MESSAGE FROM OUR PRESIDENT
Stefan Ernst
Chair
Welcome to the EBO Worldwide Network — the official association of European Chambers of Commerce and Business Associations championing the interests of European business in markets around the world.
EBOWN has grown into an active and influential network, representing European business interests across more than 59 key markets — serving multinationals as well as micro, small, medium, and large enterprises. Today, more than ever, the work of our member organisations is both essential and urgent.
European companies — large and small — continue to navigate complex and rapidly shifting legal, regulatory, and commercial environments across the globe. Our member chambers and business associations work on the ground every day as part of Team Europe, partnering with EU Delegations, national and bilateral chambers, and industry groups to advocate for fair market access and the best possible conditions for European firms to compete and succeed in third markets.
As I take on the role of Chair, I am proud to build upon the strong foundations laid by the outgoing Board. In recent years, EBOWN has taken significant steps forward in strengthening its institutional standing — establishing high-level dialogue with the European Commission and European Parliament, deepening partnerships with key organisations including BusinessEurope, Eurochambres, Trade Promotion Europe, and the International Trade Centre, and advancing its role as a trusted, evidence-based voice through flagship publications such as the Global Business Sentiment Report. These achievements reflect the dedication and leadership of those who came before, and they set a strong platform from which we move forward.
Looking ahead, our priorities and beyond are clear: deeper coordination across our regions — Africa, the Americas, the European Neighbourhood, Central Asia and the Middle East, ASEAN, East Asia, and the Indo-Pacific — greater operational capacity across the Network, and an even stronger, more structured presence within the European institutions that shape the policies affecting our members every day.
The challenges facing European business abroad are real. But so is the strength and resilience of this Network. I am deeply honoured to serve as Chair of EBOWN and sincerely grateful to every member organisation, Regional Coordinator, Board Director, and Secretariat team member whose commitment makes this work possible.
Together, we will continue to build a stronger, more connected, and more impactful European business community worldwide.