WRITTEN QUESTION E-2123/98

by Klaus Lukas (NI) to the Commission

(10 July 1998)

Subject: Action programme to promote the competitiveness of European industry

During a visit to Vienna by a delegation from the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and Industrial Policy, the Austrian Minister for Economic Affairs, Dr Johannes Farnleitner, said that during Austria's Presidency of the Council he intended to implement an action programme to promote the competitiveness of European industry.

As the Minister was either unwilling or unable to give further details of this project when asked about it, it would be helpful if the Commission could answer the following questions.

Has the Commission been asked to work on this action programme to promote the competitiveness of European industry?

If so, what measures are planned, who is to carry them out, and how?

How much funding is to be allocated to it, and under what budget line?

If not, what is the Commission's assessment of the intention of the Austrian Minister for Economic Affairs to carry out a programme to promote the competitiveness of European industry?

Answer given by Mr Bangemann on behalf of the Commission

(16 September 1998)

Following the conclusions of the Council meeting on 24 April 1997 regarding the role of the Council of Industry Ministers(1), the Council meeting on 13 November 1997 agreed on a "medium-term work programme on the organisation of an on-going debate on competitiveness"(2), which would involve the Luxembourg, United Kingdom and Austrian Presidencies. This programme was presented by the Luxembourg Presidency to the Council of Industry Ministers in the form of a memorandum. The main purpose of the work programme is to enable the Council of Industry Ministers to organise an annual debate on competitiveness, to initiate a more direct dialogue with industry and to make its contribution to initiatives and policies affecting competitiveness.

Since the Council meetings on 13 November 1997 and 7 May 1998, under the successive Luxembourg and United Kingdom Presidencies, competitiveness has been the first item on the agenda of the Council of Industry Ministers, and industry has been closely involved in preparing the discussion. When engaging in this discussion, the Ministers regularly examine the state of competitiveness of European industry. Under the Austrian Presidency, the Ministers will discuss the "1998 Competitiveness Report" drawn up by a consortium of research institutes on behalf of the Commission. This Report should enable the Council to identify the key factors affecting competitiveness and to decide what initiatives should be undertaken at Community level.

The results of the benchmarking pilot projects launched in the wake of the Council meeting on 24 April 1997 will also be presented (by the Member States responsible for coordination) at the next Council meeting of Industry Ministers in November, enabling them to examine in greater detail some of these key factors. Once the pilot stage reaches it conclusion, the Commission will consider whether it should put forward proposals for following up the benchmarking exercise in 1999.

The Commission will certainly put out all the information it can about the Austrian Presidency's plans to follow up the "medium-term work programme for the organisation of an on-going debate on competitiveness" and to implement the planned measures.

(1) Council document No 7257/97 ECO 87.

(2) Document 11637/97 ECO 241.