SME United

SMEunited is the association representing European crafts and SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) at the EU level. It acts as a strong voice for over 22.5 million SMEs employing nearly 82.4 million people across Europe. SMEunited advocates for policies that foster entrepreneurship, innovation, and sustainable growth, and it works to ensure that EU legislation considers the needs and challenges of small businesses. It provides expertise, monitors EU policy developments, and engages in social dialogue. SMEunited’s members include national cross-sectoral SME federations, sectoral organisations, and associate members from across Europe, supporting SMEs in diverse industries and crafts.

EuroCommerce

EuroCommerce is the recognised European social partner in the commerce sector since 1990. EuroCommerce is the European association for retail and wholesale. Our members include national associations from 27 countries, 35 leading European corporations, and sub-sector associations. Our sector accounts 5 million businesses, a large majority being SMEs. It is the first private sector employer, providing 1 in 7 jobs, many of them young people, offering a varied career to 26 million in capital cities, towns and villages across Europe. It also supports millions of further jobs throughout the supply chain, from small local suppliers to international businesses.

EBF

The European Banking Federation (EBF) is the voice of the European banking sector, representing national banking associations from across Europe. Founded in 1960, it advocates for a stable, open, and competitive banking industry that supports sustainable economic growth. The EBF engages with European institutions, policymakers, and stakeholders to shape regulation and promote financial stability and innovation. Its members include around 3,500 banks, large and small, which together employ millions of people and finance households, businesses, and governments. The EBF also works on key topics like digital finance, sustainability, cybersecurity, and financial literacy to strengthen Europe’s banking landscape.

Hotrec

HOTREC, the European association of hotels, restaurants, bars, and cafés – supports 2 million hospitality businesses, 9 out of 10 being micro-enterprises. HOTREC represents their 47 member associations from 36 countries towards the EU and international institutions. HOTREC acts as a platform of expertise and ensures a business-friendly and competitive environment while driving sustainable and innovative growth.

WEC-Europe

The World Employment Confederation Europe (WEC Europe) is the European division of the World Employment Confederation, representing the private employment services industry across Europe. It advocates for fair and effective labor markets by promoting diverse forms of work such as agency work, direct recruitment, and career management. WEC Europe engages with EU institutions, policymakers, and stakeholders to shape employment policy, improve labor market regulations, and support workforce adaptability. Its members include national federations and major workforce solutions companies. WEC Europe aims to drive job creation, enhance social innovation, and ensure decent working conditions for millions of workers across the continent.

WEC-Europe, the World Employment Confederation is the voice of the private employment services industry at the European level, representing 25 national federations and 9 workforce solutions companies from across Europe. Members of WEC-Europe represent a wide range of HR services, including agency work, direct recruitment, career management, Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) and Managed Service Provider (MSP). Since 2001, WEC-Europe has represented the employers in the EU Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee for temporary agency work alongside its counterpart, UNI-Europa, which represents the workers. The Head Office of WEC-Europe, located in Brussels, Belgium, has a capacity of 8 staff members.

FIEC

FIEC, the European Construction Industry Federation, through its 32 national member federations in 27 European countries (24 EU countries, Norway, Switzerland and Ukraine), represents construction companies of all sizes (from one-man businesses and SMEs to large international companies), active in all types of building and civil engineering works. FIEC’s main activities include promoting the interests of the European construction industry vis-à-vis the European institutions, to ensure its sustainable development, as well as the effective implementation of the green and digital transitions. FIEC also aims at facilitating the cooperation and the exchange of best practices between its own affiliates as well as with the other stakeholders of the construction value-chain. FIEC is the officially recognised social partner and represents employers in the European Sectoral Social Dialogue “Construction” for the improvement of working conditions, health and safety and training.

Geopa

Geopa (European Employers’ Group of Professional Agricultural Organisations) is the voice of the European agricultural employers, representing 22 national employer associations in the sector. Geopa is the European social partner for agriculture officially recognised by the European Commission, engaging in permanent social dialogue at European level with the worker’s representatives. Geopa is also a member of DG AGRI’s Civil Dialogue Groups, a member of the European Board for Agriculture and Food (EBAF), a coordinator of the Agri-Food Pact for Skills and manages or directly contributes to several EU-funded projects promoting skills, safety and social dialogue in the sector.

ECEG

ECEG, the European Chemical Employers Group represents the employers’ interests of the chemical, pharmaceutical, rubber and plastics industries across Europe. As a recognised European Social Partner, ECEG collaborates with trade unions, policymakers, and other industry players to advocate for a competitive and sustainable chemical sector. It focuses on issues such as labour market policies, occupational health and safety, skills development, and social policies. The ECEG represents 19 national employers’ organizations and more than 110.000 companies in the chemical, pharmaceutical, rubber, and plastics industries across Europe.

Ceemet

Ceemet is the European employers’ organisation representing the interests of the metal, engineering and technology-based (MET) industries with a particular focus on topics in the areas of employment, social affairs, industrial relations, health & safety and education & training. Ceemet members are national employers’ federations across Europe and beyond based in 20 countries. They represent more than 200,000 member companies, a vast majority of which are SMEs. Ceemet members provide direct and indirect employment for 35 million people and cover all products within the MET industrial sectors. Together, these companies make up Europe’s largest industrial sector, both in terms of employment levels and added value, and are therefore essential to ensuring Europe’s economic prosperity. Ceemet’s mission is to effectively represent, promote and defend the interests of the MET industries with all relevant EU stakeholders in matters primarily related to employment and social affairs as well as industrial policy.