Organised by the European Commission
Better Business Environment Means More Jobs
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I very much like the title of this event. It is being held to “recognize Regional Economic Development Success Stories”.
In other words, the focus is on positive outcomes.
Too often, particularly in politics, we become preoccupied with process and lose sight of the desired outcome. Businesspeople, however, are more straightforward – the desired outcome is clear: the object is to run the company successfully, keep the customers satisfied, look after the staff and turn a profit.
So I am happy to be here today, where we are talking about success stories. We are looking at positive facts – and in an age of communications it is not just facts that are important: it’s important that these facts are publicized. Otherwise no one would know about positive things that are happening.
I understand and sympathise with the challenges that have to be faced in order to secure success in the world of business. As many of you will know, I started my career in business – in a small family company (that became, I’m proud to say, a medium-sized company). I only went into politics later in life.
One thing I can tell you with absolute certainty is that a good business environment will not of itself deliver prosperity – what it will do deliver the framework within which entrepreneurs can create prosperity.
In BiH this lesson is still being learned.
The only way that tens of thousands of jobs can be created, the only way in which living standards can be made to rise faster is if BiH’s latent entrepreneurial power can be unleashed.
With an adequate business environment, companies can get on with the business of creating jobs.
My office has been a wholehearted supporter of the EU Red Project. In fact just a couple of weeks ago, Ambassador Humphreys and I, together with PDHR Larry Butler, had a long and productive meeting with the representatives of the five RDAs to learn more about the ways in which we can assist them.
I am very pleased to learn that EU RED II will focus on SME development.
The proposal to establish a Council of Entrepreneurship and Development under the auspices of the Council of Ministers – to foster and coordinate SME strategies and bring together all of the agencies working in this field – is an excellent one and will have the full support of the OHR and the Office of the EUSR.
In my opinion the developments of SMEs is the essence of a modern economy. Small companies can convey entrepreneurship and innovation; they can create new products and adapt to new conditions very quickly. The authorities must therefore create conditions in which SMEs can grow.
A successful outcome of this project can be summed up, I think, in just three words: jobs, jobs and jobs.
Thank you