“It is time to move from ambition to delivery on the competitiveness and regulatory burden reduction agenda”, said BusinessEurope once again on Friday 6 February in a ‘call for action in 2026’ published the same day, just days before the informal retreat of European leaders at Alden Biesen dedicated to competitiveness (see EUROPE 13801/2).
“The EU needs to fully capitalise on the potential of its single market, lower energy prices and put the right conditions in place to attract private investments, develop new ideas and commercialise them in Europe. This must coincide with an ambitious trade and diversification agenda, effective carbon leakage measures and a tangible reduction in regulatory burden for companies”, summarises a press release.
In particular, BusinessEurope believes that the EU has not yet implemented effective short-term measures to reduce energy costs and close the resulting competitiveness gap for European businesses.
What’s more, the EU’s climate and energy policies still lack a truly technology-neutral approach. “For example, State aid thresholds still differentiate between technologies, making it harder for industries to invest in the technologies needed to achieve Europe’s climate neutrality targets”.
It is also necessary to “boost the arsenal of carbon leakage measures by swiftly adopting an effective CBAM export solution, postponing the phase out of free allowances for CBAM sectors if the mechanism proves insufficient, and reconsidering the planned phase-out of free allowances for non-CBAM sectors in the upcoming ETS reform”.
Furthermore, although the European Commission has taken steps towards a more harmonised approach to economic security with a recent dedicated communication (see EUROPE 13765/5), these proposals have yet to be translated into concrete action. “All EU measures regarding economic security must take into account the effects on EU economic competitiveness”.
Meeting with Ursula von der Leyen. On Thursday 5 February, the president of the European Commission also met Europe’s business leaders.
“We share the same sense of urgency. And the same conviction that the profound changes reshaping the world are an opportunity to build a stronger, more independent Europe”, she commented on X. “We discussed Europe’s competitiveness strategy and what it will take to deliver it. Success requires everyone on board, and especially European industry and businesses”.
The president outlined the main focal areas of EU action: “simpler rules - for everyone. More resilient supply chains, built through a network of trusted partners. A deeper single market: – where innovative start-ups can grow and scale across borders – where they can tap into a fully fledged capital market – and where they can access affordable energy. A continent that puts AI first. And a continent that believes in science, innovation, and the talent of its people, equipped with the right skills”.
Link to the call for action: https://aeur.eu/f/km4 (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)