BTB concept: Justizsenator, Luther und die BCCG

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BCCG says Bye, Bye GREAT Britain MINI!

Bye, Bye GREAT Britain MINI!

1 car, 2 Princesses, 12 themes, 16 Federal States, 150 events, the participation of almost 1,000 businesses and partner organisations, almost 60,000 kilometres on the clock, hundreds of thousands of online views and around 1.5 million new friends (and some happy cows).  That was the GREAT Britain MINI Tour (GBMT), which finished on 12 December at the closing ceremony at BMW Welt in Munich.

The Tour began on 17 January with Their Royal Highnesses Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie at the Brandenburg Gate.  Since then, the GREAT Britain MINI has travelled to the four corners of Germany from Sylt in the north to Obsertsdorff in the South. From Görlitz in the East to Selfkant in the West.

Mini at Nürburgring, photo copyright Bodo Brüsehaber

It has raced around the Nürburgring, enjoyed the party at CSD in Berlin, been pride of place on a British warship in Hamburg, driven up a mountain in Bavaria and rode a Freecamper across a lake in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.

Watch the video highlights at http://youtu.be/hPrJtKAlbto and view a selection of the Tour’s best images at http://bit.ly/1bTEKT0 .

The GREAT Britain MINI represented British style, design and technology. As a British export (207,000 cars last year) and result of inward investment, the GB MINI was the perfect vehicle to promote Britain in Germany.

We did not focus only on cars and technology. We worked with people who embody British strengths in fashion, music, innovation, design, culture, sport, shopping and tourism. People like Sir James Dyson, Sir David Chipperfield, rock legends Status Quo, artist Gillian Wearing and world snooker No1 Mark Selby. Watch the music videos with Kate Nash, the Crystal Fighters and the Empty White Circles at https://vimeo.com/81600342 (English) and https://vimeo.com/81600343 (German).

The GBMT as also helped British companies.

It has won publicity for Marks and Spencer - who have launched a German website and had their own British-branded bus here - been filled with crisps by Tyrell's, delivered Thornton’s Easter Eggs, visited UK engineering giants GKN, who actually manufacture some of its parts, and Rolls Royce, 

Mini at Rolls Royce, photo copyright Bodo Brüsehaber

was in attendance at the opening of Mulberry’s Berlin store and supported Karstadt’s Feel London focus on British Fashion.

Mini at easyjet, photo copyright Bodo Brüsehaber

We have sent it to trade fairs including Medica, Anuga and K and it has been allowed on runways to promote new flights to Germany for easyJet and British Airways.

One of the companies who have enjoyed it the most is Roundhouse, the manufacturer of circular livestock buildings. The pictures of the Mini and both the Roundhouse in North Western Germany and its inhabitants some (British) cows have been rather successful in drawing attention to this rather innovative product.

Mini at BA, photo copyright Bodo Brüsehaber

 

I'd like to think we've also helped MINI themselves - they have had another record year for sales.

Finally, take the chance to win your own MINI Tour in the UK in the MINI Pub Quiz -http://bit.ly/1gBCRhw!

Andreas Meyer-Schwickerath
British Chamber of Commerce in Germany (BCCG) e. V.

BTB concept: 8. Immobilienkonferenz der BCCG

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Cutting EU red tape - Business Task Force and Business Leaders response supported by BCCG

The British Prime Minister David Cameron has asked a Business Taskforce to evaluate the needs of European reform for business:
“It’s vital that business can take full advantage of the EU’s single market. But all too often EU rules are a handicap for firms, hampering their efforts to succeed in the global race. Business people, particularly owners of small firms, are forced to spend too much time complying with pointless, burdensome and costly regulations and that means less time developing a new product, winning contracts or hiring young recruits. I’m determined to change that and to get the EU working for business, not against it.
That’s why I got this Taskforce together, so we could establish from business what they really need. This report makes clear that there are lots of simple and practical ways to cut EU red tape and save businesses across Europe tens of billions of euros.
We must now persuade our European partners and the European Commission to listen to business and to move faster to reform the way Europe regulates. At next week’s European Council, I’ll be calling for a clear commitment to sweep away unnecessary bureaucratic barriers and to unleash private sector growth - helping to secure the economic recovery for all.”

The report of the Business Taskforce can be read here (please click).

Letter from EU business leaders in response to the 'Cutting EU red tape' report from the Business Taskforce, sent Oct. 23 to the Members of the European Council, supported by BCCG:

"To the Members of the European Council

As you meet in Brussels this week for the European Council, securing the economic recovery continues to be a priority for governments across the EU.

As European business leaders, we know first hand the challenges that businesses are facing in the current economic climate.  One of the greatest obstacles is problematic, poorly-understood and burdensome European rules that all too often encumber business.  And this has the biggest impact on the smallest companies, which we know create 80% of all new EU jobs.

In the global market place, we believe that the EU should be taking action to make European business more competitive, and not place excessive and unnecessary burdens on them that stifles growth and job creation.

Proportionate, well designed legislation has a key role to play in ensuring regulatory stability for firms and in creating an even playing field for businesses that allows them to maximise the benefits of trading across borders.  It’s vital therefore that any EU regulation necessary for the single market is pro-growth and pro-innovation, enabling not hampering businesses to create jobs and pave the way towards economic recovery.

To this end, we welcome the Commission’s recent commitments to reduce the burden of EU regulation on business, notably through its recent REFIT Communication.

However, we believe we need to go further if we are serious about a business-led economic recovery and ensure that these commitments are now transformed into action. 

The recent report from a UK business taskforce includes a range of proposals for concrete EU action to remove unnecessary EU rules, regulations and practices, which are holding our companies back.  These proposals could save EU businesses billions of Euros – freeing up potential for innovation, growth and job-creation.

The report also proposes a new set of principles to ensure that new EU legislation is pro-growth, and allows European businesses to COMPETE and grow within the global market.

We are now calling on you, as EU leaders, to ensure that EU regulation is focused on securing the competitiveness of European business, and to place the COMPETE principles at the heart of EU policy-making.  And we urge you to demonstrate leadership by making a strong commitment at this week’s European Council to identify where the burden of regulation can be reduced to allow businesses to generate the growth that will benefit us all."

Signed

Ranjit Singh	CEO	2 Sisters Food Group
Colin Coombes	Sales Manager	Abex Power Components
Abbey Walker	Sales Director	Advanced Steel Services Ltd
Farah Ramzan Golant	CEO	All3MediaGroup
Charles Philipps	Group Chief Executive	Amlin Plc
Stephen Leigh	Manager	Argus Security Systems
Andy Clarke	President and CEO	Asda Stores Ltd
Stephen Whitehead	Chief Executive	Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry
Mike Stannard	CEO	Bac2 Ltd
Rebecca Hopkins	Director	Balance Me Ltd
Clare Hopkins	Director	Balance Me Ltd
Sian Jones	Director	Balance Me Ltd
Steven Stubbs	Sales Manager	Bedford Packing
Peter Ventress	CEO	Berensden plc
Steve Bates	Chief Executive Officer	BioIndustry Association (BIA)
John Longworth	Director General	British Chambers of Commerce
Andreas Meyer-Schwickerath	Director and Member of the Board	British Chamber of Commerce, Germany
Pawel Siwecki	CEO	British Polish Chamber of Commerce, Poland
Helen Dickinson	Director General	British Retail Consortium
Sir Michael Rake	Chairman (President, CBI))	BT
Gavin Patterson	CEO	BT
Bernard Dale	Partner	Capital Connection LLP
Martin Douglas	Managing Director	Cargill  Provimi UK and Ireland
John Cridland	Director General	CBI
Sir Roger Carr	Chairman	Centrica
Richard O'Connor	Co-founder	Chocolate and Love Ltd
Cecilia Leigh	Proprietor	CL Resolutions
Lara Morgan	Founder	Company Shortcuts Ltd
Joep van Beurden	CEO	CSR Plc
Brandon Bradkin	Partner	CVC
Mr Jorma Eloranta, MSc Engineering, Vuorineuvos	Chairman of the Board	Directors’ Institute of Finland, Finland
Sir James Dyson	Founder	Dyson Ltd
Tom Enders	CEO	EADS
Cllr C. W. Siddall	Managing Director	Eastern Plastics Machinery Ltd
Terry Scuoler	Chief Executive	EEF (The Manufacturers’ Organisation)
Gary Hendler	President and CEO	Eisai Europe
Phil Nicholls	Managing Director	Emerge IT
Rajeeb Dey	CEO	Enternships
Erik Penser	CEO	Erik Penser Bank, Sweden
Alisdair Gray	Director of European Affairs	European DIY Retail Association
Mike Cherry	National Policy Chairman	Federation of Small Businesses (FSB)
Luca Cordero di Montezemolo	President/CEO	Ferrari, Italy
Dr Risto E. J. Penttilä	CEO	Finland Chamber of Commerce, Finland
Phil Orford	Chief Executive	Forum of Private Business
John Shropshire	CEO	G’s Group
Duncan Aldred	Chairman and MD	GM UK
Charlotte Knight	Founder	G'Nosh Ltd
Debbie Heald	Managing Director	Heald Limited
Alan Shaw	Managing Director	Hydom
Ian Teece	Managing Director	Hydraulics & Transmissions Ltd
Helen Ibbotson	Company Director	Ibbotson Transport Limited
David Stokes	Chief Executive	IBM UK and Ireland
Chris Yates	Finance Director	Immunodiagnostic Systems Plc
Simon Walker	Director General	Institute of Directors
Wayne Edmunds	CEO	Invensys plc
Dr Mike Lynch	Founder	Invoke Capital
Russell Taylor	CEO	ITW Group plc
Dr Jane Griffiths	Company Group Chairman – Europe, Middle East and Africa	Janssen – Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson
Stephen Duckworth	Toolhire Supervisor	Jewsons Ltd
Graham Lindley	Director	Lifting Engineers
Mr Joe Tanti	CEO	Malta Business Bureau, Malta
Mr Kevin J. Borg	Director General	Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry, Malta
Emma Marcegaglia	CEO	Marcegaglia spa, Italy
MKB-Nederland		MKB-Nederland, Netherlands
Brynne Herbert	Founder	MoveGuides Ltd
Richard Hetherington	Director	Nationwide Civils Ltd
Stephen J Blackler	Owner	Nortech Control Systems Ltd.
Holly Tucker	CEO & Co-founder	Notonthehighstreet.com
Sophie Cornish	Director & Co-founder	Notonthehighstreet.com
Tom Hulme	Founder & MD	OpenIDEO
Roy Davis	CEO	Optos PLC
Steve Ingham	CEO	PageGroup plc
Rekha Mehr	Founder	Pistachio Rose Ltd
Dr. Henryka Bochniarz	President	Polish Confederation Lewiatan
Andrzej S Nartowski	President and CEO	Polish Institute of Directors, Poland
Tidjane Thiam	Group Chief Executive	Prudential plc
Sarah Dembitz	Founder	Saviour Snacks Ltd
J Robert Galloway	Chief Executive	Scotbeef Ltd
Jeff Lynn	CEO & Co-founder	Seedrs Ltd
Nick Giles	Co-founder	Seven Hills
Steve Daykin	CEO	Seven Publishing Group
Guy Rigby	Partner - Head of Entrepreneurial Services	Smith & Williamson LLP
Michael Hayman	Co-founder	StartUp Britain & Seven Hills
Maria Rankka	CEO	Stockholm Chamber of Commerce, Sweden
Richard Gourlay	MD	Sussex Place Ventures Ltd
Janet Coyle	MD	SVC2UK Ltd
Mike Mack	CEO	Syngenta
Dr Karl Koehler	CEO and MD	Tata Steel
Lucy Armstrong	CEO	The Alchemists
Niamh Barker	MD	The Travelwrap Company
Julian Braidwood	Managing Director	Triveritas
Richard Green	CEO	Ubisense
Vanda Hatton	Internal Sales	VAN LEEUWEN LTD
James Townshend	CEO	Velcourt Group plc
Vittorio Colao	Group Chief Executive Officer	Vodafone
VNO-NCW		VNO-NCW, Netherlands
Russell Gould	MD	WDFC UK Ltd
Robert Duxbury	Technical Director	Wedge Group Galvanizing Ltd
Ann Zitterkopf	Former President	WeeWorld
Dalton Philips	CEO	Wm Morrison Supermarkets Plc
Rowena Ironside	Chair	Women on Boards UK Ltd