Czech MEPs should fight protectionism

Future Czech members of the European Parliament (MEPs) should fight protectionist tendencies of some EU member states, and support the EU's open market, business organisations said in a debate with representatives of major parties running in the European Parliament election in May.

Representatives of the Chamber of Commerce, Confederation of Employers' and Entrepreneurs' Associations and Confederation of Industry took part in the debate.

"The EU must be an open market which will not give in to protectionist tendencies," the Chamber of Commerce president Vladimir Dlouhy said.

Entrepreneurs also demand that the principle of free movement of services and labour be preserved.

Adequate trade protection tools need to be used to protect the EU market from unfair trade practices and maintain a competitive environment, entrepreneurs said.

Jan Wiesner, the president of the Confederation of Employers' and Entrepreneurs' Associations, would welcome EU investment in education with professional preparation because of a lack of qualified secondary school graduates.

The plan of switching to a low-carbon economy must take account of technology development and actual possibilities of EU member states, and it must not jeopardise the European industry's competitiveness, the Confederation of Industry vice-president Jan Rafaj said.

Rafaj also stressed that employers want safe and free data transfer in the EU.

The debate was held by the Czech Business Representation to the EU in Brussels (CEBRE).

Source: CTK