Brussels, 22/03/2004 (Agence Europe) - In its message to the Tripartite Social Summit, the European employers' organisation (Unice) has given its full support to structural reform, "as long as everybody recognises the need to be competitive in a global economy". Unice also hopes for "unambiguous support for the agenda presented by the Kok Task Force on employment, which has made balanced recommendations to the various Member States", said Thérèse de Liederkerke, director of Unice's "Social Affairs" committee. The employers have also called for an assessment of progress for change to be made at the 2005 Tripartite Social Summit.
More specifically, Unice has launched an appeals to the Unionist world, asking it to "commit to the necessary structural reforms, especially in terms of the work market, in line with the recommendations of the Kok report on employment", and to the public authorities to "clearly assume the leadership" especially on budgetary and tax issues, and "reluctance on pensions and work market reforms in certain Member States".
Mr de Liederkerke also stressed than in terms of research and development, "one of the EU's weaknesses is that it under-invests in universities but overprotects them, in a highly centralised education system and a highly controlled university system", which makes it hard to create partnerships between universities and private enterprise, unlike the United States. "None of this is favourable to dynamism", said Mr de Liederkerke. She then pointed out that "in our countries, which all have their own problems, it is up to the national players to do something about it. At European level, we can encourage them and commit to guarantee to follow up their actions".
As for the possible creation of a European "Super-Commissioner" for Competitiveness and economic dossiers in general, Ms de Liederkerke said that Unice was in favour of a "global reflection on competitiveness issues". "We must be able to keep a critical eye on competitiveness, because this will help to create jobs", she stressed.