No time to waste to kick start the recovery

Ahead of the crucial discussions on the European recovery plan of the members of the European Council via video conference on 19 June 2020, BusinessEurope sent a letter to Presidents Michel, von der Leyen, Sassoli and Prime Minister Plenković.

BusinessEurope President Pierre Gattaz said:
“The EU and its member states need to progressively reopen their economies and put in place a coordinated economic response to support business - and SMEs in particular - to recover from the shock of the crisis. It is essential that the members of the European Council come to a rapid agreement on an ambitious and well-coordinated European Recovery Plan to overcome the Covid-19 crisis.

And for us, an ambitious and well-coordinated recovery plan means:

• An agreement on the new EU multiannual financial framework and recovery instrument before the summer break because there is no time to waste to kick start the recovery.
• No new taxes as part of new own resources. A strong European single market is key to a successful recovery strategy and the idea of a new levy on businesses, that use the single market is really sending the wrong signal.
• A growth and investment strategy including the green and digital transitions but not limited to these two crucial pillars.
• Linking EU funds to the implementation of country specific structural reforms agreed in the European Semester.”

You can read the full message of the European business community to the President of the European Council here.