22.07.2013

“The crisis will only be over when growth returns. To match Chinese industrial might and the revival of US manufacturing thanks to the shale gas revolution we need a real European industrial policy. A policy which addresses the weaknesses of European competitiveness” – said BUSINESSEUROPE President Emma Marcegaglia at a meeting with the Lithuanian Presidency today in Vilnius.

President Emma Marcegaglia, Director General Markus J. Beyrer and LPK President Robertas Dargis discussed European companies’ expectations from the Lithuanian EU Presidency with Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaitė, Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevičius and Minister of Economy Evaldas Gustas. President Marcegaglia expressed BUSINESSEUROPE’s full support to the triple objective of the Presidency to work towards a credible, open and growing Europe.

She handed over BUSINESSEUROPE’s priorities for the period of the Lithuanian EU Presidency both to the President and Prime Minister. European companies urge the Presidency to ensure swift agreement and implementation of the Banking Union, maintain the momentum for ambitious structural reforms and fiscal consolidation, and pave the way to an effective use of the up to € 8 billion of the Youth Employment Initiative.

BUSINESSEUROPE also highlighted that the Presidency must, in priority, rebalance EU climate and energy policy and add cost competitiveness and security of supply alongside CO2 emission reductions objectives; further develop the Single Market; strengthen Europe’s position on global markets and optimize the support given to growth-oriented and competitiveness-enhancing actions when implementing the compromise on the EU budget 2014-2020.

Date: 22.07.2013

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