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Contents

German Logistics Association: Creating Knowledge. Generating Value 4

Congress Destination FRANKFURT AM MAIN 8

Central Administration of Mobile Devices from Far Closeness 12

European Commission scheme offers fully funded executive training in China 13

THE PORT OF ZEEBRUGGE 15

The University of St. Gallen’s (HSG) innovative approach to Executive Education 25

Reconciliation of interests between healthcare policy and the pharma industry 26

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German Logistics Association: Creating Knowledge. Generating Value.

The mission of the non-profit German Logistics Associa-tion (BVL) founded in 1978 is to act as a neutral platform to promote an awareness for the importance of logistics in industry, science and the public sphere, to system-atically document logistical problem definitions, to develop methods and processes to solve these problems on an interdisciplinary and sector-focused basis and to promote and continuously optimise the application of the relevant

solutions.

Today, BVL has more than 9,000 members – compa-nies and individuals from the worlds of industry, commerce, services and science who are actively involved in the business of logistics. BVL is a primarily honorary network of experts that sees its job as to support the exchange of knowledge ideas among members. At the same time, BVL consciously avoids rep-resenting corporate interests, does not act as a lobbyist and has no interests or agenda in the political field.

The members and bodies of BVL possess the experience

and expertise that enable them to identify new trends in the early stages – and then to develop and present tailored ideas and concepts to the key current and future players in industry, politics and science with the aim of addressing key issues, helping to promote opinion formation in general and the competitiveness of BVL’s members in particular.

The members of the Execu-tive and Advisory Boards of BVL are leading figures who represent a broad cross-

section of logistics expertise in industry and research. BVL always has its finger on the pulse of the logistics world, ensuring a constant flow of in-formation on the latest trends and supplying a comprehen-sive range of expert knowl-edge that benefits each and every member.

The work and commitment of BVL’s 27 Regional Groups form the solid foundation of the association. At over 140 events every year, the regional groups showcase real-world and “hands-on” logistics strategies, concepts and solutions. They provide an excellent platform for es-tablishing new – or building on

existing – contacts where both members and guests can talk to each other one to one and find out about the events and services offered by BVL. In December 2008, BVL founded its first Regional Group out-side Germany in Shanghai. Another one, will follow in 2009, this time in Beijing.

The goal of the Research Council, a voluntary group of leading scientists and logistics experts, is to identify research deficits in the field of logistics vis-à-vis the public at large and to use the result-ing insights as a basis for the development of important and necessary projects. The Promotion Committee is not itself a research body but aims to initiate, support and review key research projects.

Future-oriented working groups and the 27 active Regional Groups ensure rapid knowledge transfer and facilitate personal contacts for those seeking in-depth information.

In close cooperation with BVL, the German Foreign Trade and Logistics Academy and the German Logistics Academy (DLA) promote the

necessary further training in the logistics sector by organis-ing a wide range of modular seminars as well as studies.

By organising and staging its own events, e.g. the German Logistics Congress and the Logistics Forum Duisburg, and by providing expert sup-port and backup for trade fairs and exhibitions, BVL promotes a general awareness for the role of logistics activities in the world of day-to-day business, commerce and society.

BVL promotes holistic and integrated concepts and atti-tudes in logistics processes by presenting a number of highly coveted logistics awards for industry, science and the media.

Together with its media part-ner, the DVV Media Group publishing company, BVL offers its members a multi-tier communication concept comprising a weekly e-mail newsletter (LOG.Mail), a monthly print newsletter (LOG.Letter) and a quarterly maga-zine (LOG.Punkt).

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Turnover at the Rhenus Group tops € 3.3 billion, making it one of Europe’s leading logistics service companies. Rhenus has business locations at 230 sites and employs 15,000 people. Complex supply chains and innovative value-added serv-ices are managed in four different business areas:

Contract Logistics

Rhenus provides a range of services covering every aspect of logistics across Europe. Rhenus has a long company history and focuses on using its own equipment; it combines specific customer material flow solutions with a network of logistics centers in Europe. Its services include comprehensive logistics solutions in the fields of procurement, production and distribution logistics.

The company’s portfolio includes organizing and managing supply chains in conjunction with high-quality value-added services and handling complex storage tasks. Rhenus has a great deal of expertise in this field, particularly in dealing with sectors like industrial goods, the automotive and transport industry, health care, consumer goods, media and merchandise, home services, office systems and air handling.

Freight Logistics

Transporting goods around the globe is an enormous challenge. This involves developing new routes and markets all the time. And Rhenus is able to make full use of every opportunity, transporting goods by road or rail, by air or sea. The company handles groupage freight and part or complete loads, standard or oversize goods, regular or express services, domestic traffic or multi-national procurement and distribution logistics – and the service includes a consignment tracking system too.

This all takes place at the company’s 140 business locations in Europe and Asia and with the support of partners, correspondents and agents at a further 140 sites. Rhenus Freight Logistics is part of the System Alliance network in Germany and operates within the System Alliance Europe elsewhere on the continent. 4,000 trucks take to the road every day on behalf of Rhenus. The company transports over nine million consignments every year – consisting of approx. 7.7 million tons of goods of all kinds.

Port Logistics

Rhenus Port Logistics develops complete systems for its customers’ purchasing and distribution needs. Rhenus sets up, manages and operates efficient intercontinental supply chains. The company has its own facilities across Europe with its own ships, sea ports, inland ports and Intermodal terminals with interface to rail services.

Rhenus is a full-service provider for transporting, handling and storing mass goods, bulk goods, heavy items and plant. Rhenus is able to provide tailor-made complete solutions and relieve companies of a wide variety of tasks: for example, Rhenus provides assembly areas for constructing plant right on the quayside or handles the internal factory logistics for the paper industry – and this even includes disposing of waste products. All-round service is the hallmark of container logistics: the inter-modal services range from transporting and transshipping goods with the company’s own facilities to providing additional services like warehousing or repairing empty containers.

Public Transport

Rhenus combines its regional roots with European experience when it comes to local public transport: Rhenus represents attrac-tive, low-priced services. If the company takes over local and regional bus services, the burden on the public budget is eased in the long term. Passengers notice a real leap in quality in local rail services once Rhenus has taken over the routes – the public benefit from a marked improvement in service for the same price.

When a local public transport company is privatized, there is often considerable room to maneuver. Rhenus is able to fully exploit this potential because of its previous experience in other programs. This enables the company to develop a tailor-made, ideal solu-tion for passengers, employees and owners.

Rhenus AG & Co. KG Anna OzeretskayaCorporate CommunicationsRhenus-Platz 159439 HolzwickedeGermany

Phone +49 (0)2301 29-1492Fax +49 (0)2301 29-17862anna.ozeretskaya@de.rhenus.comwww.rhenus.com

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East: Restaurant, Bar, Lounge and HotelThe new design restaurant in the centre of Hamburg

What to the initiators is “the new location for pleasure and nightlife in Hamburg” are simply “rooms that make you happy” to the architect Jordan Mozer.

east – the new project by Christoph Strenger, 45, Marc Ciunis, 41, and Anne-Marie Bauer, 46, has opened on 28th October 2004 in Simon-von-Utrecht-Straße. It adds considerably to Hamburg’s restaurant and nightlife scene and will cause designer hearts to beat more quickly. With a fascinating location and an elaborate restaurant and hotel concept it offers a dining experience for the greatest demands. And this in the cen-tre of the city, parallel to the Reeperbahn.“With east we are fulfilling our long held dream, the dream of the perfect combination of restaurant, hotel and nightlife. We are happy to have found the ideal location in the old iron foundry,” says Marc Ciu-nis. The 41-year-old Hamburg resident will be responsible for the F&B area and take over management together with Christoph Strenger.Anne-Marie Bauer will be the director of the premises and welcome the guests.As previously in the Herzb-lut on the Reeperbahn, the exceptional design by Jordan Mozer, who designed the rooms in close cooperation with Christoph Strenger, cap-tivates in every premises and should attract a modern and urban public from lifestyle and business.In a construction period of 36 months an investment of approx. 3 million euros was made for interior construction and furnishings for the hotel project with attached restau-rant.

Sleeping in the east

All 122 rooms have large beds (king size), spacious desks, ISDN hook-ups, cable TV, telephone, minibar, safe with PC socket, shower or full bath and separate WC.Divided into five categories, the different rooms are avail-able on five separate floors with melodious names such as Mandarine, Ginger, Jas-mine, Cinnamon and Lotus, that even smell like this:Since March 2006 22 more rooms were finished. The new floor Aqua offers waterbeds, the wellness room has it’s own steam bath.

PricesSmall: EUR 150 - 170Medium: EUR 160 - 180Large: EUR 170 - 190X-Large (junior suite):- EUR 210 – 230XX-Large (suite):- EUR 355 – 375

Occupancy as a single or dou-ble room is always possible. Included in the price of the room is a croissant breakfast, naturally a generous breakfast buffet is also offered, available in the restaurant.Through its proximity to the trade fair site, Reeperbahn and city centre, as well as its status as a design hotel, the East anticipates a di-verse array of domestic and international customers, from business to leisure guests. One thing all visitors to the east rightly have in common is the demand for an excellently operated establishment, that is not just meant for sleeping.

Food and drinks

In addition to the centrepiece, the restaurant with Asian lounge and relaxation gar-den, and the Dedon Island in the courtyard, Yakshi’s Bar, the Colours Lounge and the

Smirnoff Lounge are available for many occasions. The east is the place to experience pleasures of the pallet and good for body and soul!The kitchen team takes its guests on a culinary and aro-matic trip through the cuisine of the east with “family style” Euro-Asian food. This concept is based on lively communica-tion while dining. In the “shar-ing food system” everyone can try different dishes from everyone else, you share your food and thus experience dif-ferent pleasures. The bar of-fers unusual cocktail creations with Asian ingredients and an extensive selection of wines for different moods. Here, too surprises, the unfamiliar and exceptional highlights are the aspirations of the east.

Conferences and events

Four combinable rooms of 40 – 160 m² with spacious foyer, a bar and adjoining ter-race are located in a separate conference area. The latest modern conference technol-ogy, overhead projector and a fitting design are a matter of course. The meeting point on the ground floor is connected to the East via a glazed hall. During the breaks you can relax at the one of a kind in Hamburg golf simulator as well as the outdoor putting green.

Yakshi’s Bar and the Colours Lounge are located in a gal-lery on the ground floor and entice you to informal, stylish day and evening events. You have the pleasure of being above things in the Smirnoff Lounge on the first floor with its own bar and service. An outside staircase leads into the restaurant with old arches, glass doors seven metres high and its glazed casemate area. From this level you can go

outside to the beautifully leafy courtyard, Dedon Island.

The east has the best food service solution for any occa-sion, no matter if for a confer-ence menu, buffet, sit-down meal, multi-course menus or finger food.

WellnessFor more balance, satisfac-tion and love of life the visitor to the east treats himself to a few hours of relaxation in the sauna, on the 40m² roof deck, in the fitness room or in the wellness area – not just for hotel guests! Round, organic shapes provide flowing energy all around. The sauna was especially designed for the east by Jordan Mozer.The east has a lot on the agenda in the area of cosmet-ics and wellness treatments:Different facial treatments for every type of skin, lymph drainage therapy, whole body massage and partial mas-sage, diverse body treat-ments, Java Touch, Zulu and much more.

Travel serviceTo round out the personal concept, the east offers a very special travel service. Through “boundless travel in the east” reservations for flights across the world, a special business service for business custom-ers and individual trips to Australia or South Africa are available directly on site.

east Hotel Restaurant Bar Lounge, Simon-von-Utrecht-Straße 31, D-20359 HamburgPhone: + 49 (0)40 – 30 99 3-0Fax: + 49 (0)40 – 30 99 3-200www.east-hamburg.de E-mail: info@east-hamburg.de

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Congress Destination FRANKFURT AM MAIN

Frankfurt am Main, conveniently situated in the heart of Germany, is one of the world’s busiest traffic and transport hubs. Its airport ranks amongst the largest in Europe and is only 11 minutes from the city centre by train. Known as the “Gateway to Europe“, Frank-furt is the ideal destination for international congresses requiring highest possible standards.

More than 60,000 conferences and congresses are held in Frankfurt every year, nearly a quarter of which are internationally ori-ented. Not surprising, really, with Frankfurt offering its guests such a variety of congress venues and fringe programme opportuni-ties. Frankfurt has a wide range of modern conference facilities to choose from, headed by the multifunctional congress facilities of Messe Frankfurt, the city’s famous fair and exhibition centre. Frankfurt’s hotel industry is equally extensive, with more than 33,000 beds available in accommodation establishments of every category. Better still, they are located throughout the entire city and its environs while being easily accessible by all means of transport.

A further advantage is the close proximity of Frankfurt’s downtown locations. It takes as little as half an hour to traverse the city centre on foot. More than 7,000 hotel rooms are available within a one-mile radius of the Congress Center Messe Frankfurt and the Frankfurt fairgrounds.

The Main metropolis also features an excellent selection of unusual event venues, a rich cultural life and scenic surroundings. The greater Frankfurt Rhine-Main region has plenty of fringe programme possibilities on offer as well. How about a theatrical showing of Swan Lake? Or do you prefer experimental dance theatre? Philharmonic sounds or hard rock, perhaps? What about art extraordi-naire at the Städel Museum or international variety theatre in the backstreets of Frankfurt? Or how about team-building and outdoor activities? One thing is certain, the cultural diversity of Frankfurt Rhine-Main has something for every taste. Four major opera houses, 15 theatres and over 100 museums combine to offer your event participants entertainment of the highest order.

Local Information on Frankfurt

Language The greater majority of Germans, especially those working in the travel industry, speak English. It is always good to have someone on the hotel staff, DMC team or even within your own company who can help out in case you do encounter a situation requiring a German-speaker. Generally speaking, however, English is fine for most situations.

WeatherGermany has a so-called temperate climate. Temperatures vary considerably from region to region. While the south is considered very mild, the climate in the central highlands or in the Alps is often quite harsh.

Average Temperatures for Frankfurt:While temperatures can rise above 30° C (86°F) during the summer months, average daytime temperatures between May and September usually lie somewhere between 15° (59°F) and 25° C (77°F) and are hence very pleasant. In winter, it can be extremely cold with temperatures as low as -10° C (14°F) or less. As a rule, however, daytime temperatures hover around the freezing point during the winter months.

Currency Germany is part of the Euro (€) zone. You may change foreign currencies into Euros at the airport, at most banks and at special exchange offices, one of which is located on Kaiserstrasse in downtown Frankfurt.

Conversion Rate, feb 2008:

1 US Dollar = 0.781800 Euros 1 Euro (EUR) = 1.27896 US Dollars (USD)

Congress Destination FRANKFURT AM MAIN

Frankfurt am Main, conveniently situated in the heart of Germany, is one of the world’s busiest traffic and transport hubs. Its airport ranks amongst the largest in Europe and is only 11 minutes from the city centre by train. Known as the "Gateway to Europe“, Frankfurt is the ideal destination for international congresses requiring highest possible standards.

More than 60,000 conferences and congresses are held in Frankfurt every year, nearly a quarter of which are internationally oriented. Not surprising, really, with Frankfurt offering its guests such a variety of congress venues and fringe programme opportunities. Frankfurt has a wide range of modern conference facilities to choose from, headed by the multifunctional congress facilities of Messe Frankfurt, the city’s famous fair and exhibition centre. Frankfurt’s hotel industry is equally extensive, with more than 33,000 beds available in accommodation establishments of every category. Better still, they are located throughout the entire city and its environs while being easily accessible by all means of transport.

A further advantage is the close proximity of Frankfurt’s downtown locations. It takes as little as half an hour to traverse the city centre on foot. More than 7,000 hotel rooms are available within a one-mile radius of the Congress Center Messe Frankfurt and the Frankfurt fairgrounds.

The Main metropolis also features an excellent selection of unusual event venues, a rich cultural life and scenic surroundings. The greater Frankfurt Rhine-Main region has plenty of fringe programme possibilities on offer as well. How about a theatrical showing of Swan Lake? Or do you prefer experimental dance theatre? Philharmonic sounds or hard rock, perhaps? What about art extraordinaire at the Städel Museum or international variety theatre in the backstreets of Frankfurt? Or how about team-building and outdoor activities? One thing is certain, the cultural diversity of Frankfurt Rhine-Main has something for every taste. Four major opera houses, 15 theatres and over 100 museums combine to offer your event participants entertainment of the highest order.

Local Information on Frankfurt

Conditions of EntryCompulsory vaccinations: None Recommended vaccinations: Tetanus, diphtheria Currency: No restrictions upon entry or exit Nationals of other EU member states: No visa required Nationals of non-EU member states: Visa generally required Compulsory currency exchange: No

Language The greater majority of Germans, especially those working in the travel industry, speak English. It is always good to have someone on the hotel staff, DMC team or even within your own company who can help out in case you do encounter a situation requiring a German-speaker. Generally speaking, however, English is fine for most situations.

WeatherGermany has a so-called temperate climate. Temperatures vary considerably from region to region. While the south is considered very mild, the climate in the central highlands or in the Alps is often quite harsh.

www.frankfurt-tourismus.de1

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Time

Germany is on Central European Time (CET) and is one hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time, six hours ahead of Eastern Stand-ard Time and nine hours ahead of Pacific Standard Time. Summer time (daylight savings) is in force from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October:

Winter time (October - March): Central European TimeSummer time (March - October): Central European Time + 1 hour

Frankfurt Int’l Airport

Accounting for more than 50 million passengers and over 480,000 take-offs and landings, Frankfurt Airport is one of the world’s premier traffic hubs. Passengers have more than 110 airlines to choose from, servicing close to 300 worldwide destinations.

All major European cities are represented on the Frankfurt Airport timetable.

The following U.S. cities are serviced by airlines flying out of Frankfurt Airport:Anchorage, Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Cincinnati, Dallas-Fort Worth, Denver, Detroit, Fairbanks, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York-JFK, New York-Newark, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Portland, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington.

Frankfurt Airport is only a stone’s throw from downtown Frankfurt. It takes only 11 minutes to get from the airport to the main train station by public transport. A taxi ride from the airport to Messe Frankfurt takes approx. 20 minutes, at a cost of approx. EUR 20.00.

Support

As your most experienced partner in Frankfurt am Main for all matters of tourism and convention organisation, the Frankfurt Tourist+Congress Board is happy to assist you in any way they can. Special room allotments for your congresses as well as over-night accommodation for all participants can be booked quickly, easily and at no charge through our congress department, along with many other services available for meeting your requirements.

Should you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact us:

Tourismus+Congress GmbH Frankfurt am MainConvention BureauKaiserstrasse 5660329 Frankfurt am MainGermanyPhone: +49 (0) 69 / 21 23 87 03or +49 (0) 69 / 21 23 03 96 Fax +49 (0) 69 / 21 23 07 76eMail: congress@infofrankfurt.deInternet: www.frankfurt-tourismus.de

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New venues Frankfurt

Messe Turm Meetings & EventsFriedrich-Ebert-Anlage 4960308 Frankfurt am MainDistrict: Westend SüdTel. 0049-69- 74229200Fax 0049-69- 74229298Email: reservation@messeturmmanagement.comNumber of conference rooms: 8Sq/m of largest room: 170,50 sq/mMaximum capacity largest room: 150 persons

- Banqueting seating up to: 50 persons - Row seating up to: 150 persons - Classroom seating up to: 70 persons

MesseTurm Meeting & Events offers you spacious rooms with natural daylight illumination as a fitting and stylish setting for your events. The prominent position and the flexibility of our rooms will satisfy all the requirements for your event. Mes-seTurm Meeting & Events offers you the ideal venue with a view for your events, with 8 meeting rooms, 2 lounges and the “Em-porio” bistro. After work events, meetings or parties high above the roofs of the city.

- Catering available - External catering not possible

Sankt Peter (Church)Stephanstrasse 660313 Frankfurt am MainInnenstadtTel. 0049-69-2972595100Fax.0049-69-2972595200v.falkensteiner@sanktpeter.comhttp://www.sanktpeter.com

Number of conference rooms: 4Sq/m of largest room: 340 sq/mMaximum capacity largest room / entire house: 900 / 900 per-sons

- Banqueting seating up to: 240 persons - Row seating up to: 500 persons - Classroom seating up to: 120 persons

“sankt peter”, situated in Frankfurt’s city centre, is a most unu-sual event location. Formerly St. Peter’s Church, the venue’s interior has been completey renovated and redesigned. The operator, “jugend-kultur-kirche sankt peter”, has conceived a special utilisation plan for the venue, using it as a youth centre as well as a one-of-kind event location. Aside from two seminar rooms and a multimedia room, event organisers may also use the spacious main hall, which has been equipped with modern lighting and sound technology. The design of the church interior is very modern and thereby in stark contrast to the traditionally styled façade.

- In-house catering available - External catering possible

Verkehrsmuseum Frankfurt am Main (Transport Museum)c/o Commpany Gesellschaft für strategisches Ereignismarketing mbH Rheinlandstrasse 13360529 Frankfurt am MainDistrict: Bürostadt Niederrad / SchwanheimTel. 0049-6187- 909550Fax 0049-6187- 9095555Internet: www.verkehrsmuseum-frankfurt.deEmail: verkehrsmuseum@commpany.comNumber of conference rooms: 2Sq/m of largest room: 1500 sq/mMaximum capacity largest room: 300 persons

- Banqueting seating up to: 250 persons - Row seating up to: 300 persons - Classroom seating up to: 200 persons

Tram Stop: The Frankfurt Transport Museum is a unique event location in the Rhein-Main region. Over 30 exhibits reflect the 125-year old history of Frankfurt local public transport and form an extraordinary background for outstanding events with a very special character - an inspiring location for exclusive galas, extraordinary receptions, innovative presentations and soulful concerts.

- Catering available - External catering possible

FIZ ConferenceLabAltenhöferallee 360438 Frankfurt am MainNiederurselTel. 0049-69-80086550Fax 0049-69-80086551info@fiz-cl.dehttp://www.fiz-conferencelab.deNumber of conference rooms: 5Sq/m of largest room: 185 sq/mMaximum capacity largest room / entire house: 150 / 200 per-sons

- Row seating up to: 150 persons - Classroom seating up to: 100 persons

FIZ ConferenceLab is the central component of the research and business cluster, FIZ Frankfurt Biotechnology Innovation Center, and offers a unique atmosphere for your event in an innovative environment. Whether in our highly modern confer-ence rooms, the open inner courtyard, or our LabLounge – FIZ ConferenceLab offers you a varied ambiance for your lectures, for focused work, and room for creativity.

- In-house catering available - External catering not possible

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New hotels in Frankfurt/Main

GerbermühleGerbermühlstr. 105D-60594 Frankfurt am MainDistrict: Sachsenhausen-NorthTel.: 0049-69-68977790Fax: 0049-69-689777966Internet: http://www.gerbermuehle.deEmail: info@gerbermuehle.deNumber of hotel rooms: 18Number of conference rooms: 3Sq/m of largest room: 50 sq/mMaximum capacity largest room / entire house: 30 / 50 persons

- Row seating up to: 30 persons - Classroom seating up to: 20 persons - In-house catering available - External catering not possible

Fleming´s Deluxe Frankfurt-CityEschenheimer Tor 260313 Frankfurt am MainInnenstadtTel 0049-69-4272320Fax 0049-69-37003333frankfurt-city@flemings-hotels.comwww.flemings-hotels.com

25hours Hotel Frankfurt by Levi`s Niddastr. 56-58 60329 Frankfurt am Main,Tel. 0049-69-40586890 Fax 0049-69-4058689890reception@ffm.25hours-hotels.comwww.25hours-hotels.com

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Since August 2008, Acte-os provides exclusively for mobile terminals the remote maintenance sys-tem “MobiControl” of the Canadian producer SOTI.

Gilching, 18. September 2008 – Acteos, special-ist for mobile data com-munication solutions, has contracted in August 2008 a close partnership with the Canadian software provider SOTI Inc.. With this, Acteos assumes in Germany, Austria and Switzerland the commercial agency for one of the worldwide most progressive systems for remote maintenance and control of mobile devices. For the portfolio of the SCM solution provider from Gilching near Munich, this step means a significant increase of the service degree with solutions for mobile capture and trans-mission of data in the en-vironment of field service, service and logistics. For the German-speaking mar-ket, Acteos opens with this cooperation a comfortable access to the in demand software “MobiControl“ of the multiple awarded sys-tem house from Canada.

The cooperation of both companies, decided in August, has to be as-sessed as consequent intensification of the Certi-fied Trainer state of Acteos for SOTI software, existing since 2007. For Dr. Dieter Neumann, managing direc-tor of Acteos, “this kind of co-operation generates three winners already at the beginning “. The SOTI Inc. with headquarters in Ontario, which has attend-ed to Europe so far directly from Canada, breaks with this step a professional distribution channel in the European market. By integration of the software “MobiControl” when using mobile data collection devices within the supply chain, Acteos can real-ize significant competitive advantages. The custom-ers can reach with this new generation of device management and secu-rity solution sustainable process-related as well as

economic improvements at the handling of their mobile terminals. The success confirms this estimation: Already in the first weeks, Acteos was able to acquire with the SOTI solution key accounts like the Swiss retail giant Coop.The SOTI controlling and management solutions for mobile terminals are in great demand worldwide in contend with Microsoft and other providers. Over 60,000 customers from trade, industry, logistics, health care and other sec-tors already use the pos-sibility of the central online administration of handheld devices with the help of the software of SOTI.And the need for this solution will continue to increase. In the core busi-ness of Acteos, that is consistent electronic data capture within the sup-ply chain, more and more mobile terminals are used. They all have to be regis-tered, maintained, sup-ported, updated, monitored or backed up. In future, with the SOTI solution “MobiControl“, these operations can be completed from a central management console via remote access on all used devices from distance. The mobile units neither have to be collected physi-cally for maintenance nor plugged in the cradle. The data exchange is not car-ried out via an ActiveSync-procedure, but by direct transmission via WLAN or GPRS.“MobiControl“ supports all devices with Microsoft operating system, whether the scanner in the ware-house, the MDE device of the parcel service or the smartphone of the field worker. At the push of a button, software updates can be carried out in the whole device pool at the same time. So even from the distance, a scanner for delivery can also be changed to a warehouse scanner with one mouse movement. This enables a flexible, multifunctional and economic use of the mobile terminals.Acteos applies with the

SOTI solution a unique user-friendly and comfort-able administration tool. The administrator can exactly see on the monitor the operator interface of the relative device and can handle this from distance live and in real-time, so as if he was on site. This accelerates the diagnostics of faults and the further use after handling errors. The applied adjustments can be recorded by video function and clearly reconstructed from each user at a later date. With “MobiControl“, Acteos increases the service level of mobile devices inte-grated in the processes of the customers to a level, which places a new bench-mark in the sector. High safety standards, inventory management, reports of software disposition and statistics of device usage permit furthermore an ex-tremely economic applica-tion of all mobile devices of a pool.“The advantage is obvi-ous“, Dr. Neumann de-clares. “By application of SOTI, we reduce signifi-cantly the costs for imple-menting, operation and support of mobile devices of our customers. With a pool of 12,000 mobile units, like at our customer Coop, we need no calculator to inspire with a fast Return on Investment”.However, the economic ad-vantage of the application of “MobiControl“,already starts at a device stock of about 15 mobile units, Hans Selberdinger, project manager of Acteos, de-clares. He recommends the remote administration to all companies with lo-cal application of mobile data collection devices. For implementation of the system, Acteos accelerates the time duration to hours or one day maximal by training related to practice.

About Acteos GmbH & Co. KGActeos GmbH & Co. KG, wholly owned subsidiary company of the quoted Acteos S.A., is specialis-ing in solutions for mobile

collection and transmission of company specific data, which enable a processing in real time afterwards. The SCM solution provider was founded in 1982 in Gilch-ing near Munich. In the year 2000, the union with the French Acteos group took place. The company provides solutions along the complete supply chain as well as appropriate technical components if required, and compre-hensive services from the project management up to support and maintenance. The Acteos group employs about 140 workers, thereof about 35 workers at Acteos Germany.

For further information see www.acteos.com

About SOTI SOTI Inc. develops indus-try leading technology that solves the unique challeng-es involved in deploying, managing, securing and supporting remote mobile and desktop computing devices.SOTI works closely with the top manufacturers of Windows Mobile hardware and software, and has strategic relationships with companies such as Micro-soft, Motorola, Intermec, Palm, Psion Teklogix and Hand Held Products. SOTI’s world class technol-ogy is second to none, and is licensed by top mobile device hardware & soft-ware brands. SOTI is an independ-ent software vendor; its products are developed in-house by a highly skilled development team.

Press contact:Acteos GmbH & Co. KGSilke RiedelTalhofstr. 30a82205 GilchingTel.: +49 8105 38 51-0 Fax: +49 8105 38 51-12silke.riedel@acteos.dewww.acteos.com

Central Administration of Mobile Devices from Far Closeness

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European Commission scheme offers fully funded executivetraining in China

Application period ends Janu-ary 4, 2009. METP, the official EU-ChinaManagers Exchange and Train-ing Programme, offers execu-tives the possibility to trainas China experts

Beijing, December 10, 2008 - Executives from EU-based com-panies and non-governmentalorganisations (NGOs) have the opportunity to apply for a fully-funded training scheme thatwill qualify them as China experts in 2009. Applications for the EU-China ManagersExchange and Training Pro-gramme (METP) can be submit-ted until January 4, 2009.

The joint programme sponsored by the European Union and China supports EU-based SMEsin their China business by offering a high-level training scheme. The EU-China ManagersExchange and Training Pro-gramme (METP) enables compa-nies and non-governmentalorganisations to build up or further strengthen their business activi-ties in China. Theprogramme offers SMEs the pos-sibility to train their employees for ten months to becomeexperts on the Chinese market and Chinese business culture.

Long-term objective of METP is to enhance and to sustainably improve the EU’srelationship with China through exchange and economic coopera-tion. Stefan Hell, TeamLeader in Beijing: “The main pre-requisite for business success in China is a profoundknowledge of economy, culture

and business ethics. And this is what METP offersapplicants. At the same time the programme functions as a plat-form where Europeans andChinese meet and build long-term relationships – the basic founda-tion for successfulbusiness in China.”

Besides the organisation of the whole stay, the EU will cover all tuition fees. METP willprovide participants with a month-ly living allowance (about 1.000 Euros). All graduatesreceive an official diploma signed by the EU Ambassador to China.

METP is a four-year initiative of the European Commission and the Chinese Governmentand is divided into four intakes, each lasting ten months. The ap-plication phase for METP 4ends on January 4, the pro-gramme will begin in May 2009. Applicants should have no oronly very limited knowledge of the Chinese language. While the priority of METP is onproviding support to EU profes-sionals from small and medium-sized companies,applications from candidates employed by larger firms can be considered, subject to spaceavailable.

For further information about application modalities, download instructions for theapplication dossier and for gen-eral information about METP visit www.metp.net.cn orcontact the METP hotline at +49 69 15402 638.

The EU-China Managers Ex-

change and Training Programme (METP) is a four-year intergovern-mentalcooperation project between the European Commission and the Government of the People’s Re-public of China.Placed within the dynamic context of continuously evolving relations between the EU and China, the non-profitprogramme is designed to en-hance business expertise by de-veloping European and Chinese human resources.METP aims to train and financially support internships for 200 Chi-nese managers in the EU and 200 Europeanmanagers in China. The pro-gramme is implemented by the China Council for the Promotion of InternationalTrade from 2006 to 2010, and total funding from the EC and the Government of China is 23 million Euros.

Enquiries:PUBLICIS Consultants | Deutsch-landSarah von Hauenschild, Tel.: +49-69-15402-367, Fax: +49-69-15402-270E-Mail: sarah.von.hauenschild@publicis-consultants.de

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European applicants sought for training scheme in China

European applicants sought for training scheme in China

Deadline for applications Janu-ary 4th/ 10-month programme focussing on languageskills and Chinese business culture

European applicants, especially executives from Small and Me-dium Enterprises andprofessionals working for Non-Governmental Organisations, are invited to apply for slots inthe coming batch of the EU-China Managers Exchange and Training Programme (METP).

A joint initiative of the European Commission and the government of China, METP aims atmanagers and professionals from all EU member states interested in gaining Chinaexpertise. Built within the dynamic context of continuously develop-ing relations between theEU and China, the programme will enhance business expertise by developing European andChinese human resources. METP offers European companies, es-pecially SMEs, thepossibility to train their employees to become qualified experts for the Chinese market.Ideally, these experts will utilise their newly acquired skills and contacts needed to conductbusiness with China. Long-term objective of METP is to enhance and to sustainably improvethe EU’s relationship with China through exchange and economic cooperation.

The whole programme encom-passes

• Two weeks of intercultural train-ing with Chinese managers in China• Seven months of full-time Busi-ness Chinese language training at the University ofInternational Business and Eco-nomics in Beijing, attend specially tailored seminarsand workshops on cultural and business issues• Three month internship to gain work experience in a Chinese environment

Besides the organisation of the whole stay, the EU will cover all tuition fees. METP willprovide participants with a month-ly living allowance (about 1.000 Euros). All graduatesreceive an official diploma signed by the EU Ambassador to China.

METP is a four-year initiative of the European Commission and the Chinese Governmentand is divided into four intakes, each lasting ten months. Applica-tion deadline for fourthtraining intake, which will start in May 2009, is January 4th 2009. Applicants should have no

or only very limited knowledge of Chinese language, should be between 26 and 40 years ofage and must have a minimum of five years work experience. In addition to credibleacademic qualifications the candi-dates have to present a compel-ling business plan for theirstay in China.

For further information about application modalities, download instructions for the applicationdossier and for general informa-tion about METP visit www.metp.net.cn or contact the METPhotline at +49 69 15402 638.

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THE PORT OF ZEEBRUGGE

In recent decades, the Port of Zeebrugge, located on the North Sea coastline, has been among the fastest-growing ports in the Hamburg-Le Havre range. Due to its modern infrastructure, developed to meet the rise of roll-on/roll-off vessels and containerization, combined with excellent road and rail connections, the deep-draft facility has become a major multifaceted port, handling unit loads (trailers and con-tainers), new cars, conventional general cargo, “high & heavy” cargoes, dry and liquid bulk, and natural gas.

Leading car port

Zeebrugge has become the world’s leading port for the transhipment of new cars and in 2008 handled over 2,000,000 units. The SeaRo, Wallenius-Wilhelmsen Lines, ICO, Toyota and CdMZ terminals together have a capacity of 175,000 cars a day on a surface area of approximately 300 ha. There are also 5 centers provid-ing quality control, pre-delivery services and assembly of options according to the customer’s needs. In addition to the Toy-ota Vehicle Logistics Center, car-makers using the port include DaimlerChrysler, Ford, General Motors, Mercedes, Volvo, BMW, Citroën, Peugeot, Rover, Jaguar, Vauxhall, Renault, Suzuki and Mitsubishi, for example. All large car makes have placed their trust in Zeebrugge, not only for transporting the final product, but also for carrying components and spare parts between several assembly plants in Europe.

A major ro-ro centerZeebrugge is a major European port for unaccompanied roll-on/roll-off (ro-ro) traf-fic. There are, for example, 13 fixed serv-ices to 14 different UK ports with up to 20 departures a day, including seven to Lon-don. Other services include line sailings to Scandinavia and countries in southern Europe, such as Spain and Portugal, and further afield to Turkey. Zeebrugge has 23 berths for ro-ro vessels, providing a total loading and discharge capacity of 3,500 trucks every 24 hours, or more than a million a year. Nearly 12 million tonnes is shipped with roro vessels annually.

Growing container portIn 2008 more than 2 million TEU were handled at the port of Zeebrugge. Deep-sea container lines like CMA-CGM and Evergreen call weekly at the Ocean Con-tainer terminal Zeebrugge whereas the newly created APM Terminals Zeebrugge caters for the calls of Maersk Line and The New World Alliance. Cargoes come from the Far East, Australia, New Zealand and the Caribbean ,The containers are subsequently transported via rail, road, with feeder vessels or via the inland wa-terways. Zeebrugge’s container future is looking bright with a third large container terminal currently under construction in the Albert II Dock.

Paper to fruit juiceCompany facilities at Zeebrugge include the StoraEnso distribution terminal, which handles around two million tons of paper a year, dispatching newsprint, for exam-ple, on specially designed trains. Another major facility at the port is the European distribution center for Bridgestone where some nine million tires are shipped annu-ally. SeaPark organizes global distribution of agricultural machinery while a number of major companies, including the New Zealand Zespri (kiwifruit) Marketing Board, are active at the port’s fresh-fruit terminals. Tropicana’s new fruit-juice processing facility in Zeebrugge’s inner port is the company’s largest European production unit.

Modal splitIn 2008 Zeebrugge handled a total of 42 million tons of cargo, with a modal split of 64% road, 8% sea, 3% inland waterway, 8% pipeline and 17% rail. Ongoing in-vestment at the port is further developing its roll-on/roll-off and container capacities and providing additional areas for logis-tics operations.

Further information is available at www.portofzeebrugge.be

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Arbitration is a way to resolve a dispute with-out going to court but still get an award that is binding and can be enforced (which is dif-ficult if not impossible if you have a decision from a court in an-other country than the country you are seek-ing enforcement in). Better still, the process is faster and the out-come more accurate than that of ordinary court proceedings.

The SCC (the Arbitra-tion Institute of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce), based in Stockholm and a part of the Stockholm Chamber of Com-merce, has been efficiently facilitating arbitral proceedings in international dis-putes since 1917. The current SCC Rules, adopted in 2007, are modern and up-to-date. The dispute is resolved by an arbitral tribunal consisting of one or three persons of your choosing. The process is flexible and you may meet any-where in the world and use any language you prefer.

The disputes may

concern coopera-tion agreements, joint ventures, sales contracts, e.g. sale of machinery and equip-ment, construction and engineering contracts and licensing of know-how. About 60 per cent of the cases concerns cross border relations.

To ensure an efficient and reliable process and an enforceable decision, the SCC rec-ommends this clause to any contract:

“Any dispute, contro-versy or claim arising out of or in connection with this contract, or the breach, termi-nation or invalidity thereof, shall be finally settled by arbitration administered by the Arbitration Institute of the Stockholm Cham-ber of Commerce (the SCC) and in accord-ance with its rules.”

Stockholm has been one of the major arbitration centers since international commercial arbitration arrived in the 1970s. Besides the advan-tage of international neutrality Stockholm is also attractive in many other ways. Stockholm

is easy to access and offers modern confer-ence facilities and comfortable hotels, the courts are arbitration friendly and have a high degree of respect for the autonomy of the arbitral process. The legal system is comprehensive. The local lawyers are multilingual and expe-rienced in international arbitration. If you opt for Stockholm, the SCC Rules may also be used in London, Nice, Frankfurt, Baku, Tokyo or anywhere else in the world where you and your business partner can agree to meet.

For more informa-tion, vistit our website, www.sccinstitute.com, or call us at +46 8 555 100 50

World Class Arbitration Do not settle for less

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EFOS Flight School – Charter AG

CEO, President and founder of EFOS, born in Switzerland in 1946, Konrad F. Schutz-bach is married and worked as an apprentice locksmith in his early days. At age 19, he started training to become a pilot, and ultimately a flight teacher. His experience in Africa and Europe includes being a spray pilot in the Sudan, a humanitarian pilot for the Red Cross, Oil rigs platform pilot in Lybia, not to mention a safari pilot in West Africa with focal point in Cam-eroon. He founded EFOS. Totalling 20,000 flight hours and 120,000 landings as a pilot, he has trained more than 1,000 pilots. Schutzbach is also a member of the Schwei zerischen People’s Party SVP. Publications- The torment of the choice - which flight school, magazine Cockpit;- EFOS - an excellent art of flying, German economy mirror.

The firm was founded in Zu-rich on 29.11.1984. It is head-quartered at the Zurich airport and is equipped by the federal bureau for civil aviation with a (industry operations) (gewerb-mässigen) permission.

EFOS started with exclusive safari flights to Cameroon and expedition trips to other parts of the world. The company’s

commercial operations include a flight school, a flyer club with members from all parts of the economy and business sectors and a department that operates freight/cargo flights. EFOS became a flight school for the first time in 1996 and got certified in Switzerland, and got its European certi-fication as an FTO (Flying Training Organization) in 2002 with a “JAA Approval Certifi-cate.” With this certification, EFOS supplements the basis program for the education of private pilots with the contin-ued education on European acknowledged level to oc-cupation pilots and line pilots with instrument flight. As a flight school, it is known world-wide, thanks to its pilot train-ing program, and is viewed as an elite flight school.

The company also rents its airplanes to private pilots and businesses as part of its busi-ness operation. The flyer club makes supporting the new generation of pilots one of its priorities. The Air taxi depart-ment completes the program. EFOS is the only flight school in Switzerland that runs flight

training program and simulta-neously operates a flyer club and Air taxi services. The flight school’s profit is generated by its private pilot training program, its flyer club, the FTO, its Air taxi service, and the training of new gen-eration pilots, because many beginners at the flight school choose EFOS so they can complete their entire curricu-lum there [offers later and the business in the area flyer club and Air taxi its pilots Exclu-sively out of the firm inclined flight school].

EFOS offers its students the possibility to enter, after their training, the firm, namely its flyer club and Air taxi service, under the supervision of a learned captain, to gather their first professional experiences and be able to work while looking for employment at charter or airline companies. This program has been very successful and has helped jumstart the careers of many well known pilots in the Swiss Aviation industry today.

EFOS controls a fleet of six

single and double-engine airplanes. One of the planes is used for private pilot training and six others for advance training, which is intended for those who want to become qualified career pilots.

EFOS employs momentarily 6 flight teachers, 4 pilots and 3 administrative assistants. There are 8 more employees behind the scenes. Many firms gain a part of its yields as a supplier for the EFOS.

The flight school has in its long history trained more than 1,200 pilots so far, from Switzerland and the rest of the world. Its students pass regu-larly the BAZL conclusions tests with excellent results. In almost all flight business of Switzerland and many foreign airlines out of five continents former EFOS students are found who ply their trade as occupational pilots.

The flight school and flyer club/Air taxi service has to this date no record of any acci-dents, which is excellent.

Piper Turbo Aztec HB-LOR THE REAL PARTNER

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VERSATILECOMFORTABLE

High Speed 213 Kts 5.1h Endurance / Range 1072 NM Long Range 188 Kts 6.6h Endurance / Range 1247 NM Takeoff Distance 534mLanding Distance 255m

Mit einer Start- und Landedistanz unter 600m ist die modifizierte Cessna 340 einzigartig in der Busi-nessfliegerei. Maximale Flexibilität in der Wahl Ihrer Destination ist garantiert. Ausgerüstet mit Druckka-bine und Platz für 5 Passagiere bietet Ihnen die Cessna 340 komfortables und kostengünstiges Reisen.

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VERSATILECOMFORTABLE

High Speed 213 Kts 5.1h Endurance / Range 1072 NM Long Range 188 Kts 6.6h Endurance / Range 1247 NM Takeoff Distance 534mLanding Distance 255m

Mit einer Start- und Landedistanz unter 600m ist die modifizierte Cessna 340 einzigartig in der Busi-nessfliegerei. Maximale Flexibilität in der Wahl Ihrer Destination ist garantiert. Ausgerüstet mit Druckka-bine und Platz für 5 Passagiere bietet Ihnen die Cessna 340 komfortables und kostengünstiges Reisen.

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The University of St. Gallen’s (HSG) innovative approach to Executive Education

The Executive School of Man-agement, Technology and Law of the University of St. Gallen (ES-HSG) is the central point of contact for anyone inter-ested in the HSG’s executive education programmes. The University of St. Gallen treats executive education as being a core mission equivalent to undergraduate education and research. The approaches of Integrated Management and the St.Gallen Manage-ment Model run through the HSG’s executive education programmes and constitute its unique selling point.

Extensive range of programmes Hardly any European busi-ness school has such an extensive range of execu-tive education programmes as the HSG, the portfolios of which run from seminars, certificates, diplomas and postgraduate courses to customised corporate pro-grammes. Certificate courses consist of a minimum of 150 hours of attendance and cover management issues of

considerable complexity. The HSG’s postgraduate courses take one to two years and are concluded with the award of an academic degree and as a rule an MBA-HSG or an Executive MBA-HSG. In terms of subject matter, they are located in the field of General Management andenable participants to assume complex management and leadership tasks. Also in the programme design the Execu-tive School takes a leading role. The new Part Time MBA and the flexible start of the Executive MBA is unmatched and deliver a unique advan-tage to customers .

Innovative special interest courses Complementary to certificates and master’s programmes, diplomas fall in the range of both levels, and focus mostly on special interest groups. Specialists from logistics, IT, insurance, law and technology can earn an academic degree in executive education, and in some cases, without neces-sarily holding a first degree.

A good example of this is the German ‘Logistikmanage-ment’ course. Other innovative courses like the ‘WRM’ show managers how to boost their businesses by being able to apply current legal frame-works.

Unique learning at-mosphere One segment of the ES-HSG’s portfolio that is experienc-ing particularly strong growth is the customized corporate programmes, the so-called in-house programmes. Companies are increasingly turning to the HSG because they are looking for execu-tive education programmes that are tailored to their own requirements. In this respect, the HSG’s competence with regard to subject matter is accompanied, in particular, by its ability to create a unique learning atmosphere. Custom-ised corporate programmes can be understood as genuine learning partnerships.

Executive Campus HSG In late May 2008, the Uni-versity of St.Gallen set yet another executive education milestone in the German-speaking region: it extended its Executive Education and Conference Centre by a semi-nar building and 54 business rooms for overnight accom-modation. Thus the HSG is the first university in German-speaking Europe to have an integral campus reserved for executive education. Thanks to donations from private in-dividuals and companies, the HSG Alumni Foundation was able to contribute CHF14 mil-lion towards the overall costs of CHF25.6m.

University of St.Gallen Internationality, practical relevance and an integrative perspective have been the trademarks of education at the University of St.Gallen in Switzerland ever since it was established more than a cen-tury ago. Today, the University of St.Gallen (HSG) educates more than 5,300 students in the fields of Business Admin-istration, Economics, Law and Social Sciences. The HSG has shown itself to be highly successful, having been consistently ranked among Europe’s leading business universities (Financial Times - Ranking 2007: Ranked 1st in German-speaking Europe and ranked 25th out of the best business schools in Europe). Its holistic education, which meets the highest academic standards, has earned it the seal of approval of the EQUIS and AACSB accreditations. Academic degrees can be obtained at the Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctoral Levels.

www.es.unisg.ch

The University of St. Gallen's (HSG) innovative approach to Executive Education

Unique learning atmosphere at the HSG with its extensive range of executive education programmes. tailored to their own requirements. In this respect, the HSG’s competence with regard to subject matter is accompanied, in particular, by its ability to create a unique learning atmosphere. Customised corporate programmes can be understood as genuine learning partnerships. Executive Campus HSG In late May 2008, the University of St.Gallen set yet another executive education milestone in the German-speaking region: it extended its Executive Education and Conference Centre by a seminar building and 54 business rooms for overnight accommodation. Thus the HSG is the first university in German-speaking Europe to have an integral campus reserved for executive education. Thanks to donations

The Executive School of Management, Technology and Law of the University of St. Gallen (ES-HSG) is the central point of contact for anyone interested in the HSG’s executive education programmes. The University of St. Gallen treats executive education as being a core mission equivalent to undergraduate education and research. The approaches of Integrated Management and the St.Gallen Management Model run through the HSG’s executive education programmes and constitute its unique selling point. Extensive range of programmes Hardly any European business school has such an extensive range of executive education programmes as the HSG, the portfolios of which run from seminars, certificates, diplomas and postgraduate courses to customised corporate programmes. Certificate courses consist of a minimum of 150 hours of attendance and cover management issues of considerable complexity. The HSG’s postgraduate courses take one to two years and are concluded with the award of an academic degree and as a rule an MBA-HSG or an Executive MBA-HSG. In terms of subject matter, they are located in the field of General Management and

enable participants to assume complex management and leadership tasks. Also in the programme design the Executive School takes a leading role. The new Part Time MBA and the flexible start of the Executive MBA is unmatched and deliver a unique advantage to customers . Innovative special interest courses Complementary to certificates and master's programmes, diplomas fall in the range of both levels, and focus mostly on special interest groups. Specialists from logistics, IT, insurance, law and technology can earn an academic degree in executive education, and in some cases, without necessarily holding a first degree. A good example of this is the German 'Logistikmanagement' course. Other innovative courses like the 'WRM' show managers how to boost their businesses by being able to apply current legal frameworks. Unique learning atmosphere One segment of the ES-HSG’s portfolio that is experiencing particularly strong growth is the customized corporate programmes, the so-called in-house programmes. Companies are increasingly turning to the HSG because they are looking for executive education programmes that are

from private individuals and companies, the HSG Alumni Foundation was able to contribute CHF14 million towards the overall costs of CHF25.6m. University of St.Gallen Internationality, practical relevance and an integrative perspective have been the trademarks of education at the University of St.Gallen in Switzerland ever since it was established more than a century ago. Today, the University of St.Gallen (HSG) educates more than 5,300 students in the fields of Business Administration, Economics, Law and Social Sciences. The HSG has shown itself to be highly successful, having been consistently ranked among Europe's leading business universities (Financial Times - Ranking 2007: Ranked 1st in German-speaking Europe and ranked 25th out of the best business schools in Europe). Its holistic education, which meets the highest academic standards, has earned it the seal of approval of the EQUIS and AACSB accreditations. Academic degrees can be obtained at the Bachelor's, Master's and Doctoral Levels.

www.es.unisg.ch

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Reconciliation of interests between health-care policy and the pharma industry

The recent political debate in the Swiss Parliament on the decision concerning the system establishing the exhaustion principle in patent law – which, together with the decision in favour of unilateral regional exhaustion excluding products with administered prices, i.e. specifi-cally medicines, will lead to Switzerland taking what we regard as an incompre-hensible and problematic go-it-alone approach – illustrates clearly the conflict-ing demands of healthcare policy and the pharma industry. Influential interest groups – largely comprising the statists and health insurers – want to make the regulations governing the approval of medicines on the Swiss market and the reimbursement thereof under basic insur-ance even more stringent, in some cases even with the aim of rationing the supply of some medicines or at least being able to purchase the medicines at the lowest possible prices in Europe. This develop-ment has become more critical in recent years, although the prices of medicines in Switzerland are now at the level of those in economically comparable European countries, with a tendency to be even lower, and the pressure will con-tinue to increase. This means that, even now, with the pressure exerted on healthcare costs at national level, innovative medi-cines, for example cancer drugs, are approved after substantial delays in some cases and under enormous price pres-sure, which means non-privately insured patients are unable to benefit quickly or sufficiently from the huge strides made by pharma research. Industry, on the other hand, is commit-ted to ensuring that innovative medicines with demonstrable added value are approved rapidly and also paid for under compulsory health insurance. In order to finance their high research and develop-ment costs and their high-risk business model, the pharma industry must ensure that it is permitted to charge economically justifiable prices. If we are to preserve the business model of a research-intensive pharma industry, it is also vital to protect intellectual property. The innovation protection for a new medicine is of limited duration and scarcely sufficient to redeem the high development costs. Unfortu-nately, the aforementioned recent deci-sion by the Swiss Parliament to revise the Patent Law has signalled a potential undermining of patent protection. Such a development is particularly risky for

Switzerland given that innovation is this country’s most important asset and that the pharma industry plays a leading and key role in the economy as a creator of value and major driver of Swiss exports.

The pharma market in Switzerland is highly regulated compared with those of other European countries. A variety of challenging hurdles have to be cleared to be able to introduce a new medicine. The responsibility for the scientific assess-ment of a medicine falls to Swissmedic, which has battled for years to improve its efficiency and approval procedures so as to be able to compete with the Euro-pean authority EMEA and the American FDA. The prices of the medicines which are paid for under compulsory health insurance are checked by a different federal agency, the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health, in accordance with the legally stipulated criteria of efficacy, use-fulness and cost effectiveness. No other activity in the Swiss healthcare system is subject to a similarly protracted quality assessment as are medicines. In the near future, the prices of medicines will be regularly re-viewed at three-year inter-vals using a comparison with prices in other countries and a comparison across different therapies. By undertaking this comparison with prices in other countries, Switzerland will import a mix of the most diverse foreign financing and reimburse-ment systems, thereby systematically stifling the competitiveness of reimburs-able medicines.

It is the task of vips, the Association of Pharmaceutical Companies in Switzer-land, in consultation with the various exponents of healthcare policy and using suitable measures, to help ensure that acceptable framework conditions are put in place for pharma companies to operate in an entrepreneurial and plannable man-ner in Switzerland. Walter P. Hölzle, Managing Director vips

BoxThe vips Association of Pharma Compa-nies in Switzerland was founded in 1950 under Swiss law. It brings together Swiss branches of foreign pharma companies and Swiss pharma manufacturers as well as distributors. Its member companies have a share of around 70% of the Swiss pharma market, which makes vips the largest Swiss pharma association.vips aims to: – preserve and promote the inter-ests of its members,– help create a liberal, innovation-friendly environment in which research and the protection of intellectual property are highly valued, and– help create high quality stand-ards in healthcare provision, medical-pharmaceutical training and drug safety.