About: Business associations

Importance of national media is rising, according to new survey

Specialised EU affairs media are still the most relevant for Brussels corporations and associations, according to a survey conducted by EURACTIV and EPACA.  The importance of national media is also rising, compared to a 2016 survey.

Brexit sparks europhilia among French business owners

Europe was the central theme at the launch of the summer summit by the Movement of Enterprises of France (Medef) on Tuesday (29 August). EURACTIV France reports.

Trading and being treated fairly: Why European industry needs investment protection

Clauses similar to the Investor-State Dispute Mechanism (ISDS) being discussed as part of EU-US trade negotiations have existed for well over 30 years, and has only ever been used as a last resort, writes a coalition of business organisations. Above all it cannot, and has not been used, to overturn governments’ ability to regulate, they claim.

Business leaders want Europe’s Russian gas addiction reduced

SPECIAL REPORT / Efforts to reduce Europe’s dependence on Russian gas must be intensified even if it means raising energy prices, European business leaders have said.

British business benefits greatly from EU membership

In the debate on the UK's membership of the European Union, some have called into question the value of the member state status. But British business - large and small - is unequivocal: membership of a reformed EU is the best way to realise our global future, writes Katja Hall.

Footing the world’s bill for a green transition

SPECIAL REPORT / World Bank President Lewis Preston called on rich donors to back a $5-billion (€4 billion) fund to help the world’s poorest nations protect their environment and make economic development more sustainable.

Business groups put positive spin on Europe crisis

With the European news agenda dominated by doom and gloom, EU business associations sought to underline the positives at their annual Brussels event.

Trade groups’ agenda ‘up for grabs’

Business associations must radically reassess their role in the EU policymaking arena if they are to continue to serve their members effectively in post-crisis Europe, federation representatives were told at a conference in Brussels last week (5 May).

Leadership key to trade associations’ power

Stronger leadership from director-generals and board members is required if European business associations are to improve their effectiveness in influencing EU policies, according to industry experts surveyed by a Brussels-based consultancy.  

New EU landscape requires ‘swifter’ business action

Businesses require "much more professionalism" and "swifter answers" from their industry associations to deal with the complexity of today’s EU institutional landscape, according to Alain Beaumont, founder of AGEP Association Management.

PA boss: New EU landscape requires ‘professional’ business groups

Businesses require "much more professionalism" and "swifter answers" from their industry associations to deal with the complexity of today's EU institutional landscape, Alain Beaumont, founder of AGEP Association Management, told EURACTIV in an interview.

Trade groups face ‘paradigm shift’ in EU policymaking

Business associations are facing increased competition from individual companies in influencing the EU policymaking process, industry bosses heard last week (29 April).  

New-look association to shape medical technology future

Industry association Eucomed, which represents European medical technology firms, yesterday (14 April) appointed a new board to ensure that its governance structure reflects the sector's evolution into a diverse and highly innovative industry.  

Economic picture is ‘looking up’, says EU business group

Europe will regain the economic strength it enjoyed in 2007 within "three to five years," according to Jürgen Thumann, the new president of the BusinessEurope lobby group. But he told EURACTIV Germany that the recovery remains "fragile".

European business groups welcome election result

Industry leaders have welcomed the results of the European parliamentary elections, in which centre-right parties emerged as the dominant players, but several lobby groups have expressed concern about the low numbers of voters going to the polls.

Recovery ‘unthinkable’ without strong SMEs

A combination of loans for SMEs, bank rescue schemes and the implementation of the updated Late Payments Directive could help reboot Europe's ailing economy, Philippe De Buck, director-general of BusinessEurope, told EURACTIV in an interview.

Interview: Reversing traditional lobbying methods

Trying to convince policymakers of your arguments can only be successful to a certain extent, says Wilfried Haensel of PlasticsEurope. Lobbyists must also engage with society as a whole if they are to positively influence policy outcomes, he argues in an interview with EURACTIV.

Survey: National angle and new media tools key to EU communication

Finding the right balance between the Brussels and national perspectives is crucial when communicating on EU policies, while blogs and video clips are becoming an increasingly popular means of communicating online, indicates a EURACTIV survey.

Business associations move to deepen transatlantic co-operation

BusinessEurope Secretary-General Philippe de Buck met US Chamber of Commerce Vice-President Europe and Eurasia Gary Litman on 4 September in Brussels, to discuss the next moves towards the creation of a barrier-free transatlantic market.

EU business ‘convinced’ of Turkey’s accession

Europe's entrepreneurs are convinced of the merits of Turkish accession to the EU even though EU politicians and voters are not, observe Katinka Barysch and Rainer Hermann in a June 2007 essay for the Centre for European Reform (CER).

EURACTIV Survey 2007: Relations key to trade associations

Specialised media and lawmakers are preceived as the most important factors for European federations, EURACTIV's 2007 survey found.

Associations Going Global

With the onward march of globalisation, companies are often faced with a bewildering range of standards to which their products must conform. A preferable option is adherence to a consistent set of standards, even if they are the most exacting. Trade associations increasingly seek to follow this trend by becoming relevant actors in global-policy definition.

Survey: business and civil society could help cure EU communication ills

EU institutions could leverage existing industry and civil society networks to improve their ailing communications strategy, EURACTIV's 2006 survey of European federations has found.

EU business associations still grappling with enlargement

The impact of enlargement has yet to be fully understood by associations, EURACTIV's yearly European Association survey has revealed. Besides, most still lack clear benchmarks to measure the value they deliver.