Visegrad 4 Business Conference. Joint declaration of partners from the Visegrad Group countries

Two years of a wide-ranging pandemic led to several unforeseen side-effects that had a serious impact on the global economy in many areas, such as: limiting and constraining international trade, changing traditional business operations, accelerating the need for digitalization, rising and volatile energy prices leading to a global recession and recently accentuated by the armed conflict in Eastern Europe.

As a result, there is an urgent need to evaluate and redefine the traditional approach to business on a global scale. Taking into account the proven V4 partnership and its unique economic potential and strength in Europe, the four non-governmental entities came to the conclusion that business interests should be put first.

On 13th of October 2022, business representatives from the V4 countries met in Bratislava to hold a unique business conference devoted to current security issues, the energy crisis, post-pandemic reconstruction as well as the always important issue of the internationalization of the Visegrad Group.

The conference partner´s organizations represented by the Council of Slovak Exporters, the Association of Exporters, the MAPI Klub and the Foundation Institute for Eastern Studies agreed that the discussed topics are crucial for the business environment of the Visegrad Group and agreed that they jointly address the call to the governments of Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Poland and Hungary to:

– make every effort and use all legal tools and instruments to reduce the impact of the current global energy crisis on the industry in the Visegrad Group and prevent further deterioration of the situation on domestic energy markets;

– stimulating and strengthening the resilience of national economies in the context of the war in Ukraine, while increasing defence capabilities by supporting the defence industry of the Visegrad Group; continue to provide the necessary support and assistance to Ukraine by actively involving V4 companies and the private sector in Ukraine’s reconstruction process;

– speed up the implementation of national recovery plans adopted in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic and take measures to relieve the private sector and help adapt to the new realities of global markets;

– constant emphasis on the brand and identity of the Visegrad Group in order to maintain and support further economic growth and strengthen the position of the Visegrad Group economies in Europe as well as in the world. To this end, governments should seek opportunities to strengthen cross-border cooperation within the Visegrad Group, covering transport, energy, security and the exchange of goods and services.

On behalf of the President of the Board of the Foundation Institute for Eastern Studies, it was signed by Dr. Piotr Sieniawski.