Business news

MINSK, 5 April (BelTA) – Belarus’ exports to Sweden increased by almost 30% in Q1 2018, Chairman of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Vladimir Ulakhovich told the media ahead of the seminar on the Specifics of Belarusian Exports to Sweden on 5 April, BelTA has learned.

“Last year we had a steady growth in exports in all directions. It happens, however, that the countries that are close to us are not our major trading partners, and Sweden is one of these countries. While we belong to the same sub-region, we have been not very active in recent years. Although I must note that mutual trade improved last year, and in the first quarter of this year we have already reached a 29% growth,” the head of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry said.

Vladimir Ulakhovich added that the range of Belarusian exports to Sweden includes 140 items. “The basis of exports is potash fertilizers, petrochemicals and metallurgy products. There are also small commodity positions, which also show progress. Last year our trade amounted to $135 million, with a trade deficit. We are still lagging behind in exports,” he explained.

According to the chairman of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, that is why it is so important for Belarusian enterprises to take part in such events as today's seminar. “Our Swedish partners will demonstrate on practical examples how to enter the Swedish market and also the EU market. We always motivate our enterprises to go to the EU markets. When we certify products for the EU market there are always very high requirements there. Thus, we increase the competitiveness of our products, working on their quality, our trade and marketing policies and, in general, on the management culture. In this regard, this seminar is very useful and important for us,” he stressed.

Vladimir Ulakhovich emphasized a large percentage of small and medium businesses among Belarusian enterprises who have shoed an interest in the event (a total of about 60). “This is very important, since this segment needs to be included in our export policy,” he said.

The head of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry paid attention to the areas where Belarus and Sweden can develop cooperation. These are projects of industrial cooperation, energy-saving technologies, green energy. “In addition, this is also the continuation of the large project we had several years ago to develop water purification systems in a number of Belarusian cities. There is also municipal cooperation which is important to develop topics related to local energy issues, waste recycling. This is, of course, forest, as Belarus and Sweden are forest states. In Sweden, these technologies are very developed. We are developing them rapidly, too. We held great modernization of the woodworking sector, and this is also a field for cooperation,” Vladimir Ulakhovich said.

The Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry together with the Swedish National Board of Trade (Kommerskollegium) and the support of the Swedish Embassy in Belarus held a seminar on the Specifics of Belarusian exports to Sweden on 5 April. The event was attended by Chairman of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Vladimir Ulakhovich, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Sweden to Belarus Christina Johannesson, experts of the Kommerskollegium, representatives of Belarusian enterprises and organizations.

The seminar focused on the peculiarities of the Swedish market, legal aspects and requirements for exporting products to Sweden and the EU countries, supply channels and current preferences of consumers. Representatives of Belarusian enterprises held talks with experts of the Kommerskollegium.