Eurochambres’ priorities for 2023

The scope of Eurochambres’ work is broad and covers many issues that impact businesses in Ireland and across Europe this year and into the future.

Chambers Ireland pushes the Irish agenda forward at an EU level through its membership of Eurochambres, which was established in 1958 as a direct response to the creation of the European Economic Community and acts as the European Association of Chambers of Commerce.

Chambers Ireland Chief Executive, Ian Talbot, is a Vice-President of Eurochambres and leads the International Trade Committee where he has been advocating for Ireland on Brexit, EU Free Trade Agreements and deepening Single Market integration through getting more SMEs to trade.

With over 20 million enterprise members in Europe covering 45 countries and a European network of 1,700 regional and local Chambers, Eurochambres is the voice of the European business community which is heard by the Commission.

Trade turbulence

Trade challenges are emerging across the Atlantic following the passing of the In ation Reduction and Chips Acts in the US last year. Russia’s war on Ukraine continues to disrupt commodities and energy imports into Europe, and China continues to dominate the production capacity of rare-earth elements, which are crucial to battery production. Hence, trade continues to be a major policy concern for Eurochambres in 2023.

“With over 20 million enterprise members in Europe and a network of 1,700 regional and local Chambers, Eurochambres is the voice of the European business community.” e European Critical Raw Materials Act is a key piece of legislation that Eurochambres is lobbying on. e Commission wants to move at least 40% of the re nement of critical raw materials to within the borders of the EU, focusing on local mining and recycling as input sources. Currently 95% of global capacity is in China. We are also expecting a revision of the Foreign Direct Investment screening provision.

Skills gaps

Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, has designated 2023 as the European Year of Skills.

As a key stakeholder, Eurochambres is looking for education reforms that will close the green and digitaltransition skills gaps. We are seeking the strengthening of vocational and adult education through microcredentials and individual learning accounts, which will allow workers to build up their skills in a exible way. To facilitate immigration and integration of internationally mobile talent, Eurochambres is working on the recognition of quali cations of people from third countries to ensure we are attracting skills to our continent. Another important initiative in 2023 is the establishment of the Cybersecurity Skills Academy.

Single Market and Digitalisation

Digitalisation is a key Eurochambres e ‘common European mobility data space’ is also being implemented, which is bringing together companies, organisations and institutions that want to create innovative mobility solutions. Other areas of activity include the Cyber Resilience Act, the Data Act, the European Digital Identity and ePrivacy Regulation.

Single Market priority. Legislative proposals are expected later in the year and the digitalisation of travel documents is being given special priority. Arti cial intelligence is increasingly relevant to businesses, and the Eurochambres policy team is focused on both the Arti cial Intelligence Act and the proposed Arti cial Intelligence Liability Directive.

Sustainability drive

e EU is investing €600bn in the European Green Deal over the next seven years to reduce the EU’s emissions to less than half of our 1990 levels. To deliver this climate target, the EU’s Fit for 55 package will be altering energy, climate and transport legislation across the EU states. Meanwhile, the RePowerEU programme will reduce our dependence on Russian fossil fuels by expanding the renewable energy component share of the electricity, transport and heating sectors.

With these plans requiring the overhaul of the EU electricity market, the development of an EU hydrogen market and the fast-tracking of renewable projects, the greening of the European energy economy will be central to much of Eurochambres’ activities over the decade.

e right to repair and sustainable product design will be important pieces of activity on the circular economy this year, along with the Zero Pollution Package which is due in Q4 of this year.

Economic policy

Eurochambres prioritises the advancement of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and strengthening and diversifying SME access to nance is the main priority for 2023. We are expecting a revised Late Payments Directive in the third quarter of the year which will further tighten up contract law legislation to ensure that businesses are paid for their services on time.

We are also expecting the text of the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, which will create a responsibility for rms to interrogate their supply chains to ensure that no human rights abuses or activities with signi cant environmental impacts are part of their supply chain.

As ever with the EU, these are proposals which will take some time to impact businesses on the ground, but they will have a profound e ect once they do get implemented. e Commission welcomes input, but needs to have it early in the process which is why Eurochambres’ activities are so important to our members.