Kellen News
Stan Samples
678-303-2996
ssamples@kellencompany.com
For Immediate Release:
Alexandra Smith Ozerkis
212-297-2134
aozerkis@kellencompany.com
Kellen Europe Alerts U.S. Associations to Pay Close
Attention to Changing European Policies
Washington, D.C. (November 18, 2008) – With the European Union ramping up its regulatory focus on industry, American associations will want to become more proactive in their understanding and monitoring of the European policy initiatives if they plan on sustaining and expanding their activities in the EU, a Kellen Company executive and trade association expert said Friday.
“The forthcoming elections in the European Union portend a period of significant change for all stakeholders. Associations that currently have a presence in Europe, or wish to have a presence there, should stay vigilant and informed of the policy developments especially during the next two years,” said Maria Teresa Scardigli, vice president with Kellen Europe in Brussels, which is part of the Kellen Company – a professional services and association management firm managing more than 80 associations globally, and one of the featured speakers at ASAE’s program, Europe Today: What Associations Need to Know – The 2008 update. “There will be real opportunities for globally savvy association executives who can establish their presence in foreign markets.”
Scardigli, and Seppo Nurmi, deputy head of the trade section of the Delegation of the European Commission to the U.S., based in Washington, DC, gave an informative presentation to association professionals at the ASAE offices in the nation’s capital on Nov. 14 about how emerging political developments and policy issues in Europe will affect the way U.S. organizations conduct business internationally.
Scardigli, an expert of the association management industry, provided detailed information on the European Transparency Initiative – which monitors lobbying activities to improve the accountability of decision makers in the EU, and the new European chemical policy: REACH (the Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of CHemicals) – which ensures industries take greater responsibility in managing the risks from chemicals to health and the environment. Scardigli also discussed how U.S. organizations can best comply with these initiatives.
Scardigli added: “It is important that U.S.-based associations that are interested in developing relationships in the EU are advised about the benefits and possible implications of compliance to these European initiatives.”
Nurmi focused on how a new president in the White House and the global economic crisis has and will impact existing and future political relationships between the U.S. and E.U. and international trade trends moving forward.
“The internationalization of policy issues and association activities create an increasing need for association executives to enhance their ability to deal in this ever changing environment. ASAE and ESAE (The European Society for Association Executives) are the perfect forum for association executives to learn and share best practices and knowledge,” said Scardigli who is also a board member for (ESAE).
The ASAE program was sponsored by Brussels International, the Brussels Convention Bureau, in collaboration with the Kellen Company.
About Kellen Company
Kellen Company currently serves more than 100 client associations representing over 10,000 companies from its five offices worldwide. Among the services Kellen offers are association management, government affairs, public relations, strategic advice, meetings management, creative communications and Web site development and marketing.
Kellen Company is the premier global association management firm with offices and representation in the United States, Europe, China, the Middle East, India and Southeast Asia. For more information, visit www.kelleneurope.com and/or www.kellencompany.com.