Published by Hans-Werner Müller Edited by Garry Parker ... - UEAPME

Published by Hans-Werner Müller 

Edited by Garry Parker 

© UEAPME, 1999

U E A P M E ’ s M e m b e r s 

UEAPME is the employers’ organisation representing the inter- 

ests, at European level, of crafts, trades and SMEs in the 

European Union and countries applying for accession to the 

European Union. It is non-profit seeking and non-partisan. Its 62 

member organisations, as of July 1999, following the merger 

with EUROPMI, consist of national cross-sectoral federations, 

European branch federations and other associate members which 

support the SME family. Of the 19 million enterprises in the 

European Union, UEAPME represents more than 7 million which 

employ over 30 million people. Across the whole of Europe, 

UEAPME represents over 10 million enterprises with nearly 50 

million employees. 

"FROM SMALL BEGINNINGS COME GREAT THINGS" 

U E A P M E ’ s A i m s 

The mission of UEAPME as the ‘voice’ of crafts, trades and SMEs 

in Europe is achieved by pursuing the following main aims: 

• Supporting the idea of European construction and contributing 

to European co-operation 

• Informing its members on all matters of European Union 

policy concerning crafts, trades and SMEs and informing EU 

Institutions about the needs and opinions of UEAPME members 

• Supporting its members academically, technically and legally 

on all EU policy-related matters 

• Representing the common interests of its members vis-à-vis 

the EU Institutions and other international organisations and 

associations of a public or private nature 

• Looking after common tasks entrusted by its members 

and finding solutions for all problems relating to the above- 

mentioned aims 

UNION EUROPÉENNE DE L’ARTISANAT ET DES PETITES ET MOYENNES ENTREPRISES - MAISON DE L’ECONOMIE EUROPÉENNE 

RUE JACQUES DE LALAING 4 • B-1040 BRUXELLES • TEL. +32 2 230 75 99 - FAX +32 2 230 78 61 

e-mail: ueapme@euronet.be • internet: HTTP:/ /www.wk.or.at/sme-web (new site under construction)

C o n t e n t s 

F o re w o r d b y t h e P r e s i d e n t 5 

I n t r o d u c t i o n b y t h e S e c r e t a r y G e n e r a l 7 

P O L I C Y A R E A A C T I V I T I E S 8 

E n t e r p r i s e P o l i c y, E n v i r o n m e n t , E x t e r n a l R e l a t i o n s a n d L e g a l P o l i c y 9 

S o c i a l A f f a i r s , E m p l o y m e n t , Tr a i n i n g a n d C u l t u r e 1 8 

E c o n o m i c & F i s c a l P o l i c y 2 4 

M A J O R P R O J E C T A C T I V I T I E S 2 6 

A v i g n o n A c a d e m y 2 7 

E u ro - I n f o r m a t i o n C e n t r e 2 9 

E u r o p e a n S e c t o r a l O r g a n i s a t i o n s 3 0 

E u ro - S M E - A d v i s o r 3 2 

S a f e P r o j e c t : “ H e a l t h a n d S a f e t y i n t h e w o r k p l a c e ” 3 3 

E u ropean Dire c t o ry of Training Establishments for Craftmanship and Heritage 3 3 

S E M I N A R S A N D C O N F E R E N C E S 3 4 

S t r u c t u r a l F u n d s S e m i n a r 3 5 

C O M M I T T E E S & S T R U C T U R E S 3 6 

P re s i d e n c y & A d m i n i s t r a t i v e C o u n c i l 3 7 

E x t e r n a l R e l a t i o n s C o m m i t t e e 3 9 

L e g a l A f f a i r s C o m m i t t e e 4 0 

E n v i r o n m e n t C o m m i t t e e 4 0 

R e s e a r c h & Te c h n o l o g i c a l D e v e l o p m e n t C o m m i t t e e 4 1 

S o c i a l A f f a i r s C o m m i t t e e 4 1 

V o c a t i o n a l Tr a i n i n g C o m m i t t e e 4 2 

C u l t u r e C o m m i t t e e 4 2 

E c o n o m i c & F i s c a l A f f a i r s C o m m i t t e e 4 3 

S M E F i n a n c e & R e l a t i o n s w i t h B a n k s Wo r k i n g G r o u p 4 3 

E M U W o r k i n g G r o u p 4 3 

Ta x a t i o n W o r k i n g G ro u p 4 4 

S t r u c t u r a l F u n d s & R e g i o n a l P o l i c i e s Wo r k i n g G r o u p 4 4 

U E A P M E M e m b e r O r g a n i s a t i o n s 4 5 

L i s t o f P o s i t i o n P a p e r s 5 0 

S e l e c t i o n o f P r e s s A r t i c l e s 5 2 

3

Jan Kamminga, right, 

welcomes newley-elected President, 

A n d rea Bonetti 

4

Dear Colleagues, 

f o r e w o r d b y t h e p r e s i d e n t 

1998 was perhaps the end of the beginning for UEAPME. We have seen the culmination and successful resolution of a number of key 

campaign issues. We began restructuring the organisation in its Brussels Secretariat. We accepted several new member organisations. 

We also said farewell to the most successful and dynamic President in the history of our organisation so far – Jan Kamminga. Jan was 

President for four years from 1995 to the end of 1998, and valiantly oversaw the development of UEAPME from a second tier lobby 

group into one of the most influential business organisations in the world. 

Putting UEAPME in a leading role was Jan’s great skill, particularly concerning the battle for full SME inclusion in the European Social 

Dialogue. I was proud to be present at the signature of our agreement with UNICE concerning this in Vienna on 4th December 1998. 

Years of negotiations, political pressuring and even a difficult court case against the European Council were put behind us as the 

employers finally got together to defend our enterprises in the employment negotiations. 

Recognition of the importance of SMEs was not limited only to social policy issues, nor to the EU. The SME aspects of European Union 

enlargement were tackled throughout the Austrian Presidency, culminating in the Presentation of UEAPME’s SME Memorandum on EU 

Enlargement in Baden, Austria, in September. We also started to address SME issues in the Mediterranean countries, which will 

develop further in 1999. 

We helped our businesses prepare for the introduction of the Euro, which is now a reality in 11 EU Member States. We continued to 

fight the battle for reduced VAT on labour-intensive services. The Draft Directive on late payments finally appeared and we had to 

force it down the throat of many a reluctant minister, but we are getting there. Our members, supported by the European Commission, 

had the chance to assist their enterprises with the challenges of health and safety at work, and hosted one-day events in nearly every 

country. The Avignon Academy was launched, with great plans for the next years. 

To a new President, all these actions and campaigns might seem daunting, but I am up to the challenges and sincerely want to build 

on the success of my predecessor. UEAPME has many more goals to achieve. Now that we are a first division club, those goals might 

be harder to score, but the rewards are much greater! 

I look forward to working with you all - members and policy-makers alike – in my first year as President of UEAPME. 

5 

Andrea Bonetti - President

Hans-Werner Müller arguing another case for Europe’s SMEs 

6

I n t r o d u c t i o n b y t h e S e c r e t a r y G e n e r a l 

Each year there are changes, and I always expect them to be changes for the better. This year, our fourth annual report has taken on 

a new look and we have picked up on some of your suggestions. We have included more information on our member organisations, 

the members of committees, our structure, and so on. We have cut back on detailed text, such as every circular emitted from the 

Secretariat! We hope you like the more user-friendly design and layout. 

The improvements to the report perhaps indicate the same in UEAPME – you will see as you read on, and back to the President’s fore- 

word, that 1998 was indeed a year of achievements and the ‘end of the beginning’ for Europe’s largest business organisation for the 

smaller enterprises. 

What a family we have to look after! Independent entrepreneurs of all ages and sexes, micro-enterprises with less than 10 employ- 

ees, small businesses, medium-sized enterprises and larger craft / trade businesses. As with any family, the members don’t agree on 

everything all the time, but the family stays together and we work out our problems. 

For the second year, we would like to thank Barclays Bank plc which has kindly supported, through its European Loans Unit, the pro- 

duction of this report. Our member organisations, as ever, are to be thanked for their constructive counsel and assistance throughout 

1998, as are those policy-makers in the European Institutions and elsewhere who have listened to and acted upon our many needs 

and demands. 

Brussels, July 1999 

7 

Hans-Werner Müller - Secretary General

Jan Kamminga, right, signs historic social dialogue agreement with UNICE President, 

Baron Georges Jacobs. Vienna, 4th December 1998. 

8

p o l i c y a r e a a c t i v i t i e s 

ENTERPRISE POLICY, ENVIRONMENT, 

EXTERNAL RELATIONS AND LEGAL POLICY 

Both during the British and the Austrian EU Presidencies the 

economic role of SMEs was put on the European map as the 

solution for ensuring greater economic development, the creation 

of employment and increased innovation in the EU. Enterprise 

policy on European level and the promotion of "entrepreneurship" 

remained key issues on European political level. 

Therefore, 1998 was an important year for SMEs in the different 

fields of EU enterprise policy. The realisation of EMU, the procee- 

dings on a reduced VAT rate for labour-intensive services, the 

proposal on the late payments directive, the start of the Third 

Round Table of Bankers and SMEs, the implementation of the 

Fifth Framework Programme for Research and Technology, the 

discussions on the impact of electronic commerce on SMEs, the 

approval of the BEST report, the initiatives on public procure- 

ment, European standardisation, the further development of the 

internal market: all of these issues were tackled. 

ENTERPRISE POLICY 

9 

UEAPME has dedicated special attention within its working pro- 

gramme for 1998 to all issues having a direct impact on enter- 

prise policy. Some of these issues are treated elsewhere in the 

annual report, for instance: 

- European standardisation ( see NORMAPME ) 

- BEST report ( see legal policy ) 

- Structural funds reform ( see economic and fiscal policy ) 

- Reduced VAT rate on labour-intensive services 

( see economic and fiscal policy ) 

- Electronic commerce ( see research and technology ) 

ACTIONS: 

1. The introduction of the single currency, the Euro, entered 

another crucial phase in 1998. During UEAPME’s participation 

in the Round Tables on the Euro, organised by the European 

Commission, it appeared that small companies were lagging 

behind in the process. In order to encourage a smooth change-

Oliver Loebel (left) and Walter Borms, UEAPME, at the Conference 

on Structural Funds, Vienna, December 1998 

over to the Euro, UEAPME signed the agreement between the 

consumer associations and the associations of professionals 

covering distribution, tourism, craft and SMEs in the framework 

of the changeover to the euro. This agreement foresees the 

introduction of a so-called “euro-label”. Furthermore, UEAPME 

made public, through position papers addressed to the differ- 

ent European Institutions, it's opinion on issues such as double 

legal tender and double pricing. In order to stimulate the net- 

work of its members in the changeover process to the euro, 

UEAPME initiated the Euro-SME-Advisors project (see projects). 

10 

2. Besides the different instruments put into 

place by the European Institutions to improve 

SMEs access of to finance (e.g. JEVs, the SME 

initiative), UEAPME strongly encouraged t h e 

E u ropean Commission to launch a Third Round 

Table between Bankers and SMEs in order to 

find mechanisms and best practices to 

i m p rove the relationship between them. 

F u rt h e rm o re, the question of late payment 

of commercial debt is an issue which has 

been a key conc e rn of UEAPME for a de- 

cade. There f o re, the European Commissions’ 

p roposal for a directive combating late pay- 

ment in commercial transactions re s p o n d e d 

well to the demands of UEAPME. 

3. In the field of public pro c u rement, UEAPME has, in addition to 

it's participation in the advisory committee on public pro c u re- 

ment, pronounced a clear position on the Working Paper "Public 

P ro c u rement and the Environment" (see list of position papers).

A c c o rding to tradition, UEAPME’s activity in the environmental 

sector mainly concentrated on lobbying for the prevention of furt h e r 

b u rdens upon craft, trades and SMEs as a result of new EU legislation. 

UEAPME strengthened its participation in the consultative com- 

mittees set-up by the European Commission. In part i c u l a r, UEAPME 

gained two seats in the EMAS (Eco-Management & Audit S c h e m e ) 

Committee of DG XI (Environment). Additionally, UEAPME’s mem- 

bers participated in the various committees set up under the 

Eco-label Regulation. Furthermore, UEAPME now has one seat in 

the Energy Consultative Committee set up by DG VII. 

UEAPME was involved in the revision process of the main volun- 

tary instruments set up at European level in the environmental 

area: Eco-audit and Eco-label. As far as Eco-audit is concerned, 

UEAPME met with DG XI in order to draft some guidelines for 

verifiers on the verification of SMEs. These guide-lines aim at 

changing the approach of many verifiers towards SMEs taking 

part in the EMAS scheme, in order to reduce red tape and finan- 

cial burdens for businesses. 

The guidelines will have to be approved by the Member States 

and diffused throughout the European Union during 1999. 

Concerning Eco-label, UEAPME contributed to the revision of the 

criteria for two important product groups for craft/trades and 

SMEs: textiles and footwear. 


THE ENVIRONMENT 

11 

UEAPME closely monitored the development of the "Environment 

and Employment" issue at European level, because of the impor- 

tant role played by craft/trades and SMEs in this area. 

As far as the institutional process was concerned, Guido Lena was 

nominated expert of Group III for the ECOSOC’s opinion on the 

EU Commission’s Communication "Environment and Employment: 

Building a Sustainable Europe" 

Moreover, UEAPME agreed with the competent Unit in DG XI to 

organise a European Workshop in Brussels in 1999. 

This workshop is supposed to collect interesting "best practices" 

from craft/trades and SMEs in the Member States and consider 

how to co-operate in this field. 

UEAPME continued monitoring DG XI’s activities in the area of 

environmental liability. The Draft Working Paper preparing the 

White Paper on Environmental Liability was examined and 

rejected, owing to the dire consequences it would inflict upon SMEs. 

In the waste management sector, UEAPME monitored the birth of 

new actions inside DG XI, trying, from the very beginning, to 

reduce the impact of the draft directives on batteries and accu- 

mulators and waste from electric and electronic equipment on 

craft, trades and SMEs. UEAPME took part in the meetings organ-

Guido Lena (left) promotes a better environment for business with Hans-Werner Müller and Birthe Lise Landsted, UEAPME 

ised by DG XI in order to modify the Directive on the discharge 

of certain dangerous substances into Community waters. 

UEAPME was also involved in two European conferences organ- 

ised by DG XI on such issues as "Financial Institutions and 

Sustainable Development" and "Integrated Product Policy (IPP)". 

Both of these conferences were conceived as a starting point to 

12 

figure out if and what actions the European Union had to under- 

take in these fields. The consideration of businesses’ environ- 

mental performance by financial institutions might contribute to 

reduce the credit supply, particularly for SMEs. The IPP file was 

followed because of its accent on the whole life cycle of products 

and its potential financial impact on micro and small businesses.

E a s t e rn European enlargement, European policies towards the 

M e d i t e rranean zone, Asia, the USA and Canada, and their 

impact on SMEs, received specific attention from UEAPME in 

1998. Taking into account the importance for SMEs re g a rd i n g 

the evolution of the European policies concerning Eastern 

E u ropean enlargement (AGENDA 2000) and the Mediterr a n e a n 

zone (MEDA Programme), specific actions were undertaken to 

i m p rove the mutual knowledge on SME development in the EU, 

the Mediterranean zone and accession countries. Furt h e rm o re , 

in the framework of AGENDA 2000, UEAPME published the 

" E u ropean Memorandum on Eastern European Enlarg e m e n t " . 

Relations with major international organisations such as the 

WTO, the ILO, the World Bank and the OECD were intensified by 

UEAPME in 1998. 


EXTERNAL RELATIONS 

13 

A c t i o n s 

Relations with International Org a n i s a t i o n s , 

Asia and Canada 

A UEAPME delegation visited the ILO training centre in Turin 

in 1998 in order to initiate future collaboration concerning 

training initiatives for business start - u p s . 

The World Bank re p resentation in Brussels was invited on 

several occasions to UEAPME meetings to investigate co- 

operation in order to improve the communication between the 

World Bank and SME's in the EU. UEAPME commenced pre p a- 

rations for the Millenium Round in the framework of the WTO. 

R e p resentatives of the OECD participated several times in 

UEAPME meetings dedicated to the problems of business start - u p s 

UEAPME re p resentatives participated in the advisory committee 

for the Asia-Invest-Secre t a r i a t . 

A UEAPME re p resentative participated in the Canadian "Crossing the 

Pond" initiative which is an SME pilot project aiming to find the most 

e fficient way for SMEs from both sides of the Atlantic to "cross" it.

M e d i t e rranean Zone 

Since the Barcelona Declaration, relations between the 

M e d i t e rranean countries and the EU are clearly on the political 

agenda. Both in the EU and the Mediterranean countries SME- 

development is increasingly becoming a priority for the 

d i ff e rent governments in order to create the necessary employ- 

ment opportunities for future generations. UEAPME attaches 

g reat importance to the implementation, in concrete policies, of 

the Barcelona declaration, and has started to develop solid links 

with the SME-organisations in the diff e rent MEDA-countries. The 

Final target of UEAPME is to contribute, through a well devel- 

oped network, to the development of SMEs both in the EU and 

the Mediterranean countries. In this context regular contacts 

w e re established in 1998 with DG I in order to follow-up the 

implementation of the MEDA-Programme. 

UEAPME's MEDA-Working Group pre p a red and introduced a 

p roject in the framework of the MEDA-programme, the so- 

called MEDAPME-project, which aims to establish a Euro p e a n - 

M e d i t e rranean network of SME organisations. 

14 

Central and Eastern European Countries 

Since the European Summit in Copenhagen in 1993, Eastern 

European enlargement of the EU is clearly on the political 

agenda. The only remaining question is when the individual 

associated Central and Eastern European Countries (CEECs) 

- according to their reform processes - will fulfil the Copenhagen 

criteria and be able to join the EU. The European Summit of 

L u x e m b o u rg paved the way for the opening of form a l 

negotiations, which officially started in March 1998. 

Although this process will probably take several years, European 

SMEs should already have a clear vision, today, on how 

enlargement could be best implemented. Therefore, the activities 

in 1998 focused on awareness-raising measures among 

European decision makers, and the preparation of a detailed 

UEAPME position paper on enlargement and its effects on SMEs 

in both the EU and the CEECs. 

With the financial support of DG XXIII, UEAPME organised two 

seminars, both aiming at drawing the attention of EU and Central 

& Eastern European decision makers to the specific needs of SMEs 

of the candidate countries in the enlargement process. 

"Economic Transition Policies in Central & Eastern European 

Countries: Encouraging Prosperity through SME Policy" (Bled, 

Slovenia, 23-24 April 1998); 

"Orienting EU policies towards SMEs" (Prague, Czech Republic, 

18-19 June 1998).


Baden Conference - Launch of the “European SME Memorandum on Eastern European Enlargement”. 

Left to right: Hans Werner Müller, Jan Kamminga, and Guy Crauser, Director General, DG XXIII, EC. 

As part of the same project, UEAPME prepared the "European 

SME Memorandum on Eastern European Enlargement" which 

forms, for the first time, a document outlining the interests of 

both Eastern and Western European SMEs in the enlargement 

process. Given the importance of this document for the lobbying 

activities of SME associations in the EU and the CEECs, the 

Memorandum was translated into 8 languages (English, French, 

German, Italian, Slovenian, Polish, Czech and Hungarian). 

15 

The project was accomplished by a final conference in Baden, 

Vienna (22 September 1998). In the presence of the Austrian 

Presidency of the Council, UEAPME presented to the public the 

Memorandum. The "Central & Eastern European Countries" 

Working Group met twice in 1998.

U E A P M E ’s Legal Affairs Committee closely followed and gave its 

opinion on several European Commission and Euro p e a n 

Parliament initiatives concerning legal topics of interest to 

SMEs. Areas of specific interest in 1998 were Business 

E n v i ronment Simplification, design protection, sale of consumer 

goods and associated guarantees, late payments, utility models 

p rotection, and counterfeiting and piracy in the single market. 

UEAPME welcomed with enthusiasm the proposals included in 

the BEST (Business Environment Simplification Task Forc e ) 

re p o rt, published in May 1998, and gave its detailed comments. 

On 30th September 1998, the European Commission adopted a 

Communication on how to follow up the BEST Task Forc e ’s 

recommendations on administrative deregulation, and UEAPME 

reacted by encouraging the Industry Council and the 

Commission to consider our views and to take concre t e 

m e a s u res in order to follow all the specific proposals made in 

Volume II of the BEST re p o rt. These policy lines are, without 

doubt, to be followed in the succeeding years. 

As from 1996, the proposal for a directive in the field of legal 

p rotection of designs was also closely followed by UEAPME 

t h roughout 1998. UEAPME continued to be a member of ECAR, 

the European Campaign for the freedom of the Automotive 

p a rts and Repair market. After having persuaded the Euro p e a n 

Parliament to maintain their position from the 1st reading by 

re-instating the "Repairs Clause" in their 2nd reading, the 

LEGAL POLICY 

16 

Council continued to reject the draft directive and to pro p o s e 

instead the "fre e - f o r-all" provision. This would allow Member 

States to do what they wanted with re g a rd to the spare part s 

issue and, there f o re, most carmakers would have been allowed 

to get a private monopoly in vehicle spare parts. Parliament 

and Council had to go into the conciliation pro c e d u re and 

finally reached an agreement on a joint text in June 1998. 

The compromise reached concerning the issue of spare 

automobile parts and repairs was that Member States must 

maintain their current legal provisions and may modify them 

only to liberalise the market (so-called "stand-still plus" clause). 

Though this can hardly be considered as the ideal outcome for 

UEAPME members, it might prove to be a solution which, at 

least, would safeguard the present position of members. 

Also reaching its conclusion in 1998 was the issue of sale of 

consumer goods and associated guarantees. Despite the eff o rt s 

of UEAPME to convince the European Parliament and the 

Council about the directive over- s t retching the consumer 

i n t e rest to the detriment of the business sector, both institutions 

a re likely to reach an agreement under the conciliation 

p ro c e d u re in the beginning of 1999. The directive will have the 

double effect of extending the guarantee period to two years 

and including a reversal of the burden of the pro o f . 

This will hit small businesses with small production scales much 

h a rder than big ones.


Members of Steering Committee on Open Access to Electronic Commerce for SMEs 

A major field of activity of UEAPME in 1998 was also the topic of 

late payments. UEAPME continued to present the major 

c o n c e rns of business in that field and convinced the Euro p e a n 

Commission to elaborate an acceptable proposal for a dire c t i v e 

which was presented in May 1998. The Parliament approved it 

with some amendments in September 1998, but the Council did 

not reach an agreement before the end of the year, especially on 

the rules to be applied to the public sector, the harmonisation of 

debt collection pro c e d u res and retention of title. Late payment 

remains a major problem for European business. Cash flow, 

p ro f i t a b i l i t y, economic growth and company survival are all 

seriously affected by the high level of overdue payments and, 

t h e re f o re, UEAPME will continue its lobbying eff o rts in 1999. 

17 

Another legal issue was that of utility models’ pro t e c t i o n . 

UEAPME reacted on the proposal for a Directive appro x i m a t i n g 

the legal arrangements for the protection of inventions by Utility 

Models presented by the Commission at the beginning of 1998. 

UEAPME stressed the importance of utility models’ protection for 

SMEs, as it allows them to protect "small" inventions for a 

re a s o nable expenditure of money and time. UEAPME there f o re 

welcomed the Commission’s intention to create a Community legal 

framework for utility models protection in the Single Market. 

M o re o v e r, UEAPME suggested that, in the context of innovation 

policy for SMEs and in addition to legislation, training and 

a w a reness-raising measures should be stimulated in order to in- 

c rease SMEs’ knowledge of the existing legal protection possibilities.

SOCIAL AFFAIRS, EMPLOYMENT, TRAINING AND CULTURE 

Social Dialogue 

In the Social Dialogue, 1998 saw an historic upward turn for 

UEAPME. The signing of an agreement with UNICE on mutual 

recognition, within the framework of the European Social 

Dialogue, on 4th December 1998 in Vienna, propelled UEAPME 

up as a full European Social Partner side-by-side with UNICE, 

CEEP and ETUC. This agreement constitutes the starting point of a 

new era in the life of the organisation. More concretely, UEAPME 

and its Social Affairs Committee continued to pursue the 

three-part strategy previously established. Chronologically the 

events were the folowing: 

a) The first means of applying pressure was the court case to 

annul the Parental Leave Directive, lodged in 1996. On 11th 

March 1998, the hearing took place before the European 

Court of First Instance in Luxembourg. The judgement ren- 

dered on 17th June declared our petition non-admissible. 

H o w e v e r, the arguments in the text of the judgement were most 

unsatisfying for all craft, trades and SME organisations in 

E u rope. For this reason a decision to appeal before the Euro p e a n 

Court of Justice was taken by the ruling bodies of UEAPME. 

SOCIAL DIALOGUE AND SOCIAL POLICY 

18 

b) The second pressure method was the continous and persistent 

lobbying of the community institutions, notably the Com- 

mission and the European Parliament, as well as the national 

governments. As a consequence of this, UEAPME was invited 

to a number of high level meetings and systematic consulta- 

tion on all aspects of European Social and Employment policy. 

c) The third means of pressure was the discussions with UNICE. 

A l ready back in 1997, the direct relations established 

b e t w e e n the highest level responsibles of UNICE and 

UEAPME, on the question of UEAPME’s participation in the 

negociations of the European Social Dialogue, had allowed for 

a certain amount of progress. 

But the change in the top management of UNICE, the new 

President, Baron Jacobs, and the new Secretary General, Dirk 

Hüdig, allowed the reinforcement of ties. New contacts were 

quickly established and the first draft of an agreement was 

elaborated in July 1998. 

Between July and December, the political willingness to reach 

a final agreement made it possible to achieve an acceptable 

compromise between the two parties. 

The signing of this agreement had, as an immediate effect,


Hearing Day - UEAPME’s lawyers, staff and members outside the Court of First Instance of the European 

Communities, following the hearing, 11th March 1998. 

the withdrawal of all legal procedures concerning the Social 

Dialogue, on one side, and UEAPME’s participation, for the 

first time, in the highest level meetings of the Social Dialogue: 

On 4th December in the high level meeting of the Social 

Dialogue called the Social Dialogue “Mini-Summit” (meeting 

between the social partners and the Presidency of the EU in 

the presence of President Santer and Commissioner Flynn). 

On 10th December in the meeting of the social partners with 

the Troïka of the heads of State and Government just before 

the Vienna Summit (Messrs. Klima, Blair and Schröder). 

19 

Social Policy 

Besides the work on the Social Dialogue, the "Social Affairs" com- 

mittee met twice in 1998, and discussed the different Community 

initiatives and elaborated an in-depth position paper on the 

second Communication on the Social Dialogue "Adapting and 

Promoting the Social Dialogue at Community Level". As an offi- 

cial member of the Equal Opportunities Committee, UEAPME par- 

ticipated in two annual meeting of the Consultative Committee as 

well as in several conferences on equal opportunities.

UEAPME considers one of its principal tasks in vocational training 

policy as improving the quality and efficiency of training in the 

EU. There f o re, UEAPME concentrated on promoting quality 

apprenticeship in Europe through a document on benchmarking 

criteria in specific on-off-the-job training in 1998. 

Thanks to its strong link with the world of craft, trades and SMEs, 

apprenticeship gives, among others, a better preparation to 

active life and contributes to the development of entrepreneur- 

ship among the younger generation. Starting from these 

considerations, the quality benchmarking criteria for apprentice- 

ship aims at giving higher transparency and at improving the 

i n f o rmation flow between the European countries and the 

different systems of vocational training. Based on European best 

practice examples, quality benchmarking criteria represent a 

guidance framework both for the countries where apprenticeship 

training is already in existence, and for the countries where 

apprenticeship training does not exist yet. 

Throughout 1998, UEAPME discussed these quality criteria with 

representatives of government, the social partners, the chambers 

and other vocational training experts. The crucial point of these 

discussions was the European Conference "Employability by 

VOCATIONAL TRAINING 

20 

Apprenticeship Training: Best practices in Craft, Trades and SMEs" 

which took place in Graz, Austria, on 10th and 11th December 

1998. This conference was organised by UEAPME and 

Wirtschaftskammer Österreich with the support by DG XXII of the 

E u ropean Commission in the framework of the Austrian 

Presidency. Representatives from 16 European countries atten- 

ded the event. The European Commission invited UEAPME to 

continue in 1999 its work to improve the quality of apprentice- 

ship training in Europe and suggested using it as a reference for 

projects within the Leonardo da Vinci Programme. 

UEAPME, additionally, followed the legislative path of the 

proposal for a Council Decision on the promotion of European 

pathways for work-linked training, including apprenticeship. 

A position paper was drafted and UEAPME worked with the 

European Parliament to underline the paramount role of craft, 

trades and SMEs in apprenticeship and their specific needs. 

The Council has taken this into consideration. 

The evolution of the proposal for a Council Decision establishing 

the second phase of the Community vocational training action 

programme "Leonardo da Vinci" was also monitored. During 

1999, UEAPME will endeavour to ensure greater representativity 

in the Leonardo Committee.


From left to right: Peter Mühlbacher, President of the Styrian Economic Chamber; Laura Berneri, 

representative of UEAPME; Elisabeth Gehrer, Austrian Minister for Education and Culture; and Georg 

Piskaty, representative of the Austrian Economic Chamber 

This intense year of activities was also characterised by UEAPME’s 

engagement as a partner in the PRASME (Practical Training in 

SMEs) project again in the framework of the Leonardo da Vinci 

Programme. The promoter of the project is Liège-Huy-Waremme 

Vocational Training Centre, the other partners are Företagarna 

(Federation of Swedish Enterprises), SY (Federation of Finnish 

21 

Enterprises), Centre de Formation de la Chambre de Métiers du 

N o rd (France) and Blackburn College (United Kingdom). 

PRASME has the objective to promote on-off-the job training in 

Europe, by raising awareness on the European dimension among 

young people and SME entrepreneurs. The results of the project 

will be published in a guide at the beginning of 1999.

In 1998, the Culture Committee of UEAPME was finally able to 

harvest the fruits of the work started in the previous years. 

Two of the most important projects were finalised: 

a) The publication of the pilot study conducted with the support 

of the European Commission (DGV) on "job creation potential 

in the restoration of cultural heritage" in October, which 

enjoyed a most favorable reception, including numerous articles 

in the international press. 

Apart from the complete study which exists, at present, in 

French and German, a brochure in colour was published in 5 

languages (French, German, English, Italian and Spanish) in 

order to better distribute the principal results of the study. 

Each partner in the study (ZDH, WKÖ, CONFARTIGIANATO, 

CEAJE) was in charge of diffusing the results in each 

respective country to the relevant politicians. 

CULTURE 

22 

b) The Awards Ceremony on 20th September of the "First 

European Prize for Artistic Crafts and Contemporary Design" 

in Vienna during the Austrian Presidency in the presence of 

several personalities, among others Dr. Farnleitner, Austrian 

Minister of Economics. 

Results 

In the category of 35 years + : 

1st prize: D ö rte Behn (Germ a n y ) , 

2nd prize: Michael Rowe (United Kingdom), 

3rd prize: Paula Bartron (Sweden). 

In the category of less than 35 years : 

1st prize: David Huycke (Belgium), 

2nd prize: Ulrika Swärd (Sweden), 

3rd prize: Anton Farthofer (Austria).


Hans Leitner (left), Chairman, Culture Committee and Liliane Volozinskis, at the European Crafts Price 

Considering the difficulties encountered during the realisation 

of the first prize, in spite of the financial support of the 

E u ropean Commission (DG XXIII), the continuity of the prize is 

not yet guaranteed. 

Following the tradition of the last two years, the Culture Com- 

23 

mittee met in Brussels in order to facilitate inviting members of 

the European Commission to follow the work of the Committee, 

and in Prague, in October 1999, in order to enhance the contacts 

to the partners in the Central and Eastern European Countries, 

future members of the European Union.

The new Amsterdam Tre a t y, Agenda 2000, especially in relation to 

the re f o rm of structural funds and the Eastern European enlarg e- 

ment, the initiatives in the field of VAT and, last, but not least, the 

realisation of EMU on 1st January 1999 have been major events f o r 

UEAPME during 1998 in the economic and fiscal policy dire c t o r a t e . 

ECONOMIC AND FISCAL POLICY 

UK Presidency Dinner (Hosted by FPB), London, April 1998. 

24 

A c t i o n s 

With the new role that will be given to the European Social 

Partners as a consequence of the ratification of the Amsterdam 

Treaty, UEAPME has continued to give high priority to safeguard


the participation of SMEs in this framework. In the context of eco- 

nomic policies, UEAPME was invited, both by the British and the 

Austrian Presidency, to participate in the ECOFIN Councils to 

express the views of SMEs concerning the broad economic evolu- 

tions on European Level. Furthermore, UEAPME participated, in 

this context, in the Conferences organised by the Presidencies on 

several aspects of SME development in the EU. 

Both during the British and the Austrian Presidencies the full 

preparations for an overall agreement on AGENDA 2000 were 

undertaken. On the one hand, the AGENDA 2000 reforms will 

improve the effectiveness of the Structural and Cohesion funds in 

achieving the goal of economic and social cohesion enshrined in 

the Treaty. On the other hand, greater concentration of structural 

fund assistance will be achieved by means of a substantial 

reduction in the number of objectives to three. 

In the framework of the preparation of these major reforms, and 

of their future implementation within the Member States, the 

regions, and in the framework of the preparation of the guide- 

lines on the structural funds, and their coordination with the 

25 

cohesion fund, UEAPME published a clear position paper on the 

impact of these reforms on SMEs. We organised, in cooperation 

with the European Commission, a Conference in Vienna on "SMEs 

in European Regional Policies" on 4th December 1998. 

F u rt h e rm o re, UEAPME participated as a social partner in the 

consultations organised by the European Commission, the 

E u ropean Parliament and the ECOSOC. In this context, UEAPME 

was accepted into the Advisory Committee on Rural Development. 

The reduced VAT rate for labour-intensive services remained a 

demand of UEAPME in the framework of the concrete initiatives 

to be taken on European level in the framework of European 

employment policies. UEAPME received strong support from the 

E u ropean Parliament on this issue and introduced it on 

several occasions to the ECOFIN Council. In the framework of its 

action, UEAPME actualised in 1998 its position, published in 

1997. Concrete progress was made, and the Vienna Summit 

decided that a reduced VAT rate for labour-intensive services 

should be introduced. As a follow-up to this decision, the 

European Commission will come forward with a concrete propos- 

al at the beginning of 1999.

p r o j e c t a c t i v i t i e s 

Director: Alexander Krause (until June 1998) 

Secretariat: Birte Henkelmann (since July 1998) 

HISTORY 

The creation of a European Academy for craft, trades and small 

and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) had been the subject of 

numerous discussions during the 1980s and 1990s between, on 

the one hand, the competent authorities of the European Union 

and, on the other hand, the associations of craft, trades and SMEs 

on national and European level. 

The idea to create an Academy for enterprise culture in Europe 

was finally expressed on the occasion of the First European 

Conference of craft, trades and small business, which took place 

in Avignon, in October 1990. At the second conference, in Berlin, 

in 1994, this idea was again picked up. The Avignon Academy is 

named after the place where the first conference was held. 

The representative organisations of craft, trades and SMEs at 

European level, to which the two Conferences appealed to create 

such an Academy, finally combined their efforts to accomplish 

this task. These organisations are the primary partners of 

European policy-makers for the realisation of an enterprise 

policy for SMEs and craft-trades. 

These founding member organisations are UEAPME, being the 

European representative organisation for SMEs and craft trades, 

and EUROPMI. They were joined by NORMAPME, the European 

AVIGNON ACADEMY 

27 

organisation defending the interests of SMEs in the process of 

European standardisation. The formal procedure of creating the 

Academy was completed in October 1997, and on 1st January 

1998 the Avignon Academy officially started its activities. 

GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS 

The founding fathers took hold of the considerations which 

accompanied the steps towards the creation of the Academy. 

• For European culture, society and identity, as well as for the 

European labour market and vocational training, craft, trades 

and SMEs play a major role due to their entrepreneurial spirit. 

• They play an enormous role in the creation of social stability, 

modern and humane working conditions, and help to balance 

regional and local life. 

• Finally craft trades and SMEs have an important role for the 

development of new technologies. 

• These considerations are a function of the variety of definitions of 

craft trades and SMEs in the Member States of the European Union. 

MISSION 

The Academy’s mission lies in its service for European craft-trades 

and SMEs: it constitutes a support for the accomplishment of 

their tasks. The activities of the Academy shall also contribute to

the evaluation of the role of the entrepreneurial associations, 

especially their capacity to represent interests and to encourage 

their co-operation. 

The Avignon Academy has set the following working fields as a goal: 

• Training 

The Academy will propose initiatives for the training pro- 

grammes which, in the first place, shall be open to the mem- 

ber organisations and their enterprises. The subjects of such 

training programmes may concern all aspects of enterprise 

culture, especially such linked to innovation and internation- 

alisation, but also training on the functioning of the European 

Union. The training actions shall stimulate the exchange of 

experience and know-how in the field of training for 

enterprises and their co-workers, including the installation of 

training schemes. 

• Conferences and seminars 

Having the same aims in mind, the organisation of confere n c e s 

and seminars is envisaged, taking place in diff e rent Member 

States of the European Union, and accession countries. 

• Research 

Finally, the Academy shall stimulate the exchange of research 

results about enterprise culture in Europe, especially through 

the creation of a network of existing research institutes in the 

Member States. Furthermore, the Academy shall carry out its 

28 

own research about the role of SMEs and craft trades in 

Europe through co-operation with universities and research 

institutes in the different Member States. 

• Promotion of the concept 

The Academy shall also undertake initiatives for the develop- 

ment and transfer of know-how of concepts at the events of 

similar structures within and outside Europe. 

The idea is to start realising these working fields through 

activity programmes in 1999 - 2002. 

Scientific Committee/Technical Advisory Board 

Since September 1998, the Academy has set up a Technical 

Advisory Board/Scientific Committee whose objective is to assure 

high quality work in the accomplishment of the Academy’s tasks. 

Therefore, 16 candidates have been nominated from UEAPME’s 

member organisations. Not more than 12 of them will be 

officially confirmed in their function at the next General Assembly 

of the Academy in the second quarter of 1999. A first meeting 

between the candidates was held on 3rd December 1998 in 

Vienna. The main issue of discussion was to collect and exchange 

ideas for the 1999-2002 work programme and the providing of 

financial resources. It is clear for all members that the work of the 

Academy will start functioning through projects proposed by the 

European Commission. Only when some of these projects can be 

successfully realised, and the Academy has earned recognition 

and autonomy, will it be strong enough to propose projects itself 

to the European Commission, and other institutions.


Co-ordinator: Birte Henkelmann 

EURO INFORMATION CENTRE (EIC) 

For a closer contact with SMEs the European Commission, Direc- 

torate General XXIII, set up, in 1987, the Euro Info Centres which 

form, today, a network of 233 EICs in the 15 Member States and 20 

Correspondence EICs in the countries which maintain a close link to 

the European Union (CEECs, Mediterranean Countries, Switzerland). 

Measuring the importance of a direct contact to the enterprises on 

local and regional level, UEAPME decided to become a member. 

AUSTRIA 0800.20.12.50 

BELGIUM 00 800 0800.11.22 

DENMARK http://www.eurocenter.schultz.dk 00 800 0800.11.22 

GERMANY http://www.eic.de 00 800 0800.11.22 

GREECE 00800.32.12.630 

FRANCE 00 800 0800.11.22 

IRELAND http://www.eic.ie 1800.55.32.62 

ITALY 167.78.06.74 

LUXEMBOURG 0800.32.77 

ACTIVITIES 

29 

Working at European level, UEAPME does not have the same tasks 

as the EICs of its national member organisations, which fulfil, 

mostly, the function of full EICs. Nevertheless, since the beginning 

of 1999, UEAPME has the status of associate membership. 

A list of some National EIC Websites can be found below. Businesses 

can contact these addresses by telephone to find out the EIC 

situated closest to its office. 

LIST OF NATIONAL EIC WEBSITES 

THE NETHERLANDS http://www.euroinfo.nl 00 800 0800.11.22 

FINLAND http://www.eicfinland.com 0800.11.32.41 

PORTUGAL 0505.32.96.30 

SPAIN 900.98.32.98 

SWEDEN http://www.euroinfo.se 020.93.10.10 

UNITED KINGDOM http://euro-info.org.uk 0800.78.36.553 

ICELAND 00 800 0800.11.22 

NORWAY http://www.euroinfo.ntc.no 00 800 0800.11.22

Co-ordinator: Oliver Loebel 

EUROPEAN SECTORAL ORGANISATIONS 

In 1998, several new European sectoral associations decided to 

join UEAPME as associate members. 

ACTIVITIES 

• On the basis of individual service contracts, UEAPME is running 

the secretariats of two European sectoral associations. Activities 

involve the preparation of meetings, research and distribution 

of information, conducting surveys, keeping in contact with the 

European institutions, and so on. 

• UEAPME pre p a red several meetings for European sectoral asso- 

ciations in Brussels, identified contacts in the Euro p e a n 

institutions, contributed to position papers and participated in 

c o n f e rences and meetings organised by the sectoral associations. 

30 

• Specific information identified by UEAPME was passed on to 

the associations concerned. Of particular importance were the 

documents regarding DG III’s Industry activities as to the com- 

petitiveness of the construction sector. 

• In February 1998, UEAPME submitted a proposal to DG XXIII 

aiming at establishing comparative statistics on the situation of 

small enterprises in 4 economic sectors. 

It is envisaged that many more activities will be undertaken in 

1999 specifically targeted towards the needs of the sectoral 

organisations. This will be made easier by the current trend of 

more rapid adhesion of these associations to UEAPME in order to 

benefit, it is presumed, from the "voice" of a strong cross-sectoral 

organisation.


"Génie Climatique Internationale Presidents meeting, 1998" 

31

The Euro-SME-Advisor project was introduced by UEAPME- 

JEUNE-FEM in September 1997 and agreed by the Euro p e a n 

Commission on 19 December 1997. 

The project was successfully executed during the first half of 

1998 and, as SMEs, Crafts and Trades will play a decisive ro l e , 

it can be considered as an important step forw a rd in the practi- 

cal implementation of the single curre n c y. The project also 

responded to the conclusions of the European Round Table on 

the Euro held in Brussels in May 1998. 

The project consisted mainly of a transnational ‘train-the-train- 

ers’ programme for SME intermediaries from the diff e rent EU 

Member States. In order to guarantee in all training sessions 

that a certain quality level was obtained, special training 

material was developed and experts, from both the Euro p e a n 

Commission and the Member States, in diff e rent fields of 

activity which have important consequences for SMEs, were 

selected as trainers. In this context, co-operation with IBM was 

realised to cover the important IT consequences in the change- 

over process and, additionally, to cover the impact of the Ye a r 

2000 problem on SMEs. 

EURO-SME-ADVISOR 

32 

The diff e rent member organisations from UEAPME, FEM and 

JEUNE responded on a large scale through their participation 

in the project. In total, 93 participants were trained in the 

training programme, coming from SME member org a n i s a t i o n s , 

young entre p reneurs associations, female entre p reneurs 

associations and training centres collaborating with member 

o rganisations in the diff e rent Member States. 

It is clear that the Euro-SME-Advisor action has had significant 

added value to various initiatives taken in the diff e rent Member 

States towards SMEs, Crafts/Trades. Nevertheless, it has been 

c o n s i d e red necessary by almost all participants to continue to 

b roaden this transnational initiative further in order to create a 

real impact in the diff e rent organisations to enable them to 

adapt their services to the change-over to the single curre n c y. 

The fact that the project created a transnational SME network 

on the implementation of the euro was considered to be of cru- 

cial importance in order to strengthen the links between the dif- 

f e rent SME organisations and SME stru c t u res in the diff e re n t 

Member States re g a rding the issue of the implementation of the 

single curre n c y, which is a common key concern for all of them.


SAFE PROJECT: "HEALTH AND SAFETY IN THE WORKPLACE" 

This project, managed by UEAPME and co-financed by the Euro p e a n 

Commission (DGV) aims to organise, together with our member 

o rganisations in the diff e rent Member States of the European Union, 

a total of 35 "open days" in small entreprises which demonstrate best 

This initiative, which was commenced in 1996 in the framework 

of the European Leonardo da Vinci Programme, crosses the 

boundaries between culture and vocational training. The work of 

registration and evaluation of data on the structures of training 

This new project, which was started at the end of 1998 and sup- 

p o rted by the European Commission (DGV), aims to establish the 

conditions for “rapprochement” and “partenariat” between 

33 

practice actions in applicable European Directives concerning health 

and safety at work. This initiative allowed for 23 actions to take 

place in 9 countries of the EU in 1998, and will continue in the 

first halt of 1999 in order to encompass the foreseen 35 actions. 

EUROPEAN DIRECTORY OF TRAINING ESTABLISHMENTS 

FOR CRAFTMANSHIP AND HERITAGE 

is done for all of the countries of the EU. The next step is to get 

the data published in a paper version, and, later on, in an elec- 

tronic version (data base on the Internet). 

RESEARCH-ACTION "CULTURE-EMPLOYMENT, 

CRAFT-TRADES-SME’S AND THE THIRD SYSTEM" 

craft, trades and SMEs and the organisations of the 3rd sector 

(social economy) in the cultural fields of restoration and the 

a rtistic crafts/trades.

s e m i n a r s a n d c o n f e r e n c e s 

The Berlin European Council reached, in March 1999, an 

overall agreement on AGENDA 2000. On the one hand, the 

AGENDA 2000 re f o rms will improve the effectiveness of the 

Structural and Cohesion funds in achieving the goal of economic 

and social cohesion enshrined in the Tre a t y. On the other hand, 

g reater concentration of structural fund assistance will be 

achieved by means of a substantial reduction in the number of 

objectives to three. 

In the framework of the preparation of these very import a n t 

re f o rms and of their future implementation within the member 

states, the regions, and in the framework of the preparation of 

the guidelines on the structural funds and their coord i n a t i o n 

with the cohesion fund, UEAPME organised, in co-operation with 

the European Commission, a Conference in Vienna on "SMEs in 

E u ropean Regional Policies" on 4th December 1998. 

As SMEs will be the basis for the creation or expansion of com- 

petitive and innovative entreprises, and form the pre - c o n d i t i o n 

for creating sustainable jobs and for regional economic devel- 

opment, the Conference was organised at the ideal moment in 

time to guarantee a greater partnership with the re p re s e n t a t i v e 

social and economic partners in charge of SMEs. The Confere n c e 

also aimed at evaluating the impact of European regional poli- 

cies on SME development and to examine ways to improve their 

impact. 

STRUCTURAL FUNDS SEMINAR 

35 

In order to attain these goals, UEAPME called upon experts fro m 

the European Commission, the academic world and the SME 

o rganisations throughout the EU to act as key-note speakers in 

the Conference. As the Conference was organised during the 

Austrian Pre s i d e n c y, and just before the Vienna Summit, Vi e n n a 

was chosen as the most appropriate location. 

FIRST RESULTS 

• The fact that a Conference was organised at EU level on the 

impact of regional policies on SMEs with the participation of the 

economic and social partners re p resenting SMEs thro u g h o u t 

the EU, and in the accession countries, will improve, to a 

l a rge extent, the implementation of a broad partnership with 

these social and economic part n e r s . 

• The Conference also gave a broad view on the impact of Euro p e a n 

regional policies on SME development and the diff e rent fields 

w h e re these policies are appro p r i a t e . 

• The Conference was also an excellent occasion to discuss the 

re f o rms proposed in AGENDA 2000, their impact on SME devel- 

opment, and, in general, on regional economic development. 

• The initiative also gave the opportunity to identify to the most 

a p p ro p r i a t e instruments and initiatives to be taken within 

the framework of regional policies for successful SME 

development.

C O M M I T T E E S & S T R U C T U R E S 

P r e s i d e n t : 

Andrea Bonetti, 

Presidente Unione Nazionale 

dell’Artigianato 

Via Milano 18, I- 25126 Brescia 

V i c e - P re s i d e n t s : 

Mario Secca, 

Vice-Président Associação Portuguesa, 

Praça das Industrias, P - 1399 Lisboa codex 

Dieter Philipp, 

Präsident ZDH, 

Postfach 11 04 72, D - 10834 Berlin 

Kris Peeters, 

Président CNB-PME, 

Rue de Spa 8, B - 1000 Bruxelles 

Franz Bamberger, 

Bundesinnungsmeister, 

Wiener Neustädterstr. 137-139, 

A - 2514 Traiskirchen 

Pascal Kneuss, 

Président de la Chambre de Métiers 

des Vosges, 

Rue Boulay de la Meurthe 24, BP 1, 

F - 88001 Epinal Cedex 

Bruno Menini, 

Vice-Président de la Cna 

Via G.A. Guattani 13, I - 001610 Roma 

T r e a s u r e r : 

Jean-Pierre Martin, 

S e c r é t a i re Confédéral Adjoint de la CAPEB 

L’Usine, Quartier Notre Dame des Anges, 

F- 84120 Pertuis 

ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCIL & PRESIDENCY 

( D a t e : 0 7 / 0 7 / 1 9 9 9 ) 

A u d i t o r s : 

Stan Mendham, OBE, 

Chief Executive FPB, 

Ruskin Chambers, Drury Lane, Knutsford 

Cheshire WA16 6HA, United Kingdom 

Marcel Sauber, 

Fédération des Artisans, 

Circuit de la Foire Internationale 2 

L-1016 Luxembourg 

S e c r e t a r y G e n e r a l : 

(Ex officio) 

Hans-Werner Müller, 

4, Rue Jacques de Lalaing, 

B- 1040 Bruxelles 

F u l l M e m b e r s : 

Lucien Rebuffel, 

Président de la CGPME, 

10, Terasse Bellini, 

F- 92806 Puteaux-Cédex 

Jean-Yves Rossi, 

Directeur Général de l’APCM 

12, Avenue Marceau, F- 75008 Paris 

Jean Delmas, 

Président de l’UPA 

79, Avenue de Villiers, F- 75017 Paris 

Georges Kanellopoulos, 

Président CGPMEAC, 

24, Rue Kapodistriou, GR- 10682 

Athènes 

Poul Ulsøe, 

President Håndværksrådet, 

Amaliegade 31, DK- 1256 Kobenhavn K 

Mario Minoja, 

Confapi, Via della Colonna Antonina 52, 

I- 00186 Roma 

37 

Francesco Giacomin, 

Segretario Generale Confartigianato, 

Via S. Giovanni in Laterano 152, 

I- 00184 Roma 

Guus Broos, 

Managing Director MKB - Nederland, 

Brassersplein 1, NL- 2600 GB Delft 

Paul Reckinger, 

Président de la Chambre des Métiers 

du Grand Duché de Luxembourg, 

Président Génie Climatique International 

2, Circuit de la Foire Internationale, 

L- 1016 Luxembourg 

Norbert Geisen, 

Président de la Fédération des Artisans, 

2, Circuit de la Foire Internationale, 

L- 1016 Luxembourg 

Elias Aparicio Bravo, 

Secrétaire Général CEPYME, 

Diego de Léon 50, 8°, E- 28006 Madrid 

Alexandra Toregão, 

Technique de Relations Extérieures et 

Coopération AIP Praça das Indústrias, 

P- 1304 Lisboa Codex 

Hanns-Eberhard Schleyer, 

Generalsekretär ZDH 

Postfach 11 04 72, D- 10834 Berlin 

Rolf Kurz, 

Präsident BDS/DGV e.V., 

Platz vor dem Neuen Tor 4, 

D- 10115 Berlin 

Risto Suominen, 

Managing Director Federation 

of Finnish Enterprises 

Kaisaniemenkatu 13 A, 

SF- 00100 Helsinki 

Åke Fagelberg, 

Secretry General Företagarnas 

Riksorganisation 

Sergelgatan 1, S - 10667 Stockholm

Stan Mendham, OBE, 

Chief Executive FPB, 

Ruskin Chambers, Dru ry Lane, Knutsford , 

Cheshire WA16 6HA, United Kingdom 

Shay Fitzmaurice 

Chairman ISME 

32 Kildare Street, IRL- Dublin 2 

Pat Delaney, 

Director SFA 

84/86 Lower Baggot St., IRL- Dublin 2 

Dr. Hans Leitner, 

Syndicus der Sektion Gewerbe 

und Handwerk der WKÖ 

Wiedner Hauptstrasse 63, A- 1045 Wien 

M e r g e r G r o u p 

Augusti Contijoch 

Representant PIMEC-SEFES 

Viladomat 174, E – 08015 Barcelona 

Associate Members/ 

Non EU-Countries 

Bashkim Sala 

President CONFINCOM 

Str. "Reshit Çollaku", Pallatet Shallvare 

Sh. 6, Ap. 76, Tirana - Albanien 

Stjepan Afran 

Präsident Handwerkskammer Kroatien 

Ilica 49/III, HR - 10000 Zagreb 

György Szücs, 

Präsident IPOSZ, 

Kálmán I. u. 20, H- 1054 Budapest 

Boguslaw Wójcik, 

Präsident ZRP, 

Ul. Miodawa, Pl- 00-950 Warschau 

Prof. Ovidiu Nicolescu 

Président de CNIPMMR 

str. Lipscani nr. 18-20, et. 2, sector 3, 

R - 70022 Bucuresti 

Vassilis G. Rologis 

C y p rus Chamber of Commerce and Industry 

38 Drivas Digenis Ave. & 3 Deligiorgis Str. 

P.O. Box 1455, Nicosia - CYPRUS 

Giorgio Battistini, 

Vice-Presidente UNAS 

Piazziale Giangi, 2, Città Rep. San 

Marino 

Miha Grah, 

Präsident OBRTNA ZBORNICA SLOVENIJE, 

Celovska 71, SLO- 61000 Ljubljana 

Devis Günday, 

Präsident TESK, 

Tunus Caddesi No.4, Bakanliklar, 

TR- 06680 Ankara 

Anton Buben, 

Präsident Slovensky Zivnostensky Zväz (SZZ) 

Nevädzova 5, SK - 821 01 Bratislava 

Jirí Paducha, 

Executive Secretary ASMEC 

Jandova 3, CZ - 190 00 Prague 9 

Indrek Stahl, 

EVEA, Pronski 3, EE0001 Tallin 

Jonas Viesulas, 

LVDK, 9, Jaksto Str. 2600 Vilnius 

E u ropean sectoral 

o rg a n i s a t i o n s 

Patrizia Di Mauro 

Secretary General EBC 

Rue Montoyer 6, 

B - 1000 Bruxelles 

38 

Nadine Van Gestel 

Secretary General CINET 

Brusselsesteenweg 478, B- 1731 Zellik 

Peter Poulsen 

Secretary General EFAA 

Rue Newton 1, B- 1000 Brussels 

H.J. Keijer, 

Secretary General EMU, 

Postbus 2600, NL- 3430 Nieuwegein 

Bertold Steinebach, 

Generalsekretär ESCHFÖ 

Westerwaldstr.6, D- 53757 St. Augustin 

Laurent Marlière, 

Secrétaire Général Eurojuris 

International 

Rue Montoyer 47, B - 1000 Bruxelles 

Johannes Bungart, 

Generalsekretär FIDEN 

Dottendorfer Str.86, D- 53129 Bonn 

Elsa Forte 

President CEPEC 

5 t e r, Avenue Kennedy, F- 17044 La Rochelle 

Klaus Jobke 

Generalsekretär IFD 

Fritz-Reuter-Str. 1, D- 50968 Köln 

Gérard Broeders, 

Président CEETB 

Broeders Techn. Installaties B.V. 

Torenstraat 12, BP. 26, NL- 5260 AA Vught 

Hans-Karl Sternberg 

Generalsekretär European Caravan Federation 

c/o Verband Deutscher Wohnwagen- und 

Wohnmobil-Hersteller e.V. 

Am Holzweg 26, D-65830 Kriftel bei 

Frankfurt 

Franz Knispel 

President EFFS, Ungargasse 41, 

A – 1030 Wien

E u ropean craft-trades in 

the health-care sector 

Dr. Gerhard Hippman, 

Präsident FEPPD 

Volksgartenstraße 2, P.O. Box 205, 

A-4021 Linz 

Dirk De Waele, 

Collaborateur IVO, Molenstraat 30, 

B- 2018 Antwerpen 

Wilfried Knoche, 

Vizepräsident INTERBOR 

Postfach 100651, D- 44006 Dortmund 

C h a i r m a n 


Walter Borms, NCMV (B) 

S e c r e t a r i a t 

Ms. Birthe Lise Landsted 

M e m b e r s 

Gérard Dumontant, CGPME (F) 

Embarek Kari, APCM (F) 

Hubert Delorme, BEAF (F) 

Other Euro p e a n 

Associated Bodies 

Mino Ballerini, 

Presidente JEUNE 

Viale Aldo Moro 22, I – 40127 Bologna 

Erika Seige, 

Präsidentin FEM 

Breitlestr. 26, D - 88662 Überlingen 

S M E - S u p p o rting Finance 

Related institutions 

Tito Musso, 

Direttore Generale Artigiancassa, 

Via Crescenzo dal Monte, 25, 

I- 00100 Roma 

EXTERNAL RELATIONS COMMITTEE 

Dr. Neumann, ZDH (D) 

Mr. Berghmans, CNC (B) 

Mr. Colin, UCM (B) 

Mr. Gross, 

Chambre des Métiers de Luxembourg 

Dr. Andrea Benassi, 

Confartigianato (I) 

Stan Mendham, OBE, FPB (UK) 

Garry Parker, FPB (UK) 

Mr. Santiago, CEPYME (ES) 

M r. Kanellopoulos, CGPMEAC (GR) 

John Aagaard , Håndværksrådet (DK) 

39 

Wolfgang Fischer, 

Vertriebsdirektor ABOV, 

Neue Rabenstr. 15-19, D- 20351 Hamburg 

Drs. R.M. Roeder 

ING Bank 

P.O. Box 1800 (HM 0104), 

NL- 1000 BV Amsterdam 

Alastair Woodward 

Barclays Bank Plc, European Loans Unit 

155 Bishopsgate 

London EC2M 3XA, United Kingdom 

René Bouteiller, 

Directeur Relations Extérieures, 

Chambre Syndicale des Banques 

Populaires, 

Le Ponant de Paris, 5, rue Leblanc, 

F- 75511 Paris Cedex 15 

Jens Kvorn i n g ,Håndværksrådet (DK) 

Mrs. Maria Joao Rocha de Matos, 

AIP (P) 

Stefan Pistauer, WKÖ (A) 

Edgar Neumeier, BDS/DGV (D) 

Eero Lehti, 

Federation of Finnish Enterprises (SF) 

Brendan Butler, SFA (IRL) 

Pierre Burban, UPA (F) 

Mr. Gargiulo, CONFAPI (I) 

Norbert Pruzanoski, ZRP (PL) 

Mr. Botifoll, JEUNE


J e a n - P i e re Courseille, APCM (F) 

Massimiliano Minisci, C O N FAPI (I), 

(from 1999) 


Jan te Bos (to September 1998) 

M e m b e r s 

Gérard Dumontant, CGPME (F) 


James Redman, FPB (UK) 


Gérard Rouchy, UPA (F) 

André Hurtaud, UPA (from 1999) 


Ms. Liliane Volozinskis 

M e m b e r s 

Mrs. Christa Schweng, WKÖ (A) 

Mr. Rotheiser, WKÖ (A) 

Bene Van Popta, MKB-Nederland (NL) 



Mr. Veysset, CGPME (F) 

Mr. Tissié, CGPME (F) 

RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE 

Mrs. H. Masschelein, NCMV (B) 


Mrs. Dumont, CNC (B) 

Mr. Theisen, 



Mrs. Hanne V. Moltke, 

Håndværksrådet (DK) 


Mrs. Berne, APCM (F) 

J o e rg Knoblauch, BDS/DGV (D) 

Mr. Scheuren, FdA (LUX) 


SOCIAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE 

Erik Van Laer, NCMV (B) 

Bruno Gobbi, Confartigianato (I) 

M r. Aparicio Bravo, CEPYME (ES) 

Mr. Castillo Puerta, CEPYME (ES) 

Mr. Schmalz, ZDH (D) 

Mr. Theelen, ZDH (D) 


Mr. Ensch, 


M. Kanellopoulos, CGPMEAC (GR) 

Marcel Sauber, FdA (LUX) 

Mr. Schmit, FdA (LUX) 

Peter Vesterdorf, 



Mr. Occhipinti, CONFAPI (I) 

40 

Dr. Neumann, ZDH (D) 

M r. Ravesloot, MKB-Nederland (NL) 

Wolfgang Damianisch, WKÖ (A) 

Mr. Stefano Acerbi / 

Mr. Gennarino Sabbaa, 


Mr. Alessandro Liberatori, 


Mr. De Waele, IVO 

Mr. Steinebach, ESCHFÖ 

Laurent Marlière, Eurojuris 

M r. Jens Karlsson, F ö re t a g a rna (S) 

Mr. Lanove, CNC (B) 

Mrs. Va n d e r b ru g g e n ,CNC (B) 


Gabor Solti, IPOSZ (H) 

Mrs. Maria Németh, IPOSZ (H) 


R. A. Johannes Bungart , F I D E N 

Mrs. Patrizia Di Mauro, EBC 

Mr. Kreizberg, IFD 

Mr. Peters, IFD 

Mr. Loizides, CCCI 

Mr. Michael, CCCI 

Ms. Louise Wadman, 

Barclays Bank plc


Colin Lustenhouwer, 

MKB-Nederland (NL) 


Ms. Elena Vilar 

M e m b e r s 


Dr. Giorgio Russomanno, 



Guido Lena 

M e m b e r s 


Peter Vesterdorf, 


Mr. Blok, MKB-Nederland (NL) 

Nicholas Goulding, FPB (UK) 

Mr. Delaney, SFA (IRL) 

Mrs. Marie Lav, Företagarna (S) 

R. A. Holger Schwannecke, ZDH (D) 

Mr. Walter, ZDH (D) 

Mr. Juste, CGPME (F) 


Ing. Han H. De Groot, 


Mr. Arie de Graaf, 


LEGAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE 

Anton Bauch, ZDH (D) 

Mr. W. Dörr, BDS/DGV (D) 

Mag. Huberta Maitz-Strassnig, 

WKÖ (A) 

M r. Aparicio-Bravo, CEPYME (ES) 

Mrs. Nathalie Swaelens, NCMV (B) 

Olivier Moniquet, UCM (B) 

Mr. de Muelenaere, CNC (B) 

Mr. Sarton, CGPME (F) 

Mr. Ensch, 



M r. Lesclous/Embarek Kari, 

APCM (F) 


ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE 

Kris de Meester, NCMV (B) 


Mr. Scheuren, FdA (LUX) 

Mr. Theisen, 



M r. Nicolaisen, Håndværksrådet (DK) 


Mr. Lo Cascio, APCM (F) 


Jan Dannenbring, ZDH (D) 

J o e rg Knoblauch, BDS/DGV (D) 



Mr. S. Hödl, WKÖ (A) 

41 


Giuseppe Del Vecchio, 


Carlo Peroni, Confartigianato (I) 

Dr. R. Lena, 

Bergamo Association, Confartigianato (I) 

Claudio Giovine, CONFAPI (I) 

Ahmet Yorgançi, TESK (TR) 



Laurent Marlière, EUROJURIS 

Mr. T. Schmitz, IFD 

Alastair Woodward 

Barclays Bank (UK) 

Mrs. Jessernigg, WKÖ (A) 

Mr. Regis, CONFAPI (I) 

Mrs. Sofia Linder, F ö re t a g a rna (S) 

Colin Lustenhouwer, 


Risto Suominen, 

Federation of Finnish Enterprises (SF) 



Mr. N. Vansanten, FEPPD 

Mrs. Silvie Cadoret-Danigo / 

Mrs. Logez, CAPEB (F) 

Mrs. Van Gestel, CINET 


Mr. Jobke, IFD


Dieter Philipp, ZDH (D) 


Ms. Laura Berneri 

M e m b e r s 

Mr. K. Spelberg, ZDH (D) 

Mr. C. Hoogendijk, 


René Doche, APCM (F) 


Mr. Tissié, CGPME (F) 

Mr. Carillo, CGPME (F) 

Mr. Vanderbruggen, CNC (B) 

Jan Sap, NCMV (B) 


Dr. Hans Leitner, WKÖ (A) 


Ms. Liliane Volozinskis 

M e m b e r s 

Ing. Rainer Rottke, WKÖ (A) 

Franz Bamberger, WKÖ (A) 

Mr. La Schiazza, 


Dr. Wolfgang Glaser, ZDH (D) 

Mr. Boulogne, NCMV (B) 

VOCATIONAL TRAINING COMMITTEE 

Jacques Wilkin, UCM (B) 

Ted Mathgen, 


S a l v a t o re Fort u n a , C o n f a rtigianato (I) 

Bruno Gobbi, Confartigianato (I) 




Mr. P. Koehnen, FdA (LUX) 

Mrs. N. Rodrigues, AIP (P) 

Mrs. Maria Laina, CGPMEAC (GR) 

P rof. Peter Herbert Brintzinger, 

BDS/DGV (D) 

Mrs. Egidy, WKÖ (A) 

Pat Delaney, SFA (IRL) 



CULTURE COMMITTEE 

Dipl. Ing. D. Horchler, 

ZDH/HWK-Hamburg (D) 

Antonello Pezzini, 


Andrea Zampetti, 


Riccardo Lorenzini, 


Mr. Proszynski, ZRP (PL) 


Pat Delaney, SFA (IRL) 



Paul Gilles, APCM (F) 

G é r a rd Dumontant, CGPME (F) 


42 

Mr. Hagman, Företagarna (S) 

Mrs. Anna Sjøberg, 


Mrs. Christina Lundh, F ö re t a g a rna (S) 

Mr. Proszynski, ZRP (PL) 

Mrs. Janja Meglic, OZS (SLO) 


Mr. van Rolleghem, INTERBOR 

Mr. Huertas Pasquier, JEUNE 

Mr. Eugène Muller 



Mrs. Chantalat, CNAMS 

Mrs. Lamoureux, CEPEC 

Mr. Proesmans, EMU 

Mrs. Raili Meyer, SYKE 



M r. Berghmans / Mr. Malice, 

CNC (B) 


Mr. Santiago, CEPYME 

Jim Gorie, FPB (UK) 

Vitomir Pap, HOK (Croatia) 

Ing. Jiri Paducha, ASMEC (CZ) 

Ali Pasa Aksu, TESK (TR) 

Miha Grah, OZS (SLO) 

Anton Buben, SZZ (SK) 

Mme. Françoise Sabatier, S E M A 

Davide Stefanelli, UNAS 

Detlef Stauch, IFD



H a n n s - E b e rh a rd Schleyer, ZDH (D) 


Walter Borms 

M e m b e r s 

Dr. Rudolf Ridinger, ZDH (D) 

Mr. F. Weinert, ZDH (D) 

Mr. Panchout, APCM (F) 

Mr. Pignet, APCM (F) 

Mrs. Rouganne, APCM (F) 


Mr. Sarton, CGPME (F) 

Kris Peeters, NCMV (B) 


Mr. de Muelenaere, CNC (B) 

Michel Brachmond, 

C h a m b re des Métiers de Luxembourg 

Henrik Friis, 


Mario Giuliano, C o n f a rtigianato (I) 

Dr. Gianaugusto Salvati, 


Dr. Roberto Giannoli, 




Mr. Schmit, FdA (LUX) 

Mrs. Bayon, CEPYME (ES) 

Gerd Passmann, BDS/DGV (D) 

Dr. Andreas Henkel, WKÖ (A) 

Gerhard Huemer, WKÖ (A) 



Claudio Giovine, CONFAPI (I) 

ECONOMIC & FISCAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE 

Mrs. Frontini, CONFAPI (I) 

Hans Peter Larsson, F ö re t a g a rna (S) 

Mr. J. Warmerdam, 


Mrs. Nastarowicz, ZRP (PL) 

Mustafa Bektas, TESK (TR) 



SME Finance and 

relations with Banks 

Working Gro u p 

M r. Goulding, ( c o - o rdinator) FPB (UK) 

Mr. Ravesloot, MKB-Nederland (NL) 

Mr. Vaccari, 

Fedart Fidi/Confartigianato (I) 

Mr. Langerock, NCMV (B) 

Mrs. Seige, FEM 

Mr. Kühnelt, WKÖ (A) 

Mr. Larsson, FÖRETAGARNA (S) 

Mr. Bachmann, ZDH (D) 

Mr. Friis, Håndværksrådet (DK) 

Mr. Minisci, CONFAPI (I) 

Mr. Bouteiller, 

Chambre Syndicale des Banques Pop. (F) 

Mrs. Boulet, CGPME (F) 

Mr. Gostisa, OZS (SLO) 

Mr. Sauber, 

Fédération des Artisans (Lux) 

Mr. Koehnen, (substitute) 



Mr. Woodward, 

Barclays Bank plc (UK) 

Mr. Poulsen, EFAA 

43 

Mr. Schleyer, ZDH (D) 

Mrs. Eikenboom, NOVAA (NL) 

Mr. Giannoli, CONFARTIGIANATO (I) 

Mr. Roeder, ING BANK (NL) 

Mr. Mamusa, CONFAPI - JEUNE (I) 

Mr. Boukhari Dreci, (APCM) 

Mr. Suominen, 

Fed. of Finnish Enterprises 

Mrs. Brinkert-Fimpeler FEM 

Mr. Crosetto 

JEUNE - CONFARTIGIANATO 

Mr. Aime, JEUNE – CONFARTIGIANATO 

Mr. Parker (Secretary), UEAPME 

OBSERVERS: 

Barry Macnamara 

Bank of Ireland (IRL) 

Jan Erik Paulden 

Intrum Justitia B.V. 

World Trade Centre, Strawinskylaan 1013, 

NL-1077 XX Amsterdam 

Economic and Monetary 

Union Working Gro u p 

Dr. Andreas Henkel 

(co-ordinator), WKÖ (A) 

Benne Van Popta, 


Mr. Ravesloot, 


Roberto Giannoli, 


Michel Ceusters, NCMV (B) 

Hans-Peter Larsson, 

FÖRETAGARNA (S)

Henrik Friis, Handvaerksradet (DK) 

Béatrice Brisson, CGPME (F) 

Confédération Générale des Petites et 

Moyennes Entreprises 

Nicholas Goulding, FPB (GB) 

Forum of Private Business 

Michel Brachmond, 

Chambre des Métiers du Grand Duché de 

Luxembourg (Lux) 

Rudolf Ridinger, ZDH (D) 

Zentralverband des Deutschen Handwerks 

Peter Poulsen, EFAA 

European Federation of Accountants and 

Auditors for SME 

Hubert Delorme, 

APCM (F) Assemblée Permanente des 

Chambres de Métiers 

Patrick Carbonnel, 

Chambre Syndicale des Banques Pop.(F), 

Le Ponant de Paris 

René Chalier, 

Chambre Syndicale des Banques Pop.(F), 

Le Ponant de Paris 

Marcel Sauber, 


Mr. Koehnen (substitute), 



Peter Sörman, Företagarna (S) 


Union Professionelle de l’Artisanat 

Mrs. Russillo, CONFAPI (I) 

Mrs. Brinkert-Fimpeler, 

BAKER (D) 

Luca Crosetto, 


Riccardo Aime, 


Garry Parker (Secretary), 

UEAPME 

Taxation working gro u p 

Mr. Poulsen, (Co-ordinator), EFAA 

Mr. Salvati, Confartigianato (I) 

Mr. Eysenbrandts, NCMV (B) 

Mr. Dondelinger, 

Chambre des Métiers (Lux) 

Mrs. Seige FEM 

Mr. Pignet, APCM (F) 

Dr. Zacherl, WKÖ (A) 

Mr. Larsson, FÖRETAGARNA (S) 

Mr. Friedrich, ZDH (D) 

Mr. Nielsen, Håndværksrådet (DK) 

Mr. Goulding, FPB (GB) 

Mrs. Frontini, CONFAPI (I) 

Mr. Gostisa, OZS (SLO) 

Mr. Sauber, 


Mr. Koehnen, (substitute) 




Mr. Warmerdam, MKB 

Nederland (NL) 

Mrs. Di Mauro, EBC 

44 

S t ructural Funds and 

Regional Policies 

Working Gro u p 

D r. Ridinger ( C o - o rdinator), ZDH (D) 

Mrs. Van Boxtel, 


Mr. Gobbi, Confartigianato (I) 

Mr. Langerock, NCMV (B) 

Mag Rauner, WKÖ (A) 

Mr. Westhed, FÖRETAGARNA (S) 

M r. Ve s t e rd o rf, Håndværksrådet (DK) 

Mrs. Russillo, CONFAPI (I) 

Mrs. Di Mauro, EBC 

Mr. Tissie', CGPME (F) 

Mr. Goulding, FPB (GB) 

Mr. Sauber, 


Mr. Koehner (suppléant), 



Mr. Botifoll, CEAJE (JEUNE) 

Mr. Woodward, Barclays Bank 

Mr. H. Delorme, BEAF 

Mr. N. Vansanten, 

FEPPD 

Mr. A. Mamusa, CONFAPI - JEUNE 

Mrs. A.B. Pereira Da Silva, 

APME (FEM) 

Mr. Crosetto, 


Mr. Aime, 


Mr. Pezzini, 

Bergamo Association Confartigianato

A u s t r i a : 


Wirtschaftskammer Östereich (WKÖ) 

President: Ing. Leopold MADERTHANER 

Secretary General: Mr. G. STUMMVOLL 

Syndicus Dr. LEITNER 

Wiedner Hauptstr. 63, Postfach 350, 

A-1045 Wien 

Tel:+43.1.50.105.0, Fax:+43.1.50.20.62.75 

B e l g i u m : 

Comité National Belge des Petites et 

Moyennes Entreprises (CNBPME) 

President: Kris PEETERS 

Secretary General: Walter BORMS 

Rue de Spa 8, B-1000 Bruxelles 

Tel:+32.2.238.05.31, Fax:+32.2.238.07.94 

D e n m a r k : 

Håndværksrådet 

President: Poul ULSØE 

Director: Lars Jørgen NIELSEN 

Head of European Affairs: Peter Vesterdorf 

Amaliegade 31, DK-1256 København K 

Tel:+45.33.93.20.00, Fax:+45.33.32.01.74 

F i n l a n d : 

SY - The Federation of Finnish Enterprises 

President: Risto HEIKKILÄ 

Managing Director: Risto SUOMINEN 

Jussi JÄRVENTAUS 

Kaisaniemenkatu 13 A, P.O. Box 999, 

SF-00101 Helsinki 

Tel:+358.9.22.92.21, Fax: +358.9.229.229.80 

UEAPME MEMBER ORGANISATIONS : 

( A s o f 7 t h J u l y 1 9 9 9 ) 

F r a n c e : 

Assemblée Permanente des Chambres de 

Métiers (APCM) 

President: Pierre SEASSARI 

Secretary General: Jean-Yves ROSSI 

12 Av. Marceau, F-75008 Paris 

Tel:+33.1.44.43.10.00, Fax:+33.1.47.20.34.48, 

E-mail: jce@club-internet.fr 

Union Professionnelle de l’Artisanat (UPA) 

President: Jean DELMAS 

Secretary General: Pierre BURBAN 

79 Av.de Villiers, F-75017 Paris 

Tel:+33.1.47.63.31.31, 

Fax:+33.1.47.63.31.10 


Moyennes Entreprises (CGPME) 

President: Lucien REBUFFEL 

Secretary General: Dominique BARBEY 

10. Terrasse Bellini, F-92806 Puteaux-Cédex 

Tel:+33.1.47.62.73.73, 

Fax:+33.1.47.73.08.86 

G e r m a n y : 

Zentralverband des Deutschen Handwerks 

and Bundesvereinigung der Fachverbände 

des Deutschen Handwerks ZDH und BFH 

President: Dieter PHILIPP 

S e c re t a ry General: Hanns-Eberh a rd SCHLEYER 

Postfach 11 04 72, D-10834 Berlin 

Tel:+49.228.54.51, Fax:+49.228.54.52.05 

Bundesverband der Selbständigen/ D e u t s c h e r 

G e w e r b e rverband e.V. BDS/DGV e.V. 

President: Rolf KURZ 

Bundesgeschäftsführer: Marc-Wilhelm KOHFINK 

Platz vor dem Neuen Tor 4, D-10115 Berlin 

Tel:+49.30.28.04.91.0, Fax:+49.30.28.04.91.11, 

E-mail: bds-dgv@t-online.de 

45 

G r e e c e : 


Moyennes Entre p reneurs, Artisans et 

C o m m e rcants de Grèce (CGPMEAC) 

President: Georges KANELLOPOULOS 

Secretary General: Georges MOTSOS 

Rue Kapodistriou 24, GR-106 82 Athens 

Tel:+30.1.3816 600 ou 3828 590, 

F a x : + 3 0 . 1 . 3 8 2 . 0 7 . 3 5 , 

E-mail: gsevee@gsvee.ath.fort h n e t . g r 

I r e l a n d : 

Irish Small and Medium Enterprises 

Association (ISME) 

Chairman: Shay FITZMAURICE 

General Manager: Ciaran McMAHON 

32 Kildare Street, EL-Dublin 2 

Tel:+353.1.662.27.55, 

Fax:+353.1.661.21.57 

Small Firms Association (SFA) 

Chairman: Mrs. Lorraine SWEENEY 

Director: Pat DELANEY 

Confederation House 84/86 

Lower Baggot St., EL-Dublin 2 

Tel:+353.1.660.10.11, Fax:+353.1.660.17.17, 

E-mail: pat.delaney@ibec.ie 

I t a l y : 

Confederazione Generale Italiana 

dell’Artigianato (CONFARTIGIANATO) 

President: Ivano SPALANZANI 

Secretary General: Francesco GIACOMIN 

Via S. Giovanni in Laterano 152, I-00184 Roma 

Tel:+39.06.70.37.41, Fax:+39.06.70.45.21.88

Confederazione Italiana della Piccola e Media 

Industria (CONFAPI) 

President: Luciano BOLZONI 

General Director: Sandro NACCARELLI 

Via della Colonna Antonina 52, I-00186 Roma 

Tel:+39.06.699.15.30, Fax:+39.06.679.14.88 

Confederazione Nazionale dell’Artigianato e 

delle Piccole e Medie Imprese (CNA) 

President: Gonario NIEDDU 

Secretary General: Gian Carlo SANGALLI 

Via G.A. Guattani, 13, I – 00161 Roma 

Tel: +39.06.441.88.244, 

Fax: +39.06.442.49.518, 

E-mail: europa@can.it 

L u x e m b o u r g : 

Chambres des Métiers du Grand Duché de 

Luxembourg 

President: Paul RECKINGER 

Director: Paul ENSCH 

Circuit de la Foire Internationale 2, L-1016 

Luxembourg 

Tel:+352.42.67.67, Fax:+352.42.67.87, 

E-mail: promotion@chambre-des-metiers.lu 

Fédération des Artisans (FdA) 

President: Norbert GEISEN 

Secretary General: Marcel SAUBER 

Circuit de la Foire Internationale 2, L-1016 

Luxembourg 

Tel:+352.42.45.11, Fax:+352.42.45.25 

N e t h e r l a n d s 

Koninklijke Verenigin MKB-Nederland 

President: Hans de BOER 

General Director: A.W.A.M. BROOS 

Brassersplein 1, Postbus 5096, NL-2600 GB Delft 

Tel:+31.152.19.12.12, Fax:+31.152.19.14.14 

P o r t u g a l : 

Associação Industrial Portuguesa (AIP) 

President: Jorge ROCHA DE MATOS 

Vice-president: Mario SECCA 

Secretary General: Rui FEREIRA LEITE 

Praça das Industrias, P-1399 Lisboa Codex 

Tel:+351.1.360.10.00, Fax:+351.1.342.94.35 

S p a i n : 

Confederación Española de la Pequeña 

y Mediana Empresa (CEPYME) 

President: Antonio MASA GODOY 

Secretary General: Elias APARICIO BRAVO 

Diego de León 50, 8°, E-28006 Madrid 

Tel:+34.91.411.61.61, Fax:+34.91.564.52.69, 

E-mail: cepyme@cepyme.es 

S w e d e n : 

Företagarna (FR) 

President: Arne JOHANSSON 

Managing Director: Åke FAGELBERG 

F ö re t a g a rnas Riksorganisation, S-10667 

Stockholm 

Tel:+46.8.406.17.82, Fax:+46.8.406.18.82, 

E-mail: hpl@fr.se 

U n i t e d K i n g d o m 

Forum of Private Business (FPB) 

Chief Executive: Stan MENDHAM, OBE 

General Manager: Nick GOULDING 

Ruskin Chambers, Drury Lane, GB-Knutsford, 

Cheshire WA16 6HA 

Tel:+44.1565.63.44.67, Fax:+44.1565.65.00.59, 

E-mail: fpbusiness@aol.com 

46 

I t a l y 

Confederazione Autonoma Sindacati Artigiani 

(CASA) 

President: Giacomo BASSO 

General Secretary: Paolo MELFA 

Via Flaminio Ponzio, 2, I – 00153 Roma 

Tel: +39.06.5758081, Fax: +39.06.5755036 

S p a i n 

MERGER GROUP 

Petita y Mitiana Empresa de Mallorc a , 

Baleares (PIMEB) 

President:Santiago Pons QUINTANA 

General Secretary: Antonio MAS ROMAGUERA 

Avda. de Alemania, 2-3°, 

E – 07003 Palma de Mallorca 

Tel: +34.971.20.66.14, Fax: +34.971.75.72.68, 

E-mail: pimem@pimem.es 

Petita y Mitiana Empresa de Catalunya 

(PIMEC SEFES) 

President: Josep GONZALEZ 

General Secretary: Joan I.. TORREDEMER 

Viladomat, 174, E – 08015 Barcelona 

Tel: +34.93.49.64.500, Fax: +34.93.49.64.501, 

E-mail: pimec@cinet.fcr.es 

U n i t e d K i n g d o m 

Union of Independent Companies, (UIC) 

President: William G. POETON, CBE 

General Secretary: Colin GIBSON 

17 Gillingham Street, UK – SW1V1HN London 

Tel: +44.171.630.9796, Fax: +44.171.630.9520, 

(Tel/Fax +44.1798.873 478)

A l b a n i a 


CONFINCOM 

President:Bashkim SALA 

Str. "Reshit Collaku", Pallatet Shallvare SH.6 

AP76, Tirana- Albania 

Tel & Fax:+355.42.35241 

C r o a t i a : 

HRVATSKA OBRTNICKA KOMORA 

President: Stjepan AFRAN 

General Secretary: Miran SOIC 

Ilica 49/III, HR-10000 Zagreb 

Tel:+385.1.48 46 466, Fax:+385.1.48 46 610 

C y p r u s 

Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry 

Secretary General: Panayotis I. LOIZIDES 

38, Drivas Digenis Av. & 3 Deligiorgis Str., 

P.O. Box 1455, Nicosia - CYPRUS 

Tel:+357 2 66 95 00, Fax:+357 2 66 90 48, 

http://www.ccci.org.cy 

C z e c h R e p u b l i c 

Association of Small and Medium sized 

Entrepreneurs and Crafts of Czech Republic, 

(ASMEC) 

Executive Secretary: Jiri PADUCHA 

Jandova 3, CZ - 190 00 Prague 9 

Tel:+420.2.82.40.40, Fax:+420.2.82.40.36 

E s t o n i a : 

Estonian Association of Small and Medium 

Sized Entreprise (EVEA) 

President: Mr. Riivo SINIJÄRV 

Director: Ms. Margit KALLASTE 

Pronski 3, EE0001 Tallin 

Tel:+372.6. 403 935, Fax:+372.6.312 451, 

E-mail: sme@evea.ee 

ASSOCIATE MEMBERS 

H u n g a r y 

Ipartestületek Országos Szövetsége, (IPOSZ) 

President: György SZÜCS 

Director: Gabor SOLTI 

Kàlmàn I. U.20, H-1054 Budapest 

Tel:+36.1.269.29.40, Fax:+36.1.269.29.57, 

E-mail: gsolti@elender.hu 

L i t h u a n i a : 

Lithuanian Entrepreneurs Employers 

Confederation, (LVDK) 

President: Mr. Viktor USPASKICH 

Director: Mr. Algimantas JASINSKAS 

9, Jaksto Str, LT – 2600 Vilnius 

Tel: +370.2.629729/617992, 

Fax: +370.2.220 448/262 352 

P o l a n d : 

Zwiazek Rzemioska Polskiego, (ZRP) 

President: Boguslaw WÓJCIK 

Secretary General: Tadeusz WITOLD 

Ul.Miodowa 14, PL-00-950 Warschau 

MLYNCZAK 

Tel:+48.22.635.79.81, Fax:+48.22.635.79.81, 

E-mail: zrp@peryt.waw.pl, 

http://www.peryt.waw.pl/bior/ 

R o m a n i a : 

Consiliul National al Intreprinderilor Private 

Mici si Mijlocii din Romania, (CNIPMMR) 

President: Ovidiu NICOLESCU 

Director General: Mrs. PETROVICHI 

Str. Lipscani, nr. 18-20, Et. 2, Sector III, 

RO-70022 Bucuresti 

Tel:+40.1.312.68.93, Fax:+40.1.312.66.08, 

E-mail: cnipmmr@mediafax.vo 

47 

S a n M a r i n o 

Unione Nazionale Artigiani della Repubblica 

di San Marino, (UNAS) 

President: Gian Franco TERENZI 

Vicepresident: Giorgio BATTISTINI 

Secretary: Alberto CHEZZI 

Piazzale Giangi, 2, RSM- Citta Rep. San Marino 

Tel:+378.99.21.48, Fax:+378.99.28.37 

S l o v a k i a 

Slovensk Zivnostensk Zväz (SZZ) 

President: Anton BUBEN 

Secretary General: Ing. Viola KROMEROVÁ 

Nevädzovà 5, SK-821 01 Bratisalva 

Tel: +421.7.43.42.68.26, 

Tel: +421.7.48.287.612, 

Fax:+ 421.7.48.287.614, 

E-mail: szz@nadme.sk 

S l o v e n i a 

OBRTNA ZBORNICA SLOVENIJE (OZS) 

President: Miha GRAH 

Secretary General: Anton FILIPIC 

Celovska 71, SLO-61000 Ljubljana 

Tel:+386.61.1.593.241, 

Fax:+386.61.559.270, E-mail: 

adrijana.funkl@ih.ozs.si 

T u r k e y 

Türkiye Esnaf ve Sanatkâlari 

Konfederasyonu, (TESK) 

President: Dervis GÜNDAY 

Secretary General: Hasan ÖZCAN 

Tunus Caddesi no:4, Bakanliklar, TR-06680 

Ankara 

Tel:+90.312.418.32.69.70.10, 

Fax:+90.312.425.88.97

European Federation of Accountants and 

Auditors for SMEs, (EFAA) 

President: Philippe ARRAOU 

Secretary General: Peter POULSEN 

1.Rue Newton, B-1000 Bruxelles 

Tel:+32.2.736.88.86, Fax:+32.2.736.29.64 

European Metal Union / Union Européenne 

du Métal, (EMU) 

President: Mrs. VAN GAARDINGEN 

Director: Harm Jan KEIJER 

Postbus 2600, NL - 3430 GA Nieuwegein 

Einsteinbaan 1, NL - 3499 NJ Nieuwegein 

Tel:+31.3060.533.44, Fax:+31.30605 31 22 

European Federation of Chimney Sweeps, 

(ESCHFÖ) 

President: Eugen STEICHELE 

Secretary General: R.A. Bertold STEINEBACH 

Westerwaldstr. 6, D-53757 Sankt Augustin 

Tel:+49.2241.34.07.0, 

Fax:+49.2241.34.07.10, 

E-mail: Schomziv@aol.com 

EUROJURIS International 

President: David EVANS 

Secretary General: Laurent MARLIERE 


Tel: +32.2.502 18 82,Fax: +32.2.502.38.66 

International Association of Building Service 

Contractors, (FIDEN) 

President: Juan-Bosco ARCONADA-LASTRAS 

Secretary General: Laurent WESTERMEYER 

Dottendorfer Str. 86, D - 53129 Bonn 

Tel:+49 228 91 77 50, Fax:+49 228 91 77 511 

International Federation of Roofing 

Contractors, (IFD) 

President: Jan WEIFERS 

Secretary General: Klaus JOBKE 

Fritz-Reuter Str. 1, D-50968 Köln 

Tel:+49.221.372058, Fax:+49.221.384336, 

E-mail: ZVDH@ZVDACH.DDH.de 

EUROPEAN SECTORAL ORGANISATIONS 

Comité International de l’Entretien du 

Textile, (CINET) 

President: Théo LAGRANGE 

Secretary General: Mrs. Nadine VAN GESTEL 

Brusselsesteenweg 478, B - 1731 Zellik (Asse) 

Tel:+32.2.463.19.50, Fax:+32.2.463.17.61, 

E-mail: fbt@medisoft.be 

Génie Climatique International, (GCI) 

President: Mike BURGOYNE 

Secretary General: Jozef VANTIEGHEM 

Rue Brogniezstraat 41, B - 1070 Bruxelles 

Tél:+32 2 520 73 00, Fax:+32 2 520 97 49 

European Builders Confederation, (EBC) 

President: Robert BUGUET 

Secretary General: Patrizia DI MAURO 


Tel:+32 2 514 23 23, Fax:+32 2 514 00 

15, E-mail: E.B.C@euronet.be 

Comité Européen des Equipements 

Techniques du Bâtiment, (CEETB) 

President: Gérard BROEDERS 

Broeders Tech. Installaties B.V. 

Torenstraat 12, BP 26, NL - 5260 AA Vught 

Tel:+31.73.657.90.00, 

Fax:+31.73.656.88.35 

European Caravan Federation 

President: François FEUILLET 

Secretary General: Hans-Karl STERNBERG 

c/o Verband Deutscher Wohnwagen- und 

Wohnmobil-Hersteller e.V. 

Am Holzweg 26, D - 65830 Kriftel bei Frankfurt 

Tel:+49 6192-97 12-00, Fax:+49 6192-97 12-23 

European Federation of Funeral Services 

President: Wolfgang ZOCHER 

General Secretary: Peter SKYBA 

Ungargasse 41, A – 1030 Vienna 

Tel:+43 1 717 37-6236, 

Fax:+43 1 710 58 96 

48 

Conféderation Européenne des Professionelles 

de l’Esthetique Cosmetique, (CEPEC) 

President: Elsa FORTE 

General Secretary: Magda NAUDI5ter, 

Avenue Kennedy, F- 17.044 La Rochelle 

Tel: +33.5.464 16979, Fax: +33.5.464 22596 

Group of European Craft 

Trades in the Health-care 

Sector 

Federation of European Dental Laboratory 

Owners, (FEPPD - Eurodesk) 

President: Dr. Gehrard HIPPMANN 

General Secretary: David SMITH 

Administrative Secretary: Nico VANSANTEN 

Rue de Spa 8, B - 1000 Bruxelles 

Tel:+32 2 238 05 81, Fax:+32 2 230 93 54, 

E-mail: willy.van.den.nest@infoboard.be 

International Association of Orthotists and 

Prosthetists, (INTERBOR) 

President: J. EBBINK 

Secretary General: Franz SCHÜTTE 

Reinoldistr. 7-9, D - 44135 Dortmund 

Tel:+49.231.55.70.50.0, 

Fax:+49.231.55.70.50.40 

International Association of Orthopeadic 

Footwear- European Division, (IVO) 

President: Raymond MASSARO 

2, Rue de la Paix, F - 75002 Paris 

Tel:+31/1/42.61.00.29, 

Fax:+31/1/42.61.19.55

E U R O P E 


Jeunes Entrepreneurs de l’Union Européenne, 

(JEUNE) 

President: Mino BALLERINI 

Responsible for Secretariat: Elena VILAR 

4, Rue Jacques de Lalaing, B-1040 Bruxelles 

Tel:+32.2.230.75.99, Fax:+32.2.230.78.61 

Female Europeans of Medium and Small 

Enterprises, (FEM) 

President: Erika SEIGE 

Vice President: Miriam ARNAU 

4, Rue Jacques de Lalaing, B-1040 Bruxelles 

Tel:+32.2.282.05.30, Fax:+32.2.282.05.35 

F R A N C E 

Chambre Syndicale des Banques Populaires 

de France 

Relations Extérieures: René BOUTEILLER 

C h a rgé des Aff a i res Euro p é e n n e s : 

Patrick CARBONNEL 

Le Ponant de Paris, 5, Rue Leblanc, F-75511 

Paris Cedex 15 

Tel:+33.1.40.39.60.00, Fax:+33.1.40.39.60.01 

OTHER ASSOCIATE MEMBERS 

G E R M A N Y 

Arbeitsgemeinschaft Berufständisch Orientierter 

Versicherungsgesellschaften, (ABOV) 

Director: Wolfgang FISCHER 

Neue Rabenstrasse 15-19, D-20351 

Hamburg 

Tel:+49.40.41.24.0, Fax:+49.40.41.24.34.65 

I T A L Y 

Artigiancassa 

President: Prof. Paolo FERRO-LUZZI 

General Director: Tito MUSSO 

Via Crescenzo dal Monte, 25, I-00100 Roma 

Tel:+39.6.584.51, Fax:+39.6.589.96.72 

N E T H E R L A N D S 

ING Bank 

Drs. R. M. ROEDER 

P.O. Box 1800, HG 04.06, NL -1000 BV 

Amsterdam 

Tel: +31.20.652 31 93, Fax: +31.20.652 31 92 

49 

U N I T E D K I N G D O M 

Barclays Bank plc. 

Head of European Loans Unit: Alastair WOODWA R D 

European Loans Unit 

155 Bishopsgate, London, EC2M 3XA, 

United Kingdom 

Tel:+44.20.75.99.62.35, 

Fax:+44..20.75.99.62.40

Official Consultations of UEAPME by 

the European Commission in the 

Framework of the Social Dialogue 

• Working-time: sectors and activities excluded from the 

Working-time Dire c t i v e 

• Simplification and reform of the rules on co-ordination of 

the social security systems 

N° Date: Languages: Title: 

1. 2-98 E UEAPME's considerations on the "Proposal for a Council Directive relating to the Establishment of 

Limit Values for Dioxide in Air" COM(97)500 final 

2. 2-98 F-D-E-I Revision of the Structural Funds 

3. 4-98 E UEAPME's remarks on the Draft Proposal for a European Parliament and Council Directive on 

batteries and accumulators 

4. 5-98 F-E-D-I Revision of the Structural Funds 

LIST OF POSITION PAPERS 

5. 5-98 F UEAPME /EUROPMI, CEDI, CECOP and YES position on the White Paper on Sectors and Activities 

excluded from the Working Time Directive 

6. 5-98 F-D-E-I Position paper on the proposal for a Council Decision on the promotion of European pathways for 

work-linked training, including apprenticeship COM(97) 572 final 

7. 6-98 F-E Position Paper concerning the first draft proposal for a directive on waste from electrical and 

electronic equipment. 

50 

Social Affairs 

• Position paper concerning the Commision Communication 

(COM(98) 219 fin) on non-declared work 

• Position paper concerning the Commission Communication 

(COM(98) 322 fin) "Adapting and promoting the Social 

Dialogue at Community Level".


8. 6-98 F-E-D-I UEAPME position on the proposal for a European Parliament and Council directive combating late 

payment in commercial transactions COM (1998) 126 final 

9. 6-98 E UEAPME's first remarks about the recommendations proposed by the re p o rt of the European 

Commission "The role of financial institutions in achieving sustainable development". 

10. 7-98 F UEAPME/EUROPMI, CEDI, CECOP and YES position on consultation of the social partners concerning a 

tentative suggestion from the European Commission "Simplification and reform of the social security 

co-ordination rules". 

11. 6-98 E-F-D Benchmarking criteria for apprenticeship in Europe. 

12. 9-98 E UEAPME's position paper concerning the second draft proposal for a directive on waste from electrical 

and electronic equipment. 

13. 9-98 E UEAPME's remarks on the points for discussion set out in the EU-Commission's Working Paper on the 

revision of the EU Eco-label Regulation (Review of COM(96) 603). 

14. 9-98 F UEAPME's position on the Communication from the Commission on non declared work. 

15. 10-98 E UEAPME's comments on the draft proposal for a Council Regulation allowing voluntary participation by 

organisations in a Community Eco-management and Audit Scheme distributed at the meeting o the 

Art. 19 Committee on 8th, 9th and 10th June 98 

16. 10-98 E BEST-REPORT proposals: Employment and taking on employees. 

17. 10-98 D-F UEAPME's position "Adapted and promoted social dialogue on community level" (COM (98) 322) 

18. 11-98 E UEAPME's reply to some of the questions in the Working Paper, "Public Pro c u rement and 

the Environment" 

19. 12-98 E-F-I UEAPME's opinion on the proposal for a Council Regulation allowing voluntary participation by 

organisations in a Community Eco-management and Audit Scheme- COM(98) 622 final. 

20. 12-98 E-D-F-I UEAPME position on the proposal for a decision of the Council establishing the second phase of the 

Community vocational training action programme, Leonardo da Vinci. 

51

Published by Hans-Werner Müller Edited by Garry Parker ... - UEAPME

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