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

At an extraordinary "macro-economic dialogue" today in Brussels, chaired by the President of the Eurogroup and the Economic Council, Jeroen Dijsselbloem, BUSINESSEEUROPE Director General Markus J. Beyrer made the following comments: "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. 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."

Regarding the European Commission's proposal for national competitiveness boards, which is currently being discussed by the EU Council, Mr Beyrer added: "We believe that the proposed national competitiveness boards can play an important role in building support for structural reforms, and hope that the Council can quickly find agreement on this issue."

Markus J. Beyrer's full speech is available here.