7/31/2019 Discurso de la Presidenta de la Fundacin EU-LAC Benita Ferrero-Waldner en el Foro Internacional de Negocios

1/2

ADDRESS BY EU-LAC FOUNDATION PRESIDENT BENITAFERRERO-WALDNER AT THE EVENING RECEPTION OF THEINTERNATIONAL BUSINESS FORUM LATIN AMERICA MEETSCENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE IN VIENNA BRIDGING THETWO WORDS THROUGH TRADE AND INVESTMENT

Vienna, Business Forum, 14 May 2012

PLEASE CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY UNICAMENTE SERA AUTENTICA LA VERSIONPRONUNCIADA

Sehr geehrte Gastgeber,

Excellences,

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,

Estimados invitados de Amrica Latina,

I feel very honoured to welcome you to this reception in the Palais Palffy.

I also hope that you enjoyed todays stimulating debates as much as I did and that you havealready engaged in extensive networking activities.

The event Latin America meets Central and Eastern Europe. Bridging the two worldsthrough trade and investment is taking place at a crossroad for the strategic partnership

between the European Union and Latin America and the Caribbean.

Amid a climate of uncertainty due to sustained international financial and economic turmoilwith the euro zone at the very heart of the problem, all governments strive for sustainablegrowth and development, job and wealth creation.

The impact of the crisis varies significantly among regions and countries. Euro zone leadersare still struggling to balance austerity versus growth thereby containing the devastatingimplications of a deepening of the European debt crisis for the world economy.

In my view, politics must no longer fall prey to national agendas pretending national recipescould cure global problems. We need to move beyond the inconclusive debate betweenNorthern creditor and Southern receiver countries. Instead, we must focus on laying theinstitutional ground for a trans-national democratic system and a new European social

contract.

Meanwhile, Latin American economies need to step up their game in terms ofmodernisation, productivity and competitiveness and promote regional integration.Diversification to higher steps in the value chain is crucial if development is to continue andto be consolidated. Competition, especially from Asia, is fierce.

The relationship between the European Union and the Latin American and Caribbean regionis crucial. We do share history, values and languages, and this is a firm basis for ourcooperation.

As one the key emerging markets of the world, Latin America offers huge potential benefits

for European companies in the coming years, and European countries can provide muchneeded quality investment, education, technology and enhanced competitiveness to theregion.

7/31/2019 Discurso de la Presidenta de la Fundacin EU-LAC Benita Ferrero-Waldner en el Foro Internacional de Negocios

2/2

I am aware that doing business is as much about vision as it is about the concrete where,with whom, when and how. And sometimes one does not see the wood for the trees.

This is why I am delighted about my home countrys initiative to provide a platform forChambers of Commerce and their member companies from Latin America to connect withChambers and companies from Austria and the CEE region; something that was indeed

started here in Vienna in 2006.

I am happy to see that Eastern European countries are taking greater interest in the LAcontinent and the Caribbean. Recently, I was invited by the Foreign Ministry of Hungary toattend a first interesting seminar, and I am aware of an upcoming meeting in Prague aroundthe National Day on the 28th of October, maybe with the Visegrad countries and I hope alsoAustria.

I wish you every success and, for the time being, bon appetit!