Busan is good

EU Chamber of commerce marks 20th anniversary

Contents

The European Union Chamber of Commerce in Korea is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. As an organization representing the interests of the European business community, the chamber has come a long way since its establishment in 1986.

Formed by a few business executives 20 years ago, the European Union Chamber of Commerce in Korea (EUCCK) has played a significant role in fostering closer business relations between the EU and Korea.

Today it has grown to become the voice of the 25-member countries' European business community in Korea and a provider of support to Korean companies in Europe.

Over the past two decades, its importance and significance has grown manifold. The European community has grown to become the largest investor in Korea.

The objective of EUCCK continues to include reciprocal treatment for EU businesses in Korea and Korean businesses in the EU.

To achieve this, the chamber provides its members with information regarding developments that may influence their operations in Korea and coordinates discussions among its members to address common problems and opportunities.

It is also the objective of the chamber to promote the liberalization of trade and industry in Korea in conformity with the World Trade Organization, the Organization of Economic Co-operation and Development and the framework agreement between Korea and the EU.

The chamber maintains contacts with Korean officials from key ministries as well as other government administrations, local business associations and other lobbying groups to confront problems encountered by the EUCCK members.

History

The chamber was set up in February 1986 as the EEC Business Group in Korea to safeguard the interests of the European business community in Korea.

In May the same year, the name was changed to the European Community Chamber of Commerce in Korea.

Since then, there have been three other name changes. The next was in June 1991 to the EC Business Group in Korea, then in June 1993, it became the European Communities Chamber of Commerce in Korea and finally in June 1995, it got its current name.

Today, the EUCCK is made up of about 800 members from the EU, the local as well as the overseas business community.

The board of directors manages the chamber. Each EU country has at least one full member of the chamber in Korea. Members of the board of directors are EU nationals. The members must receive a simple majority from among member companies representing the relevant country.

Mr. Carl-Johan Hagman, CEO of Eukor Car Carriers, was elected as the 16th president of the chamber last November.

Committees

The sectorial committees are the backbone as well as the main lobbying tool of the EUCCK. Each committee is organized around an industry and run by an elected chairman, sometimes assisted by a vice-chairman or a co-chairman.

The committees develop ideas that establish the EUCCK's overall position on relevant industrial matters and are essential in outlining main trade barriers to EU companies in Korea.

Each committee identifies the problems inhibiting the development of EU companies in Korea and writes a position paper outlining the relevant issues.

Every year in the first quarter, all position papers drafted by the committees are compiled into a trade issues and recommendations booklet.

This document is circulated among relevant authorities in Korea and the European Commission (EC). It also serves as a working tool for EC officials in Brussels in their preparation of official meetings with the Korean authorities and can be used by European countries in their talks with Korea.

Industrial cooperation division

The EUCCK has a division dedicated to promoting industrial projects between the EU and Korea.

The division works with local governments to help them attract more European investment. It has worked with the Gyeonggi, Daegu, Daejeon and Jeolla local governments to organize investment seminars, industrial tours and projects. One core activity is organizing business missions for the Korean central and local government officials to visit the EU and its companies.

SME support center

The chamber has decided to increase services to European small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Korea and Korean SMEs by creating the SME Support Center.

It provides an exclusive lobbying and networking to European SMEs in Korea, as well as those based in Europe but wanting to enter the Korean market.

It has also developed a user-friendly and service-oriented website (sme.eucck.org), which helps SMEs across the country to find the right service providers to address a wide range of operational as well as management, legal and human resource problems.

Busan office

The EUCCK opened its Busan office in 1998 to respond to the growing number of EU companies doing business in the port city. The objective of the Busan office is to defend the interests of the EU businesses in Busan and promote closer relations with Busan government authorities, the provincial authorities and EU officials and companies. The EUCCK is the only foreign chamber to have a representative office in the southeastern city.

EUKICA

The European Union-Korea Industrial Cooperation Agency is the European liaison office of the EUCCK. Based in Brussels and Paris, the EUKICA acts as the major player in the development of bilateral business relations, trade promotion and industrial projects between the EU and Korea.

The primary objective of EUKICA is to preserve, advance and enhance the EU community in Korea. It also engages in programs and projects that are designed to strengthen EU industries interacting with Korean industries and government agencies or ministries.

EKF

The Europe-Korea Foundation (EKF) is the charity arm of the EUCCK.

It was established in May 2001. EKF has established a variety of programs to further its goals of promoting greater friendship and understanding between the two Koreas and the EU. EKF programs include scholarships, training seminars and the support of Korean charity organizations.

The EKF provides scholarships for students from both South and North Korea who wish to study at universities in the EU.

The source of news : Korea.net   December 08, 2006