Cooperation of the Institute for Eastern Studies with the Council of Slovak Exporters 18 March 2022 Najnowsze informacje Author: Piotr Sieniawski In February 2022, the Institute for Eastern Studies signed a mutual cooperation agreement with the Council of Slovak Exporters. It concerns support for the business sector and cooperation in organising joint events. The Council of Slovak Exporters was established in 2020 as a response to the challenges related to the coronavirus pandemic and the decline in exports. The aim of the Council of Slovak Exporters is to “mediate in talks among export representatives, representatives of state institutions, commercial banks and international organisations of which Slovakia is a member”. At present, the Council of Slovak Exporters includes over 100 commercial entities from Slovakia. There is no doubt that Slovakia is an important country for the Economic Forum. Every year, the Forum is attended by several dozen guests from Slovakia, including representatives of the government, local governments, non-governmental organisations and business. The Economic Forum in Karpacz is an ideal space for promoting Slovak companies and establishing contacts with entrepreneurs from all over Europe. The relocation of the Economic Forum from Krynica, which was located almost on the very border with Slovakia, to Karpacz, as well as the coronavirus pandemic undoubtedly resulted in a decrease in the number of visitors from Slovakia (mainly when it comes to representatives of the local government), although the potential for cooperation with Slovakia remains high. Slovakia is also an important partner in numerous European, governmental and non-governmental projects. In 2021, for the first time, the Economic Forum in Karpacz was attended by the Chairman of the Council of Slovak Exporters, former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Slovakia, Lukáš Parízek, who appeared in the discussion panel entitled Export After the Pandemic – How to Plan Internationalization for the Coming Years? “It is especially important for Slovak exporters to maintain relations in the area of economic cooperation,” wrote the Chairman of the Council of Slovak Exporters after the Economic Forum for the Slovak newspaper Hospodárske noviny. The Chairman’s highly positive assessment concerned primarily the organisation of the Economic Forum, the substantive level of discussion panels and networking opportunities. “I had the opportunity to take part in meetings with organisations such as: Business France, the Slovenian Enterprise Fund and the Polish Investment and Trade Agency. I also had the opportunity to see how the synergy between entrepreneurs and the state works,” Parízek noted. In the agreement signed by Lukáš Parízek, President of the Council of Slovak Exporters, and Jerzy Bochyński, President of the Management Board of the Institute for Eastern Studies, the partners committed themselves to activities aimed at promoting and strengthening economic cooperation between business entities from Poland and Slovakia. “Our common goal is to disseminate the information needed to support international trade; support for business promotion events; and promoting cooperation between various spheres of business,” we read in the Agreement. The aim of the Council of Slovak Exporters is to promote Slovak companies on foreign markets, disseminate information on export opportunities, organise events, provide information and organisational support for its members, organise seminars, and advise members of the Council. The composition of the Supervisory Board includes, among others: Vazil Hudak, former Vice-President of the European Investment Bank and a guest of the Economic Forum in previous years, and Juraj Miškov, former Minister of Economy of Slovakia. The Council of Slovak Exporters is also strongly developing its expert and think-tank activities. Members of the Council of Slovak Exporters prepare analyses on the export potential of small and medium-sized Slovak enterprises, the impact of political events in the international arena on the economic situation, and the economic policy of the state and its impact on the exports of Slovak enterprises. Experts also provide advice to Slovak entrepreneurs seeking to export, in particular to eastern markets. The development of cooperation among entrepreneurs from Europe and good relations between state institutions and the commercial sphere is particularly important nowadays, when we are struggling with the consequences of a pandemic, inflation, rising prices of raw materials and energy, and armed conflicts in Europe. The talks of the most important representatives of politics, business and science during the Economic Forum shape the development of mutual relations among the countries of Central Europe. Therefore, establishing cooperation with the Council of Slovak Exporters will result not only in the deepening of friendly economic relations, but also in the coordination of activity in the field of bilateral projects and expert activities. Sources: 30 rokov poľského ekonomického fóra a slabá slovenská účasť. https://www.exporteri.sk/analyza/30-rokov-polskeho-ekonomickeho-fora-a-slaba-slovenska-ucast/ Rada slovenských exportérov. https://www.exporteri.sk/o-nas/
