Competitiveness - The Competitiveness Council

The Competitiveness Council was formed in 2002. It brought together the former Industry, Internal Market and Research Councils with the aim of creating a single, strong Council that could provide a more coherent, integrated approach to boosting European competitiveness. It has a horizontal role in enhancing competitiveness and growth and therefore provides views on how competitiveness issues can be properly taken into account in all policy initiatives with an impact on enterprises. In this context, it plays a key role in driving forward the Lisbon economic reform agenda and regulatory reform in the EU, which is vital to secure the right framework conditions for business to flourish. It also deals with legislative proposals in its different fields of activity (internal market, industry and research), where it takes decisions by qualified majority, mostly in co-decision with the European Parliament.

Depending on the agenda, the Competitiveness Council is attended by Ministers with responsibility for competitiveness, industry and research issues from all 25 EU member states. The Council is chaired by the relevant Presidency Minister (this will be Alan Johnson, Secretary of State for Trade and Industry for the UK) and meets formally in Brussels or Luxembourg five or six times a year. Presidencies also usually host an informal meeting of the Council during their six month run.

An informal Competitiveness Council was held in Cardiff on 11-12 July 2005. Download the summary of discussions (109kb).

Contact

Anna Soanes
Tel: 020 7215 2716
Fax: 020 7215 2234
Email: anna.soanes@dti.gsi.gov.uk

Top