Free and fair trade was of ‘vital importance’ to everyone involved in buying, selling, importing and exporting raw materials, said Fernando Duranti of Leghe & Metalli International in Italy stressed to the world recycling organization’s General Assembly in Berlin. Duranti also is president of the Bureau of International Recycling.
It was therefore essential’ that these transactions were not subject to ‘hindrance or use of improper methods to gain a competitive advantage’, he insisted.
The presentations were made during the opening remarks during the BIR’s recently held spring meeting in Berlin, Germany.
Duranti noted that with the expansion of the European Union, “I sincerely hope that the efficient industries and technologies of these new member countries will gradually be put to the benefit of the European Union as a whole, and that continuous improvements and capacity expansions will enable the enlarged EU to remain a solid, competitive business force capable of meeting global challenges.”
Duranti highlighted efforts taking place within BIR to widen its membership base, including the development of an Ambassadors Committee made up of prominent industry representatives in all the major countries and regions of the world.
After a period as BIR’s acting treasurer, Anthony Bird OBE of the UK-based Bird Group of Companies was officially elected BIR’s treasurer for an initial two-year term.
Keynote speaker at the General Assembly in Berlin was Albert Rohan, former Secretary General of the Austrian Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In a presentation entitled ‘Hot Irons of International Politics’, he offered delegates his personal interpretation of major world issues including: the Israel/Palestine and Iraq conflicts; the foreign policies of Russia and China; and relations between Europe and the United States. He expected progress towards European integration to remain ‘hesitant’ and called on Europe to play a role in world affairs that was commensurate with its economic weight and experience.
BIR Membership Committee Chairman Michael Lion of Sims Group confirmed that 472 companies and 38 National Federations were now associated to BIR, with 41 new members officially ratified at the General Assembly in Berlin. A ‘Toolkit’ designed to increase awareness of the benefits of BIR membership would probably be ready some time next year, he added.