2-3 October Industry Ministers’ Informal

Date: 08/10/1998

EU INDUSTRY ministers focused on two main issues at their two-day informal meeting: globalisation and the competitiveness of European industry in the world market, and industrial cooperation, with special emphasis on enlargement and small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs). Industry Commissioner Martin Bangemann promised a communication on globalisation covering technical issues such as the Internet, the political framework governing the world-wide market and a broad examination of the 'globalisation culture'.

MINISTERS discussed but failed to agree on a suggested future overhaul of the Industry Council by which its workload could be shared with the Internal Market Council. The focus for such a merged group of ministers would be microeconomic issues, with the broad macroeconomic areas left to the monthly meetings of EU finance and economics ministers. The Austrian presidency said discussion of this issue would be postponed until the December summit of EU leaders in Vienna.

COMPANY bosses from small firms in France, Finland and Austria outlined their experience of investing in central and eastern Europe. Ministers discussed a strategy for preparing countries applying for Union membership for competition, laying emphasis on industrial cooperation, particularly between SMEs. A step in this direction was taken this week at a Vienna conference which brought together industrial federations, political and business leaders from candidate countries and the Union.

A MEETING with ministers from 12 Mediterranean countries resulted in pleas for the industrial cooperation promised during the Barcelona declaration of 1995 to be deepened. Calling for more involvement, Bangemann said concrete examples of industrial cooperation between public and private companies in less developed Mediterranean states were still scarce, adding that countries in the region should take part in EU research projects.

SINGLE Market Commissioner Mario Monti presented a communication aiming at the creation of a free trade area with Mediterranean countries by 2010, with preparatory action focused on training, technical assistance, and customs and fiscal cooperation. Monti said that MEDA funds might be available to aid some of these programmes.