The way forward: The business vision for the future of The European Union

Europe is one of the best places in which to live, work, and do business in the world. And this is not by chance. The European Union made the European way of life possible, entrenched in freedom of thought, speech, movement and enterprise, safeguarding different cultural identities and traditions within a borderless single market, with unparalleled investment in social safety nets, while promoting democracy, peace, the rule of law, and prosperity within its members and beyond.

The EU is however facing unprecedented and critical challenges due to a fast-changing and uncertain world, and the alienation of certain groups of European citizens vis-à-vis the EU given the difficulty to perceive the benefits conferred by the European project. The EU must be the place where we find common answers to common challenges. This is why, more than ever, the EU needs to come up with new solutions in areas where it can deliver concrete benefits and where EU action provides for clear added value, such as the single market, the common currency, the common trade policy, innovation and security.

Companies, as main creators of jobs and growth, have a central role to play. Companies are a key pillar of the success of the EU and the euro, providing the basis for economic and social progress to go hand in hand, and contributing with solutions to societal and environmental challenges. Moreover, European companies are drivers of innovation and creativity and respect high standards regarding labour, consumers and the environment. Their capacity to maintain and even improve these qualities must therefore be safeguarded. However, European companies will only be able to fulfil their role and set an example to be followed by the rest of the world if the competitiveness and economic sustainability of our system is proven.

BusinessEurope is a strong supporter of the European project and has been at the forefront of its construction right from the beginning, already during the preparation of the Treaty of Rome. BusinessEurope therefore feels a strong responsibility to make sure we move forward united and undertake all necessary efforts to build a stronger Europe.

Improving and adapting the European project is a continuous process. During the past years, the EU was in a crisis management mode, but we are now on a steady recovery path with stronger growth and decreasing unemployment. The current window of opportunity must be used to the full to set out the next steps. The time has come to take bold decisions on the way forward.

This is fundamental in order to safeguard what we have accomplished this far: the best successive decades this continent has ever lived. This is visible in everyday life through achievements such as the easiness to travel, study, work, or to do business in Europe, and do payments with a common currency in Eurozone countries. We must avoid the mistake of taking the immense opportunities the EU provides as given.

To repair the damage of years of blame game concerning the EU, member states, together with the EU institutions, have the joint responsibility to define an effective way forward and develop a positive narrative regarding the European Union. This is a crucial aspect in the discussions on the future of Europe. It must be fully factored in as part of the effort of bringing the European project closer to its citizens.

Securing the free movement of goods, services, capital and persons through the single market and staying open to the rest of the world provides fundamental conditions for companies to grow and create jobs. Full respect of the rule of law by all member states must continue to be ensured as it is an essential condition for business to operate and a pillar of the values system of the EU. The EU must be mindful of the impact of its policies on the competitiveness of its companies, especially in times of fierce global competition. The functioning of the EU must also become more efficient. Europe must act only where real value and progress can be achieved, and this includes doing less in specific areas.

BusinessEurope and its member federations have an ambitious goal for Europe. We have analysed and discussed possible ways forward on the basis of the five scenarios presented in the European Commission’s White Paper on the Future of Europe and subsequent reflection papers. We believe that both scenario 1 “carrying on” and scenario 2 “nothing but the single market” are not an option, as stagnation and rolling back the EU will not allow to tackle the challenges at hand.

We consider that the way forward must focus on the core elements from scenario 4 “doing less more efficiently” and some aspects of scenario 5 “doing much more together” reflecting a longer-term perspective, enriched with some additional features, as described in further detail later in this paper.

To achieve our ambitions for the European Union, some elements of scenario 3 “those who want more do more” could be used as an instrument and a process. This should be exceptional, fully respect the rules of the Treaty, open to all members. At no point should it create barriers or jeopardize the proper functioning of the EU single market and its four freedoms. It should be noted that the governance of the EU can become even more complex in a scenario of multiple and different levels of integration among several EU countries. It is essential to preserve the consistency and coherence of the whole European integration process. Europe has to remain integrated, transparent and cohesive.

Read whole document here.
Read letter from representatives of BE to Jean-Claud Juncker here.