CROATIA: Foreign Investors Council Presents Its Objectives
2005-05-04 15:38:26
The Foreign Investors Council, an association of foreign companies investing in Croatia, presented its objectives on Tuesday, citing the fight against corruption, formulation of private investment policy and improvement of public and private management as its priorities.
The Council president, Carlsberg Croatia Director Jorn Pedersen, said that it was necessary to improve the investment and business climate in Croatia by establishing a competitive legal system, flexible labour regulations and providing support to production rather than to import.
The Council will analyse the investment situation in Croatia and compare it with other countries and will annually publish a list of priorities and recommendations in its White Book.
Pedersen pointed out that the Council would be apolitical and unbiassed in developing good relations with the government and interest groups without taking sides.
The Council's mission is to contribute, together with the ruling structures, to creating a better investment environment for foreign and domestic companies through open informal dialogue among interested parties, he said.
The Council was founded by pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, British American Tobacco, Carlsberg Croatia brewery, real estate company Colliers International, gas producer Messer Croatian Plin, audit and consulting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers, pharmaceutical company Hoffman la Roche, and consumer goods producer Unilever Croatia.
Pedersen announced cooperation with the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the European Round Table of Industrialists (ERT), a forum of 45 European industrial leaders, including some of Europe's most powerful companies such as Fiat, Volvo, MOL and Nestle. The latter body, he added, has substantial influence on the views of Brussels on economic issues, and the Council will present it with the results of its analyses.
The Council will also cooperate with other such councils in Southeast Europe and with economic missions at embassies, national chambers of commerce, private sector groups and the Business Advisory Council of the Stability Pact in order to encourage foreign investment and overcome difficulties that may arise in relations with foreign investors.
Source: Hina News Agency
http://www.seeurope.net/en/Story.php?StoryID=55316&LangID=1