Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš sent a letter to EU leaders with a proposal to create a group of Friends of Competitiveness. It proposes eleven concrete measures to strengthen the European economy and strategic self-sufficiency.
Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, in a letter he sent to EU leaders and representatives of individual member states last week, suggested establishing a group of “friends of competitiveness”. In it, the countries would devote themselves in detail to proposals that, according to Babiš, should strengthen the European economy and the EU’s strategic self-sufficiency. On Monday, the Czech Government Office informed about the proposals of the Czech Republic, writes TASR correspondent in Prague.
In short:
- Babiš proposes a group of friends of competitiveness in the EU
- The goal is to strengthen the economy and strategic self-sufficiency of the Union
- He presented an 11-point plan to support industry and energy
Babiš has long termed the informal EU summit on competitiveness, which is scheduled for February 12, as fundamental. He therefore came up with the initiative of concrete steps that, according to him, the Union should take in order to strengthen its competitiveness. “Without a strong and competitive industry, the EU will neither succeed in transformation, nor in strengthening security, nor in long-term prosperity,” said the Czech Prime Minister.
Babiš’s 11-point plan
In the letter, which he sent to the leaders of the EU member states as well as to the President of the European Council, Ursula von der Leyen, and to the President of the European Council, António Costa, he outlined 11 points. According to him, their fulfillment should contribute to supporting industry, securing available energy or removing obstacles for companies so that they can continue to grow.
In the letter, he writes that it is necessary for the EU to limit the uncontrolled growth of emission allowance prices and prevent speculation with them on the financial markets. It should also postpone the launch of the ETS 2 system, revise the EU’s climate targets or simplify and speed up public procurement. According to the Czech government, European prosperity would also be helped by speeding up approval processes for investments, reducing bureaucracy and ensuring favorable conditions for nuclear energy and natural gas. The Czech prime minister also considers strengthening cross-border energy connections in electricity and gas, increasing raw material self-sufficiency or developing industries with high added value to be important.
Readiness for cooperation
Babiš noted that he is ready to actively contribute to the search for balanced solutions. “Regarding the above-mentioned topics, I propose to prepare specific legislative proposals that will have a positive impact on the lives of citizens and businesses throughout the EU. My ministers and their teams are ready to further develop these solutions and work closely on them with their departmental partners,” he added, and proposed to establish a “group of interested states Friends of Competitiveness” that would deal with individual proposals in more detail.
