In this year's edition of its Reform Barometer, given the exception year we have had, BusinessEurope analyses the National Recovery and Resilience Plans (NRRPs) submitted by EU Member States to the European Commission. EU leaders had agreed in July 2020 on the historic €750 billion NextGenerationEU recovery instrument, based on common borrowing, to ensure all Member States have the means to rebuild and restructure their economies after this unprecedented crisis. Most of our national business federations think the NRRPs will have some positive impact, but only 11% of them believe funds will sufficiently focus on boosting the recovery and help long-term growth and job creation. More than half of our member federations believe their country’s national recovery and resilience plans put insufficient focus on competitiveness, research, development and innovation. - Check it here, or watch our video teaser
Europe is faced with the worst crisis since World War II. It is very important to have an effective roadmap to overcome this crisis and at the same time effectively strengthen the position of Europe in terms of global competitiveness. The EU and Member States need to focus on how best to respond to one single overarching challenge: ensuring that the green and digital transitions bring real growth. To help deliver the recovery, Europe’s social agenda must support companies in their efforts to generate growth and employment, because this is the basis for social well-being and for investing in the green and digital transitions. These were the key messages by BusinessEurope’s Director General Markus J. Beyrer in a video address that was presented during a plenary meeting of the Conference of Parliamentary Committees for Union Affairs of Parliaments of the European Union (COSAC) held on 31 May.
“Europe is well placed to leverage future growth opportunities. We must have a vision of where we want to go. And an enthusiastic vision” – underlined BusinessEurope President Pierre Gattaz at the panel debate on the industrial renaissance in Europe co-organised by Accenture, BusinessEurope and the Financial Times on 21 May. “We have good companies and talented people. Our European model reconciling prosperity, people and the planet is the best in the world. To be successful Europe needs growth, technology-driven green and digital transitions, skilled people. Trust is key. Companies will only invest in Europe if they feel they can trust public authorities to create a stable and favourable economic environment. Europe should not overburden companies with regulation, especially today when companies are fighting to recover from the COVID crisis and making huge efforts to transform themselves.” Read the Reinventing European Industries report, carried out in cooperation with BusinessEurope.
The B7 Summit, which took place on 11-12 May, gathered the political and business leadership from the G7 countries. The high-level discussions provided an opportunity to present to the political leadership recommendations in key areas such as trade, digitalisation, climate as well as on COVID-19 vaccines and international travel. Hosted by the Confederation of British Industries (CBI), the summit was the culmination of several months of work by leading business associations – the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Medef from France, BusinessEurope, BDI from Germany, Confindustria from Italy, Keidanren from Japan, and the US Chamber of Commerce from the United States, apart from the CBI. Please have a look at the B7 joint statement, which outlines our concrete proposals.
At the Porto Social Summit convened by the Portuguese Presidency and the European Commission, President Pierre Gattaz, on behalf of BusinessEurope, co-signed the Porto Social Commitment, which seeks to ensure that European social policy supports the recovery from the Covid-19 crisis and contributes to the green and digital transitions. "The deep crisis we are facing is a tremendous challenge for companies. Putting additional burden on companies will undermine Europe's economic recovery and reduce the means to create employment and invest in the green and digital transition", he said. "European leaders should use in priority non-legislative measures to achieve social goals. To ensure ownership of social policy, politicians need the social partners. Without agreeing with all the Commission social policy proposals, we signed up to the declaration. We are committed to working constructively for the recovery and ensuring that the green and digital transitions generate real growth." - Read more - Read the speech by Pierre Gattaz and the Porto Social Commitment
Today, the European Commission published its update of the “2020 New Industrial Strategy: Building a stronger Single Market for Europe’s recovery”. It aims at learning lessons from the COVID-19 crisis, strengthening the EU’s economic resilience and accelerating the climate neutrality and digital transitions. "We appreciate that the European Commission did this important stock taking exercise to update its 2020 Industrial Strategy. After more than a year of COVID-19 crisis, it is clear that the recovery will still take time and continued support to European industry and companies is needed more than ever. The Commission must tailor measures for climate neutrality and digital transition with the main objective to generate growth”, said BusinessEurope President Pierre Gattaz. Read more
11/06/2021
Reports and studies
EU’s €750 billion recovery instrument needs stronger focus on investment and reform
31/05/2021
Speeches
Ensuring that the green and digital transitions bring real growth and employment
21/05/2021
Speeches
Trust is key for the industrial renaissance in Europe
12/05/2021
News
B7 Summit: proposals for a sustainable and inclusive recovery
07/05/2021
Press releases
European business: Solid economic recovery is key for a social Europe
05/05/2021
Press releases
EU Industrial Strategy: a good step forward, tailor-made actions must follow
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