Sir, The total cost of EU regulation on SMEs is estimated at 123.8 billion euros or 3.5% of EU GDP. It takes each SME on average seven hours a week to comply with this administrative burden. The European Commission’s own figures show that 44% of SMEs consider themselves as operating in an over-regulated environment. Partly… » read more

Posted by Letters to the EurActiv editor

Sir, Not until the EU starts trying not to copy and think ‘out of the box’ will the innovation might of the EU be released. All that we predominantly do in the EU is copy, as the article underscores. That was fine for the Japanese and the Chinese when they were beginning their economic cycles,… » read more

Posted by Letters to the EurActiv editor

Sir, Studies indicate that there is no correlation between corporate research and development spending and profitability. Indeed it can divert money from other investments that a company needs, and that can of course be fatal. Sometimes, however, it prevents companies disappearing which otherwise would not have survived. Specifying the wrong indicators will mean mis-allocation of… » read more

Posted by Letters to the EurActiv editor

Sir, Regarding ‘Britain hosts ‘innovation summit’ with EU Nordic member states‘: Despite all the rhetoric from the UK government this notion that they will help companies in the UK develop green technologies is an absolute farce of major proportions. Most of the ‘green’ developments we have seen promoted in the UK have been those proffered… » read more

Posted by Letters to the EurActiv editor