  Contact: Guido Lobrano

Time to give a push to all growth-oriented SMEs

On 7 October, the Network of SME Envoys discussed with Commissioner Bienkowska the design of the upcoming Commission Start-up Initiative. The meeting confirmed that the creation of start-ups and their scaling up will be encouraged through measures at EU level. While welcoming a number of measures announced in the areas of venture capital, ecosystems for start-ups, etc., Chair of BusinessEurope’s Entrepreneurship and SME Committee, Marta Marti, called further increase of the level of ambition. What is needed is a strategy capable of unleashing the potential of all growth-oriented SMEs. It is essential to tackle the new obstacles that SMEs experience in the Single Market. As an example, Marta Marti mentioned practical VAT-related obstacles, which prevent SMEs from becoming active players in the market for electronic services sold across borders to consumers. The VAT system must be reviewed so that SMEs can take full advantage of the Single Digital Market.

Contact: Daniel Cloquet

Juncker Plan: What’s in it for the regions?

"Strong contribution of regions is going to be necessary for a successful Investment Plan for Europe, as it can both improve geographical coverage of the European Fund for Strategic Investment, and help reducing administrative burdens accumulated at regional and local level." said BusinessEurope’s Senior Adviser Joana Valente, during a panel debate with the European Commission and the European Investment Bank, and organised by the North Aegean region.  But while regional authorities have a central role to play in promoting the use of the European Fund for Strategic Investments and creating a favourable business environment, more is needed to build their technical and administrative capacity. This will have to include how to structure the financing of projects, and how to shape regional investment platforms if we want to attract and mobilise the necessary private investment.

Contact: Joana Valente

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Last updated: 13 October 2016