CADEZ: We are preparing recommendations to governments for removing obstacles in the region

The chambers of commerce gathered within the Chamber Investment Forum of the Western Balkans (KIF) will jointly define all the obstacles to mutual trade in the region in the coming months and send recommendations to governments and the competent institutions for removing them and improving business and investment conditions. At the same time, KIF will prepare a study on comparative advantages of the region when it comes to investments and a better usage of the export potential, Marko Cadez, president of the Chamber of Commerce of Serbia, announced.

As agreed at last week's session of the KIF Managing Board in Zagreb, at the suggestion of the Chamber of Commerce of Serbia, both documents, along with recommendations, will be presented at the business forum within the fourth Western Balkans Summit, which is to be held this July in Trieste, as part of the Berlin Process.

As part of the preparations for this year's summit, KIF, which consists of the chambers of the Western Balkans six, Slovenia and Croatia, is looking at a range of joint regional and bilateral events and activities, from the panel on the regional investment policy reform at the Kopaonik Business Forum to the Southeast Europe Investment Conference in May.

– The aim is to influence the removal of obstacles to more successful mutual operations and increasing trade in the region and with the world through efficient cooperation between the chambers of commerce and to make the business climate in the region more attractive to the international business community. Only a competitive, stable and economically strong region, featuring good business conditions, can be attractive to both foreign investors and the purchasers of our products – Cadez estimated.

According to him, the chambers of the region are especially dedicated to the realization of joint development project and projects of support to their own business communities to the end of strengthening the capacities and the competitiveness, as well as to connecting companies for the purpose of joint ventures in third markets and participating in the regional and international tenders, such as the tenders for infrastructural projects to be realized within the Berlin process with financial aid by the EU.

This year's activities of KIF, under the Croatian presidency, focus on promoting the implementation of dual education, development of entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial education and support to and strengthening of the SME sector in the region.

KIF will also continue developing its web platform, designing a research and innovation platform, as well as a regional platform for SME. They will also continue connecting companies within sectors, especially SMEs, by, among other things, organizing business meeting at exhibits throughout the KIF region and joint applications for European funds, such as the Cosme project.

Privredna komora Srbije

Chamber Investment Forum of the Western Balkans

KIF

CCIS

Western Balkans Summit

Cosme

dual education

development of entrepreneurship

Southeast Europe Investment Conference

cooperation of chamber systems in the region