BIO Deutschland Welcomes an Action Plan for Entrepreneurial Initiative

On 2 October 2012, BIO Deutschland responded to the European Commission’s Consultation on the Entrepreneurship 2020 Action Plan. In its statement, the association welcomed the fact the European Commission is working on this action plan, which aims to promote the foundation of new companies in Europe. This action plan is due for publication by the end of the year. The objective of the consultation process is to evaluate measures that would help to meet the targets of the action plan in order to increase understanding of and support for entrepreneurship among the public.

BIO Deutschland supports the targets that the European Commission is pursuing in this action plan, namely to stimulate growth, boost competitiveness and modernise public administration in order to improve the business environment and to make it more attractive to entrepreneurs. “Young companies with innovative ideas and new jobs are the key to a competitive economy,” said Peter Heinrich, Chairman of the Board of BIO Deutschland.

“We do not only urge the European Commission to reduce bureaucracy, but also to support new companies financially. If the state were to cover the costs of pension and unemployment insurance contributions for the first few years and to declare a moratorium on income tax during the initial phase, this would certainly provide an incentive for people to set up their own company,” said Karsten Henco, Chairperson of BIO Deutschland’s Working Group on Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Jobs. “Overall, we need radical changes based on a fundamental political concept in order to make people more aware of the importance of entrepreneurship and of an entrepreneurial mentality for an economically sustainable future in Germany and Europe,” he added.

The aim of the EU consultation is to help detect the remaining problems in and obstacles to setting up a company and to identify useful measures to minimise these issues. Apart from the foundation of new companies, the consultation is also focusing on maintaining existing companies so that valuable entrepreneurial capital is not lost.

BIO Deutschland’s response to the European Commission’s Consultation on the Entrepreneurship 2020 Action Plan is available in German at: www.biodeutschland.org/files/tlf_content/pressemitteilungen/2012/FIN_Fragebogen_Aktionsplan_unternehmerische_Initiative.pdf