Brussels, 15/04/2015 (Agence Europe) - Elzbieta Bienkowska, the European commissioner for industry and the single market, returned to her priority dossiers, at a meeting of the committee on industry of the European Parliament on Tuesday 14 April.
These priorities include a greater emphasis on industry and defence research, support to SMEs and the digital single market (see EUROPE 11200 and 11293). She spoke optimistically, stressing that the European Union was “still the world leader on many markets, such as aerospace and chemicals”. “We are not always aware enough of this”, she added.
The Commissioner went on to announce that she hopes to give a shot in the arm to the 'Competitiveness' configurations of the Council of the EU. She is already working on this with Luxembourg, which will take over the rotating Presidency of the Council from July 2015. Readers may recall that Bienkowska first announced this aim at the 'Competitiveness' Council of 2 March 2015 (see EUROPE 11266).
The Commissioner concluded by saying that the Commission and the EU could not do everything: “we must create the conditions to allow businesses, the citizens and industry to succeed. But it is up to them to create jobs”. (Jean Comte)