CIP warns that only 11% of Draghi's recommendations have been implemented so far
The implementation of Mário Draghi's recommendations remains slow, limiting investment, productivity, growth, and employment in Europe, according to the Reform Barometer by BusinessEurope, the largest European business confederation, of which the CIP–Confederation of Portuguese Business is a member. 'Only about 11% of the recommendations presented by Draghi in September 2024 have been implemented to date,' says Rafael Alves Rocha, Director-General of the CIP, in a statement. This situation leads the organization to assert that 'political messages in defence of competitiveness are not enough; urgent measures are needed to clearly and immediately alleviate the burden on companies.' The topic will be debated at the conference 'European Competitiveness 18 months after the Draghi Report,' taking place tomorrow (March 17) at the Bank of Portugal's Money Museum in Lisbon. The event, organized with the support of the CIP, will feature the participation of the Assistant Secretary of State and Budget, João Maria Brandão de Brito. The debate will focus on the most urgent challenges for European growth, with contributions from officials from the Bank of Portugal, BusinessEurope, academia, financial institutions, and the CIP. Economists and representatives from the business sector are also expected to attend. The 2026 edition of the Reform Barometer, one of the main European publications dedicated to analyzing economic reforms and EU competitiveness, will be on the table, the statement says. This study is published annually and analyzes the performance of European economies in areas such as public finance, business environment, innovation and skills, access to finance, taxation, financial stability, and the labor market. In this edition, the barometer reveals that nearly 60% of national confederations, members of BusinessEurope, have a more favorable opinion of the European Commission's competitiveness and growth agenda than a year ago. However, only 19% of respondents point to an improvement in the EU's investment environment, while more than half see no change. About a third state that conditions have worsened. The conference program includes debates on the state of EU competitiveness in a context of increasing global competition, the next Multiannual Financial Framework and the role of cohesion policy in supporting investment, and the development of the Savings and Investments Union. Navigator heads towards the future with bets on tissue paper and coffee capsules; footwear sector invests 50 million to position itself as a supplier to the European military sector.
