FOI delegation at UNICE Competitiveness Day

Hundreds of entrepreneurs and business leaders from all over Europe came together in Brussels on December 9 to the second EU Competitiveness Day, organised by the Union of Industrial and Employers' Confederations of Europe (UNICE).

Under the leitmotiv "Play to Win!", the Competitiveness Day was the business community's demonstration in favour of a climate which allows companies to devote their energies to doing business instead of dealing with unnecessary red tape, and urging politicians at European and national level to implement the Lisbon strategy.

UNICE president Jürgen Strube stressed that the scope of the conference was for the European business community to send out a message of hope "because we believe in the EU as strongly as ever, but also one of worry because the EU is not doing as well as it could in the Lisbon reform agenda.

"Therefore our message is above all a call for action - action that must be governed by what I call the C4 approach: clarity, commitment, courage and co-operation."

This message was delivered to high-level political decision-makers such as President of the European Parliament Josep Borrell, Commission President José Manuel Barroso, Dutch Minister of Economics and President of the Competitiveness Council Laurens Jan Brinkhorst, Commission Vice-President Günter Verheugen, Commissioners Danuta Hübner and Jan Figel, European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet and the chairman of the EP's Industry Committee Giles Chichester.

Being a full and active member of UNICE, the FOI arranged for a high-level business delegation from Malta to participate at this important UNICE event. The FOI delegation was led by its president Anton Borg. It was also honoured with the participation of the Minister for Competitiveness and Communications Censu Galea, as well as Members of the European Parliament Simon Busuttil, John Attard Montalto, Louis Grech and Joseph Muscat.

The Malta delegation also included FOI deputy president Adrian Bajada; Helga Ellul, managing director of Playmobil Malta Ltd and an FOI Council member; Angelo Xuereb, FOI Council member and chairman of AX Constructions Ltd; Louis Farrugia, group chief executive of Simonds Farsons Cisk plc; William Wait, finance director of Toly Products Ltd; Chris Degiorgio, financial director of Foster Clark Products Ltd; Louis Apap Bologna, president, Malta Chamber of Commerce and Enterprise; and Arthur Muscat, president, Malta Employers Association.

Accompanying the delegation were also Dr Leonard Mizzi, Malta Business Bureau (MBB) director and FOI permanent Brussels representative; Joe Vella, head of the Minister's Secretariat at the Ministry for Competitiveness and Communications; Cecilia Vella, FOI executive; Janine Borg, MBB policy advisor; Stefano Mallia, assistant to MEP Dr Busuttil; and Chiara Ellul, MBB Stagiare.

Key priorities for UNICE in the new political cycle will be a reduction in burdensome red tape, implementation of better regulatory impact assessments, increased market access for goods and services through a successful conclusion of the Doha Development Agenda, besides undertaking important negotiations on the establishment of a truly global dimension on climate change, simplification of legislation, and adoption of a simple Community Patent with the English-only solution.

Mr Strube said: "It is like in sport. The more competitive the environment and the more attractive the gains, the more you are pushed towards outstanding results. But you need to take up the challenge, you need to be part of the competition, and not hide your head in the sand."

Several presentations were made, and panel discussions conducted, during the conference, emphasising the need for ambitious steps to reach the Lisbon objectives.

The conference included several European business leaders, such as Vivendi chairman and president of the International Chamber of Commerce Jean-René Fourtou; president of Confindustria, FIAT and Ferrari Luca Cordero di Montezemolo; TPG CEO Peter Bakker; BDA president Dieter Hundt, SEV president Ulysses Kyriacopoulos; Procter & Gamble Group president (Europe) Paul Polman; and Arcelor CEO Guy Dollé.

The UNICE president concluded: "The European business community believes in the EU. This is the reason why so many of us have come today to the capital of the EU. European companies have the potential to produce a world-class performance if they are allowed to do so.

"Given the right conditions, and with determination on all sides, Europe's economy can also produce a winning performance and Play to Win."

At the Competitiveness Day, UNICE presented the brochure Play to win, which assesses policy messages from decision-makers at European and national level, and their implementation in economic reform initiatives.

Anyone wishing to obtain this brochure or more information on this UNICE event can contact Ms Vella at the FOI on 2123-4428, 2122-2074.