web: www.bscc.bg, e-mail: [email protected] BSCC BULGARIAN-SWISS 2020 CHAMBER OF COMMERCE PROMOTING PARTNERSHIPS ORGANISATION PROFILE March 2020 NMENT IRO ENV Content: TY Bulgarian-Swiss Chamber of Commerce, AddressBILI 2 AINA ST Address by the Swiss Ambassador to BulgariaSU 3 Address by the Bulgarian Ambassador to Switzerland 4 About BSCC 6-7 BSCC in Support of the Business 8 NG BSCC Events 10-11 TI UL NS Bilateral Activities in 2019 12-13 CO BSCC Partners in Bulgaria 14 TH OW BSCC Partners in Switzerland 15 N GR ATIO IC UC OM BSCC – Partner in Social Projects 16 ED ON EC Bulgaria Facts and Figures 17-19 N CS ENTATIO Success Stories of Swiss Investments in Bulgaria 20-27 TI ES GIS EPR Bulgarian-Swiss Chamber of Commerce, Members 28 LO R ES CY RI LI ST DU L PO SOCIA MEM IN P HI CE VI RS NMENT TNE L AD R IRO PA NCIA ENV NA FI Y RG N ENE EA CL NMENT IRO ENV TY BILI AINA ST SU NG TI UL NS CO TH OW N GR ATIO IC UC OM ED ON EC N CS ENTATIO TI ES GIS LO REPR ES CY RI LI ST DU L PO SOCIA MEM IN BSCC BULGARIAN-SWISSP CHAMBER HI CE VI RS NMENT TNE L AD R IRO 2020 PA NCIA ENV OF COMMERCE NA FI Y Dear Reader, RG going backwards and it looks like all stakeholders N ENE EA CL need to adapt to this new reality. Welcome to the 2020 edition of the Bulgarian- Swiss Chamber of Commerce’ brochure. On When compared to this gloomy international behalf of the Managing Board of BSCC and the perspective, Bulgaria looks, as per the Chief Secretariat of the Chamber I would like to present Economic Analysts, in very good shape and our sincere thanks to our valuable community of its growth forecasts are positive. Within this members and to all partners and related state optimistic outlook BSCC continues its efforts institutions in Bulgaria and in Switzerland to promote and develop economic relations for their precious contribution to the success between Bulgaria and Switzerland, to support of the Chamber. Special thanks as well to Her the members of the Chamber, develop bilateral Excellency Ambassador Muriel Berset-Kohen for relations with sister chambers in the region and her unconditional support to the Chamber and to assist potential investors. While executing its members. this main objective of the Chamber, BSCC participates in various initiatives aiming to 2019 and what is yet to come can be characterized improve the investment climate in the country, as another period of tension on the global political the connection between education and business and economic stage. More and more issues and the life of those in need. As examples one that remain unresolved are piling up and are can mention, among others, various projects contributing to an uncertain future of the planet. A such as the introduction of dual-track principles new phenomenon is appearing and is influencing in the Bulgarian vocational education system negatively the smooth functioning of the world based on the Swiss model, the support of the economy. It is a new kind of a political risk which Roma minority integration in Bulgaria and the is not only related to developing and unstable Restart project whereby more than 6700 high countries where abrupt changes of market rules or quality recycled computers have been donated nationalization of assets can happen. to hospitals, orphanages, municipalities, etc. in Today problems come from developed and the country within the frame of a cooperation powerful states that turn economic networks into agreement with the Municipality of Lausanne. political weapons. Global banks may suddenly BSCC looks forward to welcome you among its be blocked away from interbank communication fine community of members and friends. systems for providing services to parties that are considered to be adversaries. Businesses that control digital hubs may be pressured as to how and who to serve. Technology manufacturers may be in a position not to be able to purchase sophisticated chips from a country that was just declared to be an enemy. The very infrastructure of international business is put at risk. What if Mr. Boni Bonev Internet or internationally recognized payment Chairman, services are stopped? Climate change and cyber- Managing Board security remain on the agenda. Globalization is Bulgarian-Swiss Chamber of Commerce 2 ADDRESS BY THE SWISS AMBASSADOR TO BULGARIA Dear Friends, stability of Bulgaria during those last three years is also an asset for economic growth. But the de- As the Swiss Ambassador to Bulgaria, I am hon- mographic crisis, the high rate of social disparity, ored this year again to be able to open the new the not yet fully successful establishment of strong edition of the BSCC 2020 Brochure. and healthy democratic institutions able to ensure The year 2019 was very active for the Swiss Em- a strong bulwark against corruption, remain impor- bassy: the President of Bulgaria visited officially tant challenges. Efforts striving at fighting corrup- Switzerland in February; we successfully closed tion should be supported. I am happy that the BSCC, our bilateral cooperation program with a series also by virtue of its Code of Ethics, is energetically of events; an exhibition with remarkable pictures, and continuously supporting the establishment of a showing how Swiss people managed to support better investment and business climate in Bulgaria. Bulgarian people in the course of the last ten Bulgaria is also facing a climate and environmen- years, travelled from the National Assembly in tal crisis, as we all do on this planet. Scarcity of Sofia through Bulgaria. With the BSCC, an Inno- water, rising temperature are now obvious. Deci- vation4Health Week was organized in September, sive actions are a must, not a luxury. The new highlighting Switzerland’s innovations in medtech, EU Green deal is not only a problem for Bulgaria, healthcare, pharma and nutrition but also showing which will have to go through sometimes painful the important developments in the Bulgarian pri- transformations, it is also an opportunity. An op- vate health sector. Bulgaria has to create the proper portunity for Bulgarian citizens to live in a cleaner, conditions not only for outsourcing in the IT sector, greener country, to bequeath to their children a but to decisively build on its innovation capacity. healthier environment where the smell of winter At the beginning of 2020, the international situ- in the cities will not be that of coal. It is also an NMENT ation seems to be increasingly unpredictable and economic opportunity: innovation, new technolo- IRO turbulent and the economic forecasts are not rosy. gies, new jobs. The government should set this ENV Europe is not isolated from those developments path with courage and showing optimism. and has also to cope with the choice of the United To end with hope and optimism: I strongly hope TY Kingdom to leave the EU. Switzerland has pre- that positive developmentsBILI in the relations between AINA pared itself well for this new situation. As part of Switzerland andST the EU will now allow us to con- its ‘Mind the gap’ strategy and to create a basis tinue workingSU on a joint cooperation Program in for expanding relations in the future, Switzerland Bulgaria for the benefit of its people and for a com- concluded at an early stage a series of new agree- mon prosperity: a more equal society, better edu- ments with the UK in the areas of trade, migra- cation, a more innovative Bulgaria are also in the tion, road and air transport and insurance. Need- interest of Switzerland. We have still a lot to do to- less to say that Switzerland counts on a strong NG gether and I am proud to be able to contribute to it. TI UL EU and on its solid ties with it, as it is its friendly NS neighbor and main economic partner. That’s also CO why we constantly negotiate with the EU in order TH to improve the bilateral way chosen by the Swiss OW N GR citizens. It is sometimes difficult, sometimes slow, ATIOH.E. Mrs. Muriel IC UC OM but it brings reciprocal benefits. ED Berset Kohen ON EC Ambassador Being in a geo-strategical hotspot, Bulgaria has a N long tradition of adapting to changes by big powers Extraordinary and CS ENTATIO TI ES and its main partners. Being anchored in the EU is PlenipotentiaryGIS of the a guarantee of stability and predictability. Since it Swiss ConfederationLO REPR joined the EU in 2007, Bulgaria has gone through to the Republic of ES major changes and improvements. The political CYBulgaria RI LI ST DU L PO SOCIA MEM IN 3 P HI CE VI RS NMENT TNE L AD R IRO PA NCIA ENV NA FI Y RG N ENE EA CL NMENT IRO ENV TY BILI AINA ST SU NG TI UL NS CO TH OW N GR ATIO IC UC OM ED ON EC N CS ENTATIO TI ES GIS LO REPR ES CY RI LI ST DU L PO SOCIA MEM IN ADDRESS BY THE BULGARIAN AMBASSADOR BSCC P HI CE VI RS NMENT TNE L AD R IRO 2020 TOPA SWITZERLAND NCIA ENV NA FI Y RG Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,N ENE Dear Reader, EA CL It is almost one year since I am having the honour furthering qualification, management, ecology, of representing our country to Switzerland. It is a contemporary technologies, including information return back to old acquaintances and friends, as technologies. my first post abroad was precisely to our Embassy In the past year, the Embassy along with the Bul- in Bern 25 years ago.