Editor’s note: This article was first published in May 2012. Its economic data are from 2010 to 2012: trade equal to 147.8% of GDP in 2010, IMF growth forecasts of 3.3% for 2012 and 4.3% for 2013, and Slovakia as one of the fastest-growing eurozone countries.
The Spanish-Slovak Chamber of Commerce has sent us the following initiative. They are organising a project in Spain to present the investment opportunities and trade exchange that Slovakia offers, in Barcelona, Madrid and Bilbao between 21 and 24 May.
The aim is to strengthen trade relations and investment flows between Slovakia and Spain, channelling Spanish investment through the advisory and logistical support services offered by the Spanish-Slovak Chamber. The seminar will set out the logistical and economic strengths of the Slovak Republic, which stands out as one of the fastest-growing countries in the eurozone, for its low tax levels and for the low cost of its skilled workforce, which means collaboration could be very profitable for Spanish entrepreneurs.
During each session, the business opportunities that Slovakia offers will be presented to companies in the province, along with the sectors with the greatest potential.
Slovakia is a small market in quantitative terms, but very open to the outside world: exports and imports combined amounted to 147.8% of its GDP in 2010. A full member of the European Union since 2004 and of the eurozone since 2009, it is characterised by a strategic geographical location, steady growth that outpaced the EU average until the financial crisis hit, and a favourable tax system, combined with a skilled workforce at a competitive cost. According to IMF forecasts, the Slovak economy will grow by 3.3% in 2012 and 4.3% in 2013.
The dates and venues are as follows:
- Monday 21 May: Bilbao (seminar)
- Tuesday 22 May: Zamudio, near Bilbao (visit to the Technology Park)
- Wednesday 23 May: Barcelona (seminar)
- Thursday 24 May: Madrid (seminar)
The seminars will be held at the local Chambers of Commerce (Barcelona, Bilbao and Madrid). The visit to the Bizkaia Technology Park will take place on the morning of Tuesday 22 May; its director of innovation, Marian Ibarrondo, will lead the guided tour in English.
Registration is free through the local Chambers of Commerce in Bilbao, Madrid and Barcelona. For more information, see the roadshow dossier (PDF, in Spanish).
Featured image: Marc Ryckaert ( MJJR ), CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
