Publications
BusinessEurope expectations for COP31
In November 2026, Parties and observers meet in Antalya for this year’s UN Climate Change Conference COP31. Taking place at a pivotal moment for global climate action, 2026 has once again underlined...
Vocational education and training: Closing skills gaps though stronger cooperation with employers
BusinessEurope has expressed its support for the European Commission’s new Vocational Educational and Training (VET) Strategy, which was launched today. BusinessEurope Director General Markus J. Bey...
The direct taxation Omnibus: Simpler tax rules for a more competitive Europe – a BusinessEurope position paper
Key messages
Simpler tax rules are an important part of making Europe more competitive. The Direct Taxation Omnibus offers an opportunity to remove unnecessary costs and obstacles to crossborder...
EU simplification efforts must deliver tangible results for businesses
Commenting on the publication of the Commission’s Work Programme and Simplification Report today, BusinessEurope stressed that the EU’s simplification efforts have yet to translate into tangible b...
VAT and the Circular Economy – a BusinessEurope position paper
Key messages
Donations: qualifying donations of usable food and non-food goods should not trigger output VAT or the loss of input VAT deduction.
Destruction: new restrictions on input VAT dedu...
EU Social Package: Anti-poverty strategy, European child guarantee, disability strategy and Council recommendation on housing exclusion – a BusinessEurope position paper
BusinessEurope welcomes the activation-first framing of the social package adopted on 6 May 2026, comprising the EU Anti-Poverty Strategy, the Communication on strengthening the European Child Guarant...
CBAM: Implementation of the definitive phase – BusinessEurope fact check
Introduction
The Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) entered into application on 1 October 2023 with a transitional phase, before the start of its definitive phase in January 2026. While the de...
Benchmarking competitiveness checks used in selected EU impact assessments from 2025-2026 – a BusinessEurope position paper
Executive summary
In 2023 the European Commission introduced mandatory competitiveness checks in impact assessments accompanying all of its legislative proposals, looking at four dimensions of compet...
Priorities for European startups and scaleups – a BusinessEurope position paper
Key messages
Startups and scaleups are indispensable drivers of Europe’s economic future. However, despite the remarkable transformation of Europe’s deep tech ecosystem over the past decade,...
Skills shortages undermine Europe’s competitiveness, new study confirms
Today, BusinessEurope discussed the findings of a Deloitte study on Access to Skills, commissioned to examine employers’ skills challenges across Europe. The Deloitte study examines employers’ ski...
Facing the skills challenge in Europe – Lessons drawn by BusinessEurope from the Deloitte study
Background and objectives
Securing access to a qualified workforce is essential for Europe’s economic strength, requiring frameworks that foster professional development while meeting companies' re...
Key employment and social challenges in view of the 2027 European Semester: Consultation of EU social partners – Employers’ views
Introduction
As in past years, the consultation meeting before the publication of the Autumn Package and the 2027 European Semester exercise takes place in a very challenging context. Geopolitical un...
EU-China relations: Europe must be firm where necessary and open where possible
Today, BusinessEurope has published a position paper to contribute to an informed and constructive debate on EU-China trade and economic relations. China’s state-driven, export-oriented economic mod...
What is the way forward for EU-China relations – Views from European business
Key messages
The EU’s dual-track approach to China – firm where necessary, open where possible – must be implemented more effectively. China remains a major market and source of innovation...
Proposals for a more effective trade defence toolbox – a BusinessEurope position paper
Context
In view of the increasing number of industry complains and the perception that trade defence processes are slow and measures do not effectively address current market distortions, this paper...
Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEI) – a BusinessEurope discussion paper
Introduction
BusinessEurope would like to contribute to discussions on how to improve the design of IPCEIs and develop the conditions for a more streamlined assessment. As set out in the Competitiven...