Why Sibiu? Public administration Tourism A strategic position in the heart of A unique county bureau for Sibiu boasts a vibrant tourism Romania, good infrastructure authorizing investments that industry and cultural scene, access and skilled workforce are will shorten and simplify which have enabled the city to the main reasons investors are procedures for companies establish a well rounded identity choosing Sibiu will open in May in Romania and abroad www.business-review.eu SIBIUNumberApril 2014, 1 / AprilNumber 2014 2 AT THE HEART OF BUSINESS Photo: Silviu Pal Business Review Supplement www.business-review.eu 2 OVERVIEW BR Local Investment | April 2014 Sibiu Facts&Figures ∫ SIMONA BAZAVAN General Infrastructure Is there business outside information EUR 26 million - investment in road Bucharest? There certainly infrastructure by the local authorities 543,200 ha - the county’s surface in Sibiu in 2013 is – and to find out where to area, which represents about 2.3 per- 65 km of highway, part of the Orastie- invest and what the econ- cent of the total Romanian territory Sibiu highway (A1) were opened to omy looks like outside the 426,294 - the county population traffic last year, most of which were (2013, INS data) in Sibiu county capital, BR is launching a Sibiu – largest city in Sibiu County 3km - the distance between Sibiu series of supplements dedi- and county residence (147,245 inhab- International Airport, the only one of cated to the main develop- itants, 2011 census) its kind in the county, and Sibiu. Medias - the second largest city in There are regular flights to Vienna, ment poles around the Sibiu County (44,169 inhabitants, Munich, Stuttgart, London, Antalya country. The first issue 2011 census) and Rhodes, but no direct flights to focuses on Sibiu County. 15,000 – college graduates each Bucharest year 222, 827 - total number of passen- 274 km – distance between gers who passed through Sibiu Bucharest and Sibiu International Airport in 2013 322,110 – farming area (2010 data) Real estate market EUR 10-13/sqm – average monthly office rent (JLL Romania) EUR 8-10/sqm – average monthly rent for ultra-central houses and vil- Economic data las (JLL Romania) 4,000 sqm - take-up of office space EUR 5.2 billion – total turnover of in Sibiu in 2013 (JLL Romania) companies registered in Sibiu in 2012 EUR 150-250 – rent asked by land- EUR 7, 164 – GDP per capita in 2013 lords for a one-bedroom apartment 4.97% - unemployment in February (Imobiliare.ro) 2014 EUR 772 – average asking price per 176,600 – the employed workforce square meter for old apartments (2011 data) (March 2014 data, Imobiliare.ro) EUR 358 – average net salary in 26% – apartments in Sibiu are 26 February 2013, the fourth highest in percent cheaper than in Bucharest Romania (Imobiliare.ro) Photo: Silviu Pal www.business-review.ro BR Local Investment | April 2014 INTERVIEW 3 Access, budget, collaboration – Sibiu’s ABC of attractions The creation of a unique county bureau for investments that would reduce and simplify investment procedures is just one of the initiatives that Sibiu County Council has to attract more investors, council president Ioan Cindrea told BR ∫ SIMONA BAZAVAN ting up of a development agency and simplified authorization procedures. Another focal point is improving the What are the top five reasons a com- workforce through training programs pany, Romanian or foreign, would for traditional occupations such as choose Sibiu to do business over an- crafts and creative industries de- other county in the region? manded by the job market. The pro- First, geographical position and acces- motion and development of a modern sibility. Sibiu County is crossed by two and competitive economy, focused European roads – Pan-European Cor- more and more on knowledge, cre- ridor IV (A1) and the Transylvania ativity and innovation, is our main highway (A3) – plus four national strategic development goal. This will roads, 953km of county roads and ensure long-term, balanced and sus- 406km of local roads. There is also tainable development for the county. Sibiu International Airport which is To sum up, the county’s strategic pri- very important for central Romania orities are an industry based on ad- and southern Transylvania. Second, vanced technologies especially with a the existing infrastructure, the avail- focus on the automotive sector, IT, able utilities in areas of interest for the R&D, tourism, organic farming, the development of industrial parks and food industry and the sustainable de- industrial areas as well as available velopment of rural areas. plots of land for concession or sale to potential investors. Friendly adminis- How many industrial parks are there in tration is the third reason. There is Sibiu and do you plan to create new very good collaboration between all ones? institutions and firms in the county. At present there are three, in Selimbar, We are also working on creating a Sura Mica and Medias. There is also a unique bureau for authorizing invest- of Sibiu County Council Courtesy business incubator in Sibiu managed ments which will mean shorter and by the local Chamber of Commerce, simplified procedures. We are testing Industry and Agriculture and several the IT system and estimate that it will industrial areas: Sibiu-Vest, Carta, become operational in May. Invest- Ocna Sibiului and Copsa Mica. We ments require qualified workers and definitely want other such areas and this is the fourth reason. We have five we have indentified potential in universities offering educational pro- Agnita, Avrig, Marsa, Talmaciu, grams in line with labor market re- Dumbraveni, Saliste, and Miercurea quirements. The high school and Sibiului. The locations have the right professional educational system is Chamber of Commerce, Industry and hospital renovation projects. Local conditions, the infrastructure is flexible and can easily adapt to in- Agriculture and all county institutions tourism is another important chapter complete or almost complete and they vestors’ professional qualification re- offer consulting to any interested in- and we plan the renovation and devel- have easy access. This is why we will quirements. The fifth reason is Sibiu vestor. opment of the Paltinis mountain re- hold an international business forum itself, a tourist and cultural destina- sort, the Balea alpine area, the Bazna in June to which we have invited tion and a European Cultural capital in What investment projects with the po- and Ocna Sibiului spa resorts and dozens of ambassadors and economic 2007. There are over 150 local festivals tential to impact the local business en- themed tours. attaches to show them the numerous and events each year in Sibiu and we vironment are underway in Sibiu? business and investment opportuni- are working to create the right condi- The county’s budget is focused on de- What is the county’s economic develop- ties Sibiu offers. We have also initiated tions to encourage tourists to discover velopment this year, with one third of ment strategy for the coming years and dialogue with the local administration, other attractive areas of the county. total funds (e.n. total budget is ap- are there any local industries you are business communities and civil soci- proximately EUR 72 million) allocated focusing on promoting? ety to identify specific investment What are the main fiscal incentives to such projects. These funds, and EU Firstly, we don’t accept polluting in- needs. available to investors in Sibiu? money, will mainly go towards road dustries or shale gas exploitation. I would like to thank Business Re- These are offered by each local admin- infrastructure, highways A1 and A3, Now that we have settled what we view for the interest you have shown istration, but there are industrial parks plus several county and local roads don’t want for Sibiu, there is a strategy Sibiu county and I invite all your read- and areas in the county where the in- which we would like to complete by for the county’s economic develop- ers, businesspeople or not, to come frastructure and utilities required by 2016. Another important aspect is the ment drafted for this term but which and convince themselves that Sibiu investors are available, and develop- development of Sibiu International goes as far as 2020 and beyond. The county has a strong identity, it has ments poles that could lead to the cre- Airport in terms of passenger traffic objective is to increase the county’s hardworking and fair people and the ation of more such areas. Another and the construction of a cargo termi- economic competitiveness which county administration is here for facility is the unique investment bu- nal. And we will continue to develop means support for industrial parks them. reau I mentioned. Also, Sibiu County the utilities networks and the health- and areas, attracting investments, in- Council, Sibiu Prefecture, Sibiu’s care network where we have several vestor support, job creation, the set- [email protected] www.business-review.eu 4 TOURISM/INTERVIEW BR Local Investment | April 2014 Tourism paves way Sibiu looks to boost for business economic growth Sibiu boasts a vibrant tourism industry and cultural Sibiu has grown to become a modern and dynamic city scene, which have enabled the city to establish a well where there still is room for more investors, the city’s rounded identity in Romania and abroad mayor, Klaus Iohannis, told BR ∫ SIMONA BAZAVAN Why invest in Sibiu? Sibiu has already proven that it is a successful economic destination, as the investors who came and started businesses in the city have remained here and even extended their pres- ence. This is a big advantage for a business destination and shows that Sibiu has a stable and solid business environment. Another reason is that Sibiu is in a continuous process of de- velopment as an economic destina- Photo: Silviu Pal tion.