Verheugen advocates pan-European single market[fr][de] 

Speaking at a conference hosted jointly by Eurochambres and the European Commission's SME Week in Prague (14 May), Commissioner Verheugen was critical of barriers to cross-border entrepreneurship across the continent and called for greater cooperation in order to allow Europe to compete with emerging markets in Asia. 

He also expressed disappointment with the development of the internal market to date. "Member states display great creativity when it comes to creating new hurdles for entrepreneurs coming from other countries," he said, adding that the success of enlargement is not sufficiently talked about. 

Verheugen advocated creating a common market between all European and Mediterranean countries. This would build upon the EU, the European Economic Area, and agreements with Switzerland and Turkey, as well as the Union for the Mediterranean (EurActiv 14/7/08) and the Eastern Partnership (EurActiv 4/12/08), which covers several former members of the Soviet Union. 

The European and Mediterranean common market would be necessary, he said, in order to compete with the American, Chinese and Indian markets, the latter two each expected to encompass around 1.5 billion people in 20 years. 

The conference addressed numerous initiatives designed to cut red tape and promote entrepreneurship, and the Commission vice-president called on politicians to listen to creative businesspeople. 

"Entrepreneurs don't have major problems with economic barriers, but with political barriers. Entrepreneurs have the vision that politicians often miss," he said. According to Verheugen, putting enterprise among the Commission's priorities was the main achievement of his current mandate. 

Answering a question from EurActiv on the replacement of the Lisbon Agenda and the need for public debate, he elaborated further: "There was a bit of reluctance regarding entrepreneurship in the Commission. Now it is about making it sustainable. The current Commission will draw its 'bilan' and make recommendations for the next one. Barosso and I agreed already to put much emphasis no improving the business environment and enhancing the entrepreneurial spirit." 

Verheugen also defended the Czech Presidency, which he suggested had been judged harshly by critics. "Contrary to comments heard from different capitals, it is not true that the Czech Presidency is a failure. It has been amongst the best. Behind these attacks lies an unfair questioning of abilities of new member states," he said.