EUROPEISKA KOMMISSIONEN DG PRESS OCH KOMMUNIKATION Representationen i Sverige The Single Market in an Enlarged EU The Single Market in an Enlarged EU

- European Charter for Small Enterprises (2000) : - Education and training for entrepreneurship; - Education and training for entrepreneurship; - Cheaper and faster start-up; - Cheaper and faster start-up; - Better legislation and regulation; - Better legislation and regulation; - Availability of skills; - Availability of skills; - Improving online access; - Improving online access; - Getting more out of the Single Market; - Getting more out of the Single Market; - Taxation and financial matters; - Taxation and financial matters; - Strengthening the technological capacity of small enterprises; - Strengthening the technological capacity of small enterprises; - Making use of successful e-business models and developing top-class - Making use of successful e-business models and developing top-class small business support; small business support; - Developing stronger, more effective representation of small enterprises’ - Developing stronger, more effective representation of small enterprises’ interests at Union and national level. interests at Union and national level. - Multi-annual programme for Enterprise and Entrepreneurship for EUROPEISKA KOMMISSIONEN DG PRESS OCH KOMMUNIKATION Representationen i Sverige

The Commission’s role : 1) Promote enterprising and growth - Action Plan for Entrepreneurship - Action Plan for Entrepreneurship - SME Envoy - SME Envoy - Euro Info Centres (EICs) - Euro Info Centres (EICs) 2) Monitor the Single Market EUROPEISKA KOMMISSIONEN DG PRESS OCH KOMMUNIKATION Representationen i Sverige

EUROPEISKA KOMMISSIONEN DG PRESS OCH KOMMUNIKATION Representationen i Sverige Internal Market Strategy : Key priorities for the EU: 1) Establish a fully integrated financial market 2) Create a genuine Internal Market for services 3) Improve the free flow of goods 4) Public procurement

EUROPEISKA KOMMISSIONEN DG PRESS OCH KOMMUNIKATION Representationen i Sverige Benefits of the Single Market: - EU GNP is 2 % higher million new jobs created billion euro in added prosperity (6000 euro/ household). household). - Recent enlargement has/will stimulate the single market even more. - Trade between old and new Member States has been increasing more than eight-fold between 1995 and 2000.

State Aid: - New member states put in significantly more money in the form of state aid into their businesses than the EU-15 states prior to 1 May The Commission expects the EU-10's state subsidies to decrease in the longer run. - The EU-10 countries have done a "remarkable job" in embracing the market economy. They have allocated more than the EU-15 in state subsidies to businesses. - State aid in the EU-10 countries amounted to 1.42% of GDP in The EU-15 average was 0.4%. EUROPEISKA KOMMISSIONEN DG PRESS OCH KOMMUNIKATION Representationen i Sverige

- New member states will reduce level of state subsidies once they overcome the problems specific to their economies prior to EU accession. - The new member states with the largest economies have the biggest amounts of subsidies: - Poland billion euro/year - Poland billion euro/year - Czech Republic billion euro/year - Czech Republic billion euro/year - Hungary billion euro/year - Hungary billion euro/year = 86% of total state aid in the EU-10. = 86% of total state aid in the EU-10. EUROPEISKA KOMMISSIONEN DG PRESS OCH KOMMUNIKATION Representationen i Sverige

"More must be done by all 25 countries to further reduce the overall levels of aid and to shift the emphasis from supporting individual companies towards increasing Europe's competitiveness through aid to research and development, environment and cohesion“ - Mario Monti, former Competition Commissioner.

EUROPEISKA KOMMISSIONEN DG PRESS OCH KOMMUNIKATION Representationen i Sverige Structural Funds - The structural funding for new member countries, during the period , approx. 21 billion euro. - Commission’s proposal for long term budget, : billion euro for the whole period billion euro for the whole period - the aid of the structural funds will increase - the aid of the structural funds will increase gradually (taking into account the 4% limit). gradually (taking into account the 4% limit) budget will comprise more than budget will comprise more than 50 billion euro (53-54 % to 12 new member 50 billion euro (53-54 % to 12 new member states). states). - Third cohesion report: structural fund policy more integrated in the growth policy

EUROPEISKA KOMMISSIONEN DG PRESS OCH KOMMUNIKATION Representationen i Sverige The Euro - EU-10 states participate in the Economic policy coordination and surveillance rules from date of accession, until the convergence criteria are fulfilled. The Commission’s first comprehensive report (November 2004) on the new member states’ practical preparations for the euro: - The Commission’s first comprehensive report (November 2004) on the new member states’ practical preparations for the euro: - faster and smoother process than the current euro zone - faster and smoother process than the current euro zone - big bang introduction in several of EU-10 countries - big bang introduction in several of EU-10 countries - No pre-defined timetable for the adoption of the euro (although there is an obligation to adopt the common currency for the new member states).

Progress towards Maastricht (2004 data) Progress towards Maastricht (2004 data) Country Inflation rate Government deficit Government debt (Aug 2003-Aug 2004) (% of GDP) (% of GDP) (Aug 2003-Aug 2004) (% of GDP) (% of GDP) Maastricht criteria Not more than 1.5% above lowest three above lowest three Cyprus Czech Republic Estonia Hungary Latvia Lithuania Malta Poland Slovakia Slovenia EUROPEISKA KOMMISSIONEN DG PRESS OCH KOMMUNIKATION Representationen i Sverige

Probable target dates for euro introduction: - Estonia, Lithuania, Slovenia – 1 January Cyprus, Poland – Malta, Latvia – Slovakia – Hungary, Czech Republic – 2010

First survey on the perception of the euro in EU-10 states: - 50 % interested of the introduction of the euro in - 50 % interested of the introduction of the euro in the countries the countries - 44 % believe introduction of the euro will have - 44 % believe introduction of the euro will have positive consequences, while 41% think the contrary. positive consequences, while 41% think the contrary. - 40% the respondents believe that the euro should be - 40% the respondents believe that the euro should be introduced "as late as possible", 19% think that introduced "as late as possible", 19% think that the changeover should occur "as soon as possible". the changeover should occur "as soon as possible". EUROPEISKA KOMMISSIONEN DG PRESS OCH KOMMUNIKATION Representationen i Sverige

European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) - The policy was first outlined by the Commission in its Communication on Wider Europe (March 2003). - European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument, support the implementation of the policy. - Includes Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, Russia, Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Syria, Tunisia and the Palestinian Authority. - Includes Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, Russia, Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Syria, Tunisia and the Palestinian Authority. - The ENP does not aim to open up the prospect of membership to the countries concerned. - The ENP’s objectives: - Provide means for reinforcing bilateral relations - Provide means for reinforcing bilateral relations - Strengthening security and stability (European Security Strategy) - Strengthening security and stability (European Security Strategy) - Aim at a significant degree of integration (including a stake - Aim at a significant degree of integration (including a stake for the partner states in the EU's Internal Market). for the partner states in the EU's Internal Market). - Encourage human rights, the rule of law and good - Encourage human rights, the rule of law and good governance. governance. - Promote co-operation in fighting terrorism and cross-border - Promote co-operation in fighting terrorism and cross-border crime such as trafficking in drugs and human beings. crime such as trafficking in drugs and human beings.

EUROPEISKA KOMMISSIONEN DG PRESS OCH KOMMUNIKATION Representationen i Sverige Commission’s Strategy Paper and Country Reports (May 2004): - The Strategy: setting out in concrete terms how the Union can work more closely with its neighbours and extend some of the benefits of enlargement. neighbours and extend some of the benefits of enlargement. - A first set of draft Action Plans with partner countries (on the basis of the Strategy paper). - The Action Plans are key political documents for the further development of the - The Action Plans are key political documents for the further development of the relations. relations. - Method: together with partner countries,define a set of priorities,whose fulfilment - Method: together with partner countries, define a set of priorities, whose fulfilment will bring them closer to the European Union. will bring them closer to the European Union. - Priorities cover a number of key areas for specific action: - political dialogue and reform - political dialogue and reform - trade and measures preparing partners for gradually obtaining a stake in - trade and measures preparing partners for gradually obtaining a stake in the EU’s Internal Market the EU’s Internal Market - justice and home affairs - justice and home affairs - energy, transport, information society, environment and research and - energy, transport, information society, environment and research and innovation innovation - social policy and people-to-people contacts - social policy and people-to-people contacts

EUROPEISKA KOMMISSIONEN DG PRESS OCH KOMMUNIKATION Representationen i Sverige Existing Partnership Instruments: - Eastern Europe: Partnership and Cooperation Agreement - Mediterranean: Euro-Mediterranean Partnership (Barcelona Process) and network of Association Agreements.

EUROPEISKA KOMMISSIONEN DG PRESS OCH KOMMUNIKATION Representationen i Sverige Further enlargement… - Bulgaria: Accession treaty expected to be signed in Full membership scheduled for 1 January Bulgaria: Accession treaty expected to be signed in Full membership scheduled for 1 January Romania: Negotiations on accession chapters scheduled to be completed in Probably join the EU on 1 January Croatia: Official candidate status in June Accession negotiations scheduled to start in early Target date for becoming full EU member 1 January Croatia: Official candidate status in June Accession negotiations scheduled to start in early Target date for becoming full EU member 1 January Turkey: Associate member of the EU since 1963 and official candidate since European Council will decide in December if negotiations on full membership status will start.

EUROPEISKA KOMMISSIONEN DG PRESS OCH KOMMUNIKATION Representationen i Sverige Questions : - Which obstacles do economic operators encounter in the new member states ? - Which is the role of the Commission in solving these problems ? - Which view do the countries have on trade policy in the future ?