Brussels, 3 to 7 June 2024 – The EBOWN (European Business Organisation Worldwide Network) annual meeting held from June 3 to 7 in Brussels, Belgium, was a resounding success. With 48 delegates from 43 countries participating, the event brought together representatives from various European business organisations across the globe. Invited to travel to Brussels at the invitation of DG GROW, EBOs recognised and appreciated our strong partnership and collaboration with the European Commission to stage the meeting.
The meeting featured an impressive lineup of high-profile officials, including the Head and Member of Cabinets and senior officials from the European Commission’s DG GROW (Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs), DG Trade (Directorate-General for Trade), DG INTPA (Directorate-General for International Cooperation and Development), DG ENV (Directorate-General for Environment), EISMEA (European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency), DG TAXUD (Directorate-General for Taxation & Customs Union), DG ENER (Directorate-General for Energy), and EEN (Enterprise Europe Network). Delegates also engaged with peak business organisations such as the International Trade Centre, Institute of Directors, BusinessEurope, and the European Investment Bank.
Key discussions covered a range of crucial topics, including promoting and facilitating European businesses in third-country markets, strengthening communication channels between the European private sector and EU institutions, and exploring policy regulations like the Deforestation Regulation, Critical Raw Materials Partnerships, and the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, and further developing the capacity and partnerships between EBOs globally through EU initiatives like Global Gateway and the European Enterprise Network.
The meeting also featured a series of dynamic and insightful workshops, including ‘Best-Practice’ sessions on Communications & Visibility, Tools and Strategy for Enhanced Visibility, and Working with EU Delegations on mitigating challenges and gaining support. These workshops enabled delegates to share their experiences, challenges, and successes, generate new ideas, build new partnerships, and strengthen existing ones, paving the way for successful future collaboration.
The annual meeting concluded with the appointment of Board Members for the upcoming year, marking a significant milestone and setting the stage for EBOWN’s future leadership and continued innovation toward another year of positive progress.
