Information about the EU

    
The EU is a unique economic and political partnership between 28 European countries that together cover much of the continent. What began as a purely economic union between 6 countries has evolved into an organization spanning policy areas, from development aid to environment. The EU is based on the rule of law: everything that it does is founded on treaties, voluntarily and democratically agreed by all member countries. These binding agreements set out the EU’s goals in its many areas of activity.
The EU has delivered half a century of peace, stability and prosperity, helped raise living standards,and launched a single European currency, the euro.
 
Thanks to the abolition of border controls between EU countries, people can travel freely throughout most of the continent. And it has become much easier to live and work abroad in Europe. The single or ‘internal’ market is the EU’s main economic engine, enabling most goods, services, money and people to move freely. Another key objective is to develop this huge resource to ensure that Europeans can draw the maximum benefit from it.
As it continues to grow, the EU remains focused on making its governing institutions more transparent and democratic. More powers are being given to the directly elected European Parliament, while national parliaments are being given a greater role, working alongside the European institutions. In turn, European citizens have an ever-increasing number of channels for taking part in the political process
Today the EU represents 500 million people, 24 official languages and 1 single market.

The 28 European Union (EU) Member States:

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

The Union has an institutional framework aimed at defending its values, objectives and interests, the interests of its citizens and those of its Member States. This framework also contributes to ensuring the coherency, effectiveness and continuity of Community policies and actions.

According to Article 13 of the Treaty on European Union, the institutional framework is composed of 7 institutions:
  • the European Parliament;
  • the European Council
  • the Council of the European Union (simply called “the Council”);
  • the European Commission;
  • the Court of Justice of the European Union;
  • the European Central Bank;
  • the Court of Auditors.
Each institution acts within the limits of their remit, granted in the Treaties in line with the procedures, conditions and purposes laid down there in. The European Parliament, the Council and the Commission are assisted by an Economic and Social Committee and a Committee of the Regions performing advisory functions.
Source: www.europa.eu
 

The EU-ASEAN Business Network

European consortiums have been recently made in several countries and created under the European Union’s SEBSEAM (Support for European Business in South East Asian Markets) program. Among those countries, network with Indonesia (EIBN), Philippines (EPBN), Thailand (EABC), Malaysia (EMBN) as well as Vietnam (EVBN) have recently been implemented.
Since their creation, all of those networks have been working to ensure that EU companies are able to do business in ASEAN markets as efficiently and openly as possible. In each country, the networks implemented targeted advocacy at all political levels and provide high quality market entry as well as business support to EU SMEs. Their common goal is to contribute to the export activity of all EU SMEs in the region and enhance EU-ASEAN trade.

The EU - Asean Business Council

The EU-ASEAN Business Council is a pan-ASEAN platform for European businesses to advocate their trade and investment interests in South East Asia. Composed of senior business representatives, it allows its members to engage in high-level meetings with policy-makers in the ASEAN countries, with the ASEAN secretariat and with the EU institutions. It acts as an interface for institutions in the European Union and in ASEAN to engage in a dialogue with businesses, including in the framework of the EU ASEAN Business Summits.

   Contact info: Singapore – Coordinating secretariat for the EU-ASEAN Business Council
   1 Phillip Street, #12-01 Royal One Phillip,Singapore 048692
   T: +65 (0)68 366 681 / E: info@eu-asean.eu / W: http://eu-asean.eu

 

The EBO Worldwide Network

With the support of the European Commission, Directorate General Enterprise and Industry the EBO Worldwide Network was created in 2001 between representatives of EU business associations and chambers of commerce in non-EU countries. It stands as the sole network representing EU-wide business interests in Third Countries.
The main objective of this network is to promote exchanges of views between these associations and their host countries and to establish closer relationships between the Commission services and these organizations raise awareness on EU policy priorities and activities and improve the market access for European business in Third Countries.
The EBO Worldwide Network, which extends to more than twenty countries around the world, aims at providing a lobbying, information and networking platform for European businesses worldwide.

 

   Contact info:International Affairs Department
   Address: Avenue de Corthenbergh, 168, 100 Brussels, Belgium
   T: +94 112375486 / E: secretariat@eboworldwidenetwork.eu / W: www.ebowwn.com