ZAGREB ZAGREB, Feb 19 (Hina) - Promoting and developing business relations between Croatian and Austrian companies, as well as promoting their cooperation with business and other institutions in both countries is the main goal of the
Croatian-Austrian Chamber of Commerce, it was stated at a presentation at the Croatian Chamber of Crafts (HOK) on Wednesday.
ZAGREB, Feb 19 (Hina) - Promoting and developing business relations
between Croatian and Austrian companies, as well as promoting their
cooperation with business and other institutions in both countries
is the main goal of the Croatian-Austrian Chamber of Commerce, it
was stated at a presentation at the Croatian Chamber of Crafts (HOK)
on Wednesday. #L#
The Croatian-Austrian Chamber of Commerce, established last May,
is seated in Graz and gathers around 100 Austrian and Croatian
companies and institutions.
HOK president Stjepan Safran said that the chamber offered a chance
for the development of Croatian crafts and small and medium
businesses and for the improvement of economic cooperation between
Croatia and Austria and the promotion of their joint arrival in the
third markets.
Zeljko Pecek, Minister of Crafts and Small and Medium Businesses,
said that it was small businesses that proved to be the most
successful segment of Croatia's economy in the transitional
period. There are around 94,200 craftsmen in Croatia, employing
more than 232,000 people; there are around 800 co-operatives with
4,300 members and around 55,000 small and medium-sized companies
with more than 420,000 employees. Small businesses account for as
much as 99% of all businesses, employing 62% of all workers in the
country's economy.
Pecek said that Austria was Croatia's fourth most important trade
partner. In the first 11 months of 2002, trade between the two
countries totalled 991.5 million dollars. Austrian companies
account for almost one-third of all foreign investments in Croatia
and direct Austrian investments in Croatia between 1993 and the
third quarter of 2002 totalled around US$2.25 billion. The
investments were made in the sectors of financial services,
construction, tourism, telecommunications, trade etc.
Attending today's presentation were also the president of the
Croatian-Austrian Chamber of Commerce, Georg Doppelhofer, and an
advisor on trade relations at the Austrian Embassy, Wilhelm-Peter
Hasslacher, who spoke about the chamber's role in strengthening the
countries' economic ties.
(hina) rml sb