Strengthening the competitiveness of the European Union (EU) and respecting the rule of law, as well as dealing with demographic challenges in Europe, were the focus of the Informal General Affairs Council held yesterday and today in Budapest, Hungary, with the Deputy Minister for European Affairs, Marilena Rauna, who participated in the Council, to emphasize that the rule of law is the cornerstone of the EU.
According to a statement from the Deputy Minister's Office, the aim of the informal Council was to coordinate the discussions on these issues in the various Council formations, as well as to prepare the Informal European Council, which will take place on November 8, in Budapest.
It is noted that in her intervention, Mrs. Rauna emphasized that the EU must not only remain competitive, but take the lead. This, he explained, is an integral part of the Union's position in the world and the autonomy strategy.
The Deputy Minister highlighted the need to support small and medium enterprises and key sectors of the European economy such as shipping, which are key to the effort to strengthen competitiveness. In this context, he called for the deepening of the single market, an area where businesses can grow, with less bureaucracy and administrative burden.
Referring to the competitiveness and respect of of the rule of law, Ms Rauna underlined that the rule of law is the cornerstone of the EU, noting that ensuring a stable legislative process environment contributes to strengthening competitiveness.
He pointed to the need for impact assessments to be integrated throughout the legislative process, as an important tool to further ensure the effectiveness of the European acquis and coherence at European level.
In in this context, the Deputy Minister welcomed the European Commission's commitment to impact assessment on all legislative acts. As he said, the impact assessment should take into account the unique characteristics of each EU Member State.
At the same time, Mrs. Rauna also pointed out the importance of enhanced participation of the interested parties in the public consultation during the legislative process stage.
The Deputy Minister also referred to the strengthening of competitiveness through addressing workforce shortages, in the shadow of demographic challenges, while he specifically pointed out the need to support the competitiveness of European industry, as a strategic priority, for the transition to a greener, more digital and more resilient economy.
It is noted that referring to the case of Cyprus, the Deputy Minister noted the demographic challenges facing the country and the impact on the labor market.
It is added that Mrs. Rauna referred to measures taken, the importance of strengthening the participation of women, as well as young people in the labor market, and the activation of the potential that is currently unemployed.
Source: KYPE
