EOB Meeting Notes

Tuesday, February 18, 2003; EBC Office

08:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

GENERAL INFORMATION UPDATE FROM THE SECRETARIAT:

1. Year 2003 membership confirmation, invoicing process, and related matters
   Invoices will be sent to the chambers around the end of February. The secretariat is still in the process of checking membership categories and membership details. The invoice will be accompanied by a list that has to be verified by the chamber. The list to be sent to the chambers will be as correct as possible from the EBC's end. There are a substantial amount of dropouts: worth 1.3 to 1.4 million yen or even more (not all confirmation returns have been received yet). Some of these are the members paying the 400,000 yen membership fee as they did not want to join a chamber in 2002. This has increased the monetary value of the drop-outs.
   Updated EBC Contact List was distributed - new on the EOB list: Mr Pieter Elbers on behalf of the NCCJ, replacing W. Veenhoven. Also noted that the Banking and Securities Committees have merged. Portugal has joined the EBC as a fee-paying member and is included in the Chamber List. The secretariat is still looking for the new contact details for the NBF (obtained subsequent to meeting - updated Executive Directors contact list is attached to these notes).

2. Letter to EFPIA
   R. Collasse met with Martin Wright, chairman of EFPIA to discuss relations between EFPIA and the EBC. Martin Wright is very positive about the EBC and agrees that EFPIA needs the EBC to participate in higher-level discussions. EFPIA will have to decide whether they would like to join the EBC. Their answer is expected around the beginning of March, after their next board meeting is being held.
   A. Murray has sent a letter to Martin Wright, persuading EFPIA members who were already member of the EBC to stay with the EBC.
   R. Collasse noted that it was good to have the whole European industry behind the EBC to be an important partner in discussions with the Japanese government. He also requested assistance of the EOB members in persuading EFPIA members to stay on board of the EBC.
   (Also see distributed meeting documentation)

3. Request for FDI/Business Fundamentals Committee
   Markus Janssen, member of the Japan Investment Strategy Council would like to set up a committee on investment. FDI is currently at 1% in Japan, and the PM is always asking how to increase FDI. This is good opportunity to set up such a committee. The chambers will be asked to broadcast a message to their members, to see if there is any interest in joining such a committee. (Also see distributed meeting documentation)

4. EBC letter to Greek Embassy re FDI
   See distributed meeting documentation.

5. Update from Casey on committee- and policy-related activities
   See attached meeting documentation for a summary of his report.
   The membership drops occurred mainly in the following areas: Environmental, Construction, Materials and Automotive Committees. A possible reason for this drop is probably because these committees have not been very active.

6. Outreach for Japan Times - Europe Day Special
   The secretariat will send out an outreach to the EBC members to participate in a Japan Times Special on Europe Day. There will be one article on the EBC with a picture of R. Collasse. Japan Times will most likely approach our member companies aggressively for their cooperation and sponsorship of this special.
   

REPORT FROM THE CHAIRMAN:

7. Report on meeting with PM Koizumi
   See distributed meeting documentation.
   At the meeting, Mr. Shimada (professor of Keio University and special advisor to PM Koizumi) expressed an interest in the EBC. R. Collasse would therefore like to set up a breakfast or lunch meeting with the EOB members and others (if possible in April). More information will follow.

8. Meeting with METI/Ms. Tani re investment impediments
   Ms. Tani is one of the EBC's contact in the bi-monthly informal meeting with METI. She would like to have details of problems that companies encounter in Japanese Business. One member has already agreed to talk to her (confidentially, to avoid any repercussions).

9. Meeting with Commissioner Lamy
   R. Collasse had a short, one hour meeting with Mr. Pascal Lamy, EU Commissioner for Trade together with some other European representatives. They spoke about issues that Mr. Lamy could discuss with his Japanese counterparts. R. Collasse will draft a bullet point letter on what was discussed during this meeting.

10. Meeting with EU Counselors
    R. Collasse will discuss FDI on March 19, 2003.

11. Meeting with Informal Investment Group
    R. Collasse will attend this meeting on March 19, 2003.

12. Individual meetings with committee chairs
    R. Collasse met with a couple of Committee Chairmen. This year R. Collasse wants to meet all Committee Chairmen, and request the EOB members' assistance in organizing these meetings. It allows R. Collasse to be a better advocate for the EBC's cause.

13. Presentations to chambers

    • Lunch meeting with GCCJ on April 15

    • still to be done: BCCJ, NBF, SCCIJ, BLCCJ, DCCJ?

    I. de Stains has volunteered to organize a joint meeting for the chambers that have not yet had a presentation by R. Collasse on the EBC.

14. Meetings with Ambassadors of EU Candidate countries
    Ten countries are very eager to join the EU.
    R. Collasse will ask Ambassador Zepter for assistance on meeting the Ambassadors of the EU candidate countries.

15. Outcome of Jan 16 meeting with Nikkei
    Following the meeting with R. Collasse, Nikkei is considering the possibility of organizing a joint symposium with the EBC on an EBC-related or EU-JBDRT theme. It will not cost the EBC anything, except for intellectual cost and the work of organizing it. It was suggested that it could be combined with the EBC's work for the White Paper - launch substitute.

EUJBDRT:

16. EUJBDRT-related comments from the Chairman
    Meeting with RT Japan Co-Chair, Mr. Kobayashi
    Meeting with WG1 Japanese Co-Chair, Mr. Honda
    Confirmation of New members
    Meeting with EU sherpas
    Timing & planning of 2003 RT
    See distributed meeting documentation.
    The EUJBDRT is a good opportunity to work together with top-level Japanese Industry.
    R. Collasse will provide an updated list of new members on the EUJBDRT. More than half of the participants of the EUJBDRT are new members.
    Thyssen-Krupp is also formally accepted as EUJBDRT member.
    Radiometer is also member. R. Collasse will check ISS Nesco.
    DSM and Akzo have also expressed their interest.
    The EOB member have been requested to advise R. Collasse directly, which company would like to join, providing all the relevant contact details of the local sherpas.
    R. Collasse will work on who will participate in each Working Group, and will make suggestions to the companies. However, companies are free to choose the Working Group they would like to join. After that, he would like to organize a meeting with the EU Japan-based sherpa's to explain about the Round Table. A meeting with Keizai Doyukai might add additional insights.
    C. Sedgman will take the responsibility of planning and preparing the first draft of the WG1 paper.

ORGANISATIONAL MATTERS:

17. EOB Liaison responsibilities - review
    W. Veenhoven will be replaced by P. Elbers on behalf of the NCCJ.
    EOB members who would like to change liaison responsibilities should let the secretariat know before Thursday February 20.
    D. Delgorge will be the EOB liaison for the Banking and Food Committee.

SPECIAL ITEMS:

18. Year 2003 White Paper
    Focus on progress; press release/press conference (no launch)
    The White Paper will change compared to last year. This year the focus will be on what progress has been made during the past few years. The format will likely be similar, but with a paragraph in each section about progress, lack of progress and regression.

19. EBC/ACCJ Golf Match - Eric Ullner
    B. Grondine of the ACCJ suggested a Friendly Golf Match. E. Ullner will organize on behalf of the EBC. Sponsors are needed for sponsoring the prizes.

FUNDING & FUND-RAISING ITEMS:

20. Year 2002 Revenue & Expenses (Actual figures to December end)

21. Year 2003 Predicted Income Loss

22. EOB Fund-raising Brainstorming:

    • Organisation of Annual EBC Gala Event (with Europe-Japan Business
      Awards)? If feasible, then need to consider:

      • Timing

      • Steering Committee to determine details such as -
        Selection of Award Jury Members

      • Mode of Participation (Table-based with Chambers & Committees Ordering Tables and Paying for Guests?)

    • Other Short-term Fund-raising Schemes

    Expenses exceeded revenue in the calendar year 2002 by JPY 340,000 and 2,462,686 was left in the bank
    Predicted loss for next fiscal year:

    Pharmaceutical Committee	1.3 million yen.
    CLEPA	2.1 million yen
    Member Loss	1.4 million yen
    	4.8~5 million yen

    To cut cost: Reduce personnel by two days a week, no subsidy of events, no White Paper Event.
    What can be done proactively: Forming of new committees (FDI and Retail Committee).
    Chambers are also requested to help bring in new committee members.
    Suggestion of events that (could) make money: committee meeting in free venues, major Gala Event/Black Tie dinner - this idea was not well supported as it was thought to be too costly to mount.

TASKFORCE:

23. First meeting to be scheduled for March 25, 6:30 p.m., EBC Office (Bento meal)
    Discussion of the EBC's future and its finances.

OTHER BUSINESS:

24. Any Other Business
    R. Collasse and H. de Mestier will have a lunch meeting with Koya Ishikawa, Parliamentary Secretary for Economy, Trade and Industry, Member House of Representatives, National Diet of Japan.