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BDI/BDA BRUSSELS UPDATETHE GERMAN BUSINESS REPRESENTATION
May 2015
European business calls forconcrete initiatives forprivate investments
»Invest in Europe« was at the centraltheme of this year’s conference organi-sed by the European industry’s umbrellaorganisation BUSINESSEUROPE inBrussels. At the heart of this event was adialogue with the new European Com-mission and the European Parliament.
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Digital Single Market
European Commissionpublishes strategy
On 6 May 2015 the European Commis-sion presented its strategy for the crea-tion of the digital single market.
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Environmental Policy
New strategy for a circulareconomy
After the European Commission withdrewthe original package for a circular eco-nomy in February 2015, it is now prepa-ring a new strategy.
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Capital Market Union
Opportunities for moreinvestments in Europe
In mid-February the European Commis-sion published a strategy paper on har-monisation and simplification of capitalmarket rules.
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Trade Policy
Update on the status of theTTIP
The ninth round of negotiations on aTransatlantic Trade and Investment Part-nership took place in New Yorkfrom 20 to 24 April.
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BDI/BDA Brussels Update May 2015 02
European business calls for concrete initiatives for private investments European business calls for concrete initiatives for private investments
»Invest in Europe« was at the central theme of this year’s con-ference organised by the European industry’s umbrella organi-sation BUSINESSEUROPE in Brussels with around 350 partici-pants from business and politics. Ingo Kramer, the President ofGermany’s leading employer organisation (BDA), called for adismantling of the main obstacles to investment (such as incre-asing energy costs, heavy business taxation or skills shortages)in order to restore Europe’s attractiveness as a destination forinvestors. His industrial counterpart, BDI President Ulrich Grillo,emphasised that investments and competitiveness require a co-herent European legislative framework for energy and digital.
BUSINESSEUROPE President Emma Marcegaglia underlinedindustry’s high expectations of the Juncker Commission: a com-prehensive Transatlantic Trade and Investment PartnershipTTIP, competitive energy prices, digitisation of industry, less bu-reaucracy and a functioning European single market. During theday’s first panel debate, Kramer stressed the importance ofJuncker’s 350 billion Euro investment fund for closing the in-vestment gap in Europe. However, it is decisive that the invest-ment package mobilises additional – especially private – invest-ments. In the central panel discussion, Grillo highlighted theneed for more coherent and investment-friendly EU legislationwith the First Vice-President of the European Commission,Frans Timmermans: »We must move away from risk-orientedregulation towards opportunity-oriented regulation« Grillo said.
Further speakers were Jean-Claude Juncker, President of theEuropean Commission, Martin Schulz, President of the Euro-pean Parliament, Günther Oettinger, Commissioner for DigitalEconomy and Society, Cecilia Malmström, Trade Commissio-ner, and Jyrki Katainen, Vice-President of the European Com-mission with responsibility for jobs, growth, investments andcompetitiveness.
Contacts:Séverine Féraud (BDA), [email protected] Ritz (BDI), [email protected]
European Commission publishes strategy for the Digital Single MarketEuropean Commission publishes strategy for the Digital Single Market
On 6 May 2015 the European Commission presented its strat-egy for the creation of the digital single market. Its realisation isone of the European Commission’s central priorities for theyears ahead. Under Commissioners Günther Oettinger and An-drus Ansip, the new European Commission has been workingon the strategy since the start of its mandate. Through the initia-tive, the Commission expects to stimulate additional growth po-tential of 415 billion Euro.
The strategy essentially builds on three action priorities: betteraccess for consumers and businesses to online goods and ser-vices, creating the right conditions for digital networks and ser-vices to flourish, and maximising the growth potential of the Eu-ropean digital economy.
In its communication, the Commission has announced nume-rous initiatives. Alongside harmonised rules for online sales, ter-
BDI/BDA Brussels Update May 2015 03
ritorial restrictions (also known as »geo-blocking«) should be lif-ted. To this end, the Commission is considering inter alia achange of the legislative framework for e-commerce. A furtherkey issue is the modernisation of EU copyright, which is an-nounced for the end of 2015. In addition, the Commission wantsto carry out a comprehensive assessment of the role of plat-forms by the end of the year. In this area, BDI calls for a moredispassionate debate. Market economics and innovations re-quire functioning, open and fair competition. This calls for trans-parent, dependable and above all binding rules.
BDI welcomes the fact that the European Commission is mo-ving cyber-security into closer focus. It has proposed the esta-blishment of public-private partnership projects around cyber-security. Trust in network security is a pre-condition for the fu-ture challenges of industrial digitisation. This can be promotedthrough cooperation between government, industry and society.International cooperation should also be developed in this direc-tion.
In the third pillar, the Commission underlines the growth poten-tial offered by industrial digitisation, cloud services and the In-ternet of things. Unfortunately, it does not explicitly address thetransformation of Industry 4.0. Rather, it concentrates stronglyon the big data sector, which is growing at 40 percent annually.According to the Commission this potential must be better ex-ploited. For 2016, it therefore wants to launch an initiative onfree movement of data and plans to look at the issue of data
ownership rights in the business-to-business area. In addition, itwants to start a European Cloud Initiative. Industry broadly wel-comes the fact that an emphasis is also to be placed on stan-dardisation. Cost-based European and international standardsand global norms are of decisive importance for the interopera-bility and integration of new technologies. Not least the networ-king of people, products and machines in an »Internet of every-thing« across systems requires a seamless information flow onthe basis of global norms and standards.
It is also positive that the Commission incorporates the needs ofthe work world for skilled workers in its strategy. Education andtraining structures should be adjusted to reflect changed requi-rements in all sectors in order to secure employment possibili-ties. The European Commission is therefore in favour of stron-ger recognition of digital skills and qualifications as well as afundamental upgrading of ICT specialist competence.
Contacts:Anne Meister (BDA), [email protected] Stefanie Stündel (BDI), [email protected]
Commission is preparing a new strategy for a circular economy Commission is preparing a new strategy for a circular economy
After the European Commission withdrew the original packagefor a circular economy in February 2015, it is now preparing anew strategy which is expected to inform a new package ofmeasures in the fourth quarter of 2015.
According to sources, the Commission will concentrate on sixthematic areas as its preparations for the package continue:
sustainable sourcing and markets for secondary raw materials,product design, production systems, sustainable consumption,recycling as well as sustainable reduction and management ofresidual waste. In this way the Commission would like to widenthe recent focus on waste policy and in particular move aspectsof product policy as well as development of functioning secon-dary raw material markets further into the foreground.
Furthermore, the specific situation in individual Member Statesshould be given greater consideration and legal requirementsand objectives in the area of waste policy should be improved atlocal level, in particular regarding household waste. The newpackage is then expected to comprise a new proposal for a revi-sion of waste law and an action plan with further measures andconcrete deadlines.
Among other things, the Commission has announced an onlineconsultation for May and a stakeholder conference on 25 Juneto help it prepare the new package.
Contact:Dr Alexander Kessler (BDI), [email protected]
BDI/BDA Brussels Update May 2015 04
Opportunities for more investments in EuropeOpportunities for more investments in Europe
The Capitals Market Union is taking shape. In mid-February theEuropean Commission published a strategy paper on harmoni-sation and simplification of capital market rules. The objective isto move ahead with integration of European financial marketsand to make cross-border investments in Europe moreattractive.
In the short term, the European Commission plans first and fo-remost the creation of a market for high quality securitisations,the simplification of the prospectus directive as well as uniformrules for private placements. In the longer term, a stronger har-monisation of company, insolvency and tax law is foreseen.
An effective capitals market union would be an important steptowards completing the single market. Because companies willin future need a greater degree of access to an integrated capi-tal market in order to place their sources of finance on a broadbase.
However, the Commission initiative will only be successful if it isnot frustrated by excessive financial market regulation. Obviousinconsistencies between regulatory initiatives constitute highhurdles for a functioning capital markets union. Expressly wel-come is the differentiated regulatory treatment of securitisati-ons. Well regulated securitisation markets open up new ave-nues in business and infrastructure financing.
The capital markets union must be developed with balance andwithout illusions. European countries have their own financialtraditions, business structures and financing needs. Capitalmarket financing options are still unlikely to become a real alter-native to the bank loan for the broad mass of small and medi-um-sized enterprises. Bank- and capital-market-based financingmodels should interlinked in an intelligent way. The project canthen make a positive contribution to more investments, growthand jobs in Europe.
Contact:Dr Reinhard Kudiß (BDI), [email protected]
Update on the status of the TTIP negotiationsUpdate on the status of the TTIP negotiations
The ninth round of negotiations on a Transatlantic Trade and In-vestment Partnership took place in New Yorkfrom 20 to 24 April. The priority was an exchange on new nego-tiating offers for dismantling customs duties, talks on regulatorycooperation and the architecture of an agreement in the area ofservices. Since the European Commission had not yet presen-ted a new negotiating position in the area of investment protec-tion, there were no discussions on this theme. These will conti-nue at the earliest in the framework of the tenth round of nego-tiations in July.
European Parliament is preparing a resolution on TTIP
The European Parliament’s resolution is of great importance forthe upcoming negotiations. It is currently being discussed in va-rious Committees and is expected to be adopted in June.
BDI/BDA Brussels Update May 2015 05
Publisher: BDI - Federation of German IndustriesBreite Str. 29; 10178 Berlin; www.bdi.eu
Once the negotiations will be concluded, the European Parlia-ment must approve of any agreement.
Future timetable: no agreement in 2015
Both EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström and EU ChiefNegotiator Ignacio Garcia Bercero have made it clear that it isnot realistic to expect the negotiations to be concluded thisyear. Nevertheless, the negotiations in 2015 should be used toreach agreement on a political framework in many negotiatingareas.
In 2015, BDI will continue to make the case for a strong TTIPwith clear rules for trade and investment. On the occasion of the
Hannover Messe trade fair, BDI’s Presidential Board adopted astatement of principles on TTIP in German, which you canread here. In a brochure entitled »We want TTIP«, Chairmenand Managing Directors of large and SME businesses call foran agreement and explain how this could help their companies,employees and customers. The german brochure can befound here.
Contact:Fabian Wendenburg (BDI), [email protected]
Photo credits: BUSINESSEUROPE (1, 2), Fotolia (1, 2),Fotolia/Christian Maurer (1, 3), Fotolia/Adam Gryko (1, 4),Fotolia/jamdesign (1, 4)
Editors: Joscha Ritz (Responsible in terms of German Press Law), Leonie DackThe responsibility for the content of external contributions rests with the respectiveauthor.
