🌍 Gateway to Success: Exploring Business Opportunities in Romania
EAST CCI of Norway organized the “Gateway to Success” networking event yesterday, with support from Innovation Norway. This impactful gathering brought together leaders and stakeholders to explore Romania’s diverse business landscape, fostering new avenues for sustainable growth and strategic partnerships between Norway and Romania. 🌱🤝
📅 Program Highlights:
🔹 Welcome Address
By His Excellency Ambassador Cristian Badescu from the Romanian Embassy in Oslo, alongside Svein Stolpestad, Group Vice President – Strategy & Sustainability at Jotun.
🔹 Driving Sustainable Growth in Romanian Agriculture
Aurel Simion, Secretary of State in the Romanian Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development, discussed challenges and opportunities in sustainable agriculture, emphasizing potential collaboration with Norwegian partners. 🌾
📌 Agriculture in Romania
Significant EU Profile: 57% of Romania’s territory is arable land, making it one of the EU’s largest agricultural producers.
Economic Impact: Agriculture contributes 4.2% to GDP and employs 23% of the labor force.
EU-Funded Growth: 780,000 farms benefit from EU funding, solidifying Romania’s status as a leading cereal producer.
🔹 Unlocking Romania’s Aquaculture Potential
George Ionescu, President of the Romanian Association of Fisheries Enterprises, shared insights on strategic partnerships in aquaculture. With vast freshwater resources, only 30,000 ha of the 150,000 ha suitable for aquaculture are currently utilized. Romania boasts a 700-year tradition in inland farming with minimal pollution and diverse species farming. 🐟
📌 Aquaculture in Romania
Vast Potential: Only 20% of the 150,000 ha of freshwater resources are currently utilized.
Farming Diversity: IMTA (Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture) supports sustainable farming of 7-8 species.
Rapid Growth: Trout production increased over 10-fold since 2020, reaching 3,500 tons.
Expansion Potential: Strong prospects for offshore trout farming, supported by a new regulatory framework for Black Sea aquaculture in 2025.
Challenges: Outdated infrastructure, insufficient investment, and limited research hinder the sector’s growth.
🔹 Advancing Sustainable Energy Solutions
Kjetil Forseth from Emergy presented innovative approaches to green energy development, highlighting Romania’s role in driving sustainable energy solutions for a greener Europe. 🌍⚡
🔹 Fostering Green and Inclusive Business Cooperation
Rannveig Solumsmoen Gimse, Program Director for Romania & Bulgaria at Innovation Norway, explored avenues for enhancing bilateral business collaboration, supporting a greener and more inclusive Europe. 💼🌿
🔹 Contributions from EAST CCI of Norway
Olga Larsen, General Manager, highlighted the Chamber’s initiatives towards Romania and future plans for collaboration across various sectors and projects.
🗣️ The event concluded with a networking session, opening opportunities for collaboration. We will be sharing presentations with all participants. For those interested in receiving the presentations, please reach out to our administration.
#BusinessOpportunities #RomaniaNorway #SustainableGrowth #Agriculture #Aquaculture #GreenEnergy #Networking #EASTCCI
