The Europe Africa Trade Council represents investors and operators in Africa as a non-profit organisation

Through its members, Europe Africa Trade Council today represents some 4,000 European companies with interests on the African continent, from the Maghreb to South Africa, and represents hundreds of thousands of employees. Their activities cover the complete range of commerce and industry, including agriculture, mining, transport, banking and the service sectors.

The Europe Africa Trade Council brings together European investors and other operators engaged in economic activity on the African continent and it works for a close cooperation between the European private sector and African countries, in particular the African private sector. It is the only organisation that comprehensively represents the range of business activities undertaken in Africa by European companies.

The Europe Africa Trade Council embraces major European Associations from the private sector focused on development, business, trade and investment with African countries. It follows regularly the EU development policy and actions, as well as the foreign trade scene

THE EUROPE AFRICA TRADE COUNCIL believes that the private sector plays a crucial role in the economic development of the African countries. For this reason it promotes trade with and investments in Africa.

We assist and advise, through our member associations, those who are operating or who wish to operate in Africa, cooperating with the private sector associations and Governments in Africa in their plans to attract potential investors.

We cooperate and represent the interest of our associations vis-à-vis the Institutions of the European Union:

the European External Action Service
the European Commission
the European Parliament
the Economic and Social Committee
the European Investment Bank (EIB)
the European Development Finance Institutions (EDFI)
as well as the Secretariat of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP Secretariat), other relevant organisations and Embassies of African Countries

We also ensure the necessary liaison with other professional European groups, such as Business Europe, Eurochambres and Private Investors for Africa.

Europe Africa Trade Council aims to be the principal private sector interlocutor of the EU institutions and of African countries on matters affecting the interests of the EU private sector in Africa.
Accordingly, it has played an important part in the preparation of the Barcelona Agreement in 1995 and the Cotonou Agreement signed in 2000 and continues to monitor and advise on aspects of their implementation which affect the private sector.