EOB Meeting Notes

Tuesday, April 26, 2005; EBC Office, 08:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

Attendees: R. Collasse, A. Murray, J. Edberg, T. Henriksen, M. Fasce, D. Hoffmann (for M. Lachaussee), G. Schlosser, H. Porat, A. Zimmermann, E. Ullner, J. Bertrand (for D. Delgorge)

Regrets: M. Otter, P. Stalman, P. Gibb, D. Delgorge, M. Lachaussee, T. Varlid,

1. REPORT FROM THE CHAIRMAN:

1. JIC meetings (March 16 and April 8)
   The March 16 meeting was dominated by comments relating to the hostile Livedoor takeover bid and not much progress was made. On April 8, the ministries responded to the JIC's new list of priorities and responded to questions from the council members, including R. Collasse. Several EBC-derived issues are now included in the priority list, including the food additives issue and others. The 2 main areas on which the JIC will focus in the future will be the M&A infrastructure and healthcare reform. The EBC recommended that relevant subcommittees be formed in order to invite external experts to join the discussions. This recommendation was accepted and R. Collasse will join both subcommittees and invite some industry experts from the EBC to attend, pending approval from the Cabinet Office.

2. Presentation to LDP Corporate Governance Committee (May 26)
   The EBC Chairman has been asked to make a presentation to the LDP's Corporate Governance Committee on May 2. The ACCJ will also make a presentation. J.Edberg is working on the presentation

3. Breakfast meeting with ACCJ group re LDP presentation (May 16)
   The EBC and ACCJ will discuss the content of their respective presentations to the LDP Corporate Governance Committee and formulate a presentation strategy.

4. EBC-FDI Taskforce meetings (March 16 and April 19)
   The new EBC FDI Taskforce has met twice. J. Edberg produced a draft EBC FDI position paper and discussion focused on this paper with suggestions in the second meeting.

5. Meeting with Ambassador Zepter (May 10)
   An exchange of information and views will take place on May 10 - the first of 4 such meetings scheduled for 2005.

6. Meeting with Enterprise Estonia Chairman (May 16)
   The Chairman of Enterprise Estonia and other related officials will visit Japan and have asked to meet with the EBC Chairman. Encouraging that a new member state is keen to be involved in the EBC.

7. Investment lunch group meeting (March 25)
   Hosted by the EC Delegation. METI explained the LDP reaction to the Livedoor takeover bid and explained that the LDP Corporate Affairs Committee had wanted to eliminate the triangular stock swap measure and not merely postpone it.

8. EJBDRT
   This will take place of July 6, 7 and 8. R. Collasse and J.Edberg will attend. A dinner meeting has been arranged with Mr. Honda of Japan Tobacco who is the co-chair of working party 1 (counterpart to R. Collasse). Financial service companies can now join the RT as observers this year, but there is no news of any European firms joining yet. Two or three Japanese financial service firms are expected to join this year as observers.

2. REPORT FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR:

1. Initiation of new policy director - activities
   A program of visits to committee chairman has been organized. J. Edberg has been extremely busy - steep learning curve required for preparation for the Japan Investment Council, E-JBDRT, presentation at the LDP's Corporate Governance Committee, several committee position papers, and FDI position paper and so on.

2. Part-time assistant
   The intern who was expected to work for the EBC through 2005 decided not to come to Japan. We have now found a Japanese-proficient previous ETP participant, Christian Marquant, who was looking for 2 days-per-week work and he will start at the EBC after Golden Week on apart-time basis, mainly in support of the Policy Director (who has a 70% time-fraction). The EBC has additional tasks this year (support of the Chairman in the Japan Investment Committee, FDI taskforce and other related activities) and his support in the lobbying effort will be appreciated.

3. Events: i. Breakfast with new Trade Commissioner Mandelson; ii. Demographic seminar
   i. Trade Comissioner Mandelson had been expected to make his first visit in his new role in June and the EBC was asked to hold a breakfast event on June 14.. Organisation had begun, but the visit was cancelled. It was pleasing that the EBC had been asked to participate in his 2-day program.
   ii. A free seminar is being organized with an expert on Asian demographics research and will be offered to EBC members on June 1 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Europa House.

4. Problem with Medical Equipment Committee
   After a long search, the Medical Equipment Committee Chairman (P. Schano) found a replacement (Mr. S. Kamijo of Philips Medical). The problem is that Radiometer retained the secretariat function of the committee during the changeover in Chairmanship, but now wishes to pass the baton to another company - no volunteers yet.

5. Eurochambres visit and EBOs
   A Eurochambres representative visited the EBC office. She expressed satisfaction with the market research report updates managed by EBC last year. There are no updates required this year. She reported that Eurochambres is attempting to establish a global alliance of European Business Organisations (EBOs) as they are concerned about the number of such organizations appearing, calling themselves European Chambers when some are even organized by private groups. She reported that Eurochambres supports the EBC Japan model (the chamber-related EBC structure) and is concerned that the EC (DG Enterprise) is encouraging the formation of chamber-independent European Chambers of Commerce) through its own EBO network. In relation to the latter comment, A. Murray was asked (by someone who does not clearly understand our structure) to make a presentation at an EC-linked EBO conference in Thailand to "discuss our structure and encourage the Thailand EBO to become a national chamber-independent European chamber. A.Murray declined).

6. Europe Day article and event
   The secretariat will submit an article for the Japan Times EU Special Feature scheduled for May 9.

7. ETP presentations - May 23 and 26
   A. Murray will make a presentation about the EBC to the new ETP 24 group on May 23. The EBC also has been asked to organize a 2-hour presentation to the ETP 23 group (half-way through their course). A. Murray, J. Edberg and some key EBC members will make presentations.

8. Office signs
   The original contractor who set up the EBC office is arranging for our office signs to be changed in accordance with the change in EBC name from "Community" to "Council". Completion had been expected by this EOB meeting, but there have been some delays. Should be completed soon.

9. RT-WP1 meetings April 12 and May 9 (JT: Koyanagi/Yoshino; EBC: Edberg/Murray)
   Just as in previous years, EBC is representing Europe and Japan Tobacco (JT) representing Japan in Working Party 1 (Trade and Investment) of the EU Japan Business Roundtable Dialogue. The coordination of the EU and Japan side started with a meeting at the EBC office with JT on April 12. Next meeting will be on May 9.

10. Development Bank of Japan/Fukasawa San visit
    A previous close contact of the EBC, Mr. Fukasawa of the Japan Development Bank's International Division has returned to his position after a year in another division. He visited to renew relations with the EBC and to make recommendations about future collaboration.

11. Office lease renewal
    The office lease was renewed for 2 years in February with no change in conditions.

3. REPORT FROM THE POLICY DIRECTOR:

1. Committee report
   J.Edberg has organized meetings at the Cabinet Office and the Ministry of Internal Affairs (Somusho) for Vodafone to discuss their current problem with spectrum allocation. He is following up on the Retail Committee's tableware paper with METI and MHLW (seeking responses and organizing meetings). In collaboration with the committee, he is also collecting information on the regulatory environment for tableware in various European countries. The Asset Management Committee had an argumentative meeting with a representative of the Japan Securities Investment Advisory Association. Some bridge-mending may be required. Japanese members of the committee unusually adopted an aggressive approach.
   The FSA has released a reform program and J.Edberg is working together with the EC Delegation to arrange an information meeting with related ministries.

2. Cross-cutting issues report
   J.Edberg currently is preparing an EBC FDI position paper, a presentation to the LDP Corporate Governance Committee, EJBDRT paper and is taking part in various meetings associated with each of these.

4. FUNDING & FUND-RAISING:

1. Audit of cash balances and of cash receipts and disbursements - 2004
   The audit of the 2004 EBC accounts was conducted and a copy of report was distributed and the original circulated in the meeting.

5. ORGANISATIONAL ITEMS:

1. Election of Two "New" Committee Chairmen to BoG and final BoG Line-up
   Laurent Levan (Chair, Retail, Wholesale and Distribution Committee) and Stephane Ginoux (Chair, Aeronautics, Space and Defence Committee) were elected.. Final Board of Governors Members' list was distributed and is attached.

2. EOB Committee Liaison
   The current list is attached. No changes were recommended.

6. FUNDING TASKFORCE:

1. Feedback from Chambers on modified proposal and next steps
   Feedback from most chambers has been received. Reminders have been sent. No dissent from the proposal at this stage.

7. DAIMLERCHRYSLER CUP REPORT:

1. Progress report from Erik Ullner
   Hans Porat has replaced Casey Sedgman in the Organising Committee. A committee meeting will beheld after Golden Week. Player registration will open on May 9. Recruitment of sponsors for the event will also start in May. Everyone is urged to support the event.

8. ANY OTHER BUSINESS:

Any Other Business
None