Representation of Lewiatan in Brussels
The tasks of our representatives involve:
- representation of Lewiatan in Brussels, maintaining contacts with business federations, trade unions, diplomatic representations, EU institutions (representatives of the Council, Commission, MEPs),
- participation in the works of BusinessEurope, at the level of permanent representatives, committees, working groups and task force, reporting on BusinessEurope operations and initiatives,
- monitoring EU legislation and providing information to relevant Lewiatan experts and members,
- preparation of opinions on EU legislation, together with Lewiatan experts, as well as direct submission of opinions to EU institutions,
- informing EU institutions about Lewiatan stances with regard to EU legislation and other areas relevant to Lewiatan,
- development of international relations and activities undertaken independently by Lewiatan and in cooperation with other stakeholders (employers’ organisations, members, public administration),
- preparation of analyses, expert opinions, studies and reports on international affairs, EU, Poland-EU relations, situation of entrepreneurs in European countries
The Lewiatan Europe team
Kinga Grafa
Deputy Director General for European Affairs, Permanent Delegate to BusinessEurope, Coordinator for Cooperation with Business at OECD (BIAC), Member of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC)
A political scientist and journalist by education. She attained her experience regarding the functioning of the EU while working for the Office of the Committee for European Integration (2008-2009) and the European Parliament (2009-2014). A co-author of a book about the Polish aristocracy, author of scientific publications on American foreign policy, American elite and cultural diplomacy.
Luana Żak
Deputy Director of the Brussels Office
A graduate of international relations at the University of Warsaw and postgraduate of international trade at Warsaw School of Economics. She gained professional experience in the government agencies specialized in the foreign trade promotion and invesment attraction. She was responsible for supporting enterprises in their international expansion in the European Union, organizing events aimed at promoting Poland abroad and conducting cooperation towards removal of trade barriers with the representatives of public administration.
Polish Confederation Lewiatan Brussels Office
Avenue de Cortenbergh 168
1000 Brussels
BusinessEurope
BusinessEurope is the largest business organization in Europe, representing the interests of employers towards the institutions of the European Union. Established in 1958 as UNICE (Union des Industries de la Communauté Européenne), it currently brings together 42 employers’ and business federations from 36 countries – EU Member States, members of the European Economic Area, and neighboring countries. Konfederacja Lewiatan is the only Polish employers’ organization that is a member of BusinessEurope, ensuring that the voice of Polish businesses is heard at the European level.
The mission of BusinessEurope is to strengthen the competitiveness of the European economy and to make sure that the business perspective is taken into account in the EU legislative process. The organization works closely with the European Parliament, the European Commission, and the Council of the EU, and as a recognized social partner, it also takes part in the European social dialogue. BusinessEurope is active in key policy areas for companies, including the single market, international trade, energy policy, digitalization, and sustainable development.
BusinessEurope develops common positions of European business, monitors the legislative process, and provides recommendations to EU institutions to ensure that regulations support enterprise growth and Europe’s competitiveness. Its structure includes the Council of Presidents, the Executive Committee, as well as numerous committees and working groups. Within these bodies, experts from member organizations analyze EU legislative proposals, exchange experiences, and prepare joint opinions and proposals for amendments. This work is also supported by a team of around 50 experts based in BusinessEurope’s Brussels office.
Through its membership in BusinessEurope, Konfederacja Lewiatan contributes to shaping European business positions and brings the perspective of Polish companies into discussions on EU policies, thereby strengthening Europe’s role in the global economy.
European Economic and Social Committee
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) is an advisory body of the European Union, established by the Treaty of Rome in 1957. Its role is to involve representatives of organized civil society in shaping EU policies and legislation.
The Committee has 329 members from the EU Member States, representing three groups:
- employers,
- workers,
- and civil society organizations.
Candidates for EESC membership are nominated by national governments and appointed by the Council of the EU for a renewable five-year term. Poland currently holds 21 seats in the Committee.
The EESC serves as a forum for dialogue, enabling businesses, workers, and other organizations to express their views on key economic and social issues. Each year, it produces an average of 170 advisory documents and opinions, which are submitted to the European Commission, the Council, and the European Parliament. The European Commission regularly consults the EESC when drafting legislative proposals and policy initiatives – in many areas, such consultations are mandatory (for example, in matters relating to the single market, social policy, or EU funds). In other cases, consultation is optional, while the Committee itself may also issue opinions on its own initiative. In this way, the EU legislative process takes into account economic and social realities, and the voice of civil society becomes an integral part of shaping EU policies.
By participating in the work of the EESC, Konfederacja Lewiatan brings the perspective of Polish businesses into debates on the direction of European policies. The thematic areas covered include the single market, social affairs, economic, energy and environmental issues, as well as the EU’s external relations.
KL representative:
Kinga Grafa – Single Market, industry, competitiveness and consumers (INT), EU external relations and trade (REX), communication and outreach of the Committee (COCOM).
Business at OECD
Business at OECD (BIAC) is an international organization that has represented business interests towards the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the governments of its member countries for over 60 years. Since 2023, Konfederacja Lewiatan has been a member, joining a network of more than 50 employers’ and business organizations from around the world, including the United States, Australia, and Japan.
Business at OECD provides a forum for exchanging views and experiences between business representatives, public authorities, and OECD experts. Its mission is to ensure that the business perspective is reflected in OECD’s work on economic, social, and environmental policies. The organization contributes to the development of OECD documents and recommendations, giving companies a real influence on regulations concerning competitiveness, international trade, digital transformation, and sustainable development.
BIAC brings together more than 2,800 business representatives – from large corporations to small and medium-sized enterprises – representing in total around 9 million businesses worldwide. Its members take part in consultations, high-level meetings, and thematic conferences, ensuring that the voice of business is heard in the process of shaping international regulations and standards.
Membership in Business at OECD allows Konfederacja Lewiatan to systematically participate in this dialogue and work on solutions that foster economic growth and create a stable regulatory environment for companies operating both in Poland and abroad.
Eurofound
The European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (Eurofound) is a tripartite European Union agency whose mission is to gather and disseminate specialised knowledge to support social and employment policies, as well as other policy areas related to the labour market. Its headquarters are located in Loughlinstown, near Dublin (Ireland).
KL representative:
dr Andrzej Rudka – Member of the Governing Board, Employers’ Group, as well as member of the Working Group on Industrial Relations and the Steering Committee on Reports.
The Lewiatan representative advocates for the interests of Polish employers, presents their perspective on the topics under review – involving our experts in the process – and provides them with Eurofound’s findings in the form of analyses and reports.
EU-OSHA
The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work is a tripartite agency of the EU dedicated to ensure safer, healthier and more productive jobs in Europe – for the benefit of businesses, workers and EU Member States.
This Agency promotes a risk prevention culture at work to improve working conditions in Europe. Its tasks include collecting, analysing and disseminating information among entities involved in ensuring safety and health protection at the workplace. The EU-OSHA was established in 1994 and is domiciled in Bilbao, Spain.
