Meeting of the EU Club at BCCI on the occasion of the commencement of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union
The President of BCCI Tsvetan Simeonov opened the traditional meeting of the EU Club at BCCI on the occasion of the assumption of the Presidency of the Council of the European Union by the Republic of Cyprus. He reminded that the period of economic hardships will be a useful check for the European Union, allowing it to review its entire framework of development. “We hope that good, important decisions will be taken for the EU to become less bureaucratic and much more attractive to investors, businessmen and entrepreneurs”, Mr. Simeonov added.
According to him, Cyprus has assumed the Presidency in a difficult period, but there is no doubt that under the Cyprus Presidency the EU will not waste any time and take the necessary measures to restore the trust in economy, to increase investments in growth and to strengthen the Union.
The President of the EU Club at BCCI Ms. Ingrid Shikova explained the Club’s tradition to send off and report on each ending Presidency and to welcome each commencing Presidency, in this case – the Cyprus Presidency. “We have been doing this for a long time, but there has hardly been a period in European integration when each new Presidency and each new Council of the European Union has been expected with so much hope. Hope for the end of the economic crisis, for increasing growth, for solving the European Budget issues, hope for more solidarity, hope for trust and hope for the future of the entire European Union. I think that everyone will agree that we still have not overcome the crisis, and I don’t mean only its economic aspect, but the crisis of trust”, Ms. Shikova said.
The European Union is what it is because of its great and brave ideas. The entire idea behind the Union, the Schengen idea, the Euro idea – these are all great and even adventurous, even hazardous ideas – the Minister of European Funds Management Tomislav Donchev said. What we need today, besides keeping deficits (where there are deficits) under control, is to reduce the deficiency of ideas in general. We need new ideas.
Finally, the President of BCCI Mr. Tsvetan Simeonov thanked the members of the EU Club and the Ambassador of Denmark H.E. Mr. Kaare Janson for his report on the results achieved by the Danish Presidency. “There is no other forum except for the EU Club meetings, where a report on each ending Presidency is presented. We at BCCI consider this a great tradition. I would also like to thank the Ambassador of Cyprus H.E. Mr. Stavros Amvrosiou for presenting the priorities of his country.”
A special guest of the event on behalf of UniCredit Bulbank was Mr. Michele Amadei, Head of Corporate, Investment and Private Banking Division, who gave a presentation on theme: “Energy efficiency and EU funding”.
Diplomats, representatives of the business, the media, etc. are member of the EU Club.
The Cyprus Presidency priorities HERE
