Austria believes that it is important for Croatia to wrap up its EU membership talks and become a full member, the president of the Chamber, Georg Doppelhofer said, adding that this would mean more security for investors and a bigger market for their products.
He pointed to the importance of linking Croatian roads with the European road network, especially the construction of Corridor 10 A linking Zagreb and Graz.
Trade between the two countries in 2005 amounted to 1.7 billion US dollars, and Austria is the leading investor in Croatia with one-fourth of all foreign direct investments, Doppelhofer said.
Croatian Deputy Prime Minister Damir Polancec was due to speak at the conference about greenfield investments in Croatia.
Croatia's exports to Austria last year amounted to USD 650 million, and Austrian exports to Croatia USD 1.065 billion.
The Vienna conference was also attended by Croatian Ambassador to Austria Zoran Jasic, leaders of the Croatian Reconstruction and Development Bank and the Agency for the Promotion of Export and Investment, representatives of Austrian financial institutions and the CEO of Mobilkom Austria, Boris Nemsic, who was elected new president of the Croatian-Austrian Chamber of Trade today.
The Chamber was established in 2002 in Graz.