The CBI has been representing members on the international stage, including at the UK-German Business Forum and B7 Conferences on the Environment and Trade.
Flying the flag at the UK-German Business Forum and B7 Conferences
In Berlin, British and German business leaders gathered for the inaugural Forum, agreed under the Kensington Treaty. This was an opportunity for two of Europe’s largest economies to come together and explore areas where cooperation can go even further: during his keynote speech, Secretary of State, Peter Kyle, announced a new bilateral cooperation agreement on critical minerals.
CBI Chief Executive, Rain Newton-Smith, chaired a panel on innovation and resilience in supply chains, where one of the key takeaways was that Made in Europe remains a critical concern for businesses. The CBI was pleased to hear Germany’s Minister of Economic Affairs talk about the importance of ensuring Made in Europe still means Made with the UK.
We are continuing to work with members to understand the scale of the impact of current Made in Europe proposals on their firm and sector, and are sharing this information at all levels of government.
Elsewhere, the CBI’s Energy Transition Director and our Europe and International Director have both represented members at B7 Conferences in Paris in recent weeks. These conferences, held the day before G7 Ministerials, have provided an excellent opportunity to engage with G7 Ministers, share views with our international sister federations, and hear from firms across the world about the key issues they are facing.
On trade and supply chains, our Europe and International Director Sean McGuire, strongly advocated for a more cohesive and coordinated approach to supply chains and critical materials to ensure the economic security of the G7 economies.
Putting member priorities at the heart of global discussions
For members, geopolitical issues are no longer ‘AOB’ - these issues now sit firmly at the top of boardroom agendas, and rightly so. Through our membership of the B7 and in bilateral environments, the CBI is able to make sure UK businesses have a seat at the table when it comes to strategic discussions and are able to voice their concerns and priorities. As we look ahead to the B7 Summit in Paris in June and the B20 Summit in the US in November, this will become as important as ever.
We encourage you to get in touch to share your international priorities: from the conflict in the Middle East to Made in Europe, US tariffs to WTO reform, we are here to ensure your voice is heard both at home and abroad. Please contact Europe and International Director Sean McGuire to share your views.