Brussels, 08/12/2008 (Agence Europe) - In its annual survey of the economic prospects of 2009, Eurochambers has confirmed the stagnation of economic activities, but is not giving in to pessimism. Unsurprisingly, the individual indicators of the survey were all down, thus confirming the unfavourable climate of current prospects. Entrepreneurs, whose last expectations were not met in 2008, are adopting a much more cautious approach to their forecasts the 2009. The survey, which was carried out between September and mid-October and involved 70,000 business people from the EU and candidate countries, would most likely have returned even more worrying figures if it had been carried out in the more recent period of the crisis, Eurochambers acknowledges. According to information the organisation gathered, the confidence of businesses is already at a record low, with most of them holding a very negative vision of activity for next year (as is the case in Germany, Spain, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, whereas the assessment was still overall positive in Italy and France).
Prospects for turnovers are down, but remain more or less positive (particularly in the euro zone), despite an anticipated drop in domestic sales (more in the manufactured goods sector than in the services sector). After good performances in 2008, export forecasts are considerably lower, the study notes, observing that 67% of exports were made within the EU of 27. As regards employment, the analysis of the entrepreneurs was very cautious, with figures falling to their 2002 levels (nearly two thirds of respondents stated that they would be able to keep their jobs over the coming year). Lastly, in terms of investments, prospects for 2009 remain positive, although considerably lower than previously (the level of investments in the euro zone is set to stagnate).
"The situation is serious and we need to take immediate action to counter it. In these times of stagnation, we cannot afford political resignation", stressed the president of Eurochambers, Pierre Simon, who is hoping that the European Council of 11 and 12 December will send out strong signals to the SMEs. The Heads of State are called upon unreservedly to approve the Small Business Act at European level, to extend guarantees for SMEs (by supporting the creation of a European guarantee fund), to reduce the lead-time for public authority payments to one month, to speed up the implementation of the Services directive and the creation of European business centres set up abroad to facilitate access to the markets. For more information, see: http: //http://www.eurochambres.eu/content/default.asp?PageID=1&DocID=1473. (A.B./trans.fl)