NIIRTAxa0Launchesxa0Economicxa0Five Point Plan For Europe
The EU needs to establish a Town Centre Taskforce for Northern Ireland-that was one of the key points in theEU Five Point Planxa0launched today by the Northern Ireland Independent Retail Trade Association (NIIRTA).
Local European Parliament candidatesxa0Jim Nicholson, Anna Lo, Alex Attwood, Dianexa0Dodds, Tina McKenzie and Ross Brownxa0attended the launch in Ballyhackamore.
NIIRTA Chief Executive Glyn Roberts said:xa0“We are publishing our EU 5 Point Plan becausexa0Retail makes a huge contribution to the economy of the EU employing over 33 million people and over 11% of GDP. In Northern Ireland it isxa0thexa0largest part of our local private sector, employing 1 in 10 local jobs”
“Given that Northern Ireland has twice the UK shop vacancyxa0rate, one of thexa0main points in our Planxa0isxa0for the establishment of anxa0EU Town Centre Taskforce. This taskforce would examine new ways of harnessing funding local Townxa0Centre Regeneration and identifyinggood policy practice in other EU townsxa0and cities which have successfully addressed dereliction and returned to vibrancy.”
“The newxa0URBACTxa0IIIxa0is one funding stream which promotes sustainable urban development which should be a top priority for our 3 MEPs”
“We also want a reduction in the numbers ofxa0European Commissionersxa0and the appointment of axa0Commissioner for Small Business and Better Regulation,xa0capable of strong resolute action in addressing red tape and the EUs’ 23 mullion SMEs”
“Action is also neededxa0to ensure that thexa0Waste Framework Directivexa0and thexa0Packaging Directivexa0are reformed to reduce the burden on independent retailers”
“Small Traders need to be taking advantage ofxa0Horizon 2020xa0andxa0NIIRTAxa0wants to see axa0one stop shopxa0for information aimed at small retail firms where relevant information on innovation initiatives can be shared”
“We strongly welcome Peace IV funding, butxa0for itxa0to be much more focused on supporting local economic development projects in areas that suffered from the conflict”.
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Ross Brown (Green Party), Alex Attwood (SDLP), Tina McKenzie (NI21) Glyn Roberts (NIIRTA CEO), Anna Lo (Alliance), Diane Dodds (DUP) and Jim Nicholson (UUP) launching the NIIRTA 5 Point Plan for Europe in Ballyhackamore.[/caption]
