EU Intelligence » The ESBA Bulletin » 2004
- 15th December - Vol 6 N° 21
- 30th November - Vol 6 N° 21
- 16th November 2004 - Vol 6 N°20
- 4th November 2004 - Vol 6 N° 19
- 20th October 2004 - Vol 6 N° 18
- 28th September 2004 - Vol 6 N° 17
- 14th September 2004 - Vol. 6 - N°16
- 29th July 2004 - Vol. 6 N° 15
- 12th July 2004 - Vol. 6 N°14
- 25th June 2004 - Vol. 6 N° 13
- 4th June 2004 - Vol 6 N° 12
- 25th May 2004 - Vol 6 N° 11
- 7th May 2004 - Vol 6 N° 10
- 23rd April 2004 - Vol 6 - N° 9
- 9th April 2004 - Vol 6 - N° 8
- 24th March 2004 - Vol 6 – N° 7
- 5th March 2004 - Vol 6 - N° 6
- 26Th February 2004
- 17th February 2004 - Vol 6 - N° 4
- 10th February 2004 - Vol 6 N° 3
- 19th January 2004 - Vol 6 N° 2
- 12th January 2004 - Vol 6 - N° 1
ESBA BULLETIN of 7th May - Volume 6 – No. 10
Quote of the Week
“Policy makers should operate more like a business. That means that they have to be mindful of competitiveness and able to make quick decisions, and they have to be able to operate in a flexible manner. We need to bring that flexibility and speed to the business of the European Union”
Carly Fiorina, Chief Executive of Hewlett Packard (Dublin, 26/04/2004)
Headlines
- EU / Competitiveness: Informal Competitiveness Council identifies measures to improve productivity and competitiveness
- EU / SMEs: MEP questions Commission’s commitment to SMEs
- EU / European Commission: New Commissioners welcomed
- EU / European Commission: Enterprise Commissioner Liikanen to return to Finland
In Brief
- EU / e-Business: Commission launches Best Practice Exchange for SMEs
- EU / Competitiveness: Four EU countries in competitiveness top ten
- EU / Information Technology: EU lagging behind the US
- EU / Regional Policy: Third Cohesion Forum to be held on 10/11 May
- EU / Open Consultations
Coming Up
HEADLINES
EU / Competitiveness: Informal Competitiveness Council identifies measures to improve productivity and competitiveness
Ministers from 31 countries, 3 Commissioners and representatives of industry, science and innovation met at Dromoland Castle, Ireland on 26 April to discuss the competitiveness challenges facing the European Union, in particular with regard to weak productivity growth and the threat of competition from developing countries.
Two particular problems were identified: the burden of excessive regulation and the lack of effective competition in many industries; and the failure to provide attractive conditions for research and innovation in Europe. In response to these challenges, the Irish Presidency outlined the priorities that will be pursued by the next three Presidencies (Netherlands, Luxembourg and the United Kingdom) to enhance the competitive and regulatory environment.
- Better EU Regulation – in particular through improved impact assessments
- More Competition – through the continuing removal of barriers, not least in trade in services
- Stimulating Research Excellence – including simplifying procedures for SMEs to access EU research initiatives
- Stimulating Innovation and Entrepreneurship
The conclusions will contribute to the formal Competitiveness Council to be held on the 17-18 May.
Whilst ESBA welcomes the continued focus on improving the regulatory environment for SMEs, there remains a need for concrete measures in addition to broad policy pronouncements. Not only is “better regulation” needed, but also simply less regulation to allow for a level playing field for all businesses.
For more information, see:
http://www.eu2004.ie/templates/news.asp?sNavlocator=66&list_id=618
EU / SMEs: MEP questions Commission’s commitment to SMEs
Paul Rübig MEP, the Rapporteur for the new multiannual programme for enterprise and entrepreneurship (MAP), has criticised the lack of commitment to assessing the impact of the forthcoming Basel II framework on SMEs.
His chief concern is that the new framework may have a detrimental impact on the ability of SMEs to access risk capital, hence jeopardising the success of the measures contained in the new MAP to improve access to capital. Mr. Rübig called for early publication of an extended impact assessment on the implications of Basel II for SME capital.
ESBA strongly supports the initiative of publishing an extended impact assessment on the impact of Basel II on SMEs but however regrets that such an impact assessment has not been carried out early enough in the process of designing the Basel II framework. SMEs are likely to be hard hit by the new law if nothing is done to lighten the guarantee conditions set for SMEs to access finance.
For more information on the MAP, see
http://europa.eu.int/comm/enterprise/ enterprise_policy/spec/index.htm
EU / European Commission: New Commissioners welcomed
Following the celebrations marking the accession of ten new Member States to the European Union, the expanded European Parliament met in Strasbourg on 5 May to approve the new College of Commissioners.
The Parliament voted by a large majority to approve the new 30-member Commission, which includes ten members from the new Member States (who are to share portfolios with existing Commissioners), as well as Jacques Barrot and Joaquin Almunia, to replace the departing Michel Barnier and Pedro Solbes respectively.
The new Commission will serve for 6 months. In October, the selection process will recommence to install a new 25 member Commission in November, to serve for 5 years.
For more information on the new Commissioners, see:
http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/commissioners/ 10comm_en.htm
EU / European Commission: Enterprise Commissioner Liikanen to return to Finland
Commissioner for Enterprise and the Information Society, Erkki Liikanen, has been appointed Governor of the Bank of Finland and is to step down as the EU's enterprise guru.
Mr. Liikanen was due to conclude his term as Commissioner at the end of October. However, he is now scheduled to begin his duties in Helsinki on the 12 July. The Finnish government have not yet appointed a successor and are not expected to do so until after the European elections. Two candidates have been named: former Social Democrat Prime Minister Paavo Lipponen and Centre Party politician Olli Rehn.
Mr. Liikanen has become the fourth member to leave the current Commission, following the departures of Anna Diamantopolou, Michel Barnier and Pedro Solbes.
IN BRIEF
EU / e-Business: Commission launches Best Practice Exchange for SMEs
DG Enterprise has launched a call for proposals to encourage the exchange of best practice among SMEs. The call is addressed to members of eBSN, a collaborative network for national and regional e-business policy initiatives, which aims to promote e-business for SMEs and share practical experience and information.
The aim is to foster cooperation between e-business policy initiatives based in different regions or countries and representing different stages in the development of e-business. Results will be used to launch joint actions using partnership arrangements with SMEs in new Member States and candidate countries.
The deadline for the submission of proposals is 4 June 2004.
EU / Competitiveness: Four EU countries in competitiveness top ten
IMD, a Swiss Business school, has just released its annual World Competitiveness Yearbook. The yearbook compiles data on 60 countries and forms a ranking based on over 300 criteria. Denmark, Finland, Luxembourg and Ireland feature in the top ten of a list headed by the US.
The criteria for the ranking are divided into four categories: a macro-economic evaluation of the domestic economy; the extent to which government policies are conducive to competitiveness; the extent to which enterprises are performing in an innovative, profitable and responsible manner; and the extent to which basic technological, scientific and human resources meet the needs of businesses.
For more information: http://www01.imd.ch/wcy/
EU / Information Technology: EU lagging behind the US
A report by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) has revealed that European economies are lagging behind the US due to their failure to develop IT skills, innovation and research and development. EU-wide investment information and communication technology (ICT) amounts to approximately €1.9 trillion but the report claims that this has not led to a discernable improvement in productivity or economic growth. According to the report, this poor performance relative to the US is attributable not to lack of investment but to deficiencies in European policies and business practices.
For more information: More info
EU / Regional Policy: Third Cohesion Forum to be held on 10/11 May
Following the publication of the Third Report on Economic and Social Cohesion on 18 February, setting out a new vision for cohesion policy for the enlarged European Union for the period beginning in 2007, the European Commission is organising the Third Cohesion Forum on 10 / 11 May at the European Parliament. All Member States will be represented, as well as the EU institutions, including Commissioners Prodi, Barrot, Monti, Dimas and Balázs Two round-table discussions will address the following subjects: “Setting a new agenda: future priorities for cohesion policy” and “Reforming the delivery system: simplification and decentralisation” which refer to the proposals made by the Commission in the conclusions of the Third Cohesion report.
For the full programme, see: More info
EU / Open Consultations
DG Enterprise - Multiannual Programme for SMEs
Closing Date: 10 May 2004
The purpose of this consultation is to invites stakeholders to present their views for the possible successor programme to the Multiannual Programme (MAP) for Enterprise and Entrepreneurship, and in particular for small and medium-sized enterprises, due to expire by the 31st December 2005.
DG Enterprise - A new Action Plan for innovation
Closing Date: 31 May 2004
An Action Plan is being developed to address the main issues that currently hamper innovation in European enterprises. It will concentrate on key-issues relevant for the innovation process in enterprises, placing the enterprise at the centre of innovation policy. Those key issues include the regulatory environment, the market in knowledge, and the financial and human resources that help or hinder innovation.
DG Employment - European Works Council Directive
Closing Date: Not Announced
The European Commission in consulting workers’ and employers’ representatives on how European Works Councils can best respond to the challenges of a changing economic and social environment.
DG Internal Market - Role of Independent Directors
Closing Date: 4 June 2004
The European Commission has launched a consultation on the role in listed companies of non-executive or supervisory directors, focusing in particular on those who may be considered as independent. Responses will be taken into account in the preparation of the Commission's forthcoming Recommendation to Member States on this issue, scheduled for autumn 2004. The consultation document covers, inter alia, the composition, role, operation and transparency of board committees, and the criteria according to which directors can be regarded as independent. The deadline for responses is 4 June 2004.
DG Internal Market - Services in the Internal Market
Closing Date: 20 June 2004
In order to address a number of serious obstacles to the freedom to provide services and the freedom of establishment in the internal market, the Commission is proposing to amend the existing Directive 98/34/EC to incorporate a broader range of services. The public consultation will form the basis for the impact assessment of a future proposal to this effect.
DG Internal Market - Public Procurement
Closing Date: 30 July 2004
On the basis of a Green Paper, the European Commission has launched a debate on the desirability of adapting the Community rules on public procurement and concessions to accommodate the development of public-private partnerships (PPPs). The main objective is to see whether it is necessary to improve the current rules in order to ensure that economic operators have access to PPPs under conditions of legal clarity and real competition.
DG Competition - UK Enterprise Capital Fund
Closing Date: Not Announced
The United Kingdom proposes to establish a funding mechanism to improve capital funding for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) throughout the UK the Enterprise Capital Funds scheme. SMEs seeking to raise initial equity funding of between £ 250,000 (EUR 357,000) and £ 2 million (EUR 2.9 million) will approach licensed Enterprise Capital Funds (ECFs) to be set up under the scheme. Before assessing the scheme under the applicable State aid rules, the Commission wishes to collect information from other interested parties, notably from potential providers of risk capital to SMEs in the United Kingdom. It is only with the help of such observations that the Commission can decide whether such aid is necessary and does not adversely affect trading conditions to an extent contrary to the common interest.
COMING UP
EU / Important Dates
May 10–11 Third Cohesion Forum
May 17-18 Competitiveness Council
June 10-13 European Parliament elections
June 17-19 ESBA Annual Event, Brussels
June 29-30 Conference on the European Charter for Small Enterprises
Page last updated: 06/07/2004 11:55:32 AM