The EU summit in Brussels has ended with leaders agreeing measures to improve economic performance and start a common approach to energy policy.
The heads of government approved plans to establish a European energy strategy. It aims to liberalise the energy market in Europe, and deal more effectively with external suppliers of oil and gas. It will also require major investment in renewable energies by EU states to reduce oil dependency.
EU leaders also agreed on measures aimed at making life simpler, cheaper and better-funded for the small business sector.
Member states pledged to create 'one-stop shops' by the end of 2007 to allow people to set up a company within a week with the minimum of red tape and cost.
'Start-up fees should be as low as possible and the recruitment of a first employee should not involve more than one public administration point,' the leaders said in a statement issued at the end of their two-day summit.
There are 23 million small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the EU, making up 99% of all EU companies and creating two-thirds of new jobs.
EU leaders also endorsed a proposal from the European Commission to double to €200,000 the amount of state aid allowed for start-ups without formal notification to competition officials in Brussels.
The summit also backed moves being taken by the Commission to scrap unnecessary EU regulations and withdraw draft rules that have little prospect of making it to the statute book. The Commission was asked to come up with targets by the end of the year for cutting red tape and compliance costs for smaller firms.
