In the 2024 European elections, Stefan Köhler was elected to the European Parliament for the first time. As a member of the European Parliament for the CSU Unterfranken, the 57-year-old agricultural engineer and farmer is a member of the Committees on Agriculture and Environment. In this interview, he touches on his motivation for becoming an MEP, gives his perspective on the biggest challenges for European companies today and outlines his economic policy priorities for Europe.

Oliver Schenk was elected to the European Parliament for the first time in the 2024 European elections as the lead candidate for the CDU Saxony. There, the 56-year-old former Saxon State Minister and Head of the State Chancellery is a member of the Environment Committee. In this interview, he explains his motivation for becoming a Member of the European Parliament, names the biggest challenges for European companies and his economic policy priorities for Europe.

Ursula von der Leyen is the President of the European Commission and the Spitzenkandidat of the CDU and the European People's Party for the European election campaign. In an interview with the BDI, she explains her motivation for competing as a Spitzenkandidat in the European elections, names the biggest challenges for European companies in the upcoming years and outlines her priorities for making Europe an attractive place to invest and do business again.

Terry Reintke is co-chair of the Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament and currently the Spitzenkandidat of the German and European Greens for the European election campaign. In an interview with the BDI, she explains her motivation for competing as a Spitzenkandidat in the European elections, names the biggest challenges for European companies in the upcoming years and outlines her priorities for making Europe an attractive place to invest and do business again.

Katarina Barley is Vice-President of the European Parliament and the SPD's Spitzenkandidat for the European election campaign. In an interview with the BDI, she explains her motivation for competing as a Spitzenkandidat in the European elections, names the biggest challenges for European companies in the upcoming years and outlines her priorities for making Europe an attractive place to invest and do business again.

As a sixth-generation family entrepreneur and Chairman of the BDI/BDA-Mittelstand- Committee, Hans-Toni Junius is a convinced European. One year before the European elections, he describes what he perceives and expects from Brussels. At the same time, he calls on SMEs to clearly underline the advantages of the EU within their companies and to make a bold commitment to Europe.

Kerstin Jorna has been Director-General of the European Commission's Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG GROW) since April 2020. In an interview with the BDI, she explains how the European Commission is breaking down national barriers in the EU single market and what challenges industry will have to overcome over the next five years.

“The Spanish Presidency should contribute to achieving a strong competitiveness agenda, with a focus on deepening the internal market and making regulatory breathing space for businesses a reality”, demands Isabel Yglesias Julià. Since 2022, she has headed the liaison office of the Spanish business association Confederación Española de Organizaciones Empresariales (CEOE). In the interview, she talks about her country's upcoming EU Council Presidency, the Spanish parliamentary elections and what she expects from Germany.

Angelika Niebler has been a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) since 1999. In addition to her function as Co-Chair of the CDU/CSU-Group in the European Parliament, she is a member of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE). In her interview with BDI, she explains the importance of a united Europe, the central role of the European Parliament and the challenges German industry is facing.

The bribery scandal in the European Parliament (EP) threatens to undermine citizens' trust in the European institutions. The European Parliament wants to draw first consequences to better prevent corruption. It is crucial that the Parliament tackles the causes. There must be no false solutions that prevent open and transparent dialogue between Parliament and stakeholders.

"Because of the current crisis situation, there is no space for business-as-usual EU policy-making and legal uncertainty" demands Jana Hartman Radová. Since 2015, she has headed the Brussels office of the Confederation of Industry of the Czech Republic (Svaz průmyslu a dopravy České republiky, SPCR), which is the most influential independent organization of employers and entrepreneurs in the Czech Republic and a respected social partner.

With the handover of the final report to the presidents of the EU institutions, the Conference on the Future of Europe (COFE) came to an end in Strasbourg at the beginning of May 2022. The report contains numerous proposals for action, including in industry-relevant areas such as climate, environment, health, economics, digital transformation, and Europe's role in the world. But a crucial question remains unanswered: What influence will the stimuli of the conference have on the EU's political agenda?

Political unity and economic strength are Europe's trump cards in the face of the Russian attack on the European peace order. European solidarity can be experienced in Brussels - writes Joscha Ritz, deputy head of department at the BDI/BDA The German Business Representation.

The French Council Presidency has begun in January. With the publication of the agenda, it has become clear how ambitious President Emmanuel Macron's plans for the EU are. At the same time, a number of risk factors threaten to thwart these political plans. What can be expected from the next six months?

The conference on the future of Europe is entering its decisive phase. A report with recommendations on the further development of the European Union is to be submitted to the presidents of the EU institutions by May. In a position paper, BDI presents core demands for the areas in which the conference should provide impetus.

France must act as a "realistic and honest broker" to advance key EU legislative topics, demands Marie-Christine Vaccarezza. She has headed the liaison office of the leading French Business Confederation "Mouvement des Entreprises de France (MEDEF)" in Brussels for 15 years. In this interview, she talks about the upcoming French presidential and parliamentary elections, France's EU Council presidency and expectations of the new German government.

The first half of the European Commission under the presidency of Ursula von der Leyen is drawing to a close. Numerous Commission proposals for climate protection, digitalisation and to strengthen Europe's resilience are already in the well-oiled Brussels "legislative machine". But initiatives of particular relevance to industry are also in the starting blocks for next year.

“ Democratic and economic reforms cannot be decoupled“ says Dilek Aydin. She has been heading the Brussels liaison office of the largest Turkish industrial and employers' associations TÜSIAD and TISK since 2017. In the interview, she talks about the difficult situation in Europe's neighbourhood, the importance of the EU accession perspective for her country and her expectations of the next German government and the EU.

Since 2009, François Baur has headed the Brussels office of Switzerland's largest business association, economiesuisse, which celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2020. In this interview, he talks about how closely Switzerland and the European Union are intertwined economically and how economiesuisse is dealing with the breakdown of negotiations on the EU-Switzerland framework agreement.

“Taking over the Presidency of the Council of the EU in the current context is a great responsibility” says Joana Valente, head of the liaison office of the Portuguese employers´ association “Confederação Empresarial de Portugal (CIP)” in Brussels since 2019. In an interview with BDI, she talks about Portugal's EU Council Presidency, the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the Portuguese economy and what she expects from the next German government.

The German EU Council Presidency in the second half of 2020 faced the challenge of having to ensure the functioning of the EU and its ability to act under the conditions of the Covid-19-crisis while trying to implement its own programme. Given the circumstances, Germany has done well. Nevertheless, in some important economic policy areas it was unable to meet the expectations placed in it.

Amid the worst economic crisis since the Second World War, Germany is taking over the EU Council Presidency from July to December 2020. What challenges does the German government face? What opportunities for shaping the German EU Council Presidency will arise? And what does German industry expect from politics?