Berlin Declaration for Business

In advance of the Berlin Summit, Business for New Europe has published its suggested “Berlin Declaration for Business.”

The BNE Declaration pays tribute to the European Union’s achievements over 50 years: “It has brought great rewards to the people of Europe. From six nations in the West it has spread a wave of freedom and economic opportunity across Europe to the borders of Turkey and the Ukraine. Twenty-seven nations now share common goals of free trade, the rule of law, respect for human rights and a better global environment. The EU has achieved far more than any of the Member States could have achieved alone.”

It then outlines six principles for the Union to guide its work in the twenty first century: openness, leadership, competition, fairness, accountability, and devolution.

BNE Chairman Roland Rudd said:

“We look forward to the Berlin Declaration. It marks an important moment in the EU’s development. It gives an opportunity to reflect on some outstanding successes and to think about the Union’s future. Far from a symbol of decline as its caricatured in some quarters, Europe can go from strength to strength and become a world leader in many areas.”

BNE Advisory Council member Sir Philip Hampton (Chairman, Sainsbury) said:

“There is an exciting agenda for Europe to pursue in the twenty-first century. From strengthening the single market and services liberalization to climate change and energy security, Europe can show the lead to the rest of the world.”

BNE Advisory Council member Stuart Popham (Senior Partner, Clifford Chance) said:

“Having achieved so much in its first half century, Europe could be forgiven for sitting back and congratulating itself. Yet last week’s landmark agreement on climate change at the summit in Brussels shows an appetite for taking a lead on the world stage. The Centenary Declaration of 2057 should contain plenty more achievements for the EU to shout about.”

BNE Advisory Council member Lord Leon Brittan (Vice Chairman, UBS) said:

“The Declaration can reaffirm the mutually beneficial relationship between the EU and nation states. The UK has been good for Europe, and Europe has been good for Britain.”

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

4. For further information about Business for New Europe, see www.bnegroup.org or contact +44 (0) 207 256 6575, press@bnegroup.org