On 2nd October 2014, Elżbieta Bieńkowska, Member designate of the EC in charge of Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, was heard by the Committees on Industry, Research and Energy and on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Protection of the European Parliament. The Committees on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety and on Legal Affairs were also associated to the hearing. The objective of this hearing was to test general competences of Elżbieta Bieńkowska, her European commitment and her specific expertise related to her portfolio. On this occasion, Elżbieta Bieńkowska had the opportunity to make an opening statement and took part in a question and answer session.

Brussels

Committee on Industry, Research and Energy

Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection

statement

BIEŃKOWSKA, Elżbieta (PL, EC)

hearing

2014 Commissioners' hearings (T)

hearing of Elżbieta BIEŃKOWSKA (T)

Hearing of Elżbieta BIEŃKOWSKA (Poland), Commissioner-designate for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs: extracts from the statement by Elżbieta BIEŃKOWSKA

Arrival of Elżbieta BIEŃKOWSKA, Commissioner-designate in charge of Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs

SOUNDBITE (English), El&#380;bieta BIE&#323;KOWSKA, Commissioner-designate in charge of Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, "I will focus on four objectives: developing the full potential of the internal market, fostering industrial competitiveness through investment and innovation, unlocking business environment and supporting SMEs and projecting the Internal market beyond our borders."

SOUNDBITE (English), El&#380;bieta BIE&#323;KOWSKA, Commissioner-designate in charge of Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, "We need to concentrate on areas and sectors with the biggest growth potential, for instance, we see that important obstacles remain to fully fledged service market on European scale, both legal and practical. We have to overcome these barriers and find ways to generate more growth for instance through the use of the principle of mutual recognition."

SOUNDBITE (English), El&#380;bieta BIE&#323;KOWSKA, Commissioner-designate in charge of Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, "Internal Market governance will be as important for me as it is for you, and its must play its full part in the European Semester process with Member States. I will ask my services to make full use of existing tools to assess cost and benefit of legislation, including impact assessment, the SME test, competitiveness proofing and ex-post evaluation."

SOUNDBITE (English), El&#380;bieta BIE&#323;KOWSKA, Commissioner-designate in charge of Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, <p>"Let me cite just a few examples of what I will look at in priority in the first few months: the full implementation of the Services Directive together with a renewed strategy for the Internal Market for services. The Product Safety and Market surveillance package, the effective application of the new public procurement legislation, and the consolidation of our intellectual property framework.</p>  <p>My second major priority will be to foster industrial competitiveness through investment and innovation."</p>

SOUNDBITE (English), El&#380;bieta BIE&#323;KOWSKA, Commissioner-designate in charge of Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, "The biggest problem in Europe's industry is the dramatic fall in investment which is 20% below the pre-crisis level. I will in this context support Vice-President Katainen in mobilising the 300 billion investment package that he will propose."

SOUNDBITE (English), El&#380;bieta BIE&#323;KOWSKA, Commissioner-designate in charge of Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, "Industry needs to be able to invest in innovation and modernisation. We must create an innovation friendly environment, where ideas are supported from their inception all the way to the market. I will make use of all the policy tools available from our intellectual property rights infrastructure,  to support for uptake of innovation and technologies, through financing and public procurement policy."

SOUNDBITE (English), El&#380;bieta BIE&#323;KOWSKA, Commissioner-designate in charge of Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs , "I will propose a full roadmap with all the actions to support industry and will put competitiveness at the heart of the Europe 2020 strategy and the European Semester."

SOUNDBITE (English), El&#380;bieta BIE&#323;KOWSKA, Commissioner-designate in charge of Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, "All companies need a business-friendly regulatory environment. And I will insist on simplification and predictability for business. I will pay special attention to SMEs, making full use of 2,3 billion euro in the COSME programme."

SOUNDBITE (English), El&#380;bieta BIE&#323;KOWSKA, Commissioner-designate in charge of Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, , "Europe's economy needs access to markets, both within the EU and globally. I will therefore work with the Trade Commissioner, Cecilia Malmstr&ouml;m, supporting the opening of markets beyond Europe in the spirit of reciprocity and mutual benefits. I am thinking in particular of the US and Japan, where negotiations are underway."

SOUNDBITE (English), Jerzy BUZEK (EPP, PL), Chair of the ITRE Committee, "Thank you very much, I am sorry..."

SOUNDBITE (English), El&#380;bieta BIE&#323;KOWSKA, Commissioner-designate in charge of Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs , "Let's put Europe back to work!" (Applause)