The European Institute of Romania (EIR) organised a new debate within the online series entitled European News in the Spotlight which had the objective of informing the general public about the importance that the Council of the European Union has in coordinating the policies of the Member States in specific areas, bringing into debate topics that are priorities on the agenda of the current Presidency.
The event, organised in partnership with the Embassy of Romania to Sweden, took place on Thursday, 23 March 2023, between 14:00 – 16:00 (UTC/GMT+1 hour), in an online format (Zoom platform), and had the topic “Restoring the EU Competitiveness: Challenges and opportunities in the context of the twin green & digital transition”.
Representatives of European and national institutions, research organisations and academia from Romania and other EU’s Member States, civil society, mass media etc. took part in the event.
During the event, the following aspects were highlighted:
· Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine and all its consequences in the last year, the competition between China and the USA, the global polarization leading to economic and social fragmentation, the impact of climate change, the increasing importance of the global south (India, Brazil, China, Turkey and South Africa promote a selective diplomacy) outline the current complex geopolitical context.
· The increased and fast awareness of the link between security and economy is imperative, as it is important to change the vision of states, the business environment and citizens. The power of states is given by competitiveness, which is stimulated by innovation, technology and access to resources;
· In the context of the 30th anniversary of the creation of the single market, which is the greatest achievement of the European Union (EU), it is to be noted that competitiveness is however more than the single market, which needs to adapt to the current context, also taken into account the importance of industrial policy.
· Recommendations regarding increasing the international competitiveness of the EU in terms of goods and services in key areas such as energy and digital transformation were presented, in this regard being mentioned: deepening the integration process, horizontal approaches, increasing the productivity of technologies. In addition, the value chains are important in the short and medium term for increasing productivity;
· Europe was not prepared for the current crisis, and dependences on countries like Russia have proven their disadvantages. Romania is the second country in terms of independence from energy imports from Russia, Germany being the 16th and Sweden the third.
· The elements that stimulate the growth of the European economy and the creation of new jobs are also linked to the recognition that goals and regulations play an important role in innovation and competitiveness, along with the quality of public administration. In addition, it is also necessary to improve citizens’ skills, the year of 2023 being the European Year of Skills;
· The impact of the single market is significant on the industrial policy of the European Union in the context of competitiveness and productivity.