Business news

GOMEL, 13 September (BelTA) – Belarus may become a springboard for Finnish companies to reach the Eurasian Economic Union market, BelTA learned from Aleksej Leppanen, senior advisor at the Finnish state-run organization Finpro, which supports and coordinates Finnish companies on international markets. He took part in the 5^th Belarusian-Finnish Economic Forum on 13 September.

Aleksej Leppanen said: “Apart from the existing potential of setting up joint ventures Belarus can become an excellent platform for Finnish companies to reach the Eurasian Economic Union market particularly considering the preferences available to foreign investors in the country.”

The Finnish side can suggest cooperation to Belarusian companies in the area of energy saving, woodworking, and agriculture. According to Aleksej Leppanen, cooperation in the sphere of bioenergy can be particularly useful. “Finland is an innovator in this field. The country has deep understanding and professional knowledge. We hope that Finnish products will come in handy in Belarus,” said Aleksej Leppanen.

The Belarusian-Finnish Economic Forum is scheduled to take place in Gomel on 13-14 September. Over 50 representatives of Finnish companies that work in various economy branches are taking part in the forum. The Belarusian side is represented by Gomel Oblast companies as well as representatives of the Energy Ministry, the Agriculture and Food Ministry, and the National Agency of Investment and Privatization.

The forum began with a plenary session. After that representatives of the Belarusian and Finnish private sectors continued working in panel sessions where they could discuss their cooperation options in detail.

By the end of the day the guests are expected to visit a number of Gomel companies, including Milkavita, Gomselmash, and Gomeldrev as well as the National Science and Practice Center for Radiation Medicine and Human Ecology, the Gomel palace and park complex.