DG TRADE CONTACT GROUP

The Contact Group functions as a facilitator and sounding board for DG Trade. Its task is to contribute to transparency in both directions, and to help with the circulation of information to the wider group of their constituencies. For this, it reviews compliance of the civil society dialogue process with the objectives of the Civil Society Dialogue and makes suggestions in this regard. It also proposes topics for discussion, and advises on organisational matters.

Every registered civil society organisation is able to choose one contact group member as their immediate contact point.

The Contact Group's members operate on a personal basis and are mandated by their 'constituencies'. DG Trade does not intervene in this selection. To fulfil its task efficiently, the composition of the contact group should reasonably reflect the major interests of civil society stakeholders. Within the same constituency, civil society organisations may decide which organisation is member of the contact group (principle of rotation). The Commission is informed when such a change takes place.

The contact group members are not automatically appointed members of the EU delegation to the WTO ministerial conferences or other types of meetings where a civil society group participates. Although civil society advisers at such meetings will reflect the overall balance of constituencies represented in the contact group, advisers will be nominated by their constituencies.

List of Members

1. APRODEV - APRODEV www.aprodev.eu, Contact Person: Ms Karin Ulmer, Senior Policy Officer, Trade, Food Security and Gender
2. BUSINESSEUROPE www.businesseurope.eu, Contact Person: Ms Eleonora Catella: Adviser
3. EUROCHAMBRES – Association of European Chambers of Commerce and Industry - Eurochambres www.eurochambres.eu, Contact Person: Mr Dirk Vantyghem, Director, International Affairs
4. EUROPEAN SERVICES FORUM - ESF  www.esf.be, Contact Person: Mr Pascal Kerneis, Managing Director
5. EUROPEAN TRADE UNION CONFEDERATION - ETUC www.etuc.org/, Contact Person: Mr Thomas Jenkins, Senior Adviser
6. EUROCOMMERCE  www.eurocommerce.be, Contact Person: Mr Ralph Kamphöner, Director International Trade & Wholesale
7. EUROGROUP FOR ANIMALS www.eurogroupforanimals.org/, Contact Person: Mr Martyn Griffiths, Policy Officer on International Trade
8. EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE (EESC) www.eesc.europa.eu, Contact Person: Ms Tzonka Iotzova, Administrator
9. EUROPEAN FARMERS - COPA http://copa-cogeca.eu, Contact Person: Mr Arnaud Petit, Director of Commodities & Trade
10. FOREIGN TRADE ASSOCIATION- FTA www.fta-intl.org, Contact Person: Mr Pierre Gröning, Trade Policy Advisor
11. SOLIDAR www.solidar.org/ Contact Person: Ms Eva Maria Schneider, Social Policy Coordination