Bundesvereinigung der Deutschen Arbeitgeberverbände (BDA) represents the interprofessional and the interregional interests of German employers in the social policy field. It is thus the spokesman of German employers in this field vis-à-vis the Government, Parliament, trade unions, the public and international organisations. The BDA also is the representative body of German employers on an international level within the field of its competence, especially with regard to the European Union and international organisations, such as ILO and OECD. BDA is a member of the Union of Industrial and Employers’ Confederation of Europe (UNICE), the Business and Industry Advisory Committee to the OECD (BIAC) and the International Organisation of Employers (IOE). Although no strict lines of demarcation exist, it can be said that emphasis on one or the other group of activities by the various levels of employers' organisations is placed according to their organisational structure. Local and other organisations with company membership normally place emphasis on the direct assistance and service to their members. Interprofessional organisations at the regional level are particularly active in the field of educational and related activities, and branch organisations on a national or regional basis consider collective bargaining as the centre of their tasks. Essential is the effective communication and collaboration between organisations at all levels.