The Malta Association of Beauty Therapists (MABT), a founder member of the European Confederation of Beauticians and Cosmeticians (CEPEC), is continuously working to seek better working conditions, training conditions and harmonisation of the sector both locally and in Europe.
The question of how EU enlargement by 10 new countries of Central Europe will impact the beautician enterprises is of great interest for the enterprises now that enlargement has become a reality. In fact, the European Commission has promoted an action, supported by SMEs, to inform the European SMEs on the possible impact, in terms of opportunities and risks of the enlargement on small, medium and craft enterprises.1
The number of beautician enterprises in EU, considering the available data, on 11 out of 15 countries, is around 114,000 employing around 350,000 employees, and the number of beautician enterprises in the candidate countries is estimated to be 11,600 employing 30,000 employees.
The beautician sector is expanding in all EU countries due to the increase of the consumer demand regarding the well being and the attraction of the profession by the young generation. Which are the macro aspects of the impact of enlargement?
It is important to say, primarily, that "the macroeconomic aspects of EU enlargement will be moderate, but positive. Several model simulations suggest that it will add about 0.2% to overall GDP growth. The economic environment therefore will improve."2
Secondly, the research made on the impact of enlargement on small and medium-sized enterprises in general, shows that the impact of EU enlargement "will not be the same for all sectors, regions and type of enterprises, especially during the initial phase"3.
Finally, it is also important to add that "the possible consequence will expose more countries bordering the new members. In fact, craft and small enterprises tend to serve local needs, so that, the influence of the enlargement on them is likely more moderate."4
Migration also is one of the main concerns underlined on the impact of the Enlargement on SMEs. Regarding this issue, following the central migration scenario described in a report of the Commission5, "it is assumed that around 180,000 migrants from the new member countries enter each year into the EU from 2005 onwards.
"It is also assumed that their destination patterns follow the present distribution of CEEC-10 residents in the EU-15 (two-thirds going to Germany and a tenth to Austria). Labour market rigidities in Europe may, however, prevent a full absorption of migrant flows."
What are the indications at sector level? Starting from this basic elements, it is important to deepen the analysis at sector level to give the beautician entrepreneurs of the EU sufficient elements to understand the new scenario.
On the sector level, in fact, the analysis made so far shows that the sectors mostly exposed to risk are those characterised by high labour intensity. Beautician enterprises, as a personal sector service, is among these and therefore the risk of the increase of the informal economy is a possible consequence to be taken under control.
But the other aspect of the question is that the beautician sector in the new EU countries has also high skill. Therefore the beauticians enterprises can benefit from skilled workers in their own activity, in the perspective of co-operation.
Going further in this exercise directed to indicate the impact of EU enlargement on EU small and craft enterprises it is important to know which are the conditions and expectations of the beautician enterprises of the new EU member countries.
The expectations of the beautician enterprises of the new EU countries from enlargement, which can benefit the profession, are seen under: a) education abroad; b) larger supply of product; c) better credits; d) lower price of products; and e) EU standards.6
The main benefits of EU membership mentioned by the new EU countries are seen therefore from the point of view of the direct impact to enterprise performance: and under this aspect beautician enterprises shows a strong interest in the Europeanisation/integration of the profession by adopting EU standards and promoting European dimension in education.
Practically, beauticians enterprises of the new EU countries expect benefits from EU policies under the two main aspects of the EU action towards the enterprises: a) improvement of the economic environment for the enterprise development; and b) support to adapt to the new conditions and the structural changes of the economy in Europe.
The strong interest in the integration of the profession, and the matching of the expected benefits of the new EU countries, with the need of the former 15 EU countries, will ensure enlargement has a positive impact on the action that will be conducted by the SMEs association in European to improve the profession.
This has already been seen during the preparation of the new countries for EU membership. In most of the new EU countries beautician enterprises and their organisations, members of CEPEC and UEAPME, have been engaged on many same issues relating to the profession, such as the harmonisation of training and standards, quality of services, qualification and certification.
The beautician association sees that their co-operation among the EU organisations is an important tool to increase the representation of the sector to promote policies, programmes and organisational conditions for the enterprises' development.
Important issues are on the agenda, such as the proposed directive on the recognition of professional qualification, and another proposed directive on the provision of services, which can be tackled by a stronger representation of the sector.
Challenges and expectations
The impact of enlargement will also lead to the overcoming of the existing problems which have been underlined by the beautician enterprises Beautician enterprises have a clear vision of the challenges the profession needs to face and the expectations from EU policy.
At the top of the list of the challenges there is the harmonisation of qualifications and the regulation of the profession, not to restrict the practice of the profession, but to introduce a higher degree of a European dimension and meet quality standards and consumer demand.
The profession clearly sees the importance of EU policy in the promotion of better conditions for the exercise of the profession, starting from:
¤ the implementation of an effective practice of mutual recognition of professional qualifications, according to the EU Directive 44/99;
¤ the support for the harmonisation of the professional qualification;
¤ the exchange of professional experiences;
¤ the valorisation of informal training and continuous training in the beautician enterprises; and
¤ co-operation between the organisations of professional beauticians.
These conditions are common to the expectations of beauticians of the former 15 and the 10 new EU member countries. Enlargement can impact positively on their implementation.
Information, participation in the decisional process of EU legislation and to EU Social Dialogue are seen by beautician organisations and their enterprises, at the end, as the key elements to face the challenges of enlargement.
These elements will enable them to operate and face the challenges of enlargement which, by introducing a new scenario, also require the creation of adequate conditions to make real the expectations of the beautician enterprise and improve the practices and growth of the profession in an enlarged Europe.
Mr Palmieri is from Team Europe, Italy, and Mrs Magri Naudi is president MABT and secretary general of CEPEC.
References
1. UEAPME is carrying on a project ENTER, (European enterprises and the Enlargement) to contribute to this aim: www.ueapem.com This article is distributed under the actions of the project ENTER.
2. Impact of the Enlargement of the European Union on Small and Medium-sized Enterprise in the Union.
3. Idem.
4. Idem.
5. Report of the Directorate General 2001, http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/enlargement/docs/index.htm
6. CEPEC, European Confederation of Beauticians and Cosmeticians: Understanding the Profession of Beautician in EU and in the Candidate countries, 2002.