With the recovery beating expectations and market conditions easing, European firms expect to increase investment again. Financial support for firms during the lockdowns was crucial in keeping the economy afloat: more than half (56%) of EU firms have received some form of financial support in response to COVID-19. Moreover, despite difficult circumstances, four out of…
Europe’s leading telecommunications companies have called on EU policymakers to closely align Europe’s technology ambitions with a supportive policy and regulatory ecosystem. The demand came on Monday by 13 CEOs, including Nick Read, CEO of Vodafone, who took part in a panel on “Europe’s vision for industrial leadership in technology.” The event was told that after…
The European Commission has presented its capital markets package. The package includes changes to the Markets in Financial Instruments Regulation (MiFIR), the rules for alternative investments such as hedge funds (AIFMD), the European Long-Term Investment Funds framework (ELTIF) and the creation of a single European data hub for company data (ESAP). The proposals are mainly…
The European Investment Bank (EIB) – the financial arm of the EU – has approved a new Transparency Policy that will allow the bank to keep hiding information on projects it finances despite their potential impacts on people and the environment. The new policy, it is claimed, “further deteriorates” transparency conditions at the EIB…
A new report published on Thursday by 5 of the leading European telecommunications companies, calls on policymakers, EU Member States, and industry stakeholders to “collaborate and urgently prioritise” Open Radio Access Network (RAN). They say this will ensure that Europe continues to play a leading role in 5G, and in the future, in 6G. The…
This week, the SME Assembly 2021 was held in Portoroz, Slovenia together with the Slovenian Presidency of the EU. Reacting to the event, Pierre Gattaz, BusinessEurope President, said: “Considerable efforts by governments, businesses and citizens have enabled a strong recovery in Europe. However, the situation remains fragile and SMEs are very much exposed. We therefore need a…
The European Commission has announced the winners of the 2021 European Enterprise Promotion Awards (EEPA). The initiative rewards entities promoting entrepreneurship and small businesses at national, regional and local level. The Grand Jury Prize went to Germany for the project COMPETENZentrum für Selbständige by Initiative Selbständiger Immigrantinnen e. V. The Project was also a winner in Category…
Kristina Dimova, a 22 year-old from Bulgaria, was proclaimed a winner of this year’s SME Week Youth Essay Competition during the European Commission’s SME Assembly. Kristina was asked to answer the question: “What do SMEs need to become sustainable and resilient in the context of COVID-19 and other global challenges? Think about the competences and…
Speaking at the European Commission’s SME Assembly 2021 during the Schumpeter ‘Innovation in Enterprise’ Lecture, joint Nobel Prize laureate Professor Lučka Kajfež Bogataj of the University of Ljubljana said that the world needs “enlightened policies and governance, and an engaged citizenry if we are to achieve long-term sustainability.” “We can no longer postpone tackling difficult issues, and we…
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) held an event promoting the European year dedicated to rail and explaining its potential to become a fully sustainable and competitive transport option, thereby helping to achieve the Green Deal targets. Rail can make a huge contribution to sustainable and smart mobility but a lot still needs to be…
