ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ROMANIAN CHAMBER OF INDUSTRY AND TRADE: Bucharest"s economic environment, still attractive for investors

C.C.

The Chairman of the Bucharest Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIB), Mr. Sorin Dimitriu, emphasized during the recent General Meeting of Representatives of the sections of the CCIB, the serious involvement of the Chamber in the issues caused by the economic-financial crisis. This is proven both through its consistent involvement in the commissions and workgroups set up by the Ministry of Finance and Economy, the National Bank of Romania (BNR), as well as through the organization of symposiums dealing with issues of interest - the minimum tax, the future of research-development-innovation, the identification of solutions for mitigating the effects of the crisis -, with many of them leading to the drafting of recommendations, sent to the concerned institutions.

Mr. Dimitriu said that in the July 2008 - June 2009 period, the CCIB organized economic forums and missions. This was in line with the foreign relations strategy of the CCIB, which focused on markets in the Balkan area, the former Soviet area, the Middle East, South-East Asia, and Northern Africa, which were less affected by the economic financial crisis and where Romanian products were extremely appreciated not long ago. An important goal of the CCIB for 2009-2010 is the opening of offices abroad, which will serve to promote Romanian businesses and will serve as a "bridgehead" for Romanian companies looking to expand their business abroad.

According to the annual report of the CCIB, Bucharest"s economy is still attractive for investors, both foreign and Romanian.

In order to identify the concrete issues that companies are facing due to the crisis, CCIB conducted a study among members of Bucharest"s business community, based on a survey. "Results show that fear is grater than statistic data shows\", the Vice-president of the CCIB, Nicolae Vasile, claims.