"Our desire is that entrepreneurs who are interested in Eastern cooperation pursue their business goals without unnecessary administrative burden and costs", Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Economy Waldemar Pawlak said during a working breakfast with members of Polish-Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Warsaw.
He emphasized that the current government started work on an investment protection agreement. "We aim to create favourable conditions for cooperation in the field of investment and trade in goods and services", he added.
Deputy Prime Minister said that both economic relations and trade were highly dependent on the GDP of the partner country and its distance from Poland. "From that point of view CIS countries, and Russia in particular, as our closest neighbours, are crucial for Poland", Pawlak said.
According to the Minister of Economy, equally important for the development of business relations with the Eastern partners is the awareness of market conditions and economic traditions of those countries.
In addition, Deputy Prime Minister reminded that the government set great store by the promotion of Polish economy. In his view, mutual economic relations would be strengthened through business meetings with the representatives of Russian, Ukrainian and Belarusian businesses. "Government administration's support for them will create proper conditions for trade", he said.
During discussion with Polish experts Pawlak assured that government priorities included abolition of both non-tariff and tariff barriers to cooperation with the Eastern partners. "In this context we want to put forward to the EU to introduce what is called area (direct) payments to improve competitiveness of businesses irrespective of their product" , he stressed.
The meeting was attended by representatives of Polish small, middle-sized and big enterprises from diverse sectors, including energy, transport, food, etc. These companies have operated primarily in Eastern markets.
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The Polish-Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PRIHP) was established in 1993. Its main activities include the promotion of networking between business partners from Poland and the Russian Federation. PRIHP also represents economic interests of its members towards Polish and Russian authorities. The Chamber collaborates with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation, as well as Economy and Trade Divisions of the Russian Federation in Warsaw and of Poland in Moscow, respectively. Since 1995 PRIHP has been affiliated with EURASIA association – an international organization grouping European and Asian industrial and economic consortiums, and involving more than 200 companies.