Vill Du påverka EU? Nu frågar DG Industri efter synpunkter i en konsultation som är öppen för alla EU-medborgare. Det är massor av frågor. Men det är lätt att avstår från många av frågorna. En rolig sak med det här är att man fattar bredden på EU:s åtgärder för företag. Bilden är från ett str7ukturfonsprojket på Rhodos häromåret.
Du kan också lämna specifika svar och tips till Kommissionen som gäller just Din hjärtefråga. I bästa fall kan Du som EU meborgare initiera en process för eller emot nya EU-regler. Dessutom kan du skriva om Du tycker EU ska ta Sverige i örat. Konsultationen genomförs av ett konsultföretag. Klicka här om du vill fylla i deras frågeformulär. Svara senast 26:e januari. http://www.ghkint.com/surveys/survey08/0/
Klicka här om du vill läsa lite mer om enkäten på engelska och vad jag svarat på vissa frågor.
I det följande är mina svar på frågor grönfärgade. Allt annat är kopierat ur enkäten.
What do you think about the Commission’s Enterprise and Industry Policy? You can let them know via an online survey! The results will feed in to DG Enterprise and Industry’s internal reflections on its policies and organization. To participate, please follow the link below which will lead you to the on-line questionnaire (hosted on a website of the contractor which is carrying out this survey).
The purpose of the survey is to gather opinions and suggestions from European businesses, interest groups and other non-governmental organisations, Member State representatives as well as citizens on: - how stakeholders perceive the EU’s current policy objectives, priorities and instruments in the enterprise and industry area, and the effectiveness of its work; - what the anticipated trends or challenges are in the enterprise and industry area on which the Commission should focus; and - whether and how the Commission should re-focus its objectives, priorities and instruments in the future to address these new trends and challenges and to improve its effectiveness.Policy objectives The core aim of DG Enterprise and Industry’s work is to ensure that EU policies contribute to the sustainable competitiveness of EU enterprises and facilitate job creation and sustainable economic growth. The DG has five general policy objectives which encapsulate its main aims: 1. Promote the European Growth and Jobs Strategy, including Better Regulation and international activities 2. Strengthen the sustainable competitiveness of EU industry (Industrial Policy) 3. Encourage the growth of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises and increase innovation 4. Manage the Internal Market for goods to the benefit of EU industry and citizens 5. Strengthen the space sector and improve security technology
Promoting structural reform in the Member States means Assessing the economic situation and challenges in the Member States, engaging in a dialogue with the Member States and making recommendations to them on micro-economic reform priorities.
Given the programming procedures for EU financial support at national level, it is very difficult to get a country to do anything that is not a priority of its own, The system of cooperation with desiganted authorities also make it more difficult for other authoirites wihtin the country to have an impact on the development of the Programmes for impelemntation.
C. Horizontal policy initiatives- rate the effectiveness
Unfortunately, this kind of activities rarely lead to much action. When rating effectiveness, it is hard to know what to compare with. I compare with the effects in action on the ground. It is hard to imagine that meetings or publications that directly engage a very limited proportion of those concernd will have considerable effects in reality. However some companies will undoubtedly presnt what they are already doing, or what they have palnned to do anyway as a result of EU policy work.
In general, how successful were in your view DG Enterprise and Industry’s activities under its policy objectives in the last 5 years?
The resources committed to this task, both monetary and personnel are so small that it is practically impossible to achieve an effect that you can measure. Let me give you an example. A couple of years ago I (for another employer) was on the Monitoring Committe for the structural funds in a Swedish Region. An evaluation presented the conclusion that the investments by structural funds did not have any effects. Some brightheads (probably at EU as well as at national level) had decided to include change in Gross Regional Product as an indicator. But the structural funds represented sth. like, if I remember correctly, a couple of percent of the total investments in the region. For competitiveness reasons the funds should not be used in certain very profitable investments. Since the investments are of structural nature, their effects will come over a long time period, say up to 20 years. Thus almost by definition it is impossible even to detect an change. This is one example of how difficult it is to achieve and validate change at national level. It is also a terrible example of very common mistakes in evaluations.
Are there any concrete measures that represented significant European added value as compared to national policies?
Any support to an eco innovation that succeeds will help it reach EU implementation, and thus it represents an EU added value. I am convinced that there are other modes for financial support that have created such values, but I have mailny workde towards DG Environment. The work on standardisation is beneficial event houg it must be painstakingly slow.
For future: Are there any concrete threats or opportunities in the above areas that you would highlight? Please also indicate their consequences on European enterprises!
1. Eco innovations represent major opportunities to preserve our world. It is mcuh easier to achieve enviornmental goals thrugh such innovations that through negotatiatiosn between gvoernments thorugh the KYOTO mechanism.
2. The extremely low retirement ages in many countries is a threat to the EU standard of living. It is essential to raise minimum retirement ages for some proffessions in some countries. A flexible approach allowing individuals to choosing their (late) retirement age is also needed
Considering future trends, to what extent are the DG’s current policy objectives still relevant for the upcoming 5 years – compared to the present? Are there any concrete actions you would suggest?
Increase the eco innovation Programme by one hundred times. Make it more applicable to earlier stages of business development.
For structural measures, please do limit the oportuntities of countries to gear them towards strengthening the national governmental system within the country.
If there are any other comments you would like to add please provide them here.
The major question is who will read the comments and what will they be used for.
I have major problems with the trustworthiness of the ratings. It is so hard to understand the reference points that each individual has used when rating. Thus most of the ratings cannot be trusted at all.
