BNE calls for delivery ahead of institutional reform

One year since the defeat of the Constitution in France and the Netherlands, Business for New Europe issued the following statement:

“A year ago the referendum on the Constitution in France was defeated. This was a significant milestone in the history of the EU, as was the defeat in the referendum in the Netherlands.

Of course there is a time and a place for debating institutional reform, but Europe should not be consumed with naval-gazing. It needs to look outwards, and show that it can act as an agent for helping people to improve their everyday lives. The debate over the Constitutional Treaty should not overshadow the EU’s primary focus on policy and delivery.

New opportunities for progress and reform are emerging. One example is the single market, which has already brought huge benefits to the UK economy and business. It is one of the shining success stories of the EU. A recent Yougov poll showed that 68% of FTSE250 business leaders said that the single European market has been good for UK business. Whilst much has been achieved, there is still work to be done to complete this, and this will be highlighted in the comprehensive review of the single market that the European Commission recently called for.

Another issue of enormous interest to the business community and beyond is energy policy. We benefit from cooperating with our European partners on energy policy. We welcome the EU’s declared intention to work towards competitive energy markets and secure and sustainable energy supply.”

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. For further information about Business for New Europe, see www.bnegroup.org or contact Zaki Cooper (Director) on +44 (0) 207 256 6575, +44 (0) 7787 513 864 press@bnegroup.org