(AGENPARL) – mar 13 dicembre 2022 /12/2022
BusinessEuropeâ??s message to the European Council on 15
16 December
Level the playing field across the Atlantic
and EU solutions to the energy crisis urgently
to avoid Europeâ??s deindustrialisation
A level
playing field across the
Atlantic
In the current geopolitical context, the Transatlantic relationship, and the respect of rules
based
trade by both parties is more important than ever. We are concerned about the measures the US
has decided as part
of the Inflation Reduction Act. Such measures are inconsistent with the WTO
rules as they are discriminatory against foreign companiesâ?? exports and impact investments in
the EU.
trust
that a negotiated solution can be found, in particular for Electric
Vehicles,
before the legislation enters into force in January 2023. Failing to find a solution, we would have
to consider other options
. Moreover, we have to think about measures that support
Reducing costs of doing business across the Atlantic through the work of the TTC remains a top
to embrace emerging technologies, and respond effectively to challe
nges from non
economies that do not share our values. The TTC should work to remove barriers to transatlantic
trade in goods and services and ensure a level playing field as we navigate the digital and green
transitions. A more close and interactive
engagement with business is essential to ensure
deliverables that are meaningful and effective.
We need a
evel playing field to ensure European
companiesâ?? competitiveness
, and at the same time make sure that
create a business
friendly
regulatory envir
onment
and therefore
Europeâ??s attractiveness
as a place to do business and in which to invest
Creating regulatory breathing space for companies
European companies urgently need regulatory breathing space.
The aftermath of the COVID
nflation
eduction
are putting European businesses more and more at disadvantage vis
vis the U.S. and
other parts of the world where future growth is to be expected. We are at a turning point where
inesses and assessment of policy impacts on
prospects.
usual�, to regulate less and better
Council formations must
be mobilised to create this regulatory breathing space, identifying
solutions when EU regulation is necessary
The European Council must therefore
urgently drive forward
a stronger â??better regulationâ?? culture
consideration.
We count on
the Council
to join forces with the Commission
and the European
Parliament to ease the legislative burdens for companies, ensuring that the promise to establish
a â??competitiveness checkâ?? for all the policy and legislative initiatives is delivered.
BusinessEuropeâ??s message to the European Council on 15
16 December
A game
changing solution at EU level to the energy
crisis
The situation remains extremely preoccupying, and in the absence of the adequate policy
ial consumers
increased twice as much as household energy prices and are much higher than in other parts of
times higher than in the US. Many European businesses are ab
sorbing these costs or only
partially passing them to consumers. More and more companies are forced to reduce production.
The survival of the European industry is clearly at stake: we can see already some signs of
delocalisation of production, and we can f
ear in the near future thousands of factories closing,
notably SMEs. We urgently need a game
changing solution at EU level to mitigate exceptionally
high energy prices in the short
term and ensure that Europe remains an attractive business
location in the
longer
term.
unintended consequences, we remain unconvinced that the EU
wide emergency measures to
rapidly lower energy bills, either adopted so far or curre
ntly under discussion are corresponding
to the gravity of the situation.
A stronger European response to the current crisis is essential to
prevent more companies from shutting down their production and to avoid an irreversible
fragmentation of our unique
Commission and all European governments to carefully consider all options for additional
emergency measures, including urgently considering a temporary decoupling of electricity and
gas prices.
It is
also important to
rapidly
update
and continuously adjust
the temporary crisis
framework
like it has been done in
October 2022
to correct
present and future
flaws
, such as the
overly complex EBITDA
and maximum aid
criteria
while maintaining a level
playing field in the
Thanks to the efforts made, including as a result of business and industry
led initiatives to lower
energy consumption and organise fuel switching, the risks of forced curtailment for this winter
seem rather
limited. H
owever, many uncertainties remain and the energy outlook for the long
term looks much more worrying. More needs to be done to increase energy supplies in Europe
both in the short and in the longer
term. This requires continuing the external outreach to
pliers and deploying additional renewable, nuclear, low
carbon energy, and natural gas
capacities in Europe as soon as possible.
In this context, the joint gas purchasing proposal,
which needs to protect commercially sensitive information, is an important
step forward.
options to increase domestic energy production and to mitigate the impact of the crisis on
European industry should be considered, including temporary legislative adaptations or
implementation moratoria.
While moving forward with except
ional temporary and short
term measures, we should continue
to decarbonise our economy without deindustrializing it. Europe will therefore need to revert as
carbon
techn
ologies, grids, and interconnectors and progress towards EU’s long
term goal of achieving
Guidance and support for companies on sanctions linked to invasion of Ukraine
BusinessEurope i
s standing fully behind the sanctions that were adopted as a response to
Russiaâ??s invasion of Ukraine. Many companies have decided to go even further than what was
legally required. To ensure good compliance, they need clear guidance and support from the
uropean Commission and governments in clarifying doubts regarding implementation of the
legislation. Progress has been made, thanks to the good cooperation with the European
Commission but there are still issues for which companies urgently need guiding re
sponses.
Moreover, enterprises that want to end their activities in Russia should be able to do so in an
expeditious way.
BusinessEuropeâ??s message to the European Council on 15
16 December
European companies are also very engaged in supporting Ukraine. Many remained in the
country despite the very difficult situation.
Others are willing to go back once conditions allow.
Ukraine is at war. We understand that emergency measures are justifiable. Going forward, it is
important that the country continues in the path for closer integration and alignment with the EU
as this wi
ll be critical in the accession process as well as to attract investors.
The European economy is more impacted by the consequences of the war in Ukraine than other
business locations. Our companies are under extreme pressure due to
prices, supply disruptions, skills shortages, and inflation. They do not benefit from the same
degree of support from policymakers as US firms and are also subject to heavier regulatory
burden. There is a real risk of investment leakage
and deindustrialisation on our continent.
Failing to address this risk will undermine the EUâ??s global strength as well as the wellbeing of
citizens.
European companies urgently need further guidance on sanctions linked to the invasion of
Ukraine and a le
vel playing field with our partners across the Atlantic. They count on the
European Council and the Commission to work hand
hand to finally break the deadlock
standing in the way of game
changing emergency measures on energy and deliver the
necessary re
gulatory breathing space needed to help companies
survive the current crisis.