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Romania's Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca on Tuesday said that trade exchanges between Romania and Poland in 2022 increased by 20% from 2021, reaching 11 billion euros, adding that the trade is disfavouring Romania, which is why the Romanian business community should find solutions to balance it.
Ciuca and his Polish counterpart Mateusz Morawiecki attended a Romania-Poland Business Forum, organised by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Romania, told Agerpres.
"Romania and Poland have a strategic partnership signed in 2009. So, there is a very solid consistency on well-founded bases, as I said, from the highest level to the level of economic relations, so that together we can find solutions for collaboration and strengthening of the ties between our countries," said Ciuca.
He added that 2022 was a beneficial year for the business community of Romania and Poland, adding that Romanian entrepreneurs have to find solutions to balance the trade between the two countries.
Ciuca mentioned common opportunities for the development of bilateral economic relations, with emphasis on attracting European money.
"It was mentioned that Poland managed to navigate the economic crisis of 2008-2009 due to a very good and thoughtful procedure for absorbing European money. I believe that Romania has learned its lesson and at this moment, if we look to the absorption figures in the 2014-2020 Financial Framework, it has reached 80%. We are nearing the end and in December this year we will end the n plus three period and, as we have pledged at the level of the government, there are all the prerequisites for Romania to end the year on an absorption level of over 90%, at least 90%," said Ciuca.
He also mentioned that for the financial framework 2021-2027 the government managed to approve the start of 16 programmes.
With reference to Romania's National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), Ciuca said that Romania is one of the few EU countries that submitted a second request for payment.
He also talked about the steps taken by Romania in order to get closer achieving the goal of joining the OECD.
Returning to the plan of bilateral relations, Ciuca pointed out the energy sector, agriculture and the IT&C and technology as important areas for economic co-operation.
Regarding agriculture, he said that Romania and Poland are two countries that have a very well developed agricultural sector.
He also mentioned the potential offered by the IT&C and technology.
"There is an appetite on the part of large companies in the field to use the capacity and intelligence of Romanians and Poles for developments in this sector. Looking at the numbers, we can easily see that the revenue percentage that the IT&C industry has brought to the national government is a consistent one, but at the same time it is one with great potential and added value, and that should be a goal for us," said Ciuca.
He also mentioned regional collaboration between Romania and Poland under the Three Seas Initiative.
"It is an initiative that has created a framework under which Romania and Poland managed to be active. Furthermore, the foreign trade banks of Romania and Poland are already actively involved in the financial security of the projects under this initiative. In September, a forum of this initiative is taking place in Bucharest. Allow me to use this opportunity to invite you to participate in this activity," said Ciuca.
