About Erpic

EUROPEAN RIM POLICY AND INVESTMENT COUNCIL – ERPIC

Founded in 2001, the European Rim Policy and Investment Council is a network of academics, professionals, business firms and non-governmental organizations.

MISSION
ERPIC is committed to advancing the broader understanding of European Union institutions and practices among Europe’s neighbors and in so doing promote closer economic, social and political interaction between Europe and its periphery.

AIMS
ERPIC brings together influential members of business, investment, policy, media and academic communities to reflect on the problems and challenges facing the regions that border the European Union.

ERPIC analyzes the implications of the policies of the EU as well as those of individual EU and non-EU member states.

ERPIC synthesizes and disseminates information vital to those actively involved in the economic and political development of the European Rim.

ACTIVITIES AND RESOURCES
ERPIC Roundtables.  Hosted by member institutes and businesses, ERPIC Roundtables focus on subjects of concern to businesses and investors in the various regions of the European Rim.

ERPIC Reports.  Undertaken in-house or commissioned from experts, ERPIC studies analyze and assess the impacts of new thinking and existing policy orientations.

ERPIC Symposia.  Providing a focus and platform for the assessment of existing policies and the development of new progressive orientations to further European integration and the European interaction with the diverse states of the European periphery.

ERPIC Journal. The Perihilion is an electronically formatted compilation of studies, articles and other material available on-line to the members of the Council.

ERPIC Database. A fully searchable research facility consisting of many separate topics covering political, economic, business and legal issues, available to the members of the Council.

THE EUROPEAN RIM

Stretching from St. Petersburg to Port Said, the European Rim region encompasses the EU candidate countries of Eastern Europe, the agricultural heartland of Ukraine and Moldova, the immense oil deposits of the Caspian Sea and the Middle East.  It is a vast region with great economic challenges but also great social and political turmoil.

Under the right international conditions and with the necessary political and economic reforms, the region of the EU Rim promises to become a major new growth pole in the world economy, giving the Euro-zone a trade and investment dynamism once associated with the Pacific Rim.

These are fascinating years for the European project and the European Rim. In 2004, the European Union reached 25 members as it absorbed the countries of Central Europe. Within the next decade it should expand first to 27 members, before embracing the remainder of the Balkans. During this time, there will be the further integration and possible accession of countries from the post-Soviet sphere.

The continuing Arab-Israeli conflict and the repercussions of the war in Iraq are changing the business climate in the Middle East. In the East Mediterranean, the Cyprus problem and shifting US relations with Turkey are defining EU policies.

EU relations with North Africa are marked by the importance of the Mediterranean as a major trading artery and of shared security concerns, such as illegal migration.

The European Union’s agenda for the next few years will be dominated by the implementation of a truly Common Foreign and Security Policy, defence and trade issues. As regards these issues, the way in which the EU interacts with the United States will have a major impact on the future development of the European Rim.

THE RESOURCE CENTER
ERPIC acts as a resource centre for those with business interests in the European Rim by providing a range of information on risk assessment and investment relevant to the concerns of regional companies and international investors.

PROMOTING UNDERSTANDING
ERPIC's journal Perihelion feeds regular short articles and longer working papers for those interested in developments in the countries of the European Rim and the direction of the Europe Union’s future policy towards them. Its articles, written by leading business people, policy makers and academics provide crucial intelligence on policy choices, legal and economic reforms, investment challenges and security dynamics. ERPIC is a reliable source of factual and analytical information, invaluable to corporate executives, policy makers and academics alike.

STATUS AND MEMBERSHIP
ERPIC is an independent, non-government, non-profit, member supported organization. Membership of the Council is by invitation and consists of business and professional firms, as well as individual businessmen, investors, professionals, journalists, scholars and analysts with interests in the regions bordering the European Union.

STRUCTURE AND FACILITIES
ERPIC is governed by a Board of Directors that is directly responsible to the members of the Council. Members of the Council have access to ERPIC resources including invitations to ERPIC Events, access to ERPIC Reports and the ERPIC Database.

THE INTERNATIONAL EUROPEAN MOVEMENT (IEM)
The European Rim Policy and Investment Council cooperates closely with the IEM, over several programs with a special focus upon the region of the EU Rim. For more information on the International European Movement please see the following website: www.europeanmovement.org