Help businesses combat fear factor and grasp accession state opportunities, Chamber Chief Executive
01/07/2007
Richard Lacy, Chief Executive of the Chamber and Director of East of England Chambers of Commerce, has urged businesses to combat the fear factor and exploit opportunities in Poland and Central Eastern Europe. Speaking before a House of Commons Select Committee, Mr Lacy said there were massive opportunities in the region but that businesses needed help to capitalise on them.
Mr Lacy, who attended the House of Commons with Sally Low of the British Chambers of Commerce, was asked to address the committee in recognition of the Chamber's significant experience in helping businesses trade with Poland. He told the committee that while many businesses were beginning to recognise the potential of Poland as a 'gateway' to Central Eastern Europe, many needed help from government and other agencies to make the most of the opportunities. Mr Lacy and Ms Low said that some businesses were deterred from doing business in the region by a number of perceived problems, including banking and financial procedures, bureaucracy, quality issues and a generalised fear of the unknown. However Mr Lacy said that the Chamber's experience was that many of these fears were unfounded.
The Chamber has responded to business fears about trading in Poland and beyond by developing TradeArc Polska, part of the Chamber's not-for-profit consultancy arm BrightArc. TradeArc Polska is a service which offers businesses a shortcut to doing business in Poland and Central Eastern Europe by assisting with bureaucratic, language and business practice issues. TradeArc Polska recently facilitated 'Supplier Relations with Poland', an event that helped businesses from across the Eastern region learn more about doing business with the accession states.
Much of the work of TradeArc Polska has been made possible by key partnerships developed by the Chamber with Chambers of Commerce and other bodies in Poland.
Said Mr Lacy:
'Addressing the committee was a great honour for the Chamber and a recognition of the considerable experience we have in Poland and Central Eastern Europe. We have developed significant expertise in fostering business opportunities in Poland and have made some very useful partnerships, not least in Zamosc where we have even opened an office.'
He added:
'We believe there are huge opportunities for UK businesses in the accession states and passionately believe that the sort of support we are offering should be available more widely. I hope that by sharing our thoughts and experience with the committee, the Chamber will have contributed in some part to making these markets more accessible to UK businesses.'
