Cooperatives Europe Annual MeetingSpeechDame Pauline Green Co-President

Colleagues and friendsAt the Regional Assembly in October 2002 in Lisbon,you did me the great honour of electing me as Presidentof ICA Europe. As a result of that position, I joined theBoard of the International Co-operative Alliance as theVice President for the Europe Region of the ICA,alongside the other three Vice Presidents for theAmericas, the Asia Pacific Region and for Africa. TheEuropean and global work has been a fascinating andstimulating part of my job for the last seven years and Iwant to thank you all very much for having given me theopportunity to represent European co-operatives. I havelearnt so much and made so many good friends andcolleagues during that time, and I hope that I have beenable to make some contribution to the development of our model of business.At the end of September this year, I will retire from myfull time post as Chief Executive of Co-operatives

theapex body for all co-operatives in the United Kingdom.The Board of Co-operatives

has asked me to completemy elected term of office in the ICA at regional andglobal level, which I am delighted to do. However, itdoes mean that at the Annual Meeting of Co-operatives

Europe next year, I will be retiring from the Board andthe Co Presidency.However, some of you may already know that I am to benominated by the UK movement as their candidate forthe election of President of the ICA that will be held atthe General Assembly in Geneva in November this yearfor the coming 4 year term. Should I be successful inthat election I will, of course, be continuing myrelationship with the global ICA, and in particular, willbe pleased to remain in close contact with developmentsin Cooperatives Europe which is very close to my heart.Cooperatives Europe can, and is working because, inplanning for its launch in 2004/5, the Board of ICAEurope and that of our partner CCACE representing thebusiness sectors, were clear that our key strategic rolewas to lobby the European institutions and work with thegovernments of non EU countries in our region to try andmaximise our influence on the policy and fundingregimes which could help to grow our model of businessacross our region.You heard earlier that some significant success has beencreated in this core role, although much still remains tobe done.It is also the case that after four years since comingtogether as Cooperatives Europe, firstly through aninformal platform and then as an incorporated body, wehave now had time to test the structures, governance andoperational procedures that we established in ourconstitution and see if any revisions are necessary.

The Board meeting last evening asked me to report back to you that it has decided to review our performance andlook to see if we need to make any changes to ourconstitution and operating practices. If so, the Board willhave time for appropriate consultation in order that anyreforms requiring member approval are fully worked upand can be introduced at the Annual Meeting next year.I am also authorised to tell you that in order to facilitatethe election of Co Presidents and Directors it is ourintention to hold a full Regional Assembly in April nextyear in Moscow at the invitation of our Russiancolleagues. It will be held on 19/20/21

April 2010.The key changes and development of CooperativesEurope were driven by the Board with a clear eye on twothings.Firstly, the modern trading environment in which our co-operative businesses are working, and the need to use ourinfluence in whatever way we can to support and bringadded value to their work.And secondly, the new global order in which we are nowoperating. A global order that has seen power settling inthree key seats of political and economic power in theworld.Despite the desperate plight of its financial system, itshousing market and manufacturing industry, andunemployment the United States remains the keyeconomic and political power house in the world. The