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news
April 2009

   
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Position Position
Event Event
Opportunity Opportunity
Info Info
  


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World leaders gathered at London's G20 Summit on 2 April

G20: the devil is in the details

Ahead of the G20 meeting of 2 April in London, G20 Chambers had called on world leaders to make choices and take decisions, on the basis of the promises made at their Washington meeting in November 2008 on restructuring the financial system, re-launching the world economy and re-open global trade. The London Summit did provide some initial answers, setting a broad framework for action, tabling some concrete proposals and committing on some resources. The key question is now whether all this will lead to rapidly enforceable actions and processes.

On the financial markets, G20 leaders agreed on establishing a new Financial Stability Board (FSB) which will, together with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), provide early warning on macroeconomic and financial risks. However, businesses will only benefit from it if the renewed system will be not only more transparent and balanced, but also more responsive to the needs of the real economy. World leaders must thus ensure that the FSB and the IMF work closely together in order to fully integrate global macroeconomic analysis and financial supervision.

On the reform of global financial institutions, the G20 committed to reforming the IMF and the World Bank, setting medium-term deadlines. The G20 leaders pledged to reorganise these fora's internal power-balance, reflecting changes in the world economy and thus reinforcing the representation of emerging economies, as asked by the G20 Chambers ahead of the London Summit. This bears the potential to enhance these fora's weight and legitimacy. However, there is at present no agreement on how to practically rebalance their internal power structures. We look forward to the forthcoming IMF and World Bank Spring Meetings in late April to kick-off this cumbersome political process. Also, the need for the EU to speak with one voice in international economic fora is becoming increasingly clear and internal discussions on how to restructure, and potentially unify, the EU's external economic representation should start without delay.

As for the economy, G20 leaders agreed to triple resources available to the IMF to $750bn as well as to support additional lending by multilateral development banks. This should help developing economies and poorer countries to fight the crisis and consequently world growth to pick up more rapidly. However, whereas G20 leaders agreed to take 'all necessary actions to restore the normal flow of credit through the financial system', no concrete proposals were tabled on how to ensure that liquidity provisions and banks' recapitalisations are actually fully instrumental to the re-launch of the real economy. We thus reaffirm our conviction that all support to the banking system should be dependent on the assurance that the money injected will be channelled to businesses and consumers.

Clearly, the G20 summit responded to most of G20 Chambers' expectations and set a very ambitious framework for action. Devil is in the details of how it will be translated into reality.

Contact: Giovanni Campi
Contact: Paul Fournier

Press Release 30 March

G20 Chambers common declaration
G20 Chambers' survey

G20 Summit website

 
 
Companies and Entrepreneurship
Position Recast of Late Payment Directive: at last!
EUROCHAMBRES welcomed the long-awaited recast of the Late Payment Directive, presented by the European Commission on 8 April. The proposal represents an important step in concretely helping European businesses, especially smaller ones, which – in these times of crisis – are strangled by payments’ delays on the one hand, and the difficulty of accessing credit from banks on the other hand. EUROCHAMBRES, which had recently sent a letter to European Commission Vice-President Günter Verheugen, urging the Commission to present its proposal as soon as possible, now urges all institutional actors involved to ensure its swift adopt and implementation.
Contact: Giovanni Campi Press Release 8 April
EUROCHAMBRES' letter to EC Vice-President Verheugen  
Opportunity "Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs": second call for proposals launched
The European Commission has launched a call for the second phase of the "Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs" pilot scheme. As with the first phase, the call is divided into two lots, one relating to the European Support Office, a role currently fulfilled by EUROCHAMBRES, and one relating to the intermediary organisations (IOs) responsible for recruiting and matching new and experienced entrepreneurs. Chambers are invited to respond by 29 May, especially from those countries which don't have an IO yet (Czech Republic, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, the Netherlands and Slovenia).
Contact: Typhaine Beaupérin-Holvoet Second call for proposals webpage
Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs website  
Position Chambers adopt a position on Collective Redress
EUROCHAMBRES was consulted by the European Commission on the ways to ensure efficient enforcement of damage claims by a group of businesses or consumers. Businesses fear that any European Commission action on this issue will bring the United States Class Action system into Europe. In a recent position, EUROCHAMBRES strongly opposes such European measures that would require Member States to adopt judicial collective redress mechanisms and proposes alternative options.
Contact: Vincent Tilman EUROCHAMBRES' Position
 
International Relations and Trade
Position EUROCHAMBRES, strongly involved in anti-counterfeiting initiatives
EUROCHAMBRES welcomed the launch on 2 April by the European Commission of a European Observatory of Counterfeiting and Piracy, aimed at improving efforts against infringements of Intellectual Property Rights in the EU. The phenomenon of counterfeiting has worrying consequences on European businesses and in particular smaller ones. Together with its partners in the project "Transatlantic IPR Collaboration", EUROCHAMBRES will organise on 27-28 April in Washington D.C. a conference on "U.S. and EU Approaches to Protecting Intellectual Property" and "Communicating the Value of IP", where the preliminary results of a study on Transatlantic approaches to IP will be disclosed. Registrations for this event can be done through the IPR Conference webpage.
Contact: Paul Fournier Contact: Vincent Tilman
Press Release 2 April "Intellectual Property Right Transatlantic Collaboration" programme website
Details and online registration of IPR conference  
Info EUROCHAMBRES strengthens its links with Asia
In recent weeks, EUROCHAMBRES has stepped up its cooperation with partner organisations in Asia. Invited by the CACCI (Confederation of Asia-Pacific Chambers of Commerce and Industry), seminars were held on 17-20 March in Sri Lanka and the Philippines to discuss latest trends in Chamber management. On 28-29 March EUROCHAMBRES also attended in New Delhi (India) the AAA (Asia, Africa, Australia) biannual conference of German bilateral Chambers addressing the impact of European policies in the region. In the current crisis, Asia is considered to be least affected; its importance in the world economy is therefore growing rapidly.
Contact: Dirk Vantyghem  
Event ETCF and CASE present their projects in a joint ceremony
Two projects aimed at enhancing the knowledge of Turkish Chambers on EU-related issues will be at the heart of a joint EUROCHAMBRES/TOBB event in Ankara (Turkey) on 17 April. On one hand the EU-Turkey Chambers Forum (ETCF) will launch an "EU Training Programme for Turkish Chamber Executives". On the other hand the CASE project (Chambers towards Acquis Support and Business Ethics) will deliver a certificate to Turkish companies having successfully completed the Acquis Audit.
Contact for ETCF: Juliette Loppé Contact for CASE: Micol Martinelli
ETCF website CASE webpage
Opportunity Understanding China programme to kick-off soon
The "Understanding China" programme will be officially launched throughout the EU on 15 April. The overall objective of the programme is to increase EU businesses' knowledge of China for and to enhance the policy dialogue on EU-China related issues. Comprehensive information about the programme, the application form and upcoming events will then be available on the Understanding China website.
Contact: Martina Kuhlmann Understanding China webpage
The interactive project website  
 
Education, Training and Social Affairs
Event Invitation to working breakfast on Maternity Leave
EUROCHAMBRES and SME UNION are organising on 15 April at the European Parliament a Working Breakfast on "EU Maternity Leave: Balancing Business & Babies". The event will bring together speakers from the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Swedish Permanent Representation. Ben Butters, Director of European Affairs, will speak about the chances and challenges of the planned revision of the maternity leave directive. The event is open to the public and deadline to register is 14 April.
Contact: Doris Schernhammer Programme of the event
Info Chamber initiative on entrepreneurship presented at Czech Presidency event
EUROCHAMBRES took part in the conference "Partnership between education and training institutions and employers in the context of Life long learning" organised by the Czech Presidency on 6-7 April in Prague. Friederike Sözen, Project Director at the Austrian Chamber (WKÖ), presented the Entrepreneur's Skills Certificate, an innovative initiative on entrepreneurship education for pupils at secondary level.
Contact: Margarete Rudzki Entrepreneur's Skills Certificate website
Conference webpage  
Position University-Business dialogue is progressing well
For EUROCHAMBRES, the European Commission's Communication on "A new partnership for the modernisation of universities", published on 2 April, sets the basis for a new relationship between academia and the business community. The text recalls the need for Universities to reach out to SMEs, and stresses the role of business organisations in this process. For Chambers, this is the right way to innovate Europe's education system and to bring it closer to the needs of the labour market.
Contact: Margarete Rudzki Press Release 2 April
"Communication on a new partnership for the modernisation of universities" EN FR  
Info EUROCHAMBRES to participate in the next round of entrepreneurship discussion panels
EUROCHAMBRES will attend the forthcoming Entrepreneurship round-tables organised by the European Commission together with representatives from EU Member States, European Economic Area countries and relevant stakeholders on 23-24 April in Stockholm (Sweden). The objective of these panels is to support the development of effective approaches to entrepreneurship education.
Contact: Margarete Rudzki  
 
Innovation: Trends and Tools
Opportunity Is energy efficiency an issue for your business? Do you use renewable energies? Let us know!
Chambers in 12 countries are currently carrying out a survey on the energy situation in SMEs in the framework of the CHANGE project (co-financed by the Intelligent Energy Europe programme and co-ordinated by EUROCHAMBRES). Businesses wishing to participate are invited to go to the project website, click on the logo of their country's Chamber and download the questionnaire from the section "Published Documents" or directly contact the Chambers listed. Answers should be returned by the end of August.
Contact: Sonja Starnberger CHANGE project webpage
Intelligent Energy Europe (IEE) Programme website  
Position Patents: a step closer to an effective European System
On 24 March, the European Commission requested from the Council a negotiation mandate on the European and Community Patent Court. EUROCHAMBRES warmly welcomed this move which should formalise and improve legal security throughout the negotiation process of this important dossier. "It is also gives a positive signal from policy makers about the importance they attach to facilitating innovation" said Secretary General Arnaldo Abruzzini.
Contact: Vincent Tilman Press Release 24 March
Info EUROCHAMBRES' Vice-President Reyner appointed to the European Cluster Policy Group
Vice-President Neville Reyner, President of the British Chambers of Commerce, has been appointed as Member of the European Cluster Policy Group. His task, together with 19 other experts, will be to make recommendations on how to design cluster policies in the Community better, to assess international trends in cluster development, to explore tools for removing existing barriers to transnational cluster cooperation, and to analyse complementary aspects between the main Community level policies and financial instruments that support clusters.
Contact: Vincent Tilman  
Position Climate change: a high priority on the EU agenda and abroad
The International Climate Agreement to be concluded in Copenhagen in December 2009 will be of prime importance for avoiding serious damage to the global climate. EUROCHAMBRES sent its contribution to this debate to the Czech EU Presidency ahead of the Spring European Council of 19-20 March in Brussels. As for the business views on the revised EU Emissions Trading System, they were included in a recent EUROCHAMBRES position paper.
Contact: Sonja Starnberger EUROCHAMBRES' Position
Letter to Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek  
 
Economic Affairs
Info Chambers meet Jean-Claude Trichet and ECB Board in Frankfurt
President Pierre Simon and EUROCHAMBRES' Presidency members met with Jean-Claude Trichet, President of the European Central Bank (ECB), and other Members of the ECB Executive Board on 20 March in Frankfurt (Germany). Participants exchanged views on the current financial and economic crisis and its impact on businesses. Mr Simon underlined European businesses' concerns with regard to accessing credit and cash flow conditions, and stressed the key role of the European Chamber network in supporting businesses through the crisis.
Contact: Giovanni Campi Press Release 20 March
Pictures of the event  
Position National Economic Recovery Plans are still inefficient
In view of the Spring European Council on 19-20 March in Brussels, EUROCHAMBRES voiced its concern on the National Economic Recovery Plans put in place by Member States. While most of them have undertaken actions to relaunch the economy in the short-term, for example in the fields of employment or access to finance, the recovery plans lack measures to enhance Europe's economic competitiveness in the medium-term. Moreover, EUROCHAMBRES denounced the lack of coordination between different national recovery plans which might potentially hinder the proper functioning of the internal market.
Contact: Giovanni Campi Press Release 18 March
 
EU Legislative Framework
Position Businesses at heart of meeting between EUROCHAMBRES and Swedish Presidency
On 6 April in Stockholm, President Pierre Simon, Deputy President Peter Egardt and Secretary General Arnaldo Abruzzini met Fredrik Reinfeldt, Prime Minister of Sweden - the country which will hold the Presidency of the EU as from 1 July. They conveyed the full support of EUROCHAMBRES' 20 million member enterprises for the priorities of the Presidency, and discussed measures designed to protect SMEs from the impact of the ongoing financial crisis.
Contact: Arnaldo Abruzzini Press Release 6 April
 
Chambers' News
Event One month to go before EUROCHAMBRES' Congress in Prague!
Just one month to go before EUROCHAMBRES' Congress (14-15 May, Prague) devoted to the theme "Doing business without barriers". Do not miss out on this opportunity to discuss key aspects of Europe's competitiveness with representatives of Chambers, business, politics and academia from the EU and abroad.
Contact: Isabelle Gueury Contact: Tessa Delville
Congress website  
Opportunity Summer Academy 2009: an opportunity to multiply your Chamber's assets
Chamber managers wishing to improve their skills, build new partnerships with Chambers from all over Europe and beyond and motivate their staff with a tailor-made training programme should not miss out on EUROCHAMBRES' Summer Academy 2009. This 5-day study programme will take place on 15-19 June in a beautiful location just one hour north of Lisbon (Portugal). Participants registering before 1 May will benefit from a special 'early birds' fee of 2,000 EUR (normal fee: 2,400 EUR).
Contact: Sophie Devos-Gaillard Summer Academy 2009 website
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Next issue: 18 May 2009 (special Congress edition)
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EUROCHAMBRES is a partner of the 2009 Year of Creativity and Innovation