ABSTRACT

Business and the various EU institutions enjoy a symbiotic relationship. The EU has multiple responsibilities which affect firms and business, sometimes specific to particular companies, but more commonly shaping and influencing the business environment. Among these responsibilities are competition (anti-trust) policy governing private firms, mergers and acquisitions, cartels as well as state subsidies to private and public sector enterprises; external trade policy and anti-dumping; the running of the customs union and the development of the single European market based on the four freedoms (capital, goods, people and services); health and safety standards; environmental policy and standards; basic employment standards including application of the principle of equal pay for men and women; cross-border research and development policy designed to speed up the introduction of new technology and promote cooperation in R&D between firms; agricultural policy, food and food safety standards; consumer protection; not to mention policies for regional development and vocational training.