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BusinessEurope Headlines No. 2023-16

Geopolitical tensions: how to defend Europe’s economic interests

“In the face of increasing geopolitical tensions with a war in our continent and instability in other regions around the world, the EU must defend its economic interests well”, said BusinessEurope Director General Markus J. Beyrer to the Secretary General of the European External Action Service (EEAS), Stefano Sannino, during a meeting on 8 May. Risk mitigation through diversification and closer cooperation with strategic allies are part of the solution, he added. At the same time, the EU needs to remain engaged with trading partners around the world, proposing a model of sustainable economic development, namely through trade agreements and the Global Gateway, that is attractive to them. While security has become a key political priority, economic security measures should take the interests of business into account and safeguard European competitiveness. Measures currently being considered, for instance a possible outbound investment mechanism, need to be carefully assessed and used only as a last resort.

Contact: Luisa Santos

Free-trade agreements can help facilitate access to medicines

Regulatory cooperation is a key part of trade agreements: industry and governments will benefit from it, but most importantly patients will have faster and more affordable access to medicines globally. Watch David Jauch, International Affairs Committee Chair at Medicines for Europe, talk about the importance of free-trade agreements.

Can European Disability Card bring more people with disabilities into the labour market?

Commenting the European Commission’s initiative to introduce a European Disability Card, BusinessEurope wrote that persons with disabilities are one of the underrepresented groups on the labour market with great potential that should be activated. This would help companies find skilled people, especially in a context of serious labour shortages and, at the same time, it would support integration and allow more persons with disabilities the choice to work and utilise their talents. In order to do so, it is necessary to focus on the employment potential of an individual with disabilities instead of obstacles to being professionally active. Digitalisation brings many opportunities and can contribute to increasing the employment rate of those with disabilities. Any Potential costs of offering benefits and/or preferential treatments to persons with disabilities from other Member States should be carefully analysed. Employers would especially value strengthening capacities of employment and integration services, including information on cross-border job vacancies and available support for effective mobility. Employers would also welcome supporting them in ensuring reasonable accommodation through targeted subsidies as well as guidance. Reasonable accommodation means taking account of the specificity of each enterprise, seizing opportunities brought by digitalisation and facilitating exchange of information and good practices. Additionally, it would be advisable to explore possible return on investment on offered benefits/preferential conditions, for example the implication for the employment rate of the persons with disabilities and their job retention. The proposed solutions need to be financially viable as they are financed from national budgets. Defining vetting periods as well as conditionality of such potential benefits/preferential conditions is another important area of reflection.

Contact: Anna Kwiatkiewicz

Making Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation an efficient tool for circularity

“BusinessEurope welcomes efforts to establish a functioning EU market for secondary raw materials and circular products. However, certain changes proposed by the Council and the European Parliament risk undermining the potential of the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) to accelerate the circular economy transition,” BusinessEurope commented in a statement ahead of the Competitiveness Council on 22 May and the European Parliament's Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) vote on 5 June. It is vital that measures introduced are justified for circularity reasons. BusinessEurope calls on co-legislators to amend the proposal and reconsider certain amendments, to make the ESPR an operable and efficient tool for enhanced circularity.  

Contact: Matilda Lindblad

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Last updated: 11 May 2023