Istanbul, 17/10/2014 (Agence Europe) - Expressing themselves at the European Parliament itself, European entrepreneurs called on decision-makers to consolidate the Single Market, protect their interests in the global arena and provide an accommodative fiscal regime.
The European Chamber of Commerce, EUROCHAMBRES, brought together the highly representative group of European entrepreneurs in the European Parliament meeting hall on Thursday 16 October, where MEPs gave up their seat to a business chief from his or her country of origin for a 'European Parliament of business'. The 750 entrepreneurs then had a day of voting that provided a very clear snapshot of their expectations on a range of key topics.
The business leaders did not mince their words. Eighty percent of them said that the European Single Market was not sufficiently integrated for their company to operate in free competition. A similar percentage (79%) said that Europe should provide better protection for European industries from unfair competition from outside the EU (but 70% are in favour of TTIP).
When it comes to financing, 90% of the entrepreneurs criticise the lack of tax systems that are equity-investment friendly. The entrepreneurs want a coordinated European approach to this, and 81% of the participants are in favour of a stronger late payments directive. Some 66% said that high bank charges discouraged investment.
Virtually all the entrepreneurs (99%) called for a work-based training scheme to ensure the availability of skilled workers and a more flexible and innovation-based approach to increase energy efficiency.
“Entrepreneurs yesterday had only 60 seconds each to express their main concerns, but now the European Institutions have five years to follow up on them! We have sent powerful and clear messages to policy-makers; we will now be closely monitoring that these demands are properly addressed in the coming days, weeks and months,” commented the president of Eurochambres, Richard Weber, as a warning to Elzbieta Bienkowska, the EU Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and Small Business Commissioner, in the new European Commission under Jean-Claude Juncker. (MD)