The EU challenge
knowhow exchange
organization
Cooperative
by association
Why is Rabobank building a structured approach to the EU? Why do we need a
one-stop shop in Brussels in the form of European Union Advisory Services
(EUAS)? And how can EUAS act to promote the interests of our clients in EU and
non-EU countries? Diederik Conijn, our man in Brussels, explains the thinking
behind our strategy on Europe.
Active relations
Valued highly
8 Whdt S NewS Issue8-August 1998
The conference organized by EUAS
drew participants from many
disciplines in the Netherlands, hut also
from RI branches in Frankfurt, Warsaw
and London. Their attendance, along with
that of people like Jaap Kool, who is
responsible for Central and Eastern
Europe and Andries Mak van Waay of
Rabo Securities and Mark Blundell of
financial institutions is an indication of
how diverse those interests can be. 'The
legislation coming out of the European
parliament, specifically on issues affecting
our clients, can only be improved by input
from our side,' says Conijn. 'And vice
versa in the sense that the people
developing solutions for our customers
should have some insight into what is
going on at the top of the FiU.'
These issues often effect more than one
country. Many of our customers operate
cross-border, as we do ourselves. Clearly,
a single corporate will find it difficult to
penetrate the corridors of the EU -
everyone knows Brussels is a bureau-
Following some three years of debate
at every level in the Rabobank
organization on the relevance of a
cooperative future, the decision is
unanimous: Rabobank will enter the new
millennium with its cooperative principles
and goals in tact. Yet, three years of
discussion did not leave the bank
untouched. A revitalized and modernized
structure and organization has emerged
messages across to legislators. 'A
recognized and permanent presence in
Brussels means we can bring forward
specific Dutch interests,' says Conijn,
'but also those confronting our
customers elsewhere in the EU and
outside.' This, he claims, is a dialogue.
'We're talking here about structured
input, about sharing valuable knowhow,
which Rabobank certainly has in a
nuntber of areas, with, for example,
members of the European Parliament.'
In fact, the presence
and growing
reputation of fïUAS -
according to Karla
Peijs, Rabobank's
lobby is valued highly in Brussels - mean
we as Rabobank have access to
influential decision-makers. Through
these contacts, we can get our customers'
through the changes made to the articles
of association statutes ratified at a special
meeting of Rabobank's Central Delegates
Assemhly. The primary difference is the
shift from a purely credit and savings-
based cooperative organization to a broad
financial services provider founded on
cooperative principles.
Although the new wording of some of the
new statutes will sound familiar to many
international Rabohankers - customer
value is high priority - we will not be
greatly affected in practical terms. Many
of the changes relate to how supervision,
monitoring and control is managed for
local member banks. The criteria
government membership of the
cooperative - in the past, all corporate
customers had to 'join' the bank - have
also been adjusted to meet requirements
of the late 20th century. In fact, many of
the nranagerial changes now introduced
have been Standard practice at Rabobank
Nederland, Rl's parent, for many years.
For those interested in our cooperative
roots and in our legal structure, a
background to the changes has been
prepared in English.
Contact Lian Bakx of extcmal commu-
nication, +31 30 216 4343, for a copy.
cratic apparatus and you need knowledge
and experience to use it effectively. 'If we
have issues,' confirms
Conijn, 'then it is best
to use European
umbrella organizations
to get our views
across. However, that
involves pursuing and
maintaining an active
relationship with those
organizations. That is
why we established
EUAS, to ensure that
relationship was
sound.'
Mr Diederik Cor
Diederik Conijn - lobbying for dialogue
Karla Peijs' willingness to chair the
recent EUAS conference showed how
seriously the
Rabobank lobby is
taken in Brussels.
What about the
bank itself? 'The
con-ference ainr was
to convince manage
ment that we really
need what 1 would
call a public affairs
strategy. We used
the conference to
give participants an
idea of the variety
and diversity of
relevant FTJ issues
and developments
that can affect the
way we work.'
Europe has always
been a highly
competitive
marketplace. With the arrival of a single
currency and the increasing transparency
of pricing, our clients will need all the
help we can give them.
