Ahern to open enterprise conference

The Minister for Trade and Commerce Michael Ahern will open a Conference on the European Charter for Small Enterprises at Dublin Castle tomorrow.

The conference is the last formal event of the Irish Presidency to be held in Ireland and will be addressed by Minister Ahern and the EU Commissioner for Enterprise Ján Figel.

The closing address to the conference on Wednesday, June 30 will be delivered by the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise Mary Harney.

The purpose of the two-day conference, which will be attended by senior officials from the EU member states as well as representatives from business organisations and other stakeholders, is to discuss the European Charter for Small Enterprises, adopted by the EU General Affairs Council in Lisbon in June 2000. Some 34 countries are now signatories to the principles set out in the Charter.