Competition pressure in Europe: This is how the EU wants to counteract!

Competition pressure in Europe: This is how the EU wants to counteract!

Laimgrubengasse 10, 1060 Wien, Österreich - Europe's competitiveness is on the brink! In an urgent appeal, Wolfgang Hattmannsdorfer, the general secretary of the Austria Chamber of Commerce (WKÖ), warned that the EU urgently has to ignite a competition turbo. "Europe has to find a comeback of performance and competition to keep up with international competitors," said Hattmannsdorfer. The focus is on the EU Commission's work program for 2025, which includes decisive initiatives such as a new internal market strategy, the Clean Industrial Deal as well as the promotion of start-ups and artificial intelligence. Hattmannsdorfer emphasizes: "Strategy papers alone will not make Europe more competitive - we need quick action!" href = "https://www.ots.at/presseaus-sung/ots_20250212_ots0108/wkoe-eu-EU-Kommission-muss-mutriehs-2025-den-bebeitfaheit-und-buerocracy.

response to US tariffs and reduction in bureaucracy

In connection with the announced US tariffs on steel and aluminum, Hattmannsdorfer demands that the EU Commission react well prepared to the American measures and negotiates them on the same conditions. Another central point is the upcoming Omnibus package, which is intended to reduce the reporting obligations for companies through the simplification of three legal files and thus reduce the bureaucratic hurdles. "We are experiencing an unbearable flood of regulations, which particularly strain small and medium-sized companies," explains Mariana Kühnel, the deputy WKÖ general secretary. While the EU has passed around 13,000 legal files in the past five years, it was only about 3,500 in the United States, which underlines the urgency of a real bureaucracy removal.

But the challenge goes on! In addition to the simplification of regulations, the focus is also on creating a safe and independent energy supply to ensure the international competitiveness of industry. "We have to deepen the European energy market and accelerate the expansion of renewable energies," warns Hattmannsdorfer. The deputy. WKÖ general secretary Kühnel demands: "The Omnibus package must be presented on February 26 so that we can quickly return to more entrepreneurial freedom!" href = "https://ec.europa.eu/commission/Presscorner/api/document/de/ip_25_339_de.pdf"> Europa.eu emphasizes.