INTERNATIONAL

Use the opportunities of the European Single Market

-Sabine Preller, Germany

Europe is growing continually and with it the opportunities for the trades sector. The EU with its 370 million consumers is the most important market for German companies. The coming EU enlargement will add another some 100 million consumers to this huge single market.

The number of small to medium-sized enterprises in Central and Eastern European countries that take part in annual IHM fair in Munich is increasing from year to year. This applies especially, for example, to trade firms in Czech Republic, which have participated regularly since 1994 and in ever growing numbers. This year, they were the third largest national exhibitor group after Austria and Italy.

As the chambers of handicrafts for Munich and Upper Bavaria played a substantial role in building up the Croatian Chamber of Handicrafts, KHK, its members had a particularly great interest in taking part in the 53 rd IHM in Munich. They were there for the ninth time. The KHK has a long tradition as the umbrella organization of the Croatian trades sector. The first chambers of handicrafts in that part of Europe were founded in Dubrovnik, Split and Zadar in 1808. The KHK is an independent professional business organization whose mission is to promote, coordinate and represent the interests of the Croatian trades sector. The chamber has agreed many partnerships with its counterparts in Slovania, Upper Bavaria, Hungary and Italy, among other countries, and was adopted as a follow-up member of the European Union's Mittelstand organization, UEAPME. Membership of the KHK is obligatory.

Bulgarian tradesmen have a good reputation as being hardworking and reliable. The country's trades also have a long history in general, which is why the Bulgarian and foreign trade chambers of Handicrafts, BHK, was founded in February 1998 along German lines following Bulgaria's transformation to democracy and the rebirth of private trades firm there. The BHK takes part in partnerships with Bulgarian and foreign trade chambers and associations. The Bulgarian chamber itself came into being as part of a partnership program with Bulgarian chambers and associations initiated by the Chamber of Hndicrafts in Koblenz, on the Rhine. A number of projects have been implemented under the program, including equipping Bulgarian workshops, qualification courses in Germany and Bulgaria, competitions for young master craftsmen, publication of training and information material, business meetings and consultancy by experts to help Bulgarian company founders.

So its is easy for German SMEs to make contacts with trades people in Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech republic and many other countries. But it is much more difficult for them to do business across the present East-West borders.

The EU trades draw closer to each other: What applies to Germany and its trades can also be seen across the rest of Europe. In the EU area, including trades firms, provides 66% of all jobs and therefore are an important economic factor for a Europe that is growing together. Political interest in the SMEs and trades has grown strongly everywhere in the EU. In recent years there has been a growing realization that these companies ar absolutely indispensable for the EU states national economies, for employment, an for social and economic cohesion.

To ensure that EU will continue to benefit from its Mittelstand, informing SMEs about the opportunities the European Single Market offers is an important field of the European Commissions' policy on these businesses. The firms' negative views on the inscrutability of cross-border laws and decrees, as well as exclusive red tape, often stand in the way of inter-European business in the trades sector. Besides Brussels' comprehensive informing of trades people on the pan-European potential open to them, a discussion on improving policy framework conditions for the trades sector is being stepped up both within Germany and on the EU side in general.

The European Conference on Trades and Small Businesses, the third of which took place in Milan in 1997, is also the basis for the EC's strategy and policy on the trades sector and SMEs at large. High-ranking delegates in Milan discussed improvement measures for the firms, whose implementation can already be noticed or is being tackled. Representatives of the Commission, national governments', employers and employees, experts, major business players and trades people from across the EU and a number of countries in the Mediterranean and Asian regions guarantee the conference's high caliber. Individual EU countries present their best practices in their strategies and policies as models from which other member states can learn. For example, Germany's Meisterbrief, master craftsman's diploma, is a personal certification instrument, which is increasingly attracting interest and inquiries worldwide. Its strengths, the unique combination of professional and entrepreneurial training, were recommended by a group of Commission's experts as a best practice worth following.

The Commissions' paramount goal is to point out to the EU heads of state and government leaders that the trades firms and SMEs in general is the key to overcoming the unemployment crisis. But that requires increasing the transparency of the total offer to the companies, tightening if it is necessary and thus strengthening the overall acceptance of the promotion.

At the EU level, special mention should be made of th cooperation exchanges or markets, the " Europartenariate, as an instrument to promote cross border activities. Since 1988 they have been implemented twice years in a host promotion region. Th events, which are aimed at development of the host region and promoting business contacts, were financed latterly out of the EUs third multi-annual program for SMEs, 1997-2000, and its regional fund. Unlike trade fairs, the events give SMEs in all branches the opportunity to present themselves and make contacts without having to pay exhibition stand fees and other costs. The 'Europartenariat Brandenburg' in Potsdam-Babelsberg in 1999 was a very successful gathering, which attracted about 15, 000 visitors. In addition, EU-wide information and support networks such as the Commissions' Euro Infor Centers, EICs, and innovation Relay enters, IRCs, also help promote cross-border business activities. Among other services, they give SMEs information on Single Market regulations and promotion opportunities and exchange experiences and information with each other. This enables them to multiply their information capacities. In the EU and associated countries, such as EU entry candidate countries and those in the Mediterranean region, there are about 300 EIC contact points, of which 34 are located in Germany alone. This means ever SME can find a contact person in its home region. The EC plans to continue these activities as part of the new EU multi-annual program for the companies beginning this year.

The primary task of the German Federal office for Foreign Trade information, bfai, is to provide specific market and product information to German companies inquiring about foreign markets. German diplomatic missions around the world supplement the services of foreign chambers of commerce by reporting and advising the companies on the political, economic and legal framework conditions of 'host' countries.

In addition, the German Federal government promotes exports of goods and services to 'difficult' foreign markets by offering companies Hermes export credit guarantees. These cover claims stemming from export contract with a foreign customer against business and political risks, and in particular ensure equal opportunities for German exporters in international competition.

 Television, The French Audio-Visual landscape is doing well

Sophie BARRAU, France

Today, thanks to the cable and satellite, French TV viewers have access to about 200 programs. The airwaves and the development of new providers offer a varied audio-visual landscape, which has developed increasingly over the last few years. With this vast supply of programs, the French audio-visual watchdog, called the < Conseil Superior de l'Audiovisual Francaise> plays the part of a supervisor and develops useful cooperation abroad.

At present, there are three ways of broadcasting television images. The airwaves, which is the oldest and most traditional method, make it possible to pick-up six nation-wide channels. Other sources of supply are cable networks and satellite providers. They make a host of images available. Today, Noos, TPS, CanalSatellite and AB-Sat give French TV viewers access to great number of programs. They just need to take out a subscription and use a decoder. All these networks together provide about 200 channels. They are mainly based on themes and offer a range of diversifies and complementary programs: news, LCI and I-TV, culture, Paris Premiere, cinema, music and documentaries as well as many other areas such as health, young people, the weather, sport and jobs available on more and more channels, not forgetting foreign ones, CNN, RAI and TVE.

The airwave system, using aerials, consists of a private sector and a state sector. The 'France-Television' company, which groups together France 2, a nation-wide general interest channel, France 3, a general interest national and regional channel, and "La Cinquieme", Channel 5, also a nation-wide channel fostering access to knowledge and education, for the public sector. Besides, France Television, there is RFO which broadcasts local and national programs for French Overseas Territories and Departments. Then there is the European Channel called ARTE which has a cultural vocation and resulted from a French and German treaty. It is financed by state-funding for the French part and shares its frequency with "La Cinequieme'. Owing to its French and German identity and the nature of its programs, ARTE is a special kind of channel. Dominique Baudis, the chairman of the "Conseil Superior de l'Audiovisual' points out the special characteristics of this channel. "It came into being as a result of the joint wish of the two countries to assert and enhance a newfound political relationship. Similarly, the fact of having its programs broadcast in two languages, French and German, makes it unique. Lastly, its complete independence as regards viewer ship objectives and income from advertising has enables it to set up an ambitious and quality program policy to the greatest satisfaction of the ever increasing television viewers." This characteristic does not concern the whole of the public sector as TV channels also depend on viewers rating. Dominique explains, "Our TV channels are chronically under-financed owing to a relatively low annual license fee and to an insufficiency of other kinds of public financing. This makes them particularly dependent on income from commercials which, obviously, influences their program schedules and poses problems of identity in relation to private channels." The private sector using the airwaves consists of TFI, a general interest channel for the general public, and M6, which offers general interest of musical programs. Over the last few years, these two companies have grown closer together. Recently, they invested jointly to create TF6, a general interest cable and satellite company. Moreover, all the big national airwave channels, both private and state-owned, are becoming increasingly involved in the creation of new themes. In addition to the private airwave channels, there is Canal+, a coded pay-channel and a dozen of local channels. Since 1989, the Canal+ group has created pay channels with the same name in 11 countries, Benelux, Poland, Italy etc, and in 1999, the first Spanish continuous information channel.

In France, the implementation of a new technology will shortly make it possible for traditional aerials to pick up at least 36 channels via a decoder. The channels will be broadcast using present day airwave relays, which will adopt a digital standard and thereby increase the number of existing broadcasting channel sixfold. In the French audio-visual landscape, it is a real revolution. There are numerous prospects with the possibility of having local television and new kinds of programs and thereby of increasing the number of jobs in AV creation and production, an interesting project. However, the technical means of implementation are delicate, from the study of frequencies to the fitting of TV sets. The Conceil, an independent authority, is in charge of organizing, coordinating and regulating this huge undertaking. The CSA's new chairman is taking over a difficult task. He presents the stages of the project. "Normally, the digital airwave system will start operating from Christmas 2002. In spring this year, we are going to invite applications, to find out who is interested. It is not only the traditional operators who want to use the digital airwaves." It will give us an initial view so that, at the end of the first six months of 2001, we will have quite an accurate idea of the public and private operators who want to use the digital airwaves". The financial conditions and a balance between free and pay channels still have to be worked out.

Since 1999, the Conseil Superieur de l' Audio-visual has maintained the most fruitful and regular exchanges with most of the audio visual regulation authorities throughout the world (there are more than 50 today), Dominique Baudis points out. These exchanges are based on bilateral and multilateral relations. In fact, there are informal daily bilateral exchanges owing to the permanent consultation that now exist between regulators. Exchanges of information and opinion and request for all kinds of expert views mean that the CSA is constantly appealed to by its counterparts on all subjects pertaining to the regulation of the audio – visual. These bilateral relations are sometimes officialised by the signing of co-operation agreements. The CSA's multilateral international relation are based on its active participation in a certain number of networks. For instance, it joined the European Platform of Regulation Authorities (EPRA) in 1998 and co-founded the Mediterranean Regulation Authorities' Network with the Catalan CAC in 1997. In the French audio-visual landscape, television, in a way, keeps its doors wide open onto the world.