News
Climate summit COP21 deal: an important step forward, but not (yet) the full answer
The outcome of the COP21 climate summit in Paris is an important step forward for global efforts to reduce emissions and it is essential that all countries now deliver on their pledges. While many o...
The Paris agreement at the end of the road
After a long marathon of tough negotiations, the Paris agreement was adopted on Saturday 12 December. The French President of COP21, Laurent Fabius, presented the text as historic, ambitious, fair, su...
One looooong indaba away from the final agreement…
A new draft text of the Paris agreement has been released, after the Group of Paris plenary. The new text is the product of an intense night, with negotiations ending by 6 am. In t...
BusinessEurope signs Memoranda of Understanding with Ukrainian counterparts
Ahead of the EU-Ukraine Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) entering into force - foreseen for 1 January 2016 - it is important that cooperation between European and Ukrainian business orga...
Work has started in earnest
Work has started in earnest to resolve the difficult issues to reach the Paris agreement. The four working groups have been working hard and reported back to the Paris Committee.
Progress was repor...
The draft Paris agreement
After the political push by world leaders on Monday, negotiators have worked until Saturday 5 December to prepare a new streamlined text. It is down to 38 pages, from 50, with just under 900 pairs of...
ASGroup CEO event 2015
On 3 December, President Emma Marcegaglia, Director General Markus J. Beyrer, Vice-Presidents of BusinessEurope and CEOs of the Advisory and Support Group gathered in Brussels and met EU leaders....
It has started!
Three full days and nights of COP-21 and half a day have passed. The French Presidency is now directing the proceedings. Following the hype as well as strict security accompanying the visit and contri...
The doors are (nearly) open!
COP21 is approaching rapidly. The start of the ad-hoc meetings of the Durban Platform (ADP) have been brought forward to Sunday 29 November at 5pm at Le Bourget. The site is already open for those reg...
BusinessEurope reacts on the state of the Energy Union
“The commitment of the European Commission to take actions and be fast in the energy field is positive, because actions are needed. But great caution is needed on the design of concrete legislat...
Director General Markus J. Beyrer: “We need more Europe!”
“The only way to overcome the current challenges is not less Europe but more Europe”, BusinessEurope Director General Markus J. Beyrer said at an event on Europe’s role in the w...
BusinessEurope Council of Presidents in Luxembourg
On invitation of FEDIL, the Business Federation of Luxembourg, Presidents of the 40 member federations of BusinessEurope met on 19 and 20 November in Luxembourg. They were received at an audience at t...
Pre-COP meeting in Paris
The French government held a “pre-COP” meeting from 8-10 November in Paris. It was attended by about 60 Ministers and although it was stressed that it was not a negotiating meeting, many o...
TTIP: what’s in it for social partners?
We must seize trade and investment opportunities to make sure the EU stays strong on the world scene and shapes globalisation, BUSINESSEUROPE Director General Markus J. Beyrer said at the event &ldquo...
BusinessEurope meets Russian industry
The trade and investment relations between the EU and Russia in the current political context were the main topic of discussion at a meeting between BusinessEurope Director General Markus J. Beyrer an...
Director General Beyrer met Central and Eastern European industry and employer federations
“A strong regional cooperation between equal partners in Europe is of mutual benefit for each of the countries concerned and for our continent as a whole”, said Director General Mark...
Completing Capital Markets Union key to long-term EU investment
“Capital markets are fragmented and regulated differently across the EU. This is a problem as it hinders cross-border capital flows. We must urgently implement many of the excellent proposals in...
Fostering productivity and engagement at the workplace
Tackling stress and psychosocial risks at work is important if we want workers to be productive and engaged. And both employers and workers have responsibilities here. This was the key message given b...
Companies depend on efficient transport networks
“Europe must ensure sufficient investment in the infrastructure of tomorrow. The efficiency of our transport networks directly affects trade flows and the EU economy as a whole”, Markus J. Beyrer...
European Commission to reopen posting of workers directive? Better not!
The business community deplores the European Commission’s decision to include a targeted revision of the posting of workers directive as part of its work programme for 2016. The Commission should dr...
Forward and onwards to Paris
The final five days negotiating session (ADP 2.11) prior to COP-21 in Paris closed on Friday 23 October in Bonn with an agreement to forward the revised non-paper to serve as the basis for further neg...
European Commissioner Bieńkowska addressed Executive Committee of BusinessEurope
One week before the adoption of the single market strategy, Elżbieta Bieńkowska, European Commissioner for the Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs outlined the main avenues of this...
Industry expects Paris climate summit to be a deal-breaker, Beyrer tells Polish minister
The Emission Trading Scheme (ETS) and the COP21 Paris climate summit were the main topics discussed with Polish minister Marcin Korolec. BusinessEurope Director General Markus J. Beyrer highlighted th...
President Marcegaglia: “Europe must take urgent and concrete steps to boost its industrial competitiveness”
“European companies believe in the European Union. They are keen to invest in our continent. But to do so, they need a dynamic and business-friendly environment”, BusinessEurope Presi...