Business Councils of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Belarusian-Austrian Business Council

Established on: November 14, 2014 Partner: Austrian Federal Economic Chamber Co-chair on behalf of Belarus: Vladimir Ulakhovich Position, organization: Chairman of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Co-chair on behalf of Austrian: Hubert Bertsch Position, organization: Vice President of the Association of Industrialists of Austria Agreement on the Belarusian-Austrian Business Council was signed on November 14, 2014 in Vienna during the Austrian-Belarusian-Russian Forum. During the meetings, topical issues of the Belarusian-Austrian trade and economic cooperation are actively discussed, including the possibilities of expanding bilateral cooperation in the fields of engineering and mechanical engineering, chemistry and petrochemistry, environmental protection technologies, food industry, production of medical equipment, joint projects in food industry and energy. The next meeting is planned in 2021 within the framework of the meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission. Belarusian-Austrian cooperation is actively developing; a number of large investment projects are being implemented.

Contacts:

Name, position: Natalia Kurash, Deputy Head of International Cooperation Department Phone: +375 17 290 72 76 E-mail: nvobr@cci.by

Belarusian-German Non-Governmental Council for Business Cooperation

Established on: May 25, 2011.
Co-chair on behalf of Belarus: Sergei Novitsky.
Position, organization: Director General of Henkel Bautechnik JLLC.
Co-chair on behalf of Germany: Felix Zimmermann.
Position, organization: Public Relations Director for Eastern Europe, Remondis Concern.
Website: www.minsk-berlin.com

Agreement on the Belarusian-German Business Council was signed on May 25, 2011. In 2018, at the suggestion of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus, the Council carried out its activities under the auspices of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Meeting of the Belarusian part – May 30, 2018;
Joint meeting – July 1, 2019 in Minsk;
Meeting of the Belarusian part – January 21, 2020.
During the meetings, topical issues of Belarusian-German trade and economic cooperation, the possibilities of expanding bilateral regional cooperation in various fields are actively discussed.

Contacts:

Phone: +375 17 290 72 50
+375 17 290 72 76
+375 17 334 70 91
+375 17 334 70 73

E-mail: golovarev@cci.by
nvobr@cci.by
volski@cci.by
prokopovich@cci.by
kruminia@cci.by

Belarus-Saxony Business Council

Established on: December 7, 2009.
Partner: Leipzig Chamber of Industry and Commerce.
Co-chair on behalf of Belarus: appointed for each of the meetings or during the event, as a rule, the Head of the delegation is the Co-chair.
Co-chair on behalf of Germany: appointed for each of the meetings or during the event, as a rule, the Head of the delegation is the Co-chair.
The Agreement on Belarus-Saxony Business Council was signed on December 7, 2009.
Meetings of the Belarus-Saxony Business Council have been held since 2013, five meetings were held, including:
the 3rd meeting was held in July 2015 in Minsk;
the 4th meeting – on October 24, 2017 in Leipzig;
the 5th meeting – on February 26, 2020 in Leipzig.
During the meetings, topical issues of Belarusian-German trade and economic cooperation, the possibilities of expanding bilateral regional cooperation in various fields are actively discussed.

Contacts:

Phone: +375 17 290 72 50
+375 17 290 72 76
+375 17 334 70 91
+375 17 334 70 73

E-mail: golovarev@cci.by
nvobr@cci.by
volski@cci.by
prokopovich@cci.by
kruminia@cci.by

Belarusian-Italian Business Council

Established on: December 7, 2017.
Partner: Conoscere Eurasia Association.
Co-chair on behalf of Belarus: Vladimir Ulakhovich, Chairman of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Co-chair on behalf of Italia: Antonio Fallico, President of Conoscere Eurasia Association.
The agreement on the establishment of the Belarusian-Italian Business Council was signed by the Chairman of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Vladimir Ulakhovich and the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Banca Intesa – President of Conoscere Eurasia Association Antonio Fallico on December 7, 2017 in Moscow.
The Belarusian-Italian Business Council is a coordinating and consulting body, the purpose of which is to improve business relations between business organizations and associations of the Republic of Belarus and the Italian Republic.
The Business Council is established to promote Belarusian-Italian foreign economic relations, strengthen and deepen cooperation between companies of the two countries in the field of trade and investment, identify and overcome barriers to expanding bilateral trade and economic cooperation by maintaining a stable dialogue with the competent authorities of both countries, developing recommendations on improving the conditions for entrepreneurial activity in Belarus and Italy.
It is planned that meetings of the Business Council will be held at least once a year, including as part of the meetings of the Belarusian-Italian Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation.
The meetings have not been held.

Contacts:

Name, position: Natalia Kurash, Deputy Head of International Cooperation Department
Phone: +375 17 290 72 76
E-mail: nvobr@cci.by

Belarusian-Russian Business Council

Established on: December 19, 2018.
Partner: Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation.
Co-chair on behalf of Belarus: Alexander Moshensky.
Position, organization: Director General of Belarusian-German JV Santa Impex Brest.
Co-chair on behalf of Russia: Dmitry Mazepin.
Position, organization: Chairman of the Board of Directors of Uralchem Group.

The Belarusian-Russian Business Council was established unilaterally. It is an analogue of the Russian-Belarusian Council, established at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation, which has been operating since 2009.
An agreement on the support of the activity of the Belarusian-Russian and Russian-Belarusian Business Councils was signed on December 19, 2018 with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation. The memorandum between the 2 councils was also signed.
Two joint meetings of the business councils of Belarus and Russia were held, as a rule, within the framework of the Forum of the Regions of Belarus and Russia (on July 17, 2019 - a joint extended meeting of the national business councils within the framework of the VI Forum of the Regions of Belarus and Russia in Saint Petersburg; on September 28, 2020 - online format of a joint meeting of the business councils of Belarus and Russia in the framework of the VII Forum of the Regions of Belarus and Russia).
Also, meetings of the Belarusian part of the Business Council are often held (on January 18, 2019, the first meeting of the Belarusian part was held; on March 5, 2019 – the second meeting of the Belarusian part).
During the meetings, topical issues of Belarusian-Russian trade and economic cooperation, the possibilities of expanding bilateral cooperation in various fields, the intensification of mutual trade, the removal of existing restrictions and elimination of barriers, participation in public procurement, and the digitalization of the economy are actively discussed. At the last joint meeting, the prospects for further deepening cooperation at the regional level, successful joint projects, mechanisms of technical and legal regulation that affect the extension of business contacts between enterprises and organizations, as well as other systemic issues arising in the implementation of mutual trade and export, as well as when exporting products to the third countries were discussed.
Russia continues to be the main trade partner of Belarus: in January-July 2020, Russia accounted for 48.0 percent of the value of foreign trade in goods (in January-July 2019, Russia’s share in Belarus’s foreign trade with all countries of the world was 48.6 percent, in exports - 40.7 percent, in imports - 55.4 percent).

Contacts:

Name, position: Natalia Kurash, Deputy Head of International Cooperation Department
Phone: +375 17 290 72 76
E-mail: nvobr@cci.by

Belarusian-Serbian Business Council

Established on: May 26, 2009.
Partner: Chamber of Commerce of Serbia.
Co-chair on behalf of Belarus: appointed for each of the meetings or during the event, as a rule, the Head of the delegation is the Co-chair.
Co-chair on behalf of Serbia: appointed for each of the meetings or during the event, as a rule, the Head of the delegation is the Co-chair.
Nine meetings were held, including:
the 5th meeting was held in January 2012 in Belgrade;
the 6th meeting – on September 24, 2013 in Minsk
the 7th meeting - on February 18, 2015 in Belgrade within the framework of the Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation;
the 8th meeting – on March 29, 2016 in Minsk within the framework of the Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation;
the 9th meeting – on April 18, 2017 in Belgrade within the framework of the Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation.
During the meetings, topical issues of Belarusian-Serbian trade and economic cooperation, the possibilities of expanding bilateral cooperation in various fields are actively discussed.
Serbia is a key partner of Belarus in the Balkans and the only country in Europe with a free trade agreement and a visa-free regime. An agreement on a free trade zone between Serbia and the Eurasian Economic Union is ready for signing.
Promising areas of cooperation are industrial cooperation, agriculture, food industry, construction, pharmaceuticals, credit, finance and banking.

Contacts:

Name, position: Natalia Kurash, Deputy Head of International Cooperation Department
Phone: +375 17 290 72 76
E-mail: nvobr@cci.by

Belarusian-Turkish Business Council

Established in 1992, the Agreement was re-signed on November 12, 2015.
Partner: Foreign Economic Relations Board of Turkey DEIK.
Co-chair on behalf of Belarus: Dmitry Dichkovsky, Chairman of the Board of Directors of IPM Business School.
Co-chair on behalf of Turkey: Ali Ryza Arslan, DEİK Co-chair, businessman.
The Agreement on the establishment of the Belarusian-Turkish Business Council was signed between the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Committee for Foreign Economic Relations of Turkey DEIK in 1992 and re-signed on November 12, 2015.
Meetings of the Belarusian-Turkish Business Council are held regularly and by arrangement. 16 meetings have already been held. It should be noted that the 15th meeting of the Belarusian-Turkish Business Council was held on February 15, 2018 in Minsk as part of the visit of the Prime Minister of Turkey to Belarus, the 16th meeting was held in Ankara (Turkey) on 16 April 16, 2019 as part of the business forum during the visit of the President of the Republic of Belarus to Turkey.
Also, meetings of the Belarusian part of the business council are held periodically.
During the meetings, issues of Belarusian-Turkish foreign economic relations promotion, strengthening and deepening cooperation between companies of the two countries in various fields of the economy, trade and investment, identifying and overcoming barriers to expanding bilateral trade and economic cooperation by maintaining a stable dialogue with the competent authorities of both countries are discussed.

Contacts:

Phone: +375 17 290 72 50
+375 17 290 72 76
+375 17 334 70 91
+375 17 334 70 73

E-mail: golovarev@cci.by
nvobr@cci.by
volski@cci.by
prokopovich@cci.by
kruminia@cci.by

Belarusian-Ukrainian Business Cooperation Advisory Council

Established on: June 16, 2010.
Partner: Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Co-chair on behalf of Belarus: appointed for each of the meetings or during the event, as a rule, the Head of the delegation is the Co-chair.
Co-chair on behalf of Ukraine: appointed for each of the meetings or during the event, as a rule, the Head of the delegation is the Co-chair.
Based on the results of the meeting of the Presidents of Ukraine and the Republic of Belarus held in Minsk in 2020, a plan of joint actions was approved to implement the priority areas of Ukrainian-Belarusian cooperation.
One of the points of this plan provided for the establishment of a Business Cooperation Advisory Council in order to provide an additional tool for developing joint solutions to enhance trade and economic relations and scientific and technical contacts on a mutually beneficial basis, including by regulating issues of ensuring free entry of Belarusian and Ukrainian goods to the markets of the two countries, as well as the elimination of various kinds of cooperation problems.
In fact, the Belarusian-Ukrainian Advisory Council was established on June 16, 2010 by transforming the Belarusian-Ukrainian Business Council, which has been operating since 2002.
In accordance with the agreements, the meetings of the Advisory Council are held annually in turn in each of the states.
The Business Cooperation Advisory Council has shown itself to be an effective tool, where chambers of commerce and industry act as a platform for business communication, where ideas are generated, emerging problems of business cooperation and ways of their solutions are discussed.

Contacts:

Name, position: Evgeny Volsky, Counselor
Phone: +375 17 334 70 91
E-mail: volski@cci.by

Belarusian-Swiss Business Council

Established on: June 19, 2013.
Partner: Peter Spuhler, the owner of Stadler Rail Group, who acts as a Co-chair from the Swiss side.
Co-chair on behalf of Belarus: Chairman of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Vladimir Ulakhovich.
The agreement on the establishment of the Belarusian-Swiss Business Council between the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Swiss company Stadler Rail Group was signed on June 19, 2013 in accordance with paragraph 4 of Order of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus No. 37/07/105-267 dated April 9, 2013 to ensure implementation of the initiative on the establishment of such a council, supported by the President of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko.
The main goals and objectives of the Business Council are the establishment of direct business contacts and the development of partnerships between Belarusian and Swiss enterprises, the elaboration of specific proposals and projects to expand the Belarusian-Swiss trade, economic and investment cooperation.
The Co-chair of the Belarusian part of the Business Council is Vladimir Ulakhovich, Chairman of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Co-chair on the Swiss part is Peter Spuhler, owner and CEO of Stadler Rail Group.
The first meeting of the Business Council was held on October 30, 2014 within the framework of the Day of Belarusian Economy in Switzerland, which was held in Bussnang, canton of Thurgau. The event was organized by the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Belarusian-Swiss Business Council, the United Swiss / CIS Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Embassy of the Republic of Belarus in the Swiss Confederation and Belarusbank JSSB.
The representatives of 7 Swiss companies and the Swiss Tourism National Marketing Organization took part in the second meeting of the Business Council on June 16, 2017. The Swiss delegation was headed by Peter Spuhler. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus Oleg Kravchenko made a welcome speech at the meeting.
The third meeting of the Business Council was held on November 30, 2018 in Horn, canton of Thurgau, with the participation of Margaret Keener Nellen, Co-chair of the Switzerland-Belarus Parliamentary Friendship Group of the Federal Assembly of the Swiss Confederation.
On November 26, 2019, the fourth meeting of the Belarusian-Swiss Business Council was held in Minsk with the participation of a representative delegation of the Swiss business community headed by Peter Spuhler, Chair of the Board of Directors of Stadler Rail AG.

Contacts:

Name, position: Evgeny Volsky, Counselor
Phone: +375 17 334 70 91
E-mail: volski@cci.by