EU – EBOWWN MEETING IN BRUSSELS
EBO World Wide Network is the only EU partner in Trade related Advocacy.
Ambassador Angelos Pangratis (a Professor in Economics and the former EU Ambassador to the World Trade Organization) in his capacity as the EU Ambassador for Economic Diplomacy stated at the annual meeting between the European Business Organization World Wide network and the European Union Trade Department that; because external EU Trade is not a national responsibility Trade Advocacy should be a EBO task and not a National Chamber responsibility.
This is an important milestone and recognition for the Worldwide EBO network.
Ambassador Pangratis highlighted the role of EBOs worldwide and said that the EU Delegations would soon be informed and instructed on the involvement of EBO as partner in Economic Diplomacy of the European Union.
The EBO Worldwide Organization was the first to have an official statement on Economic Diplomacy as announced by the President of the European Commission Claude Juncker two years ago.
EBOWWN Chairman: Renato Pacheco-Neto briefly thanked Ambassador Pangratis and affirmed that EBO strived for that clear position for the last two years. He also mentioned that EBO has been and still is on the forefront on advocacy on trade relations for the past 17 years.
EBO-Ghana was mentioned as one of the EBOs with good experiences on involvement of EBO-Ghana with the EU Delegation in Accra concerning Trade challenges.
Nico van Staalduinen, the Executive Director of EBO-Ghana had established contact with Ambassador Pangratis during the EU – EBOWWN meetings last year and mentioned the fact that cooperation between the EU Delegation and EU National Embassies was very good and that EBO-Ghana was regularly invited by the EU Delegation to attend Trade Meetings with all national Trade Officers.
He explained that the EU Delegation in Ghana is still a “Devco” (Development Cooperation) run embassy and pleaded with Ambassador Pangratis that in view of Ghana’s policy: “Moving from Aid to Trade” the European Union should consider appointing a Trade Department to the EU Delegation in Accra.
