The European Round Table for Industry (ERT) is a business advocacy group.

It was previously known as the European Round Table of Industrialists.

The group consists of approximately 60 chief executives of leading European multinational companies, mainly in the industrial and technology sectors.

The ERT promotes European competitiveness and prosperity, and aims "to strengthen Europe's place in the world" by encouraging cooperation between industry and policymakers.

In contrast to the Confederation of European Business (BusinessEurope), which is made up of national business organizations and consists of enterprises of all sizes, the ERT represents large European firms that operate across countries in Europe and internationally.

The focus of the ERT is on issues affecting the European economy as a whole.

Historically, the ERT has aimed to reinvigorate European industry through the promotion of a unified market (now called the European single market), high-technology cooperation, the creation of trans-European infrastructure, and improved European worker education and training.

History

Impetus for the establishment of the ERT

The European economy in the early 1980s was suffering from "eurosclerosis", that is, a lack of innovation and competitiveness compared to the United States and Japan.

The ERT argued for the adoption of international accounting standards, and it took an early lead in the debate on carbon emissions.

A 1993 paper called Misshaping Europe provided the following assessment of the ERT:

The secretary general of the ERT from 1988 to 1998, Keith Richardson, responded to this criticism by noting that the lifeblood of the world economy comes from open markets and trade, and "In a world of six billion people it is inevitable that large organizations should form and play a leading role in both the public and private sectors".

  • 2022–present: Jean-François van Boxmeer (Vodafone)

(Source: ERT.eu)

References

  • Cowles, M., G., Setting the agenda for a new Europe: the ERT and EC 1992, In: Journal of Common Market Studies, 33, 1995,
  • Cowles, M., G., The rise of the European multinational, In: International Economic Insights, 1993
  • ERT, Will European governments in Barcelona keep their Lisbon promises?, Message from the European Round Table of Industrialists to the Barcelona European Council, March 2002. Brussel, Feb. 2002
  • Preston, M., E., The European commission and special interest groups, In: Claeys, P.-H., Gobin, C., Smets, I., Lobbyisme, pluralisme et intégration Européenne. Brussel, Presses Interuniversitaires Européennes, 1998,