The Confederation of Europen Business was founded as UNICE (Union of Industrial and Employer´s Confederations of Europe) in 1958 and considers itself to be the "voice" and representative of all business interests in Europe, irrespective of size and sector. As a European umbrella organisation, BUSINESSEUROPE represents the interests of its 40 member associations, federations and confederations (from 34 European countries) at the institutions of the European Union. The Federation of Austrian Industries became the only official Austrian member at UNICE as early as 1986, nine years before Austrian EU-accession. The Federation of Austrian Industries contributes directly to BUSINESSEUROPE positions through its representation in all of the expert committees and working groups. The Federation's Brussels office director acts as Austria´s permanent delegate to BUSINESSEUROPE. Co-ordination meetings of all the Brussels-based BUSINESSEUROPE delegates take place twice a month. BUSINESSEUROPE functions primarily in three areas:
Lobbying
Representation of the interests of European business in the EU decision-making and legislative process
Social dialogue
Negotiation partner in the European social dialogue (agreements with the European Trade Union Confederation in the field of social policy are transformed without alteration into law by the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament) Globalisation
Representation of European business in developments and decisions at global level, such as at WTO-negotiations or in the Transatlantic Business Dialogue BUSINESSEUROPE's primary decision-making body is its council of presidents (biannual meetings of all members' presidents), supported by an executive committee (triannual meetings of members' directors and secretaries general). The work programme is implemented by 7 political committees and 60 expert committees and working groups. Some 1200 policy experts are involved on a daily basis across the whole of Europe. Contact
168, avenue de Cortenbergh
B-1000 Brüssel
Phone: 0032-2-237 65 11
Fax.: 0032-2-231 14 45
Further information is available directly from BUSINESSEUROPE:
http://www.businesseurope.eu/
links from the BUSINESSEUROPE internet site guide you to our sister organisations throughout Europe | 
