Association of European Business in Belarus

Transcription

1 Association of European Business in Belarus

2 What is Association common legal definition Any group of people who have joined together for a particular purpose, ranging from social to business It can be formal, with rules and/or by-laws, membership requirements and other trappings of an organization, or it can be a collection of people without structure Non-commercial organization/company

3 Associations of European Business in the World EUROPEAN BUSINESS ORGANISATIONS WORLDWIDE NETWORK More than 25 EU Associations in more than 20 countries over 3 continents (Asia-Pacific, Europe and the Americas) Business associations represents the interests of European companies abroad AEB is an official platform for business to lobby its interests in third countries governments, in order to gain more favorable business conditions in non-eu country. Despite acting on high Governmental level of the third country Associations of European Business cooperate with national Associations and business clubs and create an added value for them.

4 What is AEB in Belarus and at present time Registered as an Association in 2009 by the Minsk City Executive Committee Non-commercial and independent non-governmental organization Has a registered Charter and a registration Certificate The logo and the title are registered in Belarus Under the Law of Public Organizations of the Republic of Belarus dated October 4 th, 1994, N 3254-XII: - AEB has status of national-level as its activities within territory of Belarus - AEB unites national and international legal entities residents and nonresidents of the Republic of Belarus - Individuals today are not allowed to be members of Associations except national individual entrepreneurs - Members of Association own the Association

5 Who we are The Association of European Business is an independent non-commercial nongovernmental association uniting leading Belarusian and European companies. Our mission - creation of favorable business conditions in Belarus for European companies and their national partners.. Founders Andrey MICKIEWICZ, Chairman AEB President of BRYCE S.A. holding, including 13 trading and service companies. BRYCE holding is dealing with purchasesale of oil products, fertilizers, petrochemical products, logistic services, risks management and other consulting services. Pavel DANEIKO, Owner IPM Business School IPM Business School is the first business school of practical management in Belarus, the place where the world experience and the local one are combined together.

6 Members

7 Advisory and Monitoring Management structure General Assembly Definition of AEB strategy Modification of the Charter Determination of Fees Applies the Strategy developed by the General Assembly (Members) Advisory Board Auditor Control of financial activities Legal representative in regard with the administration and his signature Chairman

8 Executive Organizational structure Chairman/Founder Andrey Mickiewich Vice-Chairman Maryna Barouka Lawyer Accountant PR and communication Office Assistant Maria Karas Hanna Siarheeva Pavel Berasneu Anastasia Ivatovich

9 Team Maryna BAROUKA, Deputy Chairman PhD in Economics. Associate professor in the Belarusian State University. More than 4 years in management of international technical assistance projects with UNDP, EU, USAID, UNESCO. Maria KARAS, Legal Adviser Belarusian State University. Legal support of business, contract and claims work, representing the interests of the association in government authorities and courts. More than 7 years of experience in the specialty. Pavel BERASNEU, Head of PR Belarusian State University. Over 6 years of experience in economic journalism and PR. Hanna SIARHEEVA, Accountant-general Belarusian State Economic University. More than 10 years of experience in the field of accounting and tax accounting organizations. Experience in the audit company. Anastasia IVATOVICH, Office Assistant Belarusian State University, Faculty of International Relations.

10 Structure of AEB financing today Membership Fees ( annually) Grants Credits Sponsorship

11 AEB services and added value AEB acts on the high Governmental level struggling against non-economic barriers on the way of joint European and national investors Due to tight cooperation with Ministries AEB Members get information about decisions taken on meetings of Governmental level AEB members get support in advocacy of business issues AEB members get support in arranging public discussion on business challenges AEB members are promoted as Experts in their business sphere in Belarus

12 AEB services and added value AEB members together with interested national companies raise significant economic issues via working committees HR - Committee discusses problems and trends in the field of personnel management including corporate social responsibility in HR and ecology (AEB became a Member of UN Global Compact). Legal Committee was created to discuss and help resolve legal issues, which representative offices and subsidiaries of foreign companies face in Belarus. Food industry Committee was created to discuss the challenges that Belarusian and foreign food producers face in Belarus. Plant Protection Products Committee was initiated when the Treaty on the Eurasian Economic Union entered into force. Starting from January 1, 2015, plant protection products manufacturers and suppliers face obstacles and challenges to protect their interests within the Union. In these conditions, building a dialogue with public authorities and policy makers and having the opportunity to influence decisions both in Belarus and in the EAEU are the keys to successful business. Tourism was initiated to discuss and promote on Governmental level preliminary key problematics in tourism sphere in Belarus including visa issues, lack of statistics, Belavia monopoly, etc.

13 AEB services and added value AEB members get opportunity to be informed about upcoming legal changes via participation on behalf of AEB in Advisory Boards under Belarusian Ministries The Ministry of sports and tourism The Ministry of Justice The Ministry of Taxes and Duties The Natural resources and Environment al protection the Ministry of Education the Council of Ministers The Ministry of Economy The Ministry of Antimonopol y Regulation and Trade

14 Member of The Global Compact AEB joined the GC to support Corporate Social Responsibility Project on a high international level GC the most significant international CSR-organization that joins companies and 140 organizations worldwide

15 Job Shadow Days, the unique example of CSR for foreign companies Five rounds of the Job Shadow Days More than 100 students 59 companies and associations Only positive reviews

16 Success stories of lobbying interests, Prevention of raise of specific hidden tax- control (identification) marks - for producers and importers of non-alcoholic drinks Prevention of introduction of trade restrictions for producers and importers of non-alcoholic tonic drinks Exclusion of non-alcoholic tonic drinks from the list of excise goods Warning one of Members about upcoming changes in kids food certification due to that the Member timely changed the production and not suffered significant losses Official lobbying of non-licensing introduction for importers of fertilizers in Belarus Substantial reduction in the assortment lists of products manufactured in Belarus, mandatory for the procurement by catering facilities

17 Issues to lobby on Governmental level all together AEB members together with national business clubs and international organizations are able to raise business challenges that block Belarus for new European investors and negatively influence existing ones, e.g. -Resolution of Council of Ministers 666 against importers of food, children's goods, household products, cosmetics, home appliances, automotive products, others; -Hidden barriers such as control (identification) marks, non-harmonized goods certification and customs documentation, similar issues -Absence of single approach on Governmental level in decision-making on attracting foreign investors -Absence of guarantees and investor protection by constantly changing legal environment -Poor communication and lack of information to investors -Absence of detailed list of attractive national producers for European foreign direct investors (developed and proposed by AEB experts)

18 VISION of existing AEB Members Be the biggest and the most powerful independent business Association for lobbying interests of European companies and their Belarusian partners Increase the quantity of Members taking into account interests of European SMEs acting in Belarus or potential investors Adaptation of AEB charter to European norms and standards which are not contradicts with Belarusian legislation Strengthening existing Committees and creation a new one as a reaction on changes in business climate Become a Member of AEB Global Network Wide dissemination of information about AEB activities and services by raising representativeness of AEB site and FB page Keep existing efficient networking projects Keep and promote AEB corporate social responsibility activities, unique for Belarus, - Job shadow days for students and foreign companies

19 Activities More than 40 events More than 1,000 participants

20 AEB promotion 700 Likes in Facebook AEB page 100+ publications in the media 1,700 website visitors per month

21 The Association of European Business Tel.: Cell: Address: Minsk, Cimirazieva Str. 72, office Website: Facebook: