Unice

UNICE, short for the Union of Industrial and Employers' Confederations of Europe, was a Brussels-based European federation that represented national employers’ associations. It acted as a collective voice for business interests at the European level and aimed to promote a competitive, market-based European economy by coordinating employer perspectives across sectors and borders.

Historically, UNICE brought together national federations of employers to engage with European institutions, including the European Commission and the European Parliament, and to participate in the European social dialogue with trade unions. Its work spanned policy areas such as competition policy, taxation and regulation, energy, trade, innovation, and employment. The organization produced position papers, policy briefings, and event-driven analyses to inform policymakers and to advocate reform aimed at strengthening the single market and European competitiveness.

In 2007, UNICE merged with two other European employer groups, UEAPME and CEEP, to form BusinessEurope, which continued to represent employers at the EU level. The successor organization retained the Brussels base and expanded the scope of its policy work, continuing the tradition of coordinating national federation positions on European economic and regulatory issues. The legacy of UNICE is often cited in historical context for its role in shaping mid-to-late 20th-century and early 21st-century European business policy discussions.