In a letter addressed to Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and dated 4 July, the European employers federation BusinessEurope identifies the five key areas of action which it believes the Polish EU Presidency should focus on during its current six-month term at the EUs helm. These are:

1. Economic recovery: Business-Europe says although the growth forecasts are stronger than expected and that some countries have already returned to pre-crisis levels, the long-term economic situation in Europe can be threatened by the current sovereign debt crisis. BusinessEurope wants the Presidency to ensure the pursuit of recovery and to secure the stability and credibility of the common currency. This, says the letter, would require greater commitment towards fiscal discipline and further efforts towards implementation of the growth-enhancing reforms outlined in the national reform programmes.

2. Single Market Act and industrial policy initiative:Warsaw should ensure progress in the implementation of the Single Market Act. The key steps here should include the creation of a unitary patent protection system, implementation of alternative dispute resolution frameworks, simplification of EU public procurement rules and removing obstacles to the digital single market.

3. EU budget:The EU budget post-2013 is a “tool for growth”. It should be more ambitiously restructured and the sources of its funding should be reconsidered.

4. Security of energy and raw materials supply: BusinessEurope believes a sufficient energy and raw materials supply is the precondition to backing up future economic growth and job creation in Europe. Thus the Polish Presidency should place the emphasis on facilitating the development of innovative technologies and production methods.

5. Trade relations and SMEs: Business-Europe wants the Polish Presidency to work towards the early conclusion of Russia’s WTO accession talks and to pursue bilateral trade negotiations with Ukraine. Alongside the Eastern Partnership and the Southern Mediterranean region, Warsaw should also push trade deals with India, Singapore, Canada and Mercosur; continue to work towards an EU-Japan FTA; and support the internationalisation of European SMEs.

The letter is available at www.europolitics.info > Search = 297945

Background

BusinessEurope has 41 member federations across 35 European countries. It thus represents 20 million companies and their 120 million employees.