Publicat pe 17/11/2022

Bucharest, November 17, 2022: The 30th edition of the EUROCHAMBRES Economic Survey (EES2023) reflects the effects of the challenges faced by the business community in Europe over the last three years. Entrepreneurs are facing difficulties in terms of rising labor and production costs, as well as uncertainties related to supply chains and economic growth prospects. European companies expect things to get worse in 2023 and business confidence is at an all-time low compared to the 29 previous editions of the survey.

National indicators for Romanian companies suggest positive expectations compared to previous editions of the study, with a considerable increase in national sales and the level of business confidence. The main challenges cited by Romanian companies are access to energy and raw materials, as well as affordable prices, labor costs, lack of qualified workers and financing conditions.

In the context of the results reflected in the EES2023 study, Eurochambres together with the chambers of commerce and industry call for coordinated European solutions for this challenging economic context. This should be based on a strong single market, which will soon be 30 years old. Over the years, the single market has driven Europe’s economic development, but the worrying decline in export forecasts revealed in the EES2023 survey reiterates the need to remove remaining barriers to free movement and the need to create new opportunities for European companies. This can be achieved including by developing a more proactive and ambitious European Union trade agenda, by concluding new trade agreements with third countries, taking into account the fact that the greatest global growth will be based on extra-EU trade.

In conclusion, Eurochambres and National Chambers of Commerce and Industry urge national and European Union decision-makers to be aware of the situation and requirements of entrepreneurs and to recalibrate their legislative agenda so as to provide them with predictability, stability and an environment conducive to development sustainable Europe in the long term.

The results of the Eurochambres Economic Study 2023 can be consulted by accessing this link: https://ccir.ro/servicii/studii-statistici-analize/

 

Background

The EUROCHAMBRES Economic Survey has been published for 30 consecutive years. Companies from all economic sectors answered a series of questions about how they expect to perform in 2023, with regard to domestic and export sales, the workforce, business confidence and investment performance. They were also asked about the main challenges they anticipate in 2023. The survey was conducted between August and October this year.