Dr. Alexey MillerPresident

Dear actual and potential members of the European Business Congress e.V.,

Over the past ten years of its existence EBC has grown into an independent not-for-profit organization, which acts in the spirit of entrepreneurship in the global public interest to further economic growth and social progress. It now comprises 97 private companies, banks and associations from 21 OSCE member-states. EBC offers to its members and collaborators the unique opportunity to get engaged in processes of developing and sharing ideas, making vital decisions on the key issues of modern economy.

It is the EBC objective to create global issue partnerships addressing the strategic challenges of the European integration at the interface between economy and society.

The main instrument of the EBC - its 7 Working Committees - have progressed considerably in organizing practical interaction between East and West businessmen and women.

I am also pleased to note, that for the past year the EBC has improved its position in the outside world. This implies not only relative growth of the number of international bodies with whom the EBC has established contacts or practised exchange of delegates to the international fora. Far more important is that the working contacts with the OSCE and the UN Economic Commission for Europe tend to gain practical value of co-operation.

Among the EBC priority tasks for the near future are diversification of activities, wider openness to European and global community and enhancement of private sector representation from countries with mature market economy.

The EBC President

A. Miller