Bulgarian delegation took part in the European Parliament of Enterprises 2014

Representatives of over 600 companies from 29 countries, including 18 representatives of Bulgarian businesses attended the meeting of the European Parliament of Enterprises in Brussels. Subject of the 7-hour meeting’s debates were current issues related to internationalization; competences and human resources; financing; energy.

Richard Weber, President of EUROCHAMBRES, said at the opening of the forum that the event was organized and realized for the business to be heard, and for the improvement of the conditions of doing business in the EU. In his address to the participants of the European Parliament President Martin Schultz said that Europe may cope with the crisis by reducing the red-tape and setting clear and simple rules for the SMEs. He recommended paying more attention to education and training of human resources for sustainable development.  

The Bulgarian delegation, led by the President of the BCCI Tsvetan Simeonov, presented a report in the first session in view of the internationalization. Accent was put on the trade agreements with key partners such as the USA, India, China and the South American Common Market MERCOSUR. Special attention was paid to the internationalization of the SMEs and to the protection of the economic interests of EU companies on third country markets. Spokesperson from the Bulgarian side was Silvia Petrova, Chair of the Bulgarian Association of Traders of Medical Devices – winner of the BCCI’ prize of branch association of 2013. Silvia Petrova stressed on the need for Europe to maintain its leading role as an area of strict control on imports and exports of goods. For this purpose, it is necessary not only to establish clear rules on the issuance of foreign trade documents, especially on the certificates of origin, but also clear conditions for assigning them to the chambers of commerce and industry as the most competent business organisations in doing so. As regards the preparation of the EU trade agreements with key partners, she pointed out that the rapid release of new European goods to third markets will help overcome the impediments to economic growth in the Eurozone.