Commitment to Lisbon agenda decisive in selection of new Commissioners, says Eurochambres
For the European business community, the decisive factor in the selection of the new Commissioners is to what extent a candidate can make a substantial contribution to the achievement of the Lisbon target, according to Eurochambres, the association of European chambers of commerce and industry. The organisation, which claims over 17 million member companies across Europe, said that the composition of the new Commission will be crucial for the future of Europe. 'There can be no honeymoon period for the new European Commission. [...] The new Commission has to align its legislative initiatives with the overarching aim of becoming the most competitive knowledge-based economy in the world,' said Eurochambres President Christoph Leitl on 14 April. 'The first task of the new Commission will be to elaborate a road map for Lisbon with detailed actions and annual evaluations in order to react in time to delays and necessary [adaptations],' he continued. According to the association, other key questions for the new appointees will be the allocation of competences and how well the Commission cooperates with the Parliament, European Council, social partners and the European Central Bank, as well as national and regional actors. At the same time, Slovakia's Commissioner-designate Ján Figel was appearing before Members of the European Parliament in Brussels, prior to their vote in early May to approve the interim enlarged Commission. Mr Figel said that the Commission's main priorities should be ensuring the smooth completion of the enlargement process, sustainable growth and competitiveness, and security and external relations. He warned MEPs that next year's mid-term review of the Lisbon process would not be favourable: 'If the EU, and even more so, Member State governments do not take further action, then it is clear that the Union will not reach the Lisbon goals.' Having worked alongside Enterprise and Information Society Commissioner Erkki Liikanen for a number of weeks, Mr Figel described both policy areas as strategic for modernising the EU's economy and rendering it more competitive. He also warned against continually comparing the EU with the United States, saying that Europe should instead concentrate on overcoming its own difficulties. Asked for his thoughts on the importance of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) within the EU, Mr Figel acknowledged the important contribution that smaller businesses make to the EU economy and called for a medium to long term strategy in support of SMEs, including the adoption of an SME charter. Mr Figel's final message to the Parliament was that the EU should concentrate 'more on action than words, legislate where there was agreement, and ensure current and future Member States better implement existing EU legislation.'
Countries
Slovakia