Belgium’s presidency of the Council of the European Union comes at a time when much attention is focused on the political direction the EU will take over the next five years. The Belgian government can play a unique role in shaping how the EU can best serve its people, environment and businesses over the next five years. There is not much time until June’s European Parliament elections, but the Belgian government’s ambitious program “Protect, Strengthen, Prepare”, which aims to support a seamless transition to the next institutional cycle, is critical to continuity. As important as it is, it is also open to the European Parliament elections. Innovative policy ideas are on the horizon. At Amazon, we will closely monitor this initiative and work as hard as possible to ensure a truly sustainable and frictionless single market for both Europeans and businesses over the next five years.
Achieving a strong, prosperous and green single market
Amazon, a long-term investor in Europe, believes that the single market is one of the most important enablers for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Europe. In 2022, more than 125,000 EU-based small and medium-sized businesses sold their products on his Amazon store. More than 70% of its products are sold across borders within the EU, and in 2022 alone, sales within the EU exceeded €9.8 billion. 1,200 Belgian SMEs sells on Amazon and we’re proud to be one of the ways we help you sell across borders.organic food and beverage company gin bar is one of the Belgian SMEs benefiting from the single market, and Amazon is helping them reach a wider consumer base.
A well-functioning single market has the potential to deliver the much-needed EU “competitiveness” on the world stage, and discussions about how the Belgian government can achieve this over the next five years It seems clear that Japan is ready to promote this. One of the opportunities presented to the Belgian government is to work with former Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta on a report on the future of the single market, due to be presented at the European Council in April. Amazon recognizes that a sustainable and scalable green transition in the EU depends on a barrier-free single market that is fully accessible as a “home market” for all EU companies and nationals. I hope.
There are many areas that the Belgian government can focus on during its presidential term to strengthen the single market and ensure its ‘greenness’.
- Reduce red tape for small and medium-sized businesses through more effective customs procedures.
- It builds on existing rules and introduces clear and proportionate product policies that benefit both consumers and sellers.
- Promoting innovation in small and medium-sized enterprises through the principle of “thinking small first.”
- Address obstacles that limit access to the EU cloud market or prevent the provision of cloud services across borders, and enable access to the latest technology for businesses.
- Accelerate the green transition by removing barriers to cross-border trade of sustainable goods and services.
- Simplifying Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) recycling fees for cross-border trade within the EU and removing administrative barriers to the circular economy.
- Accelerate the transition of the transportation sector by promoting intermodal transport and deploying next-generation technologies at scale through investments in charging and refueling networks.
To find out more about our ideas for a strong, prosperous and green single market, please see our downloadable flyer. here.
An open and competitive EU
The Belgian Presidency has confirmed the work started under the Spanish Presidency as “granada declarationIn this declaration, European leaders call for a more united, innovation-led and interconnected single market, which will play a key role in making Europe more resilient and competitive. Dew. – But they also want the EU to remain open to the world. joint declaration Signed by Belgium and four other like-minded EU countries“A geopolitically divided world needs a strong and resilient coalition that can protect and promote core interests, strive for an open, rules-based and interconnected economy, and champion multilateralism and international cooperation.” The concept of open strategic autonomy was introduced to achieve just that.”
The concept of an open and competitive EU will continue to be discussed under the Belgian Presidency, but it is important that these discussions recognize the importance of global trade, especially for countries like Belgium. It is. Belgium, whose export-to-GDP ratio in 2022 will reach her 95.7%, is a champion of trade due to the international trade capabilities of its companies. Belgium is well placed to further the debate at EU level and believes that the European economy is best served when the EU works with international partners to create opportunities, build resilience and strengthen security. You can focus on the fact that
We look forward to seeing how the Belgian Presidency will build the EU for long-term success, and we look forward to seeing how the Belgian Presidency will build the EU for long-term success, and we look forward to seeing the EU as it seeks to put the single market and openness to European trade at the center of its discussions. We enthusiastically support the efforts of