Geoffrey Van Orden was first elected MEP for the East of England in 1999. A former British Army Brigadier with wide international and operational experience, particularly in the field of counter-terrorism, his last military appointment was at NATO Headquarters. He had a key role in setting up the new Group of European Conservatives and Reformists, to which Conservatives in the European Parliament belong, and is now Vice-Chairman of the Group. He is also the founding President of its think-tank New Direction - The Foundation for European Reform.

He has consistently opposed European political integration; EU meddling in Defence; the Lisbon Treaty; British adoption of the Euro; unnecessary regulation and EU overspending and waste. He is a former Vice-Chairman, and is currently a Member, of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament and of the Defence and Security sub-committee.

He is also Conservative Spokesman on Defence & Security Policy, and a substitute Member of the Transport committee. He is Chairman of the Parliament's Friends of Sri Lanka and of the Europe-India Chamber of Commerce. He is also a founder Member of the Parliament's Friends of India and Friends of Turkey Groups, and a Member of the European Parliament's India Delegation.

On Friday, 30th March, Geoffrey Van Orden, MBE and MEP for East of England spoke to a group of concerned businesses at the event organised by Articulate HLC and Suffolk Federation of Small Businesses.

The subject of his talk was "Europe and Your Business" and after that the floor was opened for questions and answers.

The ensuing lively debate meant that there was not time for all the Q&A; therefore, we are hoping to shortly have a summary of all of them posted on this site.

Please check back if this is of interest.