The European Business Council (EBC) has 23 committees devoted to improving the business environment for European companies in a variety of different sectors. Each EBC Committee is unique, reflecting the varied make-up of the EBC membership and the issues they deal with on a day-to-day basis.
Some committees have memberships constituting a significant share of the Japanese market and are officially recognized by the Japanese Government as a primary industry contact while others are devoted to increasing market access opportunities for their members. While a majority of the committees represents a sector or an industry segment, some address cross-sector issues such as human resources and taxation, which affect all firms in Japan, regardless of their line of business.
In general, EBC Committees perform a combination of the following functions:
- Identifying obstacles facing European companies doing business in Japan in their sector
- Promoting European interests in a particular issue area
- Liaising with relevant Government Ministries and other industry groups
- Responding to requests from the EBC Secretariat, the media, government representatives, and other organisations for information on the public policy work of European businesses in Japan