FOI signs Romania collaboration agreement

Only two days following the positive opinion of the European Commission on Romania and Bulgaria, the Malta Federation of Industry (FOI) has signed a collaboration agreement with the National Union of Romanian Employers (UNPR).

The agreement seeks to pursue business opportunities between the two countries and intends to facilitate a closer co-operation and development of industry and investment. Romania, with Bulgaria will become European Union member states next January 1.

Both FOI and UNPR pledged to keep their member companies updated on how to establish contacts with the other party and to exchange information on the possibilities that such an agreement could develop.

The agreement was signed by Adrian Bajada, president of the FOI, and by Marian Petre Milut, president of the UNPR, who is currently in Malta to attend a conference on SMEs and the Mediterranean.

Speaking at the end of the signing ceremony, Mr Bajada expressed his satisfaction that this agreement has reached its fruition at a very appropriate time, just when Romania has been given the green light to join the EU. He said that this could be a very interesting opportunity for the business communities of the two countries, and that there is already a strong interest from FOI members to explore these opportunities.

He continued that such opportunities are now facilitated because the two countries, different in size and history as they may be, will now form part of one big family with common objectives. "We look forward to translate this agreement into value for both countries based on the belief in our business communities," concluded Mr Bajada.

During their stay in Malta, the Romanian delegation met Maltese industrialists in a number of specialised sectors with the objective of identifing specific areas of collaboration in the short and medium term.