With one more week as President of BusinessEurope, Fredrik Persson looks back on four years marked by the post-pandemic, the energy crisis and major geopolitical shifts in this special episode of Espresso Briefings. 

He shares his perspective on the challenges facing European business, the lessons learned, and what lies ahead for Europe’s competitiveness. 

Special thanks to Alan Sherlock, Manager of Strategic Engagement at Ibec, for once again taking the microphone for our Espresso Briefings podcast.

As Europe Day approaches, it’s a good moment to ask: what does European cooperation really deliver for businesses on the ground? For small and medium-sized enterprises, the answer is crucial – it can mean the difference between staying local and scaling across borders.

Our Communications Director, Sofiya Yevchuk, is joined by Ema Paulino, Chair of BusinessEurope’s Entrepreneurship and SME Committee and an entrepreneur in Portugal’s pharmaceutical sector. Together, they explore what’s holding Europe’s small businesses back, what needs to change, and what it really takes to scale up in Europe and beyond.

How does Europe’s digital rulebook, built on risk-based compliance and proportionate data protection, impact innovation and cross-border operations? 

In our latest Espresso Briefing podcast, we take a closer look at how the evolving digital framework is impacting businesses across the EU, from how they use data to how they operate across borders and deploy new technologies. 

Our recent publications point to a growing challenge: increasing complexity, uneven enforcement and rising compliance costs. At a time when global competition is accelerating, these trends risk holding back innovation and Europe’s competitiveness. 

In this episode, our Senior Adviser Svetlana Stoilova walks us through the key issues and what they mean for businesses on the ground. 

Listen now to understand what’s at stake for Europe’s digital future.

Our Senior Legal Adviser Elena Bertolotto explores the challenges, global landscape, and policy changes needed to strengthen Europe’s intellectual property framework.

IP is at the heart of Europe’s competitiveness, a key driver of how companies turn innovation into real economic value. Yet Europe still faces fragmentation, uncertainty, and growing pressure from faster-moving global competitors.

Europe’s political ambition on competitiveness has increased, but delivery still lags behind. 

Our DG Markus J. Beyrer discusses the key findings from BusinessEurope’s Reform Barometer and what businesses say are the main obstacles to productivity, innovation and growth.

As International Women’s Day approaches, we put the spotlight on advancing gender equality in the workplace as a driver of skills, innovation and competitiveness.

Gabriella Sebardt, Chair of our Equal Opportunities Network, reflects on the progress being made on the ground, the role of enterprises in building a more inclusive and resilient European economy, and the clear message employers across Europe want to see delivered this year.

In this episode, we explore BusinessEurope’s call to action for 2026, a focused set of priorities to strengthen Europe’s competitiveness in the year ahead. Our President Fredrik Persson explains why urgent and united action from European leaders is needed now, not just to keep pace, but to take the lead. 

This episode takes a closer look at a new tool that has quickly become central to the EU’s regulatory agenda: omnibus packages. These are designed to be fast‑moving, cross‑cutting simplification initiatives to reduce burdens, improve clarity, and help restore Europe’s competitiveness.  

Our Director for Legal Affairs Pedro Oliveira guides us through what they are, why they matter, and what the first of these packages - Omnibus 1 - means for European companies.

2025 was a year of transition and renewed focus on competitiveness, and 2026 is set to be just as decisive!

In Episode 2 of Espresso Briefings, BusinessEurope Director General Markus J. Beyrer offers his perspective on the major developments in 2025, from the Omnibus packages and the EU-Mercosur agreement to the Clean Industrial Deal.

He also outlines key milestones for 2026 and what it all means for European business.

Our Deputy Director General, Luisa Santos, is in conversation with Alan Sherlock, Acting Director for Communications, about one of today’s most debated trade topics, the EU–Mercosur trade agreement: why it matters, what’s at stake, and what it would mean for Europe’s competitiveness.