Luncheon-debate with Cecilia Malmström, European Commissioner for Trade

DSC_0141Last Monday, 12 October, the Official Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Belgium and Luxembourg organized a luncheon-debate in NH Sablon Hotel (Brussels) with Cecilia Malmström, European Commissioner for Trade, about “The New EU Trade Policy”. The event was attended by European Institutions’ representatives, lobbyists, members of the Chamber of Commerce and corporate executives, among other participants.

The event started with the intervention of Juan Rodríguez-Villa Matons, the President of the Chamber of Commerce, who welcomed the attendees and presented the speaker to the audience, going over her trajectory and highlighting her relevant professional experience and her achievements within the Commission.

Malmström firstly presented the New EU Trade Policy, pointing out that it is a new approach of approximation to international trade relations that would go further in order to reflect the values of the EU and focus on the elimination of trade barriers and trade tariffs.

During the second part of her intervention, the speaker focused on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). She described it as “necessary and vital” for the relations between the United States and the European Union, as it would be the “ability to foster and promote the values that both sides of the Atlantic share”. She would also like to emphasize that the Agreement would ensure European citizens, their food security, their education and health system and the environmental protection at all times.

DSC_0246Finally, Malmström mentioned the numerous agreements the European Union maintained at the level of trade in order to also highlight those that should be refreshed or developed with key states in Southeast Asia or Latin America.

After the presentation there was question time. The attendees raised numerous doubts to the Commissioner, concerning on the protection, transfer of data and the development of potential and new commercial agreements between India and the EU, and China and the EU, which she responded to in detail.

The event, sponsored by “La Buena Vida”, ended with the delivery of a gift to Cecilia Malmström by the Chamber of Commerce in gratitude of her collaboration with the institution.

 

 

 

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Diabolix Business Club Euro 2016

It’s official, Verhulst Events & Partners offers you the opportunity to invite their business partners and professional contacts to encourage the Red Devils in the match to be held on November 17 against the Spanish National Team. Thanks to Diabolix Business Club you can enjoy the exclusivity of the game in great detail thanks to their VIPs tickets in which a delicious snack and dinner is included.

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“The EU funds for SMEs”

Jorge Cisneros, Member of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Belgium and Luxembourg, presents his book “The EU funds for SMEs “.

This is a guide to understand the European Union and its funds for companies, as well as to provide access to application submission and participation in the European Development Funds and External Aid.

Prepared by an expert in the field, it is a practical tool to dispel doubts of a company concerning the European Union as a facet of aid to SMEs and to understand the objectives set and to improve economic competitiveness.

It provides an overview of the main aid programs for companies, essential knowledge for all professionals who would like to get into this unknown world.

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Meeting with the Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Germany

On 8 October the Chamber of Commerce’s Secretary General met with Thomas Rinne in Brussels, member of the executive committee of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Germany, in order to exchange experiences and to explore possible areas of collaboration. In the meeting Bert Dehandschutter, voice of the Official Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Belgium and Luxembourg’s board of directors, participated.

The Official Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Germany, based in Frankfurt, is part of FEDECOM, Federation of Chambers of Commerce of Spain in Europe-Africa-Asia-Oceania.

Presentation of the new office of CEDENOR S.A

On 29 October, CEDENOR Consulting, SA, presented its new establishment in Brussels. The event was organized by Brussels Invest-Export and was attended by the Secretary General of the Chamber of Commerce of Belgium and Luxembourg, Maria Catalán, as well as by the representatives of regional offices and directors of Spanish companies in Brussels, among other attendees.

The presentation began with the intervention of Stefaan Lenaerts, responsible of the Department of Latin America, Italy, Spain and Portugal from Brussels Invest-Export, who welcomed the audience and congratulated CEDENOR for its new project in Brussels.

Then, Mr. Alfonso Parizo Castaños, founding member and manager of CEDENOR, gave an interesting presentation about “Examples of process management, industrial collaboration in Cantabria: Consortia for internationalization”.

Mr. Parizo began his statement presenting the origins of CEDENOR, founded in Santander (Cantabria) in 1989, with the vocation of providing an advisory service and integral consulting to companies and individuals, with a team of professionals specialized in different areas who are able to answer the needs generated by its customers over the last few years.

Subsequently, Mr. Pariza based his presentation on the interesting “Blue Lake Strategy” from the 90s, to explain that as a result of the differences between the different markets, CEDENOR has chosen to create a new strategy based on International Marketing. Thus, CEDENOR pretends to look for new customers without the need of dividing the existing markets.

As a result of this new strategy, Mr. Pariza showed the attendees a first video in which the project CEDENOR-SODERCAN was explained: the creation of an exportation consortia between companies of the metal-mechanic sector in Cantabria. Then, a second video was projected in which the models of collaboration and cooperation between the companies of the metal and naval sector, which conforms the first consortia Industrial Manufactures of Cantabria (IMC), were presented.

Mr. Pariza concluded his intervention mentioning the signature of the collaboration agreement between the Ibero-American Federation of Adults Associations-FIAPAM and FIAPA-Fédération Internationale des Associations de Personnes Âgées, an act that count with the auspicious of ANAP-Associazione Nazionale Anziani e Pensionati (Italy) and UNATE-The Permanent University. Mr. Pariza highlighted that through this collaboration agreement Cedenor will support the formulation of projects, programs and activities in the socio-sanitary and research sector to compile and promote great practices directed to adults at European level.

After a question time between the attendees, the manager of GEISSERR&LARR Consultancy in Bilbao, Ricardo Castillo Barrios, cooperation partner of CEDENOR in its project of internalization, closed the act with some words for the attendees, in which he emphasized the importance to help and support Spanish SMEs on their way to internationalization.