Members
of the European Parliament (MEPs) have been urged to become the guarantors of
the competitiveness of the European economy if the EU is to meet the very
serious challenges it faces in the global marketplace.
Manufacturers’
organisation the EEF, today published its European Election Agenda, outlining
how it believes MEPs could help increase competitiveness.
Commenting
on the agenda, EEF director general, Martin Temple, said: “We face very serious
challenges in the global marketplace. If industry is to meet the pledge made at
Lisbon in 2000, it needs a light, high-quality regulatory environment, which
encourages the investments necessary to generate growth.
"MEPs
have a key role to play in policing the legislation that emanates from the
commission and to ensure that it enhances rather than damages our
competitiveness.”
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The
EEF acknowledged that the creation of the single market had led to greater
competition, wider choice, lower prices, more jobs and increased growth.
However, it believes that the EU’s potential contribution to jobs and growth
has been held back by a tendency to over-regulate. This has been compounded by
uneven implementation and enforcement of regulations, while changes have been
made without allowing sufficient time for existing regulations to bed down.
