Enterprise group sets out vision for Barcelona summit
Conditions for innovative and entrepreneurial enterprises need to be improved if the European Union is to attain its goal of establishing the world's most competitive knowledge-based economy in 10 years. This was one of the conclusions of the first joint meeting of the two chambers of the European Commission's enterprise policy group, held in Brussels on 7 February. The discussions focused on the obstacles to innovative entrepreneurs and small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). These included regulatory complexity, dissuasive tax systems, rigid labour markets and lack of recognition of SMEs' social contribution. Members of the chambers recognised that EU policy needs to be more alert to the needs of these actors for the situation to improve. In its evaluation of the progress in improving the EU business environment, members of the chambers emphasised that more internationalisation, further benefits from the internal market and tackling sustainable development issues were needed. The internal market was seen as providing benefits on goods, but an internal market services is still not complete. The meeting aimed to assist in clarifying issues that will need to be tackled at the European Council in Barcelona in March.