Union of Industrial and Employers' Confederations of Europe

The Union of Industrial and Employers' Confederations of Europe, or UNICE as it was commonly known, is a Brussels-based European association of industries and employers. BusinessEurope is the new name adopted by UNICE on 23 January 2007.

UNICE was founded in 1958 to drive the creation of the EU as a free trade zone. Together with the EU Employers Federation and the European Round Table of Industrialists, UNICE has been one of the principal advocates of the EU treaties prior to their negotiation, and major backers of the international European movement. It is also one of the European social partners, representing large private employers at the interprofessional level.

Organisations function or personal affiliations

UNICE says it aims to release entrepreneurial energy, boost innovation, unleash the internal market of 25+, improve the functioning of the labour market, make environmental policy more effective and efficient, and foster international trade investment.www.unice.org

Background/history

The Union of Industrial and Employers' Confederations of Europe, commonly known as UNICE, is a Brussels-based European association of industries and employers.

It was founded in 1958 to drive the creation of the EU as a free trade zone. Together with the EU Employers Federation and the European Round Table of Industrialists, UNICE has been one of the principal advocates of the EU treaties prior to their negotiation, and major backers of the international European movement. It is also one of the European social partners, representing large private employers at the interprofessional level.www.unice.org

Funding

UNICE is funded by various associations from many different countries around the world. Each association pays a certain amount of money in order to become a member of the organisation.

People/staff/advisors

Ernest-Antoine Seilliere President of UNICE

Philippe de Buck Secretary-General

Economic and Financial Affairs Committee

Chairman Mr J.-P. Betbeze

Vice-Chairs Mr H.J. Hass

International Relations Committee

Chairman Mr B. A. Stecher

Vice-Chairs Mr G. Kundig, Ms C. Minard

Industrial Affairs Committee

Chairman Mr F. d'Adda

Vice-Chairs Ms C. Ven

Social Affairs Committee

Chairman Mr E. Leivo

Vice-Chairs Ms M. Cronin, Ms V. Drbalova

Legal Affairs Committee

Chairman Mr P. Lambrecht

Vice-Chairs Ms F. Marcq, Mr J. Ahtela

Entrepreneurship & SME Committee

Chairman Mr A.G. Kirchhoff

Vice-Chairs Ms S. Arnegard Hansen, Mr H. Morgan-Williams

Internal Market Committee

Chairman Mr J. Banegas Núñez

Vice-Chairs Mr F. Vreeswijk, Mr D. Verdier

See also

• European Information, Communications and Consumer Electronics Technology Industry Associations (EICTA)
• Keidanren, a Japanese business association
• Mouvement des Entreprises de France (MEDEF), a French business association

External links

• Official web page
• The Amsterdam Summit in retrospect: Maastricht II and corporate lobby successes
• The Amsterdam Treaty - How Industry Got Its Way

In German

• Die Lobbypolitik der europischen Konzerne in Brussel