Kristian Vigenin: Legislation has to be built on the reality of small and medium-sized enterprises

“The positions of small and medium-sized enterprises have to be genuinely taken into account when European legislation is changed. Without them there is no competitive and sustainable European economy.” This was stated by the Bulgarian MEP Kristian Vigenin after a meeting in Brussels with representative organisations of small and medium-sized enterprises from the cosmetics sector from Spain, Italy, France, Germany and Poland. The discussion also presented the interests of a number of Bulgarian companies that are an active part of the European supply chains.

The cosmetics industry in the European Union includes more than 9,600 small and medium-sized enterprises, which form the backbone of the sector and contribute to innovation, employment and the competitiveness of the European market.

The occasion for the meeting was Kristian Vigenin’s work as rapporteur of the Group of Socialists and Democrats on the sixth package for simplifying regulatory frameworks (“Omnibus VI”), which provides for amendments to Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 on cosmetic products, a key regulation for the sector.

During the conversation the business representatives shared specific practical challenges, among them:

“This meeting gave me the chance to hear directly from business how regulatory changes affect their daily work, their investment decisions and the long-term sustainability of companies,” Vigenin stressed.

In the coming months, in the negotiations on “Omnibus VI”, he will insist on a more balanced and practical regulatory approach that combines high safety standards with real conditions for growth, competitiveness and innovation for small and medium-sized enterprises in Europe.