BusinessEurope

EU-China relations: challenges, opportunities and the way forward   Europe must stay open and assertive in its relationship with China while also taking crucial actions to improve its own competitiveness: This was our DG Markus J. Beyrer’s key message at our event on EU-China Relations this morning, where he presented our recent position paper on the topic.   China is an important market for European companies. As the world’s second-largest economy and the EU’s second-largest trading partner, fostering a mutually beneficial relationship should remain a key objective for the EU and China. However, as we assess the relationship today, we must acknowledge the increasing risks and challenges of doing business in and with China, including:   ➡️ Geopolitical tensions ➡️ Market imbalances and lack of reciprocity ➡️ China’s self-reliance strategy ➡️ A politicised business environment ➡️ Economic slowdown in China   BusinessEurope’s paper examines these aspects and, crucially, explores ideas on shaping the future of EU-China relations.   We are grateful to our excellent panelists for an engaging and thought-provoking debate: Maria Martin-Prat - Deputy DG, DG TRADE, Mikko Huotari - MERICS Executive Director, Finbarr Bermingham - Senior Correspondent, SCMP & our Deputy DG Luisa Gradim Santos Santos.   A special thanks to our moderator Olivier Joris, Chair of BusinessEurope’s China Network.   To read BusinessEurope’s paper on EU-China relations, click here: https://lnkd.in/dJAqruGz. 

Our latest Reform Barometer shows that 82% of European business associations believe the EU’s attractiveness for investment has either deteriorated or remained unchanged in the past year. The biggest challenges? Overregulation, high energy prices, and labour shortages. As global competition intensifies, 85% of our national member federations believe that the new U.S. Administration’s deregulation agenda will further divert investment away from Europe. To remain competitive, the EU must act with urgency to reduce regulatory burdens and strengthen its investment appeal. At yesterday’s Tripartite Social Summit, our President Fredrik Persson joined EU leaders and social partners to discuss how to bring Europe back on track. Presenting our Reform Barometer, he stressed the need for swift, concrete action: 📢 “Across Europe, businesses tell me the same thing—the EU’s recent proposals are a step in the right direction but not enough to close the energy cost gap with competitors and bring the regulatory overburden to a digestible level. There can be no resilient and strong Europe without resilient and strong competitive business and industry”. 🔎 Explore the full publication:  https://lnkd.in/d6MZ95RZ

EU Omnibus proposal: First step, what's next for business?   Yesterday, we brought together EU policymakers and company representatives to discuss this crucial question at our joint event with MEP Axel Voss, moderated by Jennifer Baker.   In his opening remarks, our DG Markus J. Beyrer provided a clear example of the challenge: 86% of EU firms employ staff solely for regulatory compliance, costing them 1.8% of turnover—for SMEs, this rises to 2.5%. As a comparison, EU firms’ spending on energy after the energy shock is equal to 4% of turnover. He stressed: “Without competitive businesses, Europe’s ability to innovate and create wealth will struggle to recover.   In his keynote, MEP Axel Voss emphasised that global competition is telling us that we need to go beyond what the Commission and Parliament have in mind. The European business community should not be hesitant to push for more.   Our DDG Alexandre Affre joined Sven Gentner (DG FISMA, European Commission) and Ulrike Sapiro (Henkel) in a panel discussion. He highlighted what businesses need from the first Omnibus revision: ✅ Less complexity ✅ Lower costs ✅ More relevance for users   Christoph Bausch (Chair, Better Regulation WG) joined Michael Wimmer (European Commission) and Mariusz Biedrzycki (Permanent Representation of Poland to the EU) to discuss business expectations. He stressed that: - Two-thirds of our proposals to reduce regulatory burdens go beyond reporting, tackling admin burdens, excessive adjustment costs & cross-border barriers. - Businesses need a clear EU plan and timeline to lower overall regulatory and compliance costs.   We also launched our new scoreboard to track progress on BusinessEurope’s 68 proposals to cut regulatory burdens by 2025. Currently, progress has been made on only 8 actions—much more needs to be done. Speed is key to restoring Europe’s attractiveness as an investment hub.   📢 The Omnibus is a first step—now it’s time for action!   🔎 Explore our proposals here: https://lnkd.in/dVG-aJWC See more pictures of the event: https://lnkd.in/e9n4AwMr

🚆 How can we attract more women to the rail sector? The Women in Rail agreement, signed at the EU level in 2021, aims to do just that—while also improving work-life balance. Watch Paula Pötschick from Deutsche Bahn discuss this initiative and other efforts to boost female representation in rail, where women currently make up just 20% of the workforce. 📄 Also, check out our paper on strengthening #GenderEquality: https://lnkd.in/eegr97cr #IWD2025

Key takeaways from the Macroeconomic Dialogue This week, our Director General Markus J. Beyrer, joined the Macroeconomic Dialogue at Political level, chaired by Andrzej Domański, Minister of Finance of Poland, alongside fellow European social partners and top EU leaders—including Christine Lagarde, President of the ECB; Paschal Donohoe, President of the Eurogroup; Valdis Dombrovskis, Commissioner for Economy and Productivity. 🔎 Key focus: Recent and expected economic developments, and regulatory barriers contributing to the fragmentation of the Single Market for services. Beyrer emphasised two urgent priorities: - Reducing the regulatory burden on businesses - Closing the energy cost gap with major global competitors He also acknowledged that the first Simplification Omnibus is the first step towards making Europe a better place for doing business. "However, while the direction is right, more needs to be done and delivery will be crucial,” Beyrer highlighted. Find out more in a joint Council of the European Union press release: https://lnkd.in/e4iFTq3E

💡 How does greater female representation in STEM benefit both industry and society? And how can organisations break down barriers for women in the field? 🎥 Watch Aurelia Takacs from Cisco share insights and real examples of how they’re inspiring more girls to pursue STEM! 📄 Plus, explore our new paper on #GenderEquality: https://lnkd.in/e2QfxmCV

Women hold the key to strengthening Europe’s workforce! Currently, only 1 in 5 ICT specialists in the EU are women, and they make up just 30% of start-up entrepreneurs. With a shrinking population and an ageing society putting increasing pressure on our economy, women represent the greatest potential to boost workforce participation adding 17.3 million active workers by 2030. In our new paper, “Priorities for Strengthening #GenderEquality in Europe”, we highlight the critical role women play in boosting Europe’s workforce and propose ways to increase their participation. We focus on 3 key areas: 🔹 Increasing women’s economic activity In 2023, the EU employment rate for men of working age was 80.4%, compared to just 70.2% for women. Women also work fewer hours on average, with family responsibilities often limiting their employment opportunities. Equal opportunities for both women and men are crucial to enabling them to succeed as employees and entrepreneurs throughout their lives. 🔹 Fighting gender stereotypes Gender stereotypes remain a significant barrier to gender equality, influencing both educational and subsequent career choices. Addressing gender segregation across industries, will promote equality, diversify skill sets, and drive Europe’s competitiveness. 🔹 Transforming education for the digital era The digital transformation of the workforce is rapidly reshaping the labour market, and with it, the demand for skilled professionals in STEM and ICT fields continues to grow. Women remain notably underrepresented in these fields. Integrating digital education, STEM competencies, and lifelong learning into VET programmes can ensure the development of tools necessary to thrive in competitive markets. The inspiring testimonies of women who have broken barriers in male-dominated fields are a powerful reminder of the possibilities when we empower women to thrive. Check out our paper for more insights: https://lnkd.in/e2QfxmCV Arabelle Solutions Combitech Sverige BDA | Confederation of German Employers' Associations ALTINNOVA Federation of Austrian Industries SEV Hellenic Federation of Enterprises | ΣΕΒ σύνδεσμος επιχειρήσεων και βιομηχανιών

Today, together with the other European social partners and the European Commission, BusinessEurope signed the Pact for European Social Dialogue, reinforcing the role of social partners in shaping labour market, employment, and social policies. This Pact is the start of a process to join forces to face the key challenges facing European economies in a rapidly changing world.   🔹 Why does this matter? Social dialogue ensures our labour markets and economies remain adaptable in the face of major transitions like decarbonisation and digitalisation. By working together, we can combine economic and social progress, securing a sustainable and resilient future for businesses and workers.   💬 As our President Fredrik Persson highlighted: “Without a strong industry, Europe will be weaker. There will not be sufficient investment in the green transition. There will be less jobs, and less welfare. Europe will be less able to support Ukraine. It is therefore crucial that employers, workers and policy-makers do all they can to improve the situation. Read the PR: https://lnkd.in/edaUdZu4   We also welcomed the launch of the Union of Skills initiative on the same day. This is a crucial milestone in addressing the EU’s growing skills and labour shortages, which are holding companies back across Europe. Social dialogue and skills development are key for the success of the Clean Industrial Deal and for Europe’s future.

Yesterday I had the privilege to meet Raffaele Fitto Executive Vice-President for Cohesion and Reforms, for a constructive exchange on European business key priorities. For the sake of European competitiveness, I emphasized the need to modernize the EU’s Cohesion Policy, in which a key ingredient will be to have stronger private sector involvement. I also had a fruitful discussion with Henna Virkkunen Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security, and Democracy. We discussed how the EU’s digital playbook can best enable companies to test, launch, and scale innovative products and services in the Single Market. I passed on the message that companies urgently need the right conditions for innovation to happen in Europe – this is crucial to attract investments and as such for our competitiveness. One important step to create the right conditions for companies of all sizes is to reduce unnecessary reporting and regulatory burdens. We are counting on the Commission to continue its work on simplification to deliver concrete results for companies on the ground. BusinessEurope European Commission

Two key announcements from the European Commission today signal progress in strengthening Europe’s business environment:   The #CleanIndustrialDeal acknowledges the urgent need to lower energy costs, accelerate permitting, increase demand for low-carbon and circular products, and strengthen global engagement.   But nine months after the European Elections, "we urgently need swifter, more impactful action to avoid these challenges becoming the new reality for businesses," our DG Markus J. Beyrer commented.   The 1st EU #Omnibus is a milestone in reducing unnecessary reporting and regulatory burdens, helping companies contribute more effectively to the EU’s sustainability goals while preserving competitiveness.   Challenges remain — harmonising Due Diligence is crucial to avoid fragmentation. Co-legislators must step up.   The direction is right, but delivery will be key. We will continue engaging with policymakers to turn ambition into concrete solutions.   📖 Read our reactions: Clean Industrial Deal: https://lnkd.in/eZh2QFZC Omnibus: https://lnkd.in/eXik_STn