EUROCHAMBRES supports EU economic recovery measures and insist on their flexible implementation without delay

The Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry informs about the results of a meeting of the Presidency of Eurochambres, held last week in a videoconference. The members of the Presidency defined the priorities for action as follows:

•   Rescue Europe’s economic network! That means, opening the borders for people, goods and services.
•   Liquidity against mortality! Liquidity is what smaller companies in particular need most urgently at present. They need a life belt to survive. This is not only important for these companies, but also for employment and the protection of the social network in Europe.
•  Mind for speed! Christine Lagarde has warned: "Too little and too late could mean a 15% drop in growth in 2020. That would simply be a catastrophe for our business community.

Further suggestions from members of the Presidency include: The Recovery Programme should also include the Green Deal. A meeting of the Global Chamber Platform to secure international trade relations, as well as conducting national opinion polls among companies on the impact and expectations of companies and combining these national results into a European result.

The President of Eurochambres Christof leitl reported that the Association of the European CCIs has communicated the most important needs of its members in a declaration to the Council, the Parliament and the Commission. As a result: 80% of the proposals have been taken into account by the Commission. This proves that the CCI network in Europe and the Eurochambres team work well despite the difficulties that we all contribute devotedly to the final results.
The European Commission has replied that it shares the priorities of CCIs: "The Single Market is an important element of the necessary solidarity between member states". In their letter to Eurochambres, they also commit themselves to the free flow of workers and to the maintenance of global supply opportunity.

The Global Chamber Platform is a partner of the B20 (Business 20) and thus the voice to the G20. The Chambers` ideas were presented at the last meeting in Saudi Arabia, the country currently holding the chairmanship of the G20.

Eurochambres as well as the National Chambers of the European countries insist on ensuring that liquidity is quickly made available to enable smaller companies to survive. The proposal of Leitl is as follows: no European authorization for aid measures at national level for SMEs, limited to EUR 500 000 and a six-month period. This would be a further important step for much-needed emergency aid, in addition to the 100% guarantee possibility that has now been achieved.