The frustrating Europeanism of family businesses
Smarter regulation and integration could unleash forces beyond imagination
3' min read
3' min read
"Europe has not grasped the seriousness of the situation. It is in a worse position today than it was a year ago. Our growth model is crumbling. Our future is at stake. We must achieve results in months, not years'.
It was an Italian, Mario Draghi, who recently made this brutally honest assessment of European policy. The Italian economy is still showing signs of growth. In the rest of Europe, on the other hand, many companies remain on hold, often discouraged at first sight. The so-called tariff agreement with Donald Trump reinforces this sentiment.
To be fair, Ursula von der Leyen put cutting red tape at the top of the agenda. The European Commission must promote a huge cultural change. The officials who developed and defended the labyrinthine rules for sustainability reports and supply chains (known by the acronyms CSDD and CSRD, ed.) are now called upon to dismantle the very complexity they helped to create.
The much-vaunted 'omnibus laws' (dedicated to administrative simplification, ed.), which many companies desperately hope will provide relief, still await approval by the European Parliament and the Council. Precisely at this critical moment, the risk of further delays is highest.
This impression was shared by family-run businesses from across Europe at a European Family Business Forum held recently in Brussels. The entrepreneurs showed clear pro-European sentiments, but appeared frustrated at the same time. 'Accelerate! Listen to us! We need growth! Give us a level playing field with our competitors!" This was the message.
