Brussels, 24/01/2007 (Agence Europe) - The Union of Industrial and Employers' Confederations of Europe (UNICE), which currently brings together 39 national federations from 33 countries, has changed its name to BUSINESSEUROPE. During a press conference on Tuesday 23 January in Brussels, the president of the European employers' organisation, Ernest-Antoine Seillière, explained that with this new name (consisting of the English word, “business” and the French word “Europe”, he emphasised) his association would be easy to identify in all member states and in all languages. BusinessEurope's priorities will remain, however, the same, he added: pushing forward reforms for growth and employment in Europe and integration of the European market, promoting effective EU management, fighting national protectionism, taking advantage of economic and trade opportunities resulting from EU expansion, and reforming the European social systems to make them sustainable.
On Tuesday, BusinessEurope also published its “Declaration on the 50th Anniversary of the European Union”, because European employers want to play an “active role in the debate on the future of Europe”, explained Mr Seillière. He said that they wanted to “reinvigorate Europe” and help it to become capable of making decisions speedily when required. This is why European employers support the goal of a new treaty and institutional reforms in force, before the European elections and new European Commission in 2009. BusinessEurope is also requesting that qualified majority voting (QMV) becomes the “general rule” for decision-making in the EU but with exceptions “in questions linked to social security or taxation, which should remain subject to unanimity”, explained Seillière, who also appealed for a streamlined European Commission. For further information on the new site: http://www.businesseurope.eu. (hb)