Industrial dialogue on enlargement

A conference on the competitiveness of industry in Central and Eastern European countries (CEECs) will be held in Vienna, Austria, on 5 October 1998, organised by the Austrian Industry Federation (VÖI), with the active support of the Austrian Presidency of the European Council and the European Commission. The aim of the conference is to launch a new initiative to help businesses in the candidate countries to gear up for competition in the Single Market.

Keynote speakers during the conference will include European Commissioner for industry, Mr Martin Bangemann, and the Ministers for Economic Affairs from both Austria and Hungary, Mr Hannes Farnleitner and Mr Attila Chikán. Discussions will focus on five key issues:

- The role of industry in the enlargement process;
- Structure and working methods of industry federations and ways of improving cooperation between them and public authorities;
- Improving the competitiveness of industry in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe;
- Cooperation between industry in the EU and the CEECs on environmental issues;
- The effects of the implementation of the Single Market rules on business.