On Tuesday 13 January, the employers’ organisation BusinessEurope called for reinforced funding for the European Competitiveness Fund (ECF) and Horizon Europe, and for the avoidance of new surcharges, such as certain future own resources.
“Maximising the impact of EU programmes requires greater simplification, better accessibility for companies, stronger mobilisation of private investment, meaningful stakeholder involvement, and increased flexibility. At the same time, predictability for long-term investment and research must be preserved”, according to the Director General, Markus J. Beyrer.
“Competitiveness-related programmes should be excellence-driven (...). The role of regions and territories in designing National and Regional Partnership Plans should be safeguarded”.
BusinessEurope sees two red lines: “The introduction of new own resources through additional levies on companies, such as the proposed turnover-based contributions (“CORE”), must be avoided, as it would risk further undermining the goal of re-launching the EU’s competitiveness”.
And “any potential reallocations of revenues from the Emissions Trading System (ETS) and the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) should be avoided”.
BusinessEurope also supports closer integration between Horizon Europe and the ECF and “calls for a €177 billion Horizon Europe budget (2025 prices), as recommended by the Draghi report”.
The “ESF (European Social Fund) should be efficient and effective, with at least 50% of its resources earmarked for the development of skills and 15% for employer incentives to support workforce training”.
Further information: https://aeur.eu/f/k85 ; https://aeur.eu/f/k86 (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)