29 May: The European Commission has adopted recommendations to EU Member States designed to move Europe beyond the crisis and strengthen the foundations for growth. The package includes a Communication outlining the main findings of the Commission's country by country analysis, and how this can boost growth and job creation in the EU as a whole, and a series of 24 sets of country-specific recommendations (CSR), one set for every Member State - excluding Greece, Ireland, Portugal and Cyprus.
Showing posts with label EU 2020. Show all posts
Showing posts with label EU 2020. Show all posts
08 June 2012
EU 2020: country specific recommendations
On 30 May 2012 the Commission published its country specific recommendations to assist Member States in the pursuit of the common objectives of the Europe 2020 strategy (COM(2012) 299 final.) This is a mine of information about current public policies conducted to promote jobs and growth in the European Union.
The Europe 2020 strategy is about delivering growth that is: smart, through more effective investments in education, research and innovation; sustainable, thanks to a decisive move towards a low-carbon economy; and inclusive, with a strong emphasis on job creation and poverty reduction. The strategy is focused on five ambitious goals in the areas of employment, innovation, education, poverty reduction and climate/energy.
In COM(20120299 the objectives concerning the improvement of the business environment are defined as follows: “The country specific recommendations focus on improving the business environment, including by reducing administrative burden, and opening up the network industries such as energy, railways and telecoms to competition to deliver better services at better prices for business and citizens. In some cases they recommend greater independence for the regulators. They address the implementation of the Services Directive through removing unjustified or disproportionate restrictions on providing services, including discrimination based on nationality or residence. They also deal with ongoing restrictions in the retail sector.
Other recommendations deal with strengthening research and innovation, improving resource efficiency, and linking education more closely to the requirements of the labour market. »
The Europe 2020 strategy is about delivering growth that is: smart, through more effective investments in education, research and innovation; sustainable, thanks to a decisive move towards a low-carbon economy; and inclusive, with a strong emphasis on job creation and poverty reduction. The strategy is focused on five ambitious goals in the areas of employment, innovation, education, poverty reduction and climate/energy.
In COM(20120299 the objectives concerning the improvement of the business environment are defined as follows: “The country specific recommendations focus on improving the business environment, including by reducing administrative burden, and opening up the network industries such as energy, railways and telecoms to competition to deliver better services at better prices for business and citizens. In some cases they recommend greater independence for the regulators. They address the implementation of the Services Directive through removing unjustified or disproportionate restrictions on providing services, including discrimination based on nationality or residence. They also deal with ongoing restrictions in the retail sector.
Other recommendations deal with strengthening research and innovation, improving resource efficiency, and linking education more closely to the requirements of the labour market. »
02 December 2011
Accountants criticise EC plan for SMEs
Friend of the network Manos draws our attention to his organisation's reaction (published today on Euractiv) to the recent report by the Commission on relief from EU law for SMEs (23 November). Under the title "Smart regulators must be able to tell regulatory burdens from regulatory capital," the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) points out that the Commission's inititatives on exempting small businesses from individual regulations risk misinterpreting the needs of SMEs and introducing "two-tier markets". This viewpoint is based on the newish concept that regulation does not only impose costs (which when not justified are called burdens): "some regulations, including those governing financial disclosures, "are more like public investment in that they build capital – trust, standards and confidence – which private firms can then leverage to create value." Exemptions from these specific rules would not be economically stimulating. For discussion.
23 November 2011
Announcement: conference on Smart Regulation and Sustainable Growth
The Korea Legislation Research Institute and the Administrative Research Centre at Paul Cézanne Aix-Marseille III University invite all smart regulation experts to a conference on "Challenges and Opportunities for the Future: European and Korean Perspectives on Sustainable Growth and Smart Regulation."
Date: November 30th (Wed), 2011 Venue: Hotel Marriott Rive Gauche Paris.
The invitation is online, as well as the conference book.
RSVP by e-mail to klri @ koconex. com
Date: November 30th (Wed), 2011 Venue: Hotel Marriott Rive Gauche Paris.
The invitation is online, as well as the conference book.
RSVP by e-mail to klri @ koconex. com
22 November 2011
EU 2020 banks on social business
On 18 November, addressing a conference on social entrepreneurship, Internal Market Commissioner Michel Barnier developped regulatory aspects of his Social Business Initiative which proposes to promote a highly competitive social market economy, within the 'Europe 2020' strategy.
The social economy — cooperatives, foundations, associations or mutual societies — employs more than 11 million people in the EU, accounting for 6% of total employment. Social enterprises have been identified as a priority for funding under the EU's regional policy. About €90 million has been earmarked for a new social investment instrument to support debt and equity investments in 2014-2020. The Commission is set to propose a European regulatory framework for social investment funds before the end of 2011 to facilitate access to financial markets for social enterprises, seen as one of the major obstacles to boost the sector. Cutting red tape, especially on public procurement, will be an essential component of the plan. Very good article on Euractiv.
The simplification drive seems ever more necessary: the Commission Work Programme for 2012, presented last week, lists 129 EU laws and assorted non-binding strategy papers and recommendations to be developped in that year, including an Annual Growth Strategy, measures to put an end to tax havens and a "quick reaction mechanism" against VAT fraud, as well as laws to end fiddles in the disbursement of EU funds.
The social economy — cooperatives, foundations, associations or mutual societies — employs more than 11 million people in the EU, accounting for 6% of total employment. Social enterprises have been identified as a priority for funding under the EU's regional policy. About €90 million has been earmarked for a new social investment instrument to support debt and equity investments in 2014-2020. The Commission is set to propose a European regulatory framework for social investment funds before the end of 2011 to facilitate access to financial markets for social enterprises, seen as one of the major obstacles to boost the sector. Cutting red tape, especially on public procurement, will be an essential component of the plan. Very good article on Euractiv.
The simplification drive seems ever more necessary: the Commission Work Programme for 2012, presented last week, lists 129 EU laws and assorted non-binding strategy papers and recommendations to be developped in that year, including an Annual Growth Strategy, measures to put an end to tax havens and a "quick reaction mechanism" against VAT fraud, as well as laws to end fiddles in the disbursement of EU funds.
16 October 2011
How to boost European competitiveness
Three interesting and informative updates from the European Commission were published on 14 October: the Communication on "Industrial policy: Reinforcing competitiveness,"the yearly report on "Member States competitiveness performance and policies 2011" and the "European Competitiveness Report 2011." The joint message, as summarised in the press release, is that the European economy needs coherent and coordinated industrial policies from the Member States if it is to get back to a growth path. Whilst financial and fiscal stability are necessary preconditions for sustainable growth, they need to be complemented by the implementation of structural reforms and microeconomic policies enhancing the competitiveness of the EU economy and its long term growth potential. Drawing on the Communication and the two reports, a press Memo presents an abridged look at industrial competitiveness in EU Member States in the fields: innovative industry, sustainable industry, business environment and SME policy. It contains a brief update on the situation of each of the 27 member states. Among key areas of action, the importance of improving the regulatory environment of business (including efforts to reduce administrative burdens) and the need to further improve the Internal Market, are reaffirmed.
17 March 2011
2020 strategy under scrutiny in EESC
Yesterday (16 March) at the plenary session of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), European Commission President, José Manuel Barroso stressed the importance of the EESC's active involvement in the European Semester, a new instrument designed to ensure a preventive supervision of economic and budgetary policies of Member States. The Commission's Annual Growth Survey, which kicked off the first semester, provided advice on the direction for national economic and fiscal policies to follow. In its new opinion on the survey, the EESC lambasted the Commission for missing the opportunity to target smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, focusing instead on fiscal consolidation and labour market and pension system reforms. "The Commission is plain wrong while presenting drastic fiscal consolidation as the prerequisite for growth. Emphasis should be put on growth drivers as only they can enable this fiscal consolidation", said Michael Smyth (Great Britain, Various Interest's Group), rapporteur of the opinion. On the other hand, EESC Members welcomed Mr Barroso's emphasis on social dialogue and civil society's engagement as a way to reduce the risk of the Europe 2020 Strategy's legitimacy deficit and called for less red tape for innovators and inventors (for more, see press release)
12 February 2010
Better Regulation in EU 2020
For 10 years, better regulation has been one of the main tools to support the Lisbon strategy for growth and jobs. With EU 2020 strategy designed as a successor to the current Lisbon strategy, what is going to happen to the BR agenda in the next decade? We now have some indications, thanks to the Lisbon evaluation and the feedback from the consultation campaign.
The evaluation document concludes that the improvement of the regulatory framework has reduced burdens and made Europe a better place to do business than in 2000. There has been a shift in regulatory culture but much remains to be done, for instance complete the 25% reduction in administrative burdens by 2012 to unlock the business potential.
The first overview of the well over 1500 contributions to the consultation of interested parties shows broad support for the continued search for better regulation and reduced burdens in support of a "competitive, connected and greener economy. The main shift may be the reinforcement of the EU's "social profile". For a brief description of the future of BR as seen by the member states, the Council conclusions adopted at the 3-4 December 2009 Competitiveness Council have just been published: MS call for "new instruments and better use of eGovernment in the better regulation work", and taking into account compliance costs and perceptions of the effects of regulatory requirements.
CH MONTIN (Brussels)
The evaluation document concludes that the improvement of the regulatory framework has reduced burdens and made Europe a better place to do business than in 2000. There has been a shift in regulatory culture but much remains to be done, for instance complete the 25% reduction in administrative burdens by 2012 to unlock the business potential.
The first overview of the well over 1500 contributions to the consultation of interested parties shows broad support for the continued search for better regulation and reduced burdens in support of a "competitive, connected and greener economy. The main shift may be the reinforcement of the EU's "social profile". For a brief description of the future of BR as seen by the member states, the Council conclusions adopted at the 3-4 December 2009 Competitiveness Council have just been published: MS call for "new instruments and better use of eGovernment in the better regulation work", and taking into account compliance costs and perceptions of the effects of regulatory requirements.
CH MONTIN (Brussels)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)