Today Berlin hosted the 21st regular meeting of the European Business Congress (EBC) Presiding Committee moderated by Alexey Miller, Chairman of the Gazprom Management Committee, President of EBC.

The meeting participants considered the statements by Chairmen of the EBC Working Groups and took notice of the progress with the projects involving the EBC. The Presiding Committee approved the Congress budget for 2010.

 “Most of the Congress members are the energy companies and the financial institutions having a considerable impact on the European economy. Therefore, we believe it is necessary to use the EBC cooperation opportunities on the international level in a more intense way.

Consolidated and balanced positions and proposals of the EBC on serious problems in the energy sector, including conflicts such as transit crises, may have a positive impact on their solution.

We have to shape the guidelines for 2010 in a way that focuses the attention of the business and political communities on a globally important issue. The work to be performed on this issue has to make a specific contribution to the energy sector development,” said Alexey Miller in his statement. The meeting selected the motto for the next Annual General Meeting of EBC: “Natural Gas – Energy of 21st Century”.

As part of the EBC Presiding Committee meeting, a working meeting was held between Alexey Miller, Chairman of the Gazprom Management Committee and Udo Volker, General Plenipotentiary of MAN Ferrostaal AG, Coordinator of the EBC Board of Executive Directors.

Background:

The European Business Congress (EBC) comprises 119 companies from 21 OSCE member states, including the following major corporations and banks: Gazprom, ExxonMobil, Daimler Chrysler, Siemens, Shell, ConocoPhillips, Total, Deutsche Bank, Dresdner Bank, Alcatel, Wintershall, E.ON Ruhrgas, GDF SUEZ and others. The EBC Secretariat is headquartered in Berlin. EBC publishes its information bulletin twice a year in English and Russian.

The supreme body of the EBC is the Annual General Meeting. The Presiding Committee comprised of 36 members exercises general management. Alexey Miller, Chairman of the Gazprom Management Committee is President of the EBC. The 9-member Board of Executive Directors is in charge of executive management.

The Congress deals with practical issues of economic cooperation in Europe and brings forward proposals on how to remove obstacles and create favorable conditions for conducting business activities in an efficient and safe way. EBC carries out practical work through seven Working Groups: Energy; Industry and Construction; Law, Banking and Finance; Information and Communication; Ecology and Healthcare; Human Resources, Education and Sciences; Business Security.