Business delegation attends UNICE Day

For the fourth consecutive year, around 900 business people, policy-makers and journalists from all over Europe have followed UNICE (Union of Industrial and Employers' Confederations of Europe) and its member federations' call to Brussels.

In Espace Flagey, they discussed the objectives and efficiency of Europe, sharing a stimulating experience around two questions: Why do companies care about Europe? Does Europe care about companies? The event focused on the EU's main achievements, such as the internal market. It also debated the European strategy for growth and jobs, and the current state of affairs in international trade.

As a full member of UNICE, the Malta Federation of Industry (FOI) organised another high-level business delegation from Malta to participate in this important event.

This delegation, led by FOI president Adrian Bajada, consisted of Wilfred Kenely, FOI director general, Pierre Fava, Malta Employer Association president, Victor Galea, Malta Chamber of Commerce president, George Schembri of the Malta Hotels and Restaurant Association, Leonard Mizzi, Malta Business Bureau (MBB) director and FOI permanent Brussels representative, and Janine Borg, FOI researcher in Brussels.

The conference started off with an address from Finnish prime minister Matti Vanhanen who highlighted the achievements reached during the Finnish presidency of the European Commission.

Mr Vanhanen was followed by UNICE director general Philippe de Buck, who presented the main conclusions of a survey conducted with a wide range of European companies. In the survey, entrepreneurs across Europe highlighted the main achievements of the EU as well as what remains to be done.

These survey results were then used as a basis for the panel and workshop debates held during the conference. Grouped under three main discussion topics, the conference discussed the Single Market, the strategy for growth and jobs, and the European approach to liberalised trade.

At the end of workshops, participants listened to Georg Boomgaarden, state secretary of the German Federal Foreign Ministry, who briefly presented the priorities of the upcoming German presidency of the European Union. The conference was animated by BBC journalist Michael Buerk.

During the day, delegates had the opportunity to participate in discussions with high-level political and business personalities. These included EU Commissioners Peter Mandelson, Gunther Verheugen and Joaquin Almunia, WTO president Pascal Lamy, Nokia chairman Jorma Olilla and the director of Bruegel Jean Pisani-Ferry, among others.

UNICE president Ernest-Antoine Selliere concluded the day's work by a strong delivery of a highly-political speech in which he appealed to President José Manuel Barroso, who was present for the final part of the conference, not to let the present European political crisis get out of hand.

Selliere insisted that the EU should focus on the implementation of the reform for growth and jobs, on the integration of the European market, the reform of the social systems and to fight national protectionism inside and outside Europe.

In his conclusions, the UNICE President said: "The business community has a unanimous belief: Europe is sleepwalking through a major crisis. It may be out of sight and out of mind to many people, but we believe that what could happen is crucial. It will affect the very premises which underpin the European Union. If the political forces of Europe are not able to resolve this crisis, we believe that moves towards further European integration could be eventually rejected and, step by step, its economic "acquis" threatened".

European Commission President Barroso also addressed the conference.