To entrepreneurs I say: choose Europe
3' min read
3' min read
For some weeks now we have been hearing that you, entrepreneurs, should choose between the USA or China. To all of you I say loud and clear: on the contrary, it is time to choose Europe!
First, because choosing Europe means choosing the strength of a unique democratic model that links economic success with the rule of law, decarbonisation, social progress and respect for the individual. At a time when some are ruling out of the blue, this model offers a long-term predictability that is indispensable to all who wish to invest.
Of course, this very European desire to reconcile 'doing good' (from an economic point of view) and 'doing good' (from a social and environmental point of view) has led to an excessive administrative burden. Many have complained about this, with good reason. This is why the European Commission has initiated an unprecedented simplification process. By the end of this Commission's term of office, we will reduce the administrative burdens of large companies by 25 per cent and those of SMEs by 35 per cent. Our credo is simple: ask for less so that you can do more.
Secondly, because choosing Europe means having access to 450 million consumers. But today there are so many obstacles to the common market that our companies internationalise before they Europeanise. Tomorrow it must be the other way around. This is the goal of the 'single market strategy' that we will present on 21 May. In an uncertain world, we want Europeans' first trading partners to be... Europeans themselves.
We must also help companies that produce on European soil. This means fighting together against unfair competition from Chinese products, which are sold at knock-down prices thanks to huge public subsidies. To this end, we propose to support the order books of our companies by introducing a minimum of clean - and 'made in Europe' - products in public tenders and some private markets. To give a concrete example, I would like to see company vehicle fleets using a minimum quota of European steel, European components and European batteries.
