The Confederation of Employers and Industries of Spain (CEOE), founded in 1977, is the top Spanish Businessmen Organization, with a voluntary membership of one million public and private companies, representing all productivity sectors of the country (agriculture, industry and services). The CEOE accounts for 184 regional and sectorial organizations.

The small and medium firms' specific interests are represented by the Confederation of Small and Medium-Size Enterprises (CEPYME), a national organization which is a member of the CEOE.

The CEOE carries out ongoing analyses of the Spanish economy and the social and labour situation, in order to propose solutions for enhancing the competitiveness of Spanish companies.

The CEOE is the employers' spokesman to the Government, Civil Service, Unions, Public Opinion - through the news media - and other political and social institutions. It also represents Spanish employers in international organizations and in other countries.

The employers' ultimate ruling body is the General Assembly, composed of 700 delegates representing all the organizations of the CEOE. The delegates are elected by one million businessmen and businesswomen. Once every four years, the General Assembly elects a Chairman and a Board of Directors, who in turn, appoint the members of the Executive Committee.

The Commissions and Committees, acting within the CEOE as ad hoc or standing advisory bodies, are responsible to the Board of Directors.

The Confederation's advisory bodies are responsible for the study and discussion of the problems of all industries.

The specific task of these ad hoc or standing bodies is to draw up criteria and rules which, once adopted by the Confederation's governing bodies, lay the foundation for future CEOE policy.

From an organizational point of view, the Commissions are subject to the Board of Directors and avail themselves of a series of Committees that cover the various subject matters dealt with under the scope of each Commission.

The members of the Commissions are representatives of regional and trade organizations belonging to the CEOE.

The following Commissions are currently operational:

     -    Economic and Financial Policy Commission
     -    Tax Affairs Commission
     -    Commission on the Environment
     -    Commission for the Defence of Competition (Fair
          Competition Commission; Anti-trust Commission...)
     -    Infraestructures and Government Suppliers Commission
     -    Collective Bargaining Commission
     -    Commission on Health, Social Security and on-the-job
          Health and Safety
     -    Labour Market and Training Commission
     -    Commission on the European Union
     -    International Relations Commission
     -    Commission for the Fostering of New Businesses
     -    Industry and Energy Commission
     -    Tourist Industry Council
     -    Council for External Promotion

Since its founding, the CEOE has been very active internationally, as is evidenced by its presence in many international forums and bodies, as well as by the working relationship it maintains with analogous organizations throughout the world. The Confederation actively promotes Spanish business in foreign markets, and maintains a fruitful exchange with other countries on initiatives and investment experiences.

The CEOE belongs to the major international economic and employers' institutions:

-    International Employers' Organization (IEO)
-    International Labour Organization (ILO)
-    Union of Industrial and Employers' Confederations of Europe
     (UNICE)
-    Business and Industrial Advisory Committee to OECD (BIAC)
-    Interamerican Council for Trade and Production (CICYP)
-    Association for CEE/Latin American Business Cooperation
     (ACE)

In order to foster, support and facilitate contacts and collaboration between Spanish firms and their foregoing counterparts, the CEOE also has a series of Trade Bureaus (OFERE) in several countries, in collaboration with national employers' organizations.

Foremost among them are the Spain Business and Technology Office (SBTO), run in conjunction with the Centre for Technological and Industrial Developmen (CDTI).

In recent years, the CEOE has been setting up business support offices in parallel to the economic and financial agreements that Spain has established with several nations, particularly in Latin America.

The general objectives of the International Relations Commission and the Council for External Promotion include the creation of a competitive framework for Spanish enterprise in international markets and the promotion of all action tending to conduct their business on an international scale. The Commission on the "European Union" is responsible for an ongoing analysis of the evolution of the EEC and of the effects of the Single Market on the Spanish companies. It is also responsible for defending Spanish business interests within the European Union.

CEOE Ofice in Brussels

The CEOE Delegation to the European Union, created in Brussels in 1980, is the Spanish Employers' official representative to Community bodies and to the Union of Industrial and Employers' Confederation of Europe (UNICE). It likewise serves as a vehicle for informing Spanish businessmen about the various activities carried on by the Union.

CEOE Office in Washington

The CEOE has recently opened an office in Washington in order to be in closer contact with the American business and financial world and the measures taken by the Administration and multilateral organizations with headquarters in Washington (World Bank, International Monetary Fund, Interamerican Development Bank, etc.

The CEOE takes an interest in culture, art, science, education, and all the various forms of expression that enrich Spanish society.

CEOE Foundation

The CEOE Foundation, created by the Confederation in 1984, promotes communication and cultural creaticity, social and scientific research and, in general, any activity that contributes to the achievement of its objectives: fostering and developing science, the arts and culture in Spain.

In order to fulfill these aims, the foundation has instituted a series of annual awards for artistic work and scientific research. Further, it offers a series of grants for professionals in the field of communications to continue their studies or specialize in the United States, in conjunction with the Fullbright Commission.

There is a conviction among employers that business is one of the major forces behind national progress, and they attempt to stimulate this thrust day by day by fostering new professions among the younger generation.

Business Training

The CEOE devotes particular attention to intensifying its efforts to improve training for young people and facilitating their integration in the labour market.

The Training Department sponsors many seminars and courses on business management to this end. The CEOE also has a Training Commission devoted, in particular, to monitoring and analysing the field of business training, so as to provide solutions to the various problems that arise in this area.

The Secretariat heads the various technical Departments that advise and coordinate the work of the Commissions and Committees of the CEOE. It also represents the Confederations' executive policies.

The Secretariat is responsible for implementing the instructions emanating form the Confederations' governing bodies, drawing up reports and performing specialized studies in each of the several areas.

A list of departments follows:

     -    Office of the President
     -    Office of the Secretary General
     -    Economic Situation and Policy Department
     -    Labour and Social Affairs Department
     -    Training Department
     -    Membership Department
     -    Communications Department
     -    Department of International Relations
     -    Legislative Affairs Bureau
     -    Delegation to the European Union (Brussels)
     -    Delegation to the United States (Washington)
     -    Office of the General Manager

For more information, please write or call:

Confederación Española de Organizaciones
Empresariales (CEOE)
Diego de León, 50
28006 Madrid
Phone: 34 1 563 96 41
Fax:   34 1 562 80 23/564 01 35/564 42 47

CEOE
Training Department
Alcántara, 20
28006 Madrid
Phone: 34 1 431 22 33/431 22 92