26/01/2004 (Agence Europe) - The European Association of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Eurochambers) has welcomed the European Commission's Spring Report 2004, noting that it fully shares the priority given to investment, lifelong training and competitiveness. Eurochambers General Secretary, Arnold Abruzzini, said that Member States and candidate countries have to show that they believe in the Lisbon process and have the ambition to make it operational. Three benchmarks should be worked upon, in his view, namely the widening productivity gap with the United States, slow economic growth and the EU's net investment overseas. These are basis signs that the EU economy is far from being the most competitive economy in the world, showing that it needs help in fact. Read leadership is needed now, and we hope that the Member States will take up the challenge and provide that leadership, commented Abruzzini.