♦ Fredrik Persson, president of BusinessEurope, explains, in an interview given to ZF on the occasion of the Smart Development, European competitiveness summit, organized by the Concordia Employers' Confederation, why the united voice of BusinessEurope – 42 federations, 36 countries, 25 million companies – is stronger than ever in Brussels – and organizations like Concordia are becoming vital for European policies to reflect the realities on the ground. «If you want a bigger cake, it makes sense to listen to the baker,» he says, referring to the need for political decision-makers to consult the business environment before legislating.
Europe is facing a competitiveness crisis in relation to China and the United States that can no longer be ignored. In the last three decades, the European Union has lagged behind in terms of economic growth, and the consequences can be seen today in the reduced capacity for innovation, in the lack of investments and in the difficulty of creating new jobs. Fredrik Persson, president of BusinessEurope, guest of the summit organized by Concordia, does not come with apocalyptic messages, but with the mirror of reality and concrete solutions. In the dialogue he held recently in Romania, he explained why national employers' organizations like Concordia are vital for the European economic ecosystem and how the united voice of the business environment is becoming more and more influential in Brussels. «When we go into a meeting and we can say that we have 42 federations, 36 countries, 25 million companies behind us, that has a huge impact. It's hard to ignore something like that,» explains Fredrik Persson.
For other news, analyses, articles and business information in real time, follow NV on WhatsApp Channels