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BNE Press Release, 9 May 2007

European Union Jack Report Published

Business for New Europe has published a report on Europe Day examining the UK’s influence on the EU.

It argues that many of the forces and policies which shape the modern day European Union have actually been championed by the UK.

Lord Jay of Ewelme, BNE Vice-Chair said: “This report emphasises the consistently positive role which the UK has played, under both Conservative and Labour governments in shaping today’s EU – an EU that is far removed from the inward-looking centralising European Community of a generation ago.”

See below for the Executive Summary:

  • Business for New Europe, an independent coalition of business leaders articulating a positive case for reform in Europe, is marking Europe Day by arguing that many of the forces and policies which shape the modern day European Union have actually been championed by the UK. 
  • The current European Commission in its approach and policies is the most aligned with the UK’s thinking since the UK joined the European Communities in 1973. On Europe Day in 2007, the 50th anniversary of the EU, the UK should celebrate the influence that it has exerted over the EU, and it should continue to be ambitious to do this.
  • Business for New Europe argues that, over the past 25 years, the UK has led the way on issues such as:
    • The development of the single market, championed by Margaret Thatcher in the mid-1980s
    • Enlargement of the Union to 27 member states
    • Services liberalisation championed by Tony Blair
    • Regulatory reform
    • And most recently action on climate change and energy
  • The crude caricature of the EU as dominated by the founder members, particularly France and Germany, is losing its relevance and has been supplanted by many of these UK-inspired changes. Some on the continent are worried about what they see as “creeping Anglo-Saxonisation”. This was encapsulated in the storm last year when French President Jacques Chirac walked out of a meeting in Brussels last year because one of his compatriots addressed delegates in English.
  • Alongside the UK’s increasing influence over the policy agenda of the EU, there has been an increase in UK representation in Brussels. 
    • For example there are there are 28 UK law firms in Brussels, but only 5 French law firms.
    • There are 25 UK regional offices in Brussels, more than any other country, including France (23) and Germany (21).
    • The UK has 120 journalists in Brussels whereas France has only 85.
    • The UK’s influence has been helped by its representation amongst senior staff in the Commission and the rise in prevalence of the English language. The number of European Commission documents in English rose from 35% in 1992 to 62% in 2004.

ENDS
 
NOTES TO EDITORS: 
1. BNE’s aim is to support the UK’s active engagement in Europe, and a reformed, enlarged and free-market EU.
2. BNE’s principles are as follows:

  • We support the UK’s membership of the EU and oppose withdrawal to the margins; we support positive and constructive engagement with the EU as the only sensible approach and as vital to our national interests.
  • We support a vision of a prosperous free-market Europe able to compete in a globalised world.
  • We support economic liberalisation and oppose excessive EU regulation, centralisation and red tape.
  • We support institutional reform, further cooperation between EU member states where it is in Britain's interests and oppose old-fashioned federalism.  
  • We support the enlargement of the EU including Turkey, and recognise the benefits that the recent wave of enlargement have brought.

 3. BNE’s Advisory Council consists of:
Leon Brittan (Vice Chairman, UBS)
Roger Carr (Chairman, Centrica)
Richard Cousins (CEO, Compass)
Guy Dawson (Founding Partner, Tricorn Partners)
Charles Dunstone (CEO, Carphone Warehouse)
Niall FitzGerald (Chairman, Reuters)
Chris Gibson-Smith (Chairman, London Stock Exchange)
Philip Hampton (Chairman, Sainsbury)
David Levin (CEO, United Business Media)
John Parker (Chairman, National Grid)
Vijay Patel (CEO, Waymade Healthcare)
Stuart Popham (Senior Partner, Clifford Chance)
Mike Rake (Chairman, KPMG International)
Nigel Rudd (Chairman, Boots)
Bryan Sanderson (Chairman, Standard Chartered)
Martin Sorrell (CEO, WPP)
Peter Sutherland (Chairman, BP)
Rosemary Thorne (Finance Director, Ladbrokes)
Christopher Tugendhat (Chairman - European Advisory Board, Lehman Brothers)
Bob Wigley (Chairman - Europe, Middle East & Africa, Merril Lynch) 

4. BNE is run on a day-to-day basis by Zaki Cooper (Director), whom is supported by Roland Rudd (Chairman) and Sir Stephen Wall (Vice-Chairman).

5. For further information about Business for New Europe, see www.bnegroup.org or contact +44 (0) 7787 513 864 press@bnegroup.org

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