In the aftermath of the crisis, the 23 million EU SMEs – amounting to 99 % of all enterprises - remain more than ever the backbone of the EU economy. It is of utmost importance that they have the financial capacity to restore economic growth. Yet the European real economy is mainly financed by credit – up to 80 %, unlike that of the United States. This figure highlights the crucial balancing act for European policymakers – the need to create a broader financing base in the long run, but also support alternative ways of boosting credit in the medium term.

Brussels, 10 April 2013: The European Commission, under the leadership of DG Energy, will host on 12 April 2013 the first meeting of the “Forum for EU Refining”, including Member States, Industry and other key stakeholders. The Forum will assess,
monitor and make recommendations on the competitive situation of the European refining industry, looking in particular at the implications of EU legislation.

The European Commission has today published its proposals for modernised Trade Defence Instruments. After the failure of a similar, more controversial exercise in 2007, there is now an opportunity to reconcile importers’ and producers’ interests in a mutually acceptable way.
“Intended to help domestic manufacturers, antidumping duties cause considerable damage to EU importers. To improve the system, it is essential to consider traders’ needs properly”, said Ralph Kamphöner, EuroCommerce Director International Trade & Wholesale.

EuroCommerce welcomes the European Commission’s new sustainable consumption and production initiative and supports the proposed methodologies to evaluate the environmental footprint of products and organisations. However, it must be ensured that their use remain voluntary, easier to implement and more efficient than the already existing ones. This is particularly important for SMEs.