site.btaEU Needs European Deal to Boost Competitiveness, SGI Europe Vice-President Angelova Says

Addressing a high-level conference in Madrid on Europe Day, Milena Angelova, Bulgarian Industrial Capital Association (BICA) Secretary General and Vice-President of SGI Europe (European association representing enterprises which carry out services of general interest), said that Europe needs a strategy to promote competitiveness as it is steadily losing ground in the new geopolitical environment. The conference was attended by labour and social policy ministers from Spain, Poland, Slovakia and by European Economic and Social Committee President Oliver Roepke, BICA said on Thursday.

According to Angelova, provision of human resources is key - both by facilitating labour migration, and by mobilising labour potential and focusing on education and vocational training.

In her words, the European Pillar of Social Rights has become the main source of social initiatives at EU level and should remain the main compass for the development of the Union's social policy in the future, limiting the adoption of new legislation and focusing on the effective implementation of existing ones.

Angelova called on the attending European Parliament representatives to pay more attention to the implementation of social initiatives aimed at reducing the negative effects of climate change, tackling labour shortages and skills gaps, including increasing adult participation in trainings and qualifications.

"The EU lags behind its competitors. The EU's GDP growth for 2023 is 0.5% and the [GDP growth for 2023] in the US is 2.5%. This clearly shows that the EU needs a European deal to boost competitiveness and a new horizontal strategy for the single market," Angelova warned.