Archive:Industry and services statistics introduced
This text has been revised for the 2011 edition of the Eurostat Yearbook - production unit approval is sought (use voting button at end of article)
Please pay special attention to ensuring that the further information at the end of the article is up-to-date
Deadline for final approval from production units: 26 NOVEMBER 2010
The European Commission’s enterprise policies aim to create a favourable environment for business to thrive within the European Union (EU), thus creating higher productivity, economic growth, jobs and wealth. Policies are aimed at reducing administrative burden, stimulating innovation, encouraging sustainable production, and ensuring the smooth functioning of the EU’s internal market.
European industry contributes to output, jobs, innovation and exports and is interrelated with service activities. Indeed, many service activities such as transport, information and communication depend on industry to produce the equipment and hardware which they use. The internal market for goods is one of the EU's most important and continuing priorities which aims to create a user-friendly environment for businesses and consumers. Creating a single market for the service sector – one of the main drivers of the EU’s economy – relies largely on the opportunities available for businesses to provide and access services in the EU.
The business environment in which enterprises operate in the EU plays a significant role in their potential success through factors such as access to capital markets (in particular for venture capital), or the openness of markets. Ensuring that businesses can compete openly and fairly is also important with respect to making Europe an attractive place in which to invest and work. Creating a positive climate in which entrepreneurs and businesses can flourish is considered by many as the key to generating the growth and jobs that Europe needs. This is all the more important in a globalised economy, where some businesses have considerable leeway to select where they wish to operate. The regulatory environment in which businesses operate influences their competitiveness and their ability to grow and create jobs. The European Commission is committed to developing a better regulatory environment for businesses; one that is simple, understandable, effective and enforceable. The better regulation agenda of the Commission aims at:
- implementing a strategy to simplify existing legislation through a simplification programme;
- reducing administrative burdens by 25 % by 2012;
- placing greater emphasis on the use of impact assessments and public consultations when drafting new rules and regulations;
- and monitoring the application of the Union’s law.
The 21 million small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the EU in 2007 represented 99.8 % of enterprises in the non-financial business economy, and are regarded as a key driver for economic growth, innovation, employment and social integration. The European Commission aims to promote successful entrepreneurship and improve the business environment for SMEs, to allow them to realise their full potential in the global economy.
At the European Council meeting of 26 March 2010, EU leaders set out their plan for Europe 2020, a strategy to enhance the competitiveness of the EU and to create more growth and jobs. Additional information about the Europe 2020 strategy can be found on the Europe 2020 website. In October 2010 the European Commission presented a Communication on ‘An industrial policy for the globalisation era’, which provides a blueprint that puts industrial competitiveness and sustainability centre stage. The new industrial policy establishes a strategic agenda and proposes some broad cross-sectoral measures, as well as tailor-made actions for specific industries, mainly targeting the so-called ‘green innovation’ performance of these sectors. Furthermore, a report on Member States’ competitiveness policies and performance will be published annually. A European Commission Communication titled, ‘A Digital Agenda for Europe’ (COM(2010) 245) outlines policies and actions aimed at maximising the benefit of the digital era to all sections of society. The agenda outlines seven priority areas for action – see the article on information society for more detail.
Further Eurostat information
Database
- Industry, trade and services – horizontal view
- Industry and construction
- Distributive trade
- Services
- Tourism
- Statistics on the production of manufactured goods