Northern Ireland businesses have been urged today to seize the opportunities offered by the enlargement of the European Union.
Enterprise, Trade and Investment Minister Mr Ian Pearson said commercial interests in the North needed to develop more relationships with other European regions to increase its opportunities of being a "preferred partner".
Speaking at the opening of a Belfast conference on "Forging Regional Links in Europe", he said making such links was important, especially at a time of expansion in the EU.
"Forging regional links is important on its own but also in terms of an enlarged Europe.
"We need in future to take advantage of the opportunities available both for Northern Ireland businesses, groups and organisations and in terms of there being a much larger EU for Northern Ireland to influence as a region.
"These are the challenges we need to try to meet," he said.
PA