The IABP European Business and Parliament Scheme (EPBS) is a resource for the European Parliament to allow better comprehension of the realities of business and the economy through the legislation that affects them. The aim is for MEPs and business people to fully understand the issues through first hand involvement with the objective of informing policy and legislative decisions. The Scheme is inclusive of all political groups, of all business sectors and size of business within the European Union.
The EBPS has already conducted a number of programmes for EU officials and MEPs having been launched as a pilot initiative five years ago. The Scheme has now developed a board of MEPs and begun to expand its company membership which currently stands at three Pan European enterprises (BP, Solvay, Unilever). The Scheme is managed by the IABP with the support of national business and Parliament chapters and works under the patronage of the President of the European Union.
The Scheme is directed by the board of MEPs that see the necessity of collaboration with economic operators to foster mutual understanding and to work towards a more informed European Democracy.
BOARD of the EBPS
Mr. Alejo Vidal Quadras-Roca MEP - Chairman
Mr. John Bowis MEP
Ms. Lena Ek MEP
Mr. Dirk Sterckx MEP
Mr. Manuel Medina Ortega MEP
Mr. David Hammerstein Mintz MEP
Ms. Edit Herczog MEP
EBPS Director Designate - Ms. Natalia Federighi Rincon
Contact
Company Membership
Who are our members?
What are the membership criteria?
What are the benefits of joining EBPS?
What is the Value Added by the EBPS?
What is the cost and non-financial commitment of membership?
Insight from the member company on reasons for joining the EBPS
Who are our members?
- In about 18 months EBPS plan to have about 50 pan-European companies representing a wide range of sectors of the European economy;
- Limited in numbers, this ‘slice’ of the European economy is going to be its quality representation and should demonstrate practically any sector, relevant issue or trends being discussed within the European economy and legislation;
- Companies with a record of good corporate governance and transparency, which demonstrate achievements in their respective sector and promote the best practice in a particular aspect of the business;
- As of January 2007, EBPS has accepted the following members: BP, Solvay and Unilever.
What are the membership criteria?
- Companies which are willing to invest their time in mutual understanding and long-term relationships between business and the European Parliament
- Participation of a company should contribute to the scheme’s sectoral balance as well as ‘nationality’, size, type and ownership of enterprises in the scheme;
- Company should be ready to subscribe to the Code of Principles which defines and ensures the transparency and integrity of the EBPS operation
What are the benefits of joining EBPS?
- Increased understanding of the European Parliament, including individuals, systems, processes and a culture of the institution
- Better understanding and recognition of your company and sector(s) it represents among European legislators
- Opportunity to engage in informing the economic policy and legislation through the non-lobbying, non-partisan and transparent mechanism
What is the Value Added by the EBPS?
- It offers a safe mechanism of relationships and interaction between businesses and Parliamentarians;
- Experience of managing the programmes and ensuring the integrity of these relationships for 30 years on the level of national parliaments;
- Code of Principles guaranteeing a transparency and integrity of the relationships safeguarding a company from misinterpretation by public and the media
What is the cost and non-financial commitment of membership?
- Annual membership fee is EUR 15,000 for large companies with 250 and more employees;
- Costs such as travel, accommodation and other programme-related expenses are covered from the European Parliament and the EBPS budgets; companies can cover the additional costs which are necessary for programme implementation and are pre-agreed with the EBPS;
- Biggest contribution by company is time and expertise invested into programmes, which are about informing economic policy and legislation; in practical terms this will, in average, annually include:
- 3-4 sessions, including round-tables or parliamentary inquiries with MEPs
- Annually 2-3 times hosting MEPs or senior officials of the Parliament to the company attachments or business fellowships (see Description of programmes)
- Sharing already available research, knowledge and information concerning current economic policy and legislation
- Participation in the programmes for companies giving insight to the EU institutions;
- Other programmes are being considered and will be tailored to the needs of the Parliament and participating companies
Insight from the member company on reasons for joining the EBPS:
- Getting in touch with MEPs - although Solvay is a reasonably large company, that it participates in many different business associations, and that it is even located in Brussels, it is not always easy to get in touch with MEPs since they have very tight time schedules
- The expected quality of the meetings - since the EBPS ensures an independent, non-partisan and non-lobbying framework, we expect the MEPs to be more open and receptive for our explanations and arguments
- Establish long term relations with MEPs based on mutual trust and benefit
- Hereby increase the likelihood of quality regulation meeting the needs of business and society
- Exchange views with our competitors and other business sectors
- "Educate" our own management on how the decision-making process at EU level works
- Increase the management's awareness on how difficult it can be to make political choices given the existence of many diverging interests.
You can download:
Code of Principles with comments
Description of Programmes
Company Membership Application Form
EBPS Brochure EN
EBPS Brochure FR
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