Dear Reader, Dear Members and Friends,

It has been a very busy Q1 and Q2 in Europe, Germany, Bavaria and at the vbw. The issues covered in this Newsletter reflect that.

We had a relatively high (more than 62 percent) voter turnout for the European parliamentary elections in May with the British contesting the elections. We now have the task of cementing the leadership at the legislative, Council and Commission level of the European Union so that Europe can get on with the challenges at hand.

Brexit is still hanging over us. The way going forward is uncertain in the wake of the resignation of Prime minister Theresa May and the search for her successor. Whatever happens in the Q3 and beginning of Q4, businesses and the people of Europe deserve certainty.

In May, the vbw hosted the new Consul General of the United States Ms. Meghan Gregonis during a transatlantic conference on Data Protection, marking the first of year of the European Data Protection Act. Consul General Gregonis’ interview with the vbw magazine ( www.vbw-bayern.de ) and subsequent appearance at the conference gave her an opportunity to emphasize the continued importance of the transatlantic economic relations.

At the vbw, we inaugurated a new president in June, Mr. Wolfram Hatz. Mr. Hatz is the head of the supervisory board of Motorfabrik Hatz GmbH & Co. KG, a manufacturer of industrial diesel motors and a small and mid-sized enterprise (SME). SMEs make up more than 97 percent of all Germany companies and are a core membership group of our organizations. Mr. Hatz looks forward to leading the vbw in tackling some of vexing issues that put a strain on businesses’ ability to be successful.

The vbw is committed to continuing to be a strong voice and advocate for issues that concern the business community in Bavaria, Germany and Europe. We invite you to work with us in continuing to make that possible. Please let us know how we can continue to serve you further.

Thank you for your unwavering support and we hope that you find this edition of the Newsletter information and of interest.