A company has been launched to help firms in the region overcome cultural differences with their European partners.

Anette Diers, a German citizen living in Skelton, in Cleveland, has started European Business Cultures (EBC) after working for three years in the North-East on the Fraunhofer Society's International Project Development (IDPG), based in Germany.

The Fraunhofer Society is Europe's biggest organisation for applied research, with 56 research institutes, located mainly in Germany.

While working on that project she realised how difficult consultation between nationalities with different languages, work ethics and cultures could be.

To combat this, EBC is helping existing and potential European partnerships develop clear, cross-cultural communication.

Ms Diers said: "As well as language, different nationalities exhibit marked contrasts in business practice, from basic conception of an idea to its ultimate financial settlement.

"While precise translation is often inadequate because certain phrases can mean different things in different languages, values, perceptions and behavioural patterns also differ.

"We can provide native speaking German, Dutch, Danish, and English trainers to alleviate any language misinterpretation and provide a better understanding of cultural differences."

She said: "We also teach simple, but vital, requirements, like creating letters, e-mails, presentations and promotional material which will be acceptable between international coll-eagues.

"We believe that understanding and being understood in an international context will become increasingly important as European companies continue to integrate."