finance168財經學院(百萬部落格)

European Union Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht believes businesses need to be lean and mean if they're to ensure growth during the tough economic times engulfing the continent. "We cannot get out of this crisis without the businesses," says De Gucht. "It's the companies who are performing the export and the trade, and who produce the products that we can market on the world marketplace."

De Gucht emphasizes the need for businesses to be innovative to guarantee they survive and thrive in troubled economic times. "They should be confident and continue taking risks, measured risks, but you cannot do business without taking risks," he says. He also believes European companies need to look outside the continent for future growth, and points to China as a market which should be explored more. "Ninety per cent of growth will be realized in the coming years outside of Europe, and China alone will be responsible for one third of that."

De Gucht recognizes the European Commission's role in helping companies trying to enter into the Chinese marketplace. The Commissioner acknowledges while there are plenty of opportunities in the Asian powerhouse there are also problems, citing intellectual property rights as one area of concern. He says the body is trying to create conditions to make it easier for business. "We have a lot of problems in this market but we have to realize that it is one of the most promising in the world."

Source URL: http://edition.cnn.com/2011/11/24/world/europe/karel-de-gucht/index.html?hpt=ieu_bn2