ICC seeks business input to G20 agenda

The meeting was convened by the ICC G20 Advisory Group, comprising 30 CEOs from major global corporations, and hosted by Manfred Gentz, Chairman of ICC Germany. Participants were invited to share views on a range of policy issues derived from priorities defined by the Russian government. These topic areas, which mirror ongoing efforts by CEO-led task forces working collectively under the “Business-20” – or B20 – umbrella, include: trade, investments and infrastructure and the role of the G20 in creating growth and jobs.

Results from the consultation, which featured presentations from key Russian and German government officials, will be fed into the business recommendations that are being produced in advance of the G20 Leaders Summit to be held in Saint Petersburg on 5-6 September 2013.

“The member companies of ICC are the everyday practitioners of the global economy and, consequently, have a clear stake in the success of the G20,” Mr Gentz said. “Our objective today was to give these voices an opportunity to be heard and to be relevant to the global policy debates that ultimately impact their commercial opportunities, investments and trade.”

The core objective of the Russian presidency is to concentrate the efforts of G20 on developing a set of measures aimed at boosting sustainable, inclusive and balanced growth and job creation around the world.

A central part of the meeting was discussion with Germany’s G8- and G20 Sherpa, Lars-Hendrik Roller. Mr Roller represents German Chancellor Angela Merkel in the preparations for the G20 Summit and is her economic and financial policy advisor.

This year, the primary business input to the G20 process is being orchestrated by Alexander Shokhin, President of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RSPP), who has been appointed by Russian President Vladimir Putin to lead business policy task forces during the Russian G20 cycle.

“We are pleased to be working with RSPP and the B20 coalition of national business federations this year to ensure that G20 deliberations reflect the voice of business,” said ICC Secretary General Jean-Guy Carrier. “The results from this policy consultation will be conveyed to the respective B20 task force leaders in Moscow so as to ensure that business recommendations reflect the broad base of companies large and small.”

The ICC G20 policy consultation in Berlin is one of a series of similar events sponsored by ICC over the last two years. To date, these meetings have been held in: Mexico City, Hong Kong, Zurich, Qatar, Istanbul, Washington DC, Beijing, Melbourne, Jakarta and Johannesburg. Future meetings during 2013 are planned in New Delhi, London, Riyadh, Buenos Aires, Sydney and Canberra. Participants are invited to share views and priorities on current policy topics, with results from the consultations fed into the business recommendations prepared for successive G20 Business Summits.

For more information visit the ICC G20 Advisory Group