Brussels, 08/12/2008 (Agence Europe) - Christoph Leitl, who is president of the Austrian Chamber of Commerce and of SME Union (the EPP's SME organisation), takes the view that the economic crisis should step up the need for Europe and help to overcome the institutional crisis. “We shall convince”, Mr Leitl told EUROPE, hoping that this ratification will come before the European elections in June 2009. “The Lisbon Treaty is only one step along the road to consolidating Europe”, he went on to add. “There should be constraint on no-one and no-one must slow down the others that want to move forward”, Mr Leitl said, adding: “We need ideas like those of Messrs Juncker, Verhofstadt and Sarkozy”. Although acknowledging that there will always be dissatisfaction, Mr Leitl also considers that the European Commission has made Europe move forward in the fields of growth and employment. In particular, he praises the work done by Günter Verheugen regarding the reduction of the administrative burden and the “Small Business Act”. He goes on, however, to say “this does not mean that everything is fine”, and speaks of the risks that the CO2 reduction policy has brought upon companies and jobs in this period of crisis. What are the priorities for the next five years? The financial crisis, the economic crisis, employment, less red tape, the environment, with a “3x20 formula, but an intelligent one”, aid to SMEs, and “a strong Europe which has the trust of citizens”, answers Christophe Leitl in order. (O.J./transl.jl)