Exchange on business priorities with President von der Leyen |
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| BusinessEurope President Fredrik Persson met with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on 7 April to exchange views on the key priorities for European businesses amid growing geopolitical uncertainties. |
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During the meeting, Persson underlined the importance of diversifying Europe’s trade and investment opportunities to strengthen economic resilience and reduce exposure to global risks. He also called for the swift ratification of the EU-Mercosur agreement, which would open open European companies access to a market of over 750 million consumers.
Picture copyright: European Union, 2025. |
| Addressing the recent publication of the Omnibus 1 and Clean Industrial Deal packages, Persson acknowledged them as steps in the right direction. However, he stressed the urgent need for more tangible short-term actions, particularly to address persistently high energy prices and reduce regulatory burdens that continue to weigh heavily on European companies. |
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Celebrating Greek industry |
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| During his mission to Athens, Director General Markus J. Beyrer joined the Executive Committee meeting of SEV, our Greek member federation, and spoke at the 100-year anniversary celebration of Viohalco, a leading European metal processing industrial group. Noting the impact of recent US tariffs, he emphasised the importance of unity, the need to diversify markets and focus on our own strengths. Looking ahead, he called for a resilient, innovation-driven economy, stating that: “Europe can only be as strong as its economy, and its economy only as strong as its industrial backbone.” |
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| Speaking at the event “EU-Norway: Strong Partners for European Security and Competitiveness” on 7 April, President Fredrik Persson highlighted the mutual benefits of the EU-Norway relationship, emphasising that Norway’s participation in the EU Single Market is now more important than ever. |
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On the EU’s 15% minimum-tax law: “An urgent reassessment of the EU’s approach is necessary to prevent lasting economic harm, ensure a level playing field and safeguard the competitiveness of European businesses”. Our Director General Markus J. Beyrer quoted in Bloomberg on 7 April. |
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Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) simplification
4 April
Read our statement. |
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