MAY 2002 BROADSHEET - Is Europe a level playing field?
Our meeting for April on "Is Europe a level playing field?" provided a very lively and interesting debate. As we have found with Euro subjects attendance was not high, but they were the right people with much practical knowledge who appeared to fill the TWI large conference room by the cunning application of the horseshoe table layout. Having four speakers was also a bonus, though it did mean a longer meeting, most of the time being taken up with a very rewarding discussion and debate.
Alex Smeets of the St John's Innovation Centre started us off and chaired the meeting. His quick answer to the question was a very positive NO. It depends where you look. All countries have an advantage somewhere and lots of disadvantages elsewhere, and some of these can't be changed by legislation or government initiatives. His organisation runs the East of England Innovation Relay Centre, which is one of a network of 62 centres set up throughout Europe to help small companies with technology transfer. He also operates on behalf of EEDA a free European R&D funding advisory service; for example he can help you formulate a case for the next Framework Programme (the 6th) involving companies from other European countries in developing new technologies. (asmeets@stjohns.co.uk).
Eileen Wallace runs the East of England Euro Info Centre, which is based on the Central Library in Norwich. It is one of 290 such centres in Europe, there being 24 in the UK. She has information on absolutely every thing - commercial opportunities, regulations of all sorts, financial benefits available, standards operable in all the different countries on a full range of products and feedback from member companies on how they faired. A particularly useful section contains their guides to public service tenders and they can also provide direct links to all Euro Chambers of Commerce and thence to their members, a much more inclusive system than ours. (eileen.wallace.lib@norfolk.gov.uk)
Lis Riley, Information Manager of Hawkins & Associates spoke next, mainly as a client of Eileen's, and vouched for the very efficient and rapid service given. Hawkins are consulting scientists and engineers specialising in forensic investigations of fires, explosions, accidents and engineering problems and requires, and gets from the Info Centre, a wide range of information on issues such as health and safety legislation very quickly. (riley@rbhawkins.com)
Finally Richard Saltoun, Financial Controller of Deltron Electronics, gave us the benefit of his personal experience of doing business in mainland Europe. He had seven random observations:- 1. Respect their culture. 2. They mistrust the British (why haven't we joined the Euro?). 3. Language; we can't become fluent in all of them, but a little tourist tittle-tattle goes a long way and breaks the ice for easier negotiation in English (of which most are quite capable). 4. Use local professional advisers; they are much cheaper than ours, less confrontational, less litigious. 5. Higher percentage of owner managed businesses and less developed capital market. 6. Commercial differences, a myth but watch out for payment terms - Germany 30 days, very prompt; France 95 days, a little pressure needed; Italy 115 days plus much persuasion. 7. Labour rules a worry, but variability of interpretation tends to level out the playing field. (richard.saltoun@easynet.co.uk)
The Club is very fortunate in benefiting from the sponsorship of the following organisations:-
There are also other companies who give us generous help with specific meetings and services.
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