site.btaEU Commissioner Bienkowska Confers with President Radev

EU Commissioner Bienkowska Confers with President Radev

Sofia, February 23 (BTA) - President Rumen Radev conferred here on Thursday with EU Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs Commissioner Elzbieta Bienkowska, who is paying a visit to Bulgaria, Radev's Press Secretariat reported.

The two have agreed that the EU Member States must join efforts to facilitate access for SMEs to the common market.

Radev has underscored that the EU must strive to deepen the integration between different regions, in order to prevent the differences in economic development from confirming the functioning of two-speed Europe.

President Radev and Commissioner Bienkowska have stressed the importance of enhancing cooperation between the EU countries in information technologies, defence and space exploration. The creation of a 500 million euro EU fund for financing joint research and development in these sectors is being considered on the EU Commissioner's proposal. She supported Radev's idea for Bulgaria to host this year a forum about the European defence and space sector, within which Bulgarian companies and research institutes can show what they are capable of, to familiarize themselves with the European defence fund and other mechanisms in the EU's defence and space industries. Bienkowska has expressed readiness to participate in the forum. East European countries have traditions in space exploration, the defence industry and IT sector, which can be further enhanced, Radev noted.

The President has confirmed Bulgaria's support for the introduction of a European services e-card, which would reduce the bureaucratic formalities for SMEs and facilitate their access to the common market. Radev has also noted the need to further support companies from less developed EU countries, which can participate fully in the implementation of investment projects under the Juncker Plan.