Romania hosts the “Three Seas Initiative” Business Forum

The representatives of the national Chambers of Commerce of 7 participating states to the Three Seas Initiative (3SI) - Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovenia, have met in Bucharest on September 17, 2018, on the occasion of the first edition of the Three Seas Business Forum.

On this occasion, they acknowledged objectives for the initiative, as stated in a press release issued by the Presidency. “It is an informal Presidential platform which provides for strong and sustained political support to foster a more effective cooperation of governments, business entities and non-governmental organizations interested in boosting regional cooperation, encompassing 12 EU member states in the region between the Adriatic, Baltic and the Black Seas. It responds to the commonality of interests of the countries of Central and Eastern Europe for more rapid development, in particular as regards infrastructure on the North-South Axis, but not only, in order to achieve real convergence with the rest of the EU.

It is focused on three main fields - transport, energy, digital - without excluding other areas of interest in which greater connectivity can foster more economic development.

It seeks to propagate a virtuous circle of regional interconnectivity as part and concrete contribution to the process of deepening European integration and overall competitiveness, facilitate economic growth and multiply economic opportunities across the EU.

It is a regional contribution to strengthening the transatlantic link. The US economic presence in the region provides a catalyst for strengthened cooperation, among the states of the region and as part of the Transatlantic Partnership in general.

The active participation of the private sector role is critical to the 3SI’s success and sustainability in the long-term.

The Three-Seas Business Forum will facilitate the public-private engagement necessary to ensure the fulfilment of the 3SI’s ambitious goals for lasting development across the Adriatic, Baltic, and Black Sea region.

The Three-Seas Business Forum will be open to the participation of companies and Government representatives from other EU states, the US, non-EU states from South East Europe and Eastern Neighborhood, representatives of the European Commission and European/international financial institutions.

Building on the Joint Statement signed in Dubrovnik by five chambers of commerce of the 3SI, on 26 August 2016, the 7 National Chambers of Commerce gathered in Bucharest on the occasion of the first 3SI Business Forum, have agreed to formalise the creation of the 3SI Network of National Chambers of Commerce with the purpose supporting the activities of the Business Forum and connecting the business communities in the region.

The agreement will also promote the implementation of priority interconnectivity projects in the Three Seas area, in particular in the fields of transport, energy and digital, which can be existing common economic projects, but also new projects, by attracting new business opportunities, including investments.