The 4th Eastern Partnership (EaP) Business Forum takes place in Tallinn on 26-27 October 2017, under the Estonian Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
More than 500 business leaders, government officials and policy makers from the European Union and its Eastern Partner countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine) will come together at the forum to debate on the topic ‘Digital Economy: Innovative Platform for Transparent Borderless Business’.
“Small businesses have a key role to play and the EU actively works with partner countries and international financial institutions to ensure the right business environment,” said Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, Johannes Hahn. “The Business Forum today is a great opportunity to discuss challenges of modernising economies and societies in the Eastern Partnership.”
The forum will serve as a platform for participants to discuss how to redefine governance processes and create a basis for transparent economies. Discussions will also focus on cross-border trade, logistics, e-commerce and financing for international business.
Since the Association Agreements entered into full force, the business exchanges between the EU and Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine have substantially intensified. Moreover, businesspeople from these three countries can now travel to Europe visa free to explore new market opportunities and develop business partnerships. The agreements are also beneficial to the EU Member States – exports to the EaP countries have increased from being worth €16.3 billion in 2004 to €33.1 billion in 2014.
Under the EU4Business initiative, the EU provides access to finance, supports exports to new markets and offers know-how to small businesses to support growth in all six partner countries. Since 2009, the EU has supported 100,000 businesses and helped create more than 10,000 new jobs in the region.
The EaP Business Forum is held every two years as a side event to the Eastern Partnership Summit, which this year will take place on 24 November in Brussels.
