Brussels, 14/03/2003 (Agence Europe) - In its contribution to the Spring Council 2003 entitled "Back to the Future", Eurochambres (the association of European chambers of commerce and industry) urges heads of state to deliver on the promises already made (at the Lisbon Summit in March 2000) to make Europe the world's most competitive information society. Noting that little progress has been made, Eurochambres wants credibility to be restored to the Lisbon process, calling on the 20/21 March Summit in Brussels to s1) strengthen the powers of the Competitiveness Council to oversee - and where necessary overturn - decision taken at other Council meetings which reduce European competitiveness; 2) critically review the open method of coordination, "which does not work"; and 3) foster a culture of entrepreneurship in Europe by working with European institutions to revise national bankruptcy laws to help the stigma of honest failure; future encourage entrepreneurship throughout the education cycle, beginning at primary school, and ensure that the Basel II outcome is pro-SME. Member States and candidate countries must reduce and simplify corporate taxes for small businesses with low levels of revenues and profitability to implement the SME Charter.
Eurochambres President Christoph Leitl commented: "Our business members want an enlarged competitive European Union, where entrepreneurial behaviour is promoted and rewarded, where the legislative and physical environment for profitable business is the best in the world; where SMEs are encouraged and supported; where competition is fierce but fair; and which is open to free and fair trade with the rest of the world. As SMEs are the backbone of Europe's economy they need to be especially encouraged and supported. Time has come to act now." The full document is available on: http://www.eurochambres.be.