Companies’ expectations more optimistic for the year of 2014

Companies’ expectations for the year of 2014 are more optimistic, as shown by the results of BCCI’s study on the business climate, which was conducted among 607 companies across the country. The study used the methodology of the Association of the European Chambers of Commerce and Industry (EuroChambers) and was conducted for the 21^st consecutive year. Bulgaria was presented in the research only by the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and participated for the 15^th time.  

At a press conference, presenting the “European Economic Review 2014”, the President of the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Tsvetan Simeonov said that the prognoses for Europe in 2014 have been the most optimistic since 2009 so far. The more auspicious expectations show that the severe structural reforms in response to the crisis start to influence countries like Portugal, Italy and Spain.

A significant change, compared to the last year’s study, is that Bulgaria increased (although temperately) the level of optimism among the businesses for 2014, and reduced the negative expectations. The indications of rapid recovery are few, but the impression is that the year of 2014 is expected to be more business friendly compared to 2013.

Tsvetan Simeonov added that the Bulgarian companies are among the top ten countries in optimistic views on the business environment, the net sales revenue and the export revenues in 2014, while prospects for the sales across the country, investments and employment assigns us to the next positions.  

From a national point of view the results show that around half of the businesses across the country prognosticate that they would be able to maintain the level of investments and the number of their employees as it was this year.