Inauguration of the Chamber of Comerce and Industry Romania-Luxembourg

There were present representatives of Romanian and Luxembourgish companies, banks, insurance and leasing societies, mass media. Also participated H.E. Conrad Bruch, Ambassador of the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg to Romania, (residing in Athens), Mihai Ferariu, Honorary Consul of Luxembourg to Romania, Jose Iacobescu, President of the Union of Bilateral Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Romania, Nasty Vlădoiu, President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Romania-Israel.

Opening the Inaugural Meeting, Gheorghe Ivan, Founding President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Romania – Luxemburg mentioned that the establishement of the bilateral Chamber was imposed by the new status of Romania - its membership to the European Union -, where the Grand-Duchy had "a fundamental contribution from an economic, cultural and social point of view", as well as by the "particularly high economic potential " of the two countries. The main objective of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Romania-Luxembourg will be "the promotion of the bilateral relations in the fields of economy, banking, insurance, foreign trade, mettalurgy, IT and othe domains", as well as the "strengthening of the business community".

President Ivan mentioned that CCIRL has already witnessed notoriety in the business circles and among the state institutions, so that it already counts outstanding members as ROMCAR ( Ford), ASIROM-Vienna Insurance Group, METROREX, IIRUC SERVICE-Raiffeisen IT Group, Union of Free Trade Union METROU, as well as small and medium-sized enterprises. He addressed the ionvitation to the numerous representatives of the business sector, Romanian and Luxembourger, attending the meeting, to join the Chamber.

Invited to take the floor, Ambassador Conrad Bruch pointed out that Romania is"one of the countries with which Luxembourg has particlarly closed bilateral relations" and, among the countries of South-East Europe, "the most dense connections", a"key role" being played by the French language used in both countries as well as "the very old relations that unite Luxembourg and the Romanian region of Transylvania".

Evoking the role played by Luxembourg in "the successful crowning of Romania's ambition to join the European Union", including the signature, in Luxembourg, under Luxembourgish presidency, of Romania's Treaty of accession to the European Union, as well as "the important number of bilateral agreements" and "the very frequent exchanges" of official visits, Ambassador Bruch appreciated that "compared withe the extraordinary density of the political and cultural relations", "the low level of the bilateral commercial exchanges cannot but surprise us". He quoted provisional statistics for 2007 indicating exports from Luxembourg to Romania to the level of 38,5 mil. euro as against Romanian exports to Luxembourg at the level of 2,5 mil euro. The situation seems to be better in the field of foreign direct investments to Romania, whre Luxembourg occupies a notable fourteenth place in the top of foreign investors. He noted also that so far there is no Romanian bank in Luxembourg but many Luxembourgish banks are more and more interested by the Romanian market.

Among the Luxembourgish companies active in Romania and represented at the event, Ambassador Conrad Bruch mentioned particularly ARCELORMITTAL, now the second enterprise in Romania, and praise the "role of pioneer played by the Luxemburgish entrepreneur Bernard Elvinger" in the developemnt of the bilateral trade.

The Luxembourgish Ambassador warned that "without efforts to be made by both side, it would be very unlikely that the commercial exchanges could develop in a spectacular and more ballanced way ", but there is the possibility that "gradually, Romania should become a privileged economic partner for Luxembourg", to that goal the Romanian competences as, for example, in the field of information technology. He expressed the conviction that "the establishment of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Romania-Luxembourg could favour the rise of the exchanges between the two countries".

The newborn Chamber of Coomerce and Industry was also greeted by Jose Iacobescu, President of the Union of Bilateral Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Romania, Mihai Ferariu, Honorary Consul of the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg in Romania, Nasty Vladoiu, Vice-President of the Union of Bilateral Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Romania and President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Romania-Israel, as well as the former Romania Ambassador to Luxembourg Tudorel Postolache.

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On the same occasion, Conrad Bruch, Ambassador of Luxembourg to Romania, was offered the "Diploma of Honorary President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Romania-Luxembourg", and Mihai Ferariu, Honorary Consul, the "Diploma of Honorary Member".

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On behalf of Pneuropa Foundation, represented at the event by its President, there were expressed also sincere congratulations and wishes of full success in achieving the Chamber goals of dynamising the bilateral exchanges and economic cooperation, as well as the Foundation commitment to contribute, by its specific means, to the attainement of this objectives.