Business for New Europe Launches: Poll shows strong support for economic reform

Twenty years to the day since the first reading of the Single European Act in the House of Commons (on 27th March 1986), a poll of FTSE100 and FTSE250 business leaders on attitudes towards the EU shows that an overwhelming majority think that the European single market has been good for UK business. The poll also shows strong support for continued economic liberalisation and enlargement.

The Yougov poll of business leaders was commissioned by Business for New Europe (BNE), a new independent coalition of business leaders articulating a positive case for reform in Europe, that launches today.

The poll showed that 68% of business leaders think that the single European market has been good for UK business, with only 12% saying this is not the case. The economic liberalisation agenda, and in particular the Services Directive , received similar support with 68% of business leaders backing these reforms, and 8% not backing them. In addition, 70% of business leaders thought that enlargement to 25 member states had been good for UK business, with 8% saying it was bad. Furthermore 78% of business leaders said they supported our continued membership of the EU, with 18% disagreeing.

Zaki Cooper, Director of BNE, said: “These results are encouraging, and demonstrate there is widespread support amongst UK business leaders for much of what the EU has achieved, as well as the UK’s effective membership of the EU. It also shows that business leaders support continued expansion of the single market, which is why BNE will be pushing for an accelerated economic reform agenda. We also wish to engage the business community on Europe and will be consulting more widely with UK business about the EU over the coming months.”

BNE will be overseen by an Advisory Council of business leaders and there are plans to create an SME network. The members are listed below and come from a range of backgrounds and sectors.

Niall FitzGerald, Chairman of Reuters, said: "It is important that there should be a robust business voice positive about the UK's role in the EU, and championing the economic reform agenda. That is why I welcome the formation of BNE which will go above and beyond party politics. It is a signal that, with the euro and the Constitution not on the agenda at the present time, there are plenty of issues at European level which are of paramount concern to UK business."

Sir Martin Sorrell, CEO of WPP, said: “Business for New Europe is the right organisation at the right time. We should be proud of Europe’s many achievements for business, but there needs to be greater reform and liberalisation.”

Philip Hampton, Chairman J Sainsbury, said: “In the twenty first century, the world economy is becoming ever more competitive. In order to compete with the likes of China and India, the UK will need to leverage its strengths through the EU. As an economic bloc, the EU continent can compete and flourish on the world stage.”

Vijay Patel, CEO of Waymade Healthcare and member of the BNE Advisory Council, said:
“Our membership of the EU is vital to our continued economic success. It contributes to UK employment, trade and prosperity. The single market has allowed UK businesses to trade with and invest across continental Europe. We should celebrate its success in opening up markets and opportunities.”

David Levin, CEO of United Business Media, and member of the BNE Advisory Council: “The EU needs to focus on completion of the single market, the resurrection of the services directive and the goals of the Lisbon agenda. It is an ambitious agenda but one that will bring continued benefits to the UK and to the European economy.”

Sir Nigel Rudd, Chairman of Boots and member of the Advisory Council said: “The European Union brings together member states to cooperate on issues which transcend national borders, such as counter-terrorism, energy policy and most recently combating bird flu. If it did not exist, we would have to invent a forum to provide such international cooperation across Europe.”

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS:

1. The Services Directive will be re-issued by the European Commission in April following the debate in the European Parliament in February

2. BNE’s aim is to support the UK’s active engagement in Europe, and a reformed, enlarged and free-market EU.

3 . 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.

4. BNE’s Advisory Council consists of:

• Roger Carr (Chairman, Centrica)
• Richard Cousins (Non-Executive Director, P&O)
• Guy Dawson (Founding Partnr, 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)
• Vijay Patel (CEO, Waymade Healthcare)
• Stuart Popham (Senior Partner, Clifford Chance)
• Mike Rake (Chairman, KPMG International)
• Sir Nigel Rudd (Chairman, Boots)
• Bryan Sanderson (Chairman, Standard Chartered)
• Sir Martin Sorrell (CEO, WPP)
• Christopher Tugendhat (Chairman - European Advisory Board, Lehman Brothers)
• Bob Wigley (Chairman - Europe, Middle East & Africa, Merril Lynch)

5. 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).

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