Press release
Minister Simon Coveney attending Competitiveness Council
From Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment
Published on
Last updated on
Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Simon Coveney, is joining his fellow Ministers with responsibility for the Internal Market and Industry at today’s meeting of the EU Competitiveness Council in Brussels. Commission Vice Executive Vestager and Commissioner Breton are representing the European Commission at the meeting which will be chaired by Ms Ebba Busch, Swedish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Energy, Business and Industry on behalf of the Sweden Presidency.
Ireland believes that a competitive enhanced Single Market is essential to strengthening EU competitiveness and enabling world class enterprises to scale up and compete on global markets.
Reflecting on future of the EU beyond its 30th anniversary of the Single Market, Minister Coveney said:
"I am looking forward to a rich debate on the EU’s long-term competitiveness and productivity with my fellow industry and internal market Ministers. I believe we need to continue to work to improve the functioning of the Single Market, as the stronger it is in normal times, the better prepared it will be for difficult times."
Commenting on last month’s EU Ukraine Summit, the Minister expressed Ireland’s strong support for Ukraine’s European perspective, saying:
"I warmly welcome the European Council’s decision to grant EU candidate status to Ukraine which I hope encourages Ukraine to progress with their EU reform agenda, towards full membership of our European family."
Ministers are due to agree two General Approaches; one on a Directive concerning financial services contacts concluded at a distance and the other on a Regulation on short-term rental services.