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Labour MEP for the East Midlands
and Labour’s Leader in Europe. It’s the largest market place in the world. Following the enlargement of the EU, the Single Market now includes 27 Member States as well as the three European Free Economic Area countries - Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein. Its population numbers around 490 million people – more customers than the US and Japan combined, accounting for 20% of all world trade.
 An estimated 3.5 million jobs in the UK are linked, directly and indirectly, to the export of goods and services to the EU, and 57% of total British trade is with the EU. East Midlands firms alone exported over £8 billion worth of goods to the EU in 2008.
Nor is it merely a matter of increased trade within Europe. The Single Market has also enhanced the ability of EU – and therefore East Midlands firms – to compete in global markets. EU exports to third countries have increased from 6.9% of EU GDP in 1992 to 11.2% in 2001, while at the same time the Single Market has made Europe a much more attractive location for foreign investors. The European Single Market is an economic reality, and for SMEs and other businesses in the Region, it provides opportunities and challenges which can’t be ignored. Since its launch on 1st January 1993, the Single Market has brought major benefits to businesses. The central principle of mutual recognition of standards means British manufacturers can sell their products all over Europe without expensive re-testing in every country, and there has been a significant reduction in export bureaucracy. Of course, no one suggests the Single Market is perfect. Indeed the business community itself is not unanimous either about the effects, or about future directions. Most obviously, many businesses feel that excessive regulation hampers business progress. Getting the balance right between the protection of the consumer or the employee, and the needs of business, is always likely to be contentious. The debate about the future direction of the EU and the Single Market will continue. Indeed the recent electoral success of UKIP and the far right, whose platform is outright withdrawal from the EU, suggest that a sizeable proportion of the electorate would like to have nothing more to do with the whole enterprise. But for British firms, these arguments are one step removed from their present day realities. Whatever their personal or political views, they need to know what opportunities exist, and what assistance is available to them.
And there is substantial support for East Midlands businesses wanting to take a fuller advantage of the opportunities offered within Europe. The suggestions below are useful starting points for any enterprise ready to exploit the advantages provided by this huge market place.
Finally, if you come across any issue relating to the EU, either in connection with new EU legislation, or with existing services or policies, I’m always happy to hear from any constituents in the East Midlands. Glenis Willmott MEP
Harold Wilson House
23 Barratt Lane
Attenborough
Nottingham NG9 6AD
Tel: 0115 922 9717
Fax: 0115 922 4439
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
www.gleniswillmott.eu
The SME Portal on the website of the European Commission. A useful starting point providing links to policies, funding and support services.
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/sme/index_en.htm The on-line tool for SME funding.
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/sme/fund_tools/fund_tools_theme_en.htm 7th Research Framework Programme (FP7), providing EU funding for research and development.
http://ec.europa.eu/research/fp7/index_en.cfm, National Contact Points (NCPs) for FP7 are on the SME Techweb website. These provide practical information, assistance and training to potential participants and contractors.
http://ec.europa.eu/research/sme-techweb/index_en.cfm?pg=support. Enterprise Europe Network (formerly the European Information Service) offers support and advice to businesses across Europe and helps them make the most of the opportunities in the European Union, with services specifically designed for SMEs.
www.enterprise-europe-network.ec.europa.eu/index_en.htm Enterprise Europe Network for the East Midlands is provided by the Derbyshire & Nottinghamshire Chamber of Commerce.
www.dncc.co.uk/your-chamber/165/enterprise-europe-network Business Link provides help and advice on trading within the EU. http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/layer?r.s=sl&r.lc=en&topicId=1074415241 Business Link East Midlands www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/findcontactdetail?type=CONTACT&itemId=1074031015 Directorate-General Enterprise and Industry – European Commission: http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/index_en.htm
Grants and loans database on the “Europa” website gives an overview of all EU programs and instruments:
http://ec.europa.eu/grants/index_en.htm Tenders Electronic Daily (TED) is a database of public tenders published in the Official Journal of the European Union:
http://ted.europa.eu/ Your Europe: this portal gives individuals and businesses practical information on their rights and opportunities in the EU as a whole and in the individual Member States:
http://ec.europa.eu/youreurope/index_en.html Glenis Willmott MEP website provides information on the work of the East Midlands MEP with additional links relating to the East Midlands and the EU.
www.gleniswillmott.eu |
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