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 4th November - Volume 6 – No. 19
Quote of the Week:
The avoidance of taxes is the only intellectual pursuit that carries any reward. John Maynard Keynes(1883 – 1946)
Headlines
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EU / The Kok Report: “Facing the Challenge”
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EU / Economic Review 2004: Commission reviews economic underpinnings of
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EU / REACH: Cost to business – especially SMEs – needs to be cut
In Brief
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EU / Institutions: European Business apprehensive about lack of new Commission
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EU / Consumers: New Europe-wide support network
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EU / EU legislation: Latest
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EU / Innovation: Three new actions launched
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EU / Transparency: EU-25 among least corrupt
Coming Up
Headlines
EU / The Kok Report: “Facing the Challenge”
On 3 November former Dutch Prime Minister Wim Kok presented his mid-term review on
The report takes a gloomy view on the progress made in the last four years, and concludes that the “disappointing delivery” is due to “an overloaded agenda, poor co-ordination and conflicting priorities”. It holds the member states responsible for a lack of “determined political action”.
The Kok report rejects proposals for the 2010 deadline to be lifted and highlights the external (US and Asian growing economies), and internal (the ageing/”greying” European population) challenges. It also points to the new EU-10 as a source of concerns and opportunities. Kok believes that all three pillars of the
“Facing the Challenge” calls for determined action to be taken urgently across five key policy areas:
▫ The Knowledge Society – to attract and keep the best researchers; make R&D a top priority; and to promote innovation.
▫ The Internal Market – to complete the internal Market for services (especially financial services and removing obstacles to the free movement of goods).
▫ The Business Climate – to reduce the total administrative burden; improve the quality of legislation; facilitate the rapid start-up of new companies; and to create an environment that is more supportive to business.
▫ The Labour Market – to implement the recommendation of the European Employment Task Force in 2003; and to develop strategies for lifelong learning (by 2005), active ageing and partnerships for growth and employment (by 2006).
▫ Environmental Sustainability – to stimulate eco-innovation; build leadership in eco-industry; and pursue policies which lead to long-term and sustained improvements in productivity through eco-efficiency.
The Report also calls for greater political ownership of the
EU / Economic Review 2004: Commission reviews economic underpinnings of
On 26 October, the European Commission published the 2004 EU Economic Review, which examines how current macroeconomic conditions are affecting
The Review notes that economic prospects improved in 2004, against the background of a favourable international economic environment. It then goes on to analyse the economic underpinnings of the
On the recent performance of the EU labour market, the Commission offers a stark assessment. “Halfway through the first decade of the
The Review provides further evidence to dispel the myth that gains in employment can only be made at the expense of productivity and claims productivity growth is “what really matters for the competitiveness and dynamism of the EU”. It argues that reforms are needed to allow new innovative firms to become established and grow in order to address the EU’s structural productivity problem. It however concludes that the knowledge-based economy – a defining concept
EU / REACH: Cost to business – especially SMEs – needs to be cut
The Dutch Presidency held a workshop from 25 to 27 October to review the 36 studies published to date on the costs and benefits of the draft EU chemicals legislation (REACH). As a result officials have recommended that the costs on businesses be cut down.
In their conclusions, officials agreed that the costs of REACH to business – especially SMEs – were too high and needed to be curbed. To this end, they recommended that the bureaucracy involved with the implementation of REACH be kept to a minimum. They also urged for effective co-operation from companies on implementation and information sharing once the law is passed, in order to avoid unnecessary duplication of tests and keep overall costs for industry to a minimum.
Their conclusions also outline some of the direct costs and benefits of REACH for businesses. The benefits are identified as: better health for employees exposed to hazardous substances; creation of a level playing field for European businesses; and a likely positive effect on innovation in the long run. And the costs: a possible disadvantage for European companies selling outside the EU, with SMEs affected more than other sectors; and short term innovation hampered by new legislation.
For further information see the Dutch Presidency Press Release:
In Brief
EU / Institutions: European Business apprehensive about lack of new Commission
European business reacted with concern on 27 October, when the vote due to ratify the new Commission elect failed take place. Commission President designate Mr. Barroso decided to withdraw his European Commission line-up in the face of opposition from Parliament. The original Barroso line-up was regarded as controversial due to its inclusion of the Italian Commissioner designate for the Justice & Security, Rocco Buttiglione, who expressed strong views on homosexuals and women’s role in society. MEPs also raised doubts about the suitability of incoming Dutch Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes, the Danish Mariann Fischer Boel, the Lativan Ingrida Udre and the Hungarian László.
Changes have been slowly taking place with the resignation of Mr. Buttiglione and the replacement of Ms. Udre with Andris Piebalgs. The taxation portfolio is also expected to pass to the Mr. Kovács (
Off-the-record business leaders fear that the next line-up will be left leaning and less friendly to the ambitions of business, especially small and medium sized enterprises. The also fear that the decision is a setback for transatlantic business relations.
EU / Consumers: New Europe-wide support network
On 25 October, David Byrne, the European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection, announced plans for a new EU-wide network to advise citizens on those exact issues. The new network is the first step towards guaranteeing that the new law passed in early October, committing national authorities to working together in the fight against rogue traders and rip-off merchants, is properly enforced by member states. It will be created by merging two existing networks: the European Consumer Centres or “Euroguichets”, which currently provides information and assistance on cross-border issues; and the European Extra-Judicial Network which help consumers to resolve their disputes through alternative dispute resolution schemes such as mediators or arbitrators. The new network is due to be launched in early 2005.
EU / EU legislation: Latest
The ninth “Pink Book” list of EU legislation managed by the Enterprise Directorate-General, including 482 directives, is now available on its website. The hard copy version will also be available within a few weeks.
The list includes both “hard” law (legally binding) and “soft” law (implementing arrangements). Where a hard law has been amended, adapted to technical progress, or has had implementing measures added, all the changes are shown.
The “Pink Book” is updated twice a year and this latest edition runs to the end of June 2004.
EU / Innovation: Three new actions launched
In response to the so far very promising results of two ongoing innovation initiatives, PAXIS and Gate2Growth, on 26 October the European Commission launched three new actions supporting the innovation efforts of European enterprise. The three new actions were launched through a Call for Proposals (FP6-2004-INNOV-6) under the Sixth Framework Programme for Research and Development (FP6). Their objective is to facilitate networking activities of innovative companies and to learn from the lost innovative regions how to improve policies in support of sectoral innovation clusters. To further promote innovation at sectoral level, the third action is aiming at the identification of potential barriers to innovation and a better understanding of entrepreneurial innovation processes.
Potential participants are invited to attend an information day in
EU / Transparency: EU-25 among least corrupt
In Transparency International’s (TI) Corruption Perceptions Index 2004, released on 20 October, all the EU-25 countries score fairly high. Sixty countries scored below the three points which TI identifies as the benchmark for “rampant corruption”.
The countries with the cleanest slates were
COMING UP
EU Institutions: Important Dates
4-5 November European Council – Heads of State and Government meet in
11 November EU-Russia
12 November Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumers Council (
15-18 November European Parliament Plenary in
16 November ECOFIN Council (
22-30 November European Parliament Committee Week
25-26 November Competitiveness Council: Single Market, Industry & Research
13-16 December European Parliament Plenary in
Other Events
12 November High-level European workshop to present good national and regional policies for stimulating the competitiveness of the ICT sector (More info & registration)
16 November Workshop on "Environmental Aspects and European Standardisation" (DGs Enterprise and Environment),
17-18 November “SME perspectives in the Internal Market of
25 November
19 November 6th European e-Business Support Network (eBSN). Will focus on helping SMEs identify the best e-business tools and services and making them more widely available.(More info)
5-7 December 4th European Forum for Innovative Enterprises,
(More info)
Page last updated: 05/11/2004 9:36:26 AM