CBI response to attacks on our President's Committee Meeting

4 Nov 2015 01:38 PM

The majority of CBI members want to be in a reformed EU and we have never said we are in at all costs. We have also repeatedly said that we do not speak for all businesses. We recognise there are diverse views in the business community and elsewhere on the EU, which are welcome and necessary for a healthy debate.

It is disappointing that groups like Vote Leave and Business for Britain seem to think attacking the CBI is the best way to approach a matter of national importance. 

We have consistently backed the Prime Minister’s reform agenda on getting Europe more focused on growth, jobs and trade, and have said that reforms need to be ambitious but achievable. 

In the minutes from the CBI President’s Committee July meeting, which Vote Leave refers to in its press release, the CBI makes clear that it ‘should be strong in making the case for competitiveness within Europe, as a key point in our reform agenda’ and that the CBI should use ‘its influence to make the EU a better place to do business’. (Quotes from the official minutes of the CBI President’s Committee meeting, Monday 6 July 2015)

The CBI’s President’s Committee is an advisory body for the CBI President, it is not the CBI’s final policy decision making body. That function is carried out by the Chairmen’s Committee, full details of which are published on the CBI’s website. 

It is a matter for individual companies whether they choose to publically participate in the EU referendum debate, but all businesses should feel free to speak out on the issues that affect them and their employees. Our job is to represent our members and we will continue to do that.

Under the terms set out in the Companies Act, any membership subscriptions paid to an organisation formed for the purpose of furthering trade interests of its members are not considered political donations.

The CBI Chairmen’s Committee meets 4 times a year following quarterly Standing Committee and Regional Council rounds. 

This committee has a seat for all of the Chairs of the CBI’s 9 Regional Councils from England, our 3 National Councils from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, our 8 subject-based Standing Committees, our Enterprise Forum and our Trade Association Council. 

Each quarterly round typically involves the direct engagement of approximately 600 individuals from our member companies who sit on our Regional and Standing Committees.