British Chamber of Commerce | EU & Belgium

One of the most influential Members of the European Parliament, Mr Johan Van Overtveldt, will meet the Chamber to give a retrospective on the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union 2024 on the 11th of June.* Since January, the Belgian Presidency has finalised over 60 legislative files covering artificial intelligence, climate, corporate due diligence, budget, migration, media freedom, cybersecurity, social rights, and many more. Mr Van Overtveldt will walk guests through the highlights and challenges of the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union 2024, presenting an overview of the key legislative files of the past six months, giving insight into the impact of the #EU #elections, as well as the process of forming a #Belgian government in the aftermath of the federal elections. As Chair of the Budget Committee, Mr Van Overtveldt yields significant influence over EU policymaking, particularly on files such as the EU long-term budget, the Multiannual Financial Framework, which is core to the functioning of the EU. * BCW Global Influence Index: https://lnkd.in/edii9ggh

As our Spring Networking Cocktail at the Hotel Amigo gets underway, we take this opportunity to thank our BritCham community for their continued engagement and dedication to the Chamber. The British Chamber of Commerce EU & Belgium sits at heart of European business, and hosting prestigious events such as these gives our members the opportunity to network with distinguished guests from a wide array of business sectors.

As David Cameron visits Brussels for the third meeting of the #TCA Partnership Council, discussion topics include energy and climate, trade, health security, fisheries, security and other potential areas of cooperation. It is imperative that the European Commission and UK consider every opportunity to build a more constructive and collaborative relationship, taking into account the views of and challenges endured by businesses and consumers on both sides of the Channel. The EU and UK's common goals, such as security and transitioning to a net-zero economy, are best accomplished together. Positive outcomes are possible as the Windsor Framework demonstrates, therefore we hope that a continuing, mutually beneficial relationship is the basis for Lord Cameron and Executive Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič's meeting. https://lnkd.in/eNCt7JKq

We would like to thank Rud Pedersen Public Affairs for co-sponsoring this event alongside The British School of Brussels. We look forward to welcoming guests to our Spring Networking Cocktail tomorrow evening. The reception will begin at 18:30 at the Hotel Amigo. Please ensure you have received a confirmation email in order to attend.

Can I vote in Belgium? Why should I do it? And how? The international community in Brussels has an important role to play in upcoming elections on: 9th of June to decide on the next: 1. Belgian Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) 2. Federal Chamber of Representatives 3. Regional and Community Parliaments 13th of October to vote on: 1. Local (municipal councillor) elections On the 30th of May, BritCham Belgium and Brussels New Generation (BNG) are bringing together several party representatives and election candidates transcending political parties across Belgium to explain their priorities for the next legislature. CEIO - Brussels Commissioner for Europe and International Organisations will also be joining us to guide you, International Brusselers, through reasons to vote, how to sign up, obtaining proxy votes, what obligatory voting means, and why registering to vote in Brussels does not affect your right to vote back in your home country. Joining us are: - Mira Kaloshi, President of Jong VLD Brussels (Flemish Liberal Party) and 13th on the Regional Parliament List - Kevin Karena, President of Young MR Brussels (French Liberal Party) - Jad Amine Zeitouni, Political Adviser to Elke Van den Brandt, Brussels Minister of Mobility and member of the Groens (Flemish Green Party) - Wassim Essebane, 3rd on the Brussels Parliament list for the CD&V (Flemish Christian Democratic Party)

A hugely insightful lunch meeting with Joanna Drake, European Commission Deputy Director-General for Research and Innovation, at De Warande. Our Patron Members discussed the future of EU research and innovation, touching on AI, intellectual property, cybersecurity, geopolitics, trade, competitiveness, and many other prescient topics. Ms Drake explored how the EU plans to nurture coherence and ambition through innovation and long-term organisation.

When the #CSDDD is gradually introduced from 2027, businesses of many different types and sizes will have to report on how their supply chains abide by human rights and climate protections. That's why our Sustainability Committee, in partnership with Acumen Public Affairs, hosted a discussion on the CSDDD today, providing clarity on how organisations can comply with the Directive, proactively work with competitors and civil society to share best practices, and how the EU is using the existing OECD guidelines as template for the CSDDD. Thank you to Matthew Hogarth and Greta Koch for taking the time to share your experiences and advice for stakeholders, and to Giles Keane for moderating this insightful discussion. 👇 You can find the OECD guidelines here: https://lnkd.in/d7WaeCJy

Gender equality gets a boost from EU ministers 🎉   Equality Ministers from the 27 member states have decided to strengthen national equality bodies across the EU, giving them more tools to reduce gender imbalances and discrimination. As our Co-Presidents mentioned in our recent AGM, they are highly committed to achieving gender representation and balance across all levels of governance at the Chamber.   We recognise the value of regulation and sanctions alongside societal change, and our new report highlights the impacts regulation can have as it forces discussions and debates in policy arenas.   However, this must be paired with cradle-to-grave policies needed to overcome the four big Cs women face: Confidence (lack of), Cost of childcare, Culture, and Candidate selection.   You can read our report here: https://lnkd.in/ejESV5Uu Marie-Colline Leroy Cesare Onestini Emma O'Driscoll Niels Timmermans Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union 2024 European Institute for Gender Equality Elizabeth Crossick David Reed Laura Batchelor

Our European Defence Industry Report is the culmination of many months of outreach, analysis and collation of our Call for Evidence from the European defence industry. The report provides renewed impetus for policymakers across continental Europe to address the barriers to defence production and collaboration in the context of Russia's continued war of aggression against Ukraine. With our sponsors Clover Group and Hill & Knowlton, we are pleased to be launching our report in the presence of high level speakers and leading industry representatives to mark a crucial milestone in addressing industry challenges: ▪ Tomas Dub, Deputy Minister of European Affairs, Czech Republic ▪ Greta Tuckute, Deputy Minister of National Security, Lithuania ▪ John Harrison, Chairman of Airbus UK RSVP at defsec@britcham.eu.

From 2027 onwards, the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (#CSDDD) will apply to large businesses and oblige them to report on the potentially adverse impacts of their activities on human rights and the environment. The Directive applies to companies with more than 500 employees and a net worldwide turnover of at least €150 million, and may in the future apply to the financial sector. On Monday the 13th of May our #Sustainability Committee, along with our sponsors Acumen Public Affairs, are hosting policymakers who helped negotiate the CSDDD, providing attendees with a unique opportunity to understand: 1. the Directive itself 2. its impact on public procurement 3. its effects on the EU business environment. 🔴 Matthew Hogarth, Assistant to MEP Lara Wolters (CSDDD Rapporteur) 🔵 Greta Koch, Assistant to MEP Axel Voss (Shadow Rapporteur) ⚪ Giles Keane, Co-Founding Partner at Acumen Public Affairs