This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Scotland Europa Members debate
01/12/2003
A debate on the future of the European Union took place
in Brussels today.
EU enlargement sees 10 new member states join the
European Union in May of next year and Enterprise Minister
Jim Wallace told the Scotland Europa Members Debate that
bringing 100 million new consumers into the single European
market would also bring "some real opportunities for us to
exploit."
The Minister said that Scottish Development
International has been working up a detailed plan that will
focus on target areas such as electronics, food and drink,
e-business and financial services and business process
operations. He also stressed the significant increase in EU
funding for the accession states offered considerable
business opportunities for Scottish companies.
Jim Wallace said:
"The week after our international football dreams ended
for another couple of years I think it is worth remembering
that there is another "Euro 2004" that Scotland will be
competing in next year. The enlargement of the EU next May
to include the ten new accession countries provides
Scotland with some real opportunities to exploit.
"There will be many political benefits for Europe as the
two halves of the continent are brought back together but
today I want to focus on the competition side of things and
make it clear that Scotland will not be shy in doing its
best to help our companies make the most of enlargement.
Growing the economy is the top priority of the Executive
and we are determined to do all we can to help business
make the most of this opportunity.
"The opportunities are fairly clear. For a start, the
Accession countries have attracted a significant level of
European funding support over the past few years to assist
with their economic restructuring processes. This looks
set to continue and although figures are not finalised yet
it is anticipated that funding support could rise from 8
billion euros per annum to up to possibly 20 billion euros
per annum.
"Scottish Development International have examined where
funds would be directed in order to assess potential
business opportunities. The key areas of opportunity are
predominantly in waste water and treatment as well as
business and transport infrastructure. There are obviously
niche market opportunities available companies and these
need to be carefully assessed and mapped against Scottish
businesses capabilities.
"Scottish Enterprise has recently commissioned some
research to map the Scottish environmental sector in terms
of business capabilities, size, and structure of
organisations. This will help to inform our activities in
the future in relation to exploiting market opportunities
within the Accession countries.
"The Executive and SDI have been working closely with
partners such as SCDI and have supported trade missions to
countries such as Poland, Czech Republic, Slovenia and
Hungary. SDI's planning process for 2004 is underway and
has identified opportunities to take Scottish knowledge out
to the Accession countries in sectors such as electronics,
food and drink,
e-business and financial services & business
process operations. Further
specific activities are being worked up at
present.
"So I would like to encourage you all to make the most
of the opportunities that will arise and to make use of the
many varied sources of support that are available here
today and back in Scotland."
Scotland Europa is an innovative alliance of public,
private and civil society bodies networking Scotland in
Europe. Its aim is to promote Scotland's interests to the
key institutions of the European Union and to the regions
of the EU and beyond.
The ten countries set to join the European Union on 1st
May 2004 are: Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary,
Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, the Slovak Republic and
Slovenia.