British Retail Consortium In Brussels

WHY BRUSSELS?

Much of the legislation that the BRC deals with at national level has its origins in Brussels. In what is often a process spanning seven years or more, lengthy negotiations take place and deals are struck in Brussels, between the numerous interest groups and policy makers around Europe.

It is crucial for the BRC has an effective presence in Brussels in order to shape the direction of these negotiations.

Commentators often say that Brussels is an ‘insider’s’ town. With 10,000 individuals engaged in lobbying activity in the city, knowing who to contact and when is a vitally important skill. The BRC Brussels team has direct, personal experience in EU policy development. The team is fluent in eight languages, and most importantly, understands how Brussels works.

WHAT DO WE DO?

Our current priorities lie in the following areas:

Ensuring that UK and European retail issues are understood by EU lawmakers and opinion formers

In the area of environment we are proactively engaging in dialogue on sustainable production and consumption and demonstrating active engagement in the Commission’s Retail Forum

Further measures in trade defence, particularly any further antidumping investigations which disrupt our supply chain

Establishing a fair deal on payment card transactions and resolving the ongoing debate around card interchange fees

Should you wish to have any further details about our current priorities please do not hesitate to contact us.