Celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Treaties of Rome

On 25 March 2017, the European Union celebrates the 60th anniversary of the Treaties of Rome. The Treaties have generated the fundamental conditions for growth and stability for the European citizens and given rise to the longest ever period of peace in Europe for the last 60 years.

CECIMO joins the celebrations on the benefits that the European Union brings to its Member States, businesses and citizens. As an EU-level trade association, CECIMO reminds that the European Union has tremendously helped our businesses and citizens flourishing thanks to the world’s largest Single Market. CECIMO, nevertheless, strongly advocates that we need an even stronger Union in Europe.

From a sectorial point of view, we should prepare the European advanced manufacturing industry for the future and make sure that our companies benefit from key drivers of our times such us globalization and digitisation. This certainly requires a forward-looking policy approach that pools our knowledge and resources at the European level. Only with the help of smart policies and a pan-European approach that create favourable framework conditions, advanced manufacturers from across Europe can keep generating sustainable and innovative solutions.

EU policies are a key asset to cope with the enormous challenges we face today. With the right environment, our companies and their skilled workforces can deliver the solutions to technological, societal, environmental and economic challenges ahead.

Many views exist for the model of a renewed European Union, including the 5 scenarios presented in the European Commission’s White Paper on the ‘Future of Europe‘. CECIMO and its member associations will actively contribute to the debates shaping the future of Europe from its sectorial point of view. Whatever scenario is followed, one key ingredient for a prosperous Europe will be having a strong manufacturing base in Europe, that creates high-value jobs for our people. All resilient economies have a strong industrial base.

We can be proud of the last 60 years. Let us reinforce the European project.