Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) or small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are businesses whose personnel and revenue numbers fall below certain limits. The abbreviation "SME" is used by international organizations such as the World Bank,the OECD,European Union,the United Nations,and the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Although there has been a large degree of integration between European Union member states,foreign relations is still a largely intergovernmental matter,with the 27 states controlling their own relations to a large degree. However,with the Union holding more weight as a single entity,there are at times attempts to speak with one voice,notably on trade and energy matters. The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy personifies this role.
Relations between the European Union and the United States began in 1953,when US diplomats visited the European Coal and Steel Community in addition to the national governments of its six founding countries. The two parties share a good relationship which is strengthened by NATO,cooperation on trade,and shared values.
The Directorate-General for Internal Market,Industry,Entrepreneurship and SMEs is a Directorate-General of the European Commission. The Enterprise Directorate-General works on creating an environment in which European firms can thrive. The improvement of the business environment is to lead to a growth in productivity and subsequently create the jobs and wealth necessary to achieve the objectives set by the European Council in Lisbon in March 2000.
The Directorate-General for Trade is a Directorate-General of the European Commission. The European Commission's Directorate- General for Trade develops and implements the EU's trade policy in order to help secure prosperity,solidarity and security in Europe and around the globe. It covers a wide area from manufactured goods to services,intellectual property and investment.
The Directorate-General for International Partnerships is the European Commission department responsible for international development policy. It operates under the authority of the European Commissioner for International Partnerships,Jutta Urpilainen.
The Commissioner for Health and Food Safety is the member of the European Commission. The current Commissioner is Stella Kyriakides. The portfolio is responsible for matters of public health,food safety,animal health and plant health.
Northern Cyprus is recognised only by Turkey,a country which facilitates many of its contacts with the international community. After it was occupied by Turkey,northern Cyprus' relations with the rest of the world were further complicated by a series of United Nations resolutions which declared its independence legally invalid. A 2004 UN Referendum on settling the Cyprus dispute was accepted by the Turkish Cypriots but rejected by the Greek Cypriots. After that,the European Union declared its intentions to assist in reducing the economic isolation of northern Cyprus and began giving aid to the territory. However,due to pressure from Greece and the Republic of Cyprus,this aid coming from EU funds cannot be used on Greek Cypriot land and property nor on public bodies. As a result,these funds can be used only on 29 percent of people on the island of Cyprus.
Androulla Vassiliou is a Cypriot and European politician. Between March 2008 and February 2010,she was the European Commissioner for Health,and then,until November 2014,the European Commissioner for Education,Culture,Multilingualism and Youth. Vassiliou is very active in social and cultural fields particularly within the UN and EU. In Cyprus she has held many important posts and is on the Board of many public and private companies.
Relations between Canada and the European Union (EU) and its forerunners date back to the 1950s. While the relationship is primarily an economic one,there are also matters of political cooperation. Canadians also use English and French —both European languages —as official and majority languages.
Arif-ur-Rehman Alvi is a Pakistani politician and dentist currently serving as the 13th president of Pakistan,in office since 9 September 2018. He was a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan from June 2013 to May 2018 and again from August to September 2018. A founding member of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI),Alvi was elected as president of Pakistan on 4 September 2018 following the 2018 Pakistani presidential election.
The Enterprise Europe Network provides support for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) with international ambitions. Co-funded by the European Union's COSME and Horizon 2020 programmes,the Network's aim is to help businesses innovate and grow internationally.
European Union–Pakistan relations are the international relations between the common foreign policy and trade relations of the European Union and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development is an intergovernmental organisation with 38 member countries,founded in 1961 to stimulate economic progress and world trade. It is a forum whose member countries describe themselves as committed to democracy and the market economy,providing a platform to compare policy experiences,seek answers to common problems,identify good practices,and coordinate domestic and international policies of its members.
Cyprus–Serbia relations are considered as strong,due to common European policies and the sharing of Orthodoxy as a common religion. Cyprus has been a supporter of Serbia in its efforts to join the European Union. Likewise,Serbia has been advocating a stable Cyprus after the Turkish invasion in 1974 and supporting a lasting solution to the Cyprus dispute.
The Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space is a department of the European Commission.
Tomasz Edward Kozłowski is a Polish diplomat,Poland ambassador to Pakistan (2001–2003),European Union ambassador to South Korea (2011–2015) and India (2015–2019).
Małgorzata Wasilewska is a Polish diplomat,human rights activist,and European Union ambassador to Jamaica (2016–2020) and Barbados.
The 2021–2024 global energy crisis began in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021,with much of the globe facing shortages and increased prices in oil,gas and electricity markets. The crisis was caused by a variety of economic factors,including the rapid post-pandemic economic rebound that outpaced energy supply,and escalated into a widespread global energy crisis following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The price of natural gas reached record highs,and as a result,so did electricity in some markets. Oil prices hit their highest level since 2008.
