17/02/2006 (Agence Europe) - Christoph Leitl, President of the Federal Chamber of Commerce of Austria (WKO), said the initiative taken by Commissioners Verheugen (enterprise and industry) and Figel (education) to promote the entrepreneurial spirit among young Europeans from an early age (see EUROPE 9130) is an important step that must now be translated into fact. In his view, it is highly important to encourage young people to set up business, given their current lack of motivation compared to young Americans. Mr Leitl stressed: “It is an open secret to say that in Europe the entrepreneurial spirit is not - compared to the United States- as strongly anchored in our mindset. (…) Studies show that nearly half of all Europeans would like to become a company director (…) but that not even 5% achieve this dream”.