On the occasion of the General Assembly of UPE 06, the employers’ organization that brings together companies from MEDEF and GPME, Yvon Grosso (president and representative of the first organization) and Honoré Ghetti (vice-president and representative of small businesses) reflected on the year 2014 and the economic and social situation of businesses in the French Riviera.
Yvon Grosso reiterated the role of UPE06 as a unifier and facilitator for the business world and its contribution to growth and employment.
“Business leaders propose ways to regain growth, but they are not always listened to. Yet, without an entrepreneurial shift from the government and the political class, our society will remain stuck in the absence of profound reforms to liberate the economy.”
The consequence? All indicators are in the red, particularly the number of bankruptcies (an indicator of poor health) which is significantly increasing, while despite timid growth, no improvement has been seen on the employment front; quite the opposite.
The cause? A certain form of autism among political decision-makers. Honoré Ghetti, who channels the sentiments of small entrepreneurs, is blunt: “It’s Parisianism. There is a form of complicity among all the representatives of institutions and intermediary bodies which, through compromise after compromise, prevents practical solutions to problems from advancing.”
And he calls for a direct presence of the business world in political life: “We need to encourage business leaders and managers to get involved in politics to bring their expertise. Today, 85% of elected officials come from the public sector and often have no culture of organization and efficiency.”
There won’t be a new political party, but the die is cast: a system of “political leave” is under consideration to allow this bridge between the business world and institutions.”
Guest of honor at this assembly, Geoffroy Roux de Bezieux, the national Vice-President of MEDEF, very media-savvy, shared his thoughts on the economic situation: “There is certainly an improvement in the economy, but it is not reflected in employment. The confidence of the business world in the political environment has not yet been restored after years of measures that have severely penalized it. The advancements in terms of competitiveness, following the first effects of the responsibility pact, are there but still insufficient.”
And to issue a warning: “The digital sector is transforming all sectors of the economy. And France’s recovery will depend on how businesses seize it.”
