Edit Herczog (S&D): A dialogue midway between politics and economics

For European MP Edit Herczog, 48, Europe should represent equality and show itself to be competitive whilst knowing how to preserve social values.
A graduate in engineering, business management and languages, this Hungarian mother of three worked in the agri-food industry before entering politics. In sympathy with its values, she joined the Hungarian Socialist Party. Within the European Parliament, she is part of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D) where she occupies the post of treasurer. The second biggest group in terms of members (184 MPs), the S&D represents the centre-left parties. It defends a market social economy aimed at people. Social justice, economic recovery, reform of the financial markets and creation of a stronger and more democratic Europe are at the heart of its political program. For its President, the German MP, Martin Schulz, “the great challenge of the 21st century is to make globalisation equitable, fair and long-lasting.” The group insists, for example, on the importance of providing proposals relative to the fight against unemployment or to the different aspects of the reform of working hours.
Member of the Budgets Commission, Edit Herczog is working in Parliament to establish a real dialogue between politics and the economy. “The biggest difficulty often lies in the fact that companies are not connected to the European Parliament,” she says. “They both speak a different language.” For her, one of the determining European steps is in the Small Business Act.
Adopted in December 2008, this initiative concerns companies with fewer than 250 employees and whose turnovers  and/or balance sheets do not exceed a certain threshold. Le Small Business Act is intended to support the growth of SMEs by helping them at a legal and administrative level.  Its implementation aims to favour their access to certain types of public markets, state aid for training, research and environmental protection and for reducing VAT levels. “We now only need make it a reality!” exclaims Edit Herczog.