Eastern Partnership countries encouraged to enter EU market via Estonia
Speaking at the 4th Eastern Partnership (EaP) Business Forum held in Tallinn on Friday, Enterprise Estonia board chairman Alo Ivask called for Armenian, Azerbaijani, Georgian, Moldovan, Ukrainian and Belarusian entrepreneurs to enter the EU market through Estonia.
Ivask said that as a member of the EU and carrier of the Scandinavian business culture, Estonia can be an effective center and gate for EaP countries for entering the EU market.
"Our business-friendly economic environment and tax system, flexible work policy, modern e-solutions, and location definitely offer a good opportunity for it," Ivask was quoted by Enterprise Estonia spokespeople as saying. "We are also happy to share the advantages of the e-state through e-residency with Eastern Partners."
The chairman expressed hope that the business forum will help entrepreneurs of EaP countries find new business opportunities and contacts and encouraged them to use the opportunities presented to entrepreneurs by Enterprise Estonia. "Our foreign investments center offers various services to foreign companies interested in Estonia and our representatives abroad can also help companies operating in Estonia in expanding to new markets," Ivask noted.
Enterprise Estonia representatives at the business forum introduced to entrepreneurs from EaP countries opportunities that Estonia can offer to international companies. Jaan Heinsoo, head of the Central and Eastern European representation of Enterprise Estonia's foreign investments center, provided an overview of the foreign companies' opportunities in Estonia and the local business environment, while representatives of the e-residency project spoke about opportunities that using e-residency would provide to foreign entrepreneurs. Armenian, Azerbaijani, Georgian, Moldovan, Ukrainian and Belarusian entrepreneurs are also to visit Estonian companies across the country this weekend as well.
EaP entrepreneurs on Friday visited Transiidikeskus AS, Port of Tallinn, the Paldiski Association of Entrepreneurs, PAKRI Science and Industrial Park, the Port of Paldiski, the e-Estonia Showroom, Ülemiste City, Nortal, the Estonian Association of Information Technology and Telecommunications, Kuehne + Nagel, Krimelte, ETS Nord, Mektory, IMECC, Tieto Estonia, CGI Estonia, Telliskivi Creative City, Testlio, Funderbeam, ABB and Estanc.
On Saturday, the visiting entrepreneurs are in Northeastern Estonia, where they are scheduled to visit GoSwift, Viru Keemia Grupp and the Port of Sillamäe. Companies and institutions to be visited in Southern Estonia include Saint-Gobain Glass, HANZA Mechanics and the Estonian University of Life Sciences (EMÜ).
The 4th Eastern Partnership Business Forum, titled "Digital Economy: Innovative Platform for Transparent Borderless Business," took place from Thursday through Saturday under the leadership of the Estonian Center of Eastern Partnership (ECEAP) and Enterprise Estonia, bringing together approximately 500 attendees, including entrepreneurs and decision-makers from EaP and EU countries alike interested in business ties and cooperation.
According to Enterprise Estonia representatives, altogether 508 meetings to establish contacts have taken place in the framework of the business forum.
Editor: Aili Vahtla
Source: BNS