The European Parliament elections on 7 June are an opportunity to help shape the future. An opportunity to put strong Irish voices into one of Europe’s key institutions. An opportunity to strengthen the EU for business and citizens in the new political cycle 2024–2029.

Our EU Election priorities are:

1. Competition and regulation: Focus on competitiveness

• Develop a more effective mechanism to track and monitor the impact of the cumulative regulatory and compliance burden on business.
• Substantially reduce the introduction of new EU legislation to provide an implementation period for recently introduced measures and focus on growth not only compliance.
• Adopt stronger investment and proactive growth measures to address sustainability and other challenges and ensure that EU industrial policy supports a broad range of sectors.

2. Single Market: Unlock potential for capital and digital to support innovation

• Develop a new Single Market strategy which underpins fair competition and supports pro growth policies of open small member state economies.
• Accelerate the introduction of the Capital Markets Union and maximise the potential of digital and AI to support innovation.
• Review existing EU State Aid rules to ensure that a level playing field exists across the Single Market and adopt a broader EU level approach to strategic investment priorities.

3. EU social policy and the Labour Market: Concentrate on EU added value

• Ensure that social and labour market policies are not undermining the global competitiveness of EU business.
• Fully reflect the individual Member State industrial relations models in the development of any new social or labour market policies.
• Place greater emphasis on labour market policies such as upskilling and training which will enhance the overall competitiveness of the EU.

4. Geopolitics, trade and investment: Renew commitment to openness

• Advance an ambitious trade policy, safeguarding an open and competitive business environment to drive EU competitiveness.
• Foster closer relations, strategic partnerships, and common standards with key trading partners such as the US and the UK to raise global standards and underpin shared prosperity objectives.
• Work with trading partners to address tariff and non-tariff trade barriers and seek to advance the full potential of EU goods and services trade, including digital.

Media / Press release

Ibec, the group representing Irish Business, says that the upcoming European Elections are occurring at a critical juncture for Ireland and Europe as the global economy undergoes accelerated change. Geo-political tensions, increases in protectionism, and intensifying global competition are creating an uncertain business environment across Europe. According to Ibec, to strengthen the EU and address the challenges facing business and society, competitiveness needs to be at the forefront.

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