UNICE Presidents Meet to Discuss Copenhagen European Council
Date: 10-12-2002
The presidents of 34 industrial and employers' confederations of Europe, member organisations of the Union of Industrial and Employers' Confederations of Europe (UNICE), met in Brussels last week to discuss their expectations of the Copenhagen European Council meeting later this week. The main outcomes of their debate were as follows:
Convention on the Future of Europe
The debate around the draft constitutional treaty is welcome. Main orientations are still to be made in the coming months in order to fill the structure with substance. At this stage, the positive elements are the stress put on simplicity, transparency and efficiency as well as a strengthening of the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality. Yet, the draft lacks references to competitiveness, a free market economy and sustainable development that will have to be added. On the social dimension of Europe, the specific role of the social partners needs to be recognised and their autonomy respected. Further, there cannot be social progress without a high degree of competitiveness.
The Economic Environment
The European economy is failing to break out of its lethargic state. Growth rates will remain low, at least throughout the first half of 2003. This is due to a high degree of uncertainty in the international economic climate. But Europe's problems are also due to the fact that our economy is unable to be its own growth motor. Whereas monetary policy has achieved its goal of maintaining price stability, governments have been lagging behind in implementing structural reforms in Member States. Since labour costs are much too high given the current slow growth in labour productivity, pursuing moderate wage policies in Member States is also necessary to redress the economy.
EU Enlargement
With regard to Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, the Slovak Republic and Slovenia, UNICE welcomes the Commission's recommendations and agrees to the process of working towards concluding accession negotiations with each of these countries, based on own merits, by the time of the Copenhagen summit.
Lisbon Strategy
Business leaders confirmed that the Lisbon Strategy is the right channel to enhance competitiveness and dynamism of Europe. However, the "delivery implementation gap" remains. The UNICE Lisbon strategy paper for 2003, assessing the lack of progress in implementing the Lisbon strategy, will be presented to the EU Presidency and the media following the Copenhagen European Council meeting.