BEROCC Leads Successful Trade Mission to Belgium

BEROCC Leads Successful Trade Mission to Belgium

Bucharest, 25 October 2023 – BEROCC, the Belgian-Luxembourg-Romanian-Moldovan Chamber of Commerce, together with VOKA West Flanders hosted a successful trade mission to Belgium during 18-20 October 2023. The event, which focused on the agriculture and food industry, brought together over 40 participants, including 22 Romanian participants.

The trade mission kicked off with a welcome ceremony featuring speeches from:

  • Johan Gabriels, President of BEROCC
  • Leonid Guz, VOKA West Flanders
  • H.E. Viorel Ciobotaru, Ambassador of the Republic of Moldova to the Kingdom of Belgium
  • Stefan Sima, Minister Counselor, Embassy of Romania
  • Wouter Van Gulck, General Manager, Belgian Chambers
  • Marnix Bierlin, Area Manager Central & Eastern Flanders Investment and Trade
  • Lieven Tack , General Manager POM ( Provinciale Ontwikkelingsmaatschappij)

Following the welcome words , participants engaged in a series of B2B meetings, presentations, and company visits. Presentations covered a range of topics, including taxes in Romania, using data and analytics to enhance commercial strategy, choosing the right partner for quality certifications, and automating business processes. Company visits included Sioen, a leading producer of technical textiles and protective clothing, INAGRO, a research center for agriculture and horticulture, Joris Ide, a leading manufacturer in the steel industry and Sidem, a leading manufacturer in auto parts.

The trade mission also featured a networking drink in Roeselare, a Belgian city with a large Romanian community, over 3,000 Romanians live and work here. The drink was attended by over 20 participants and featured a special guest appearance by Kris Declercq, the Mayor of Roeselare.

Johan Gabriels, President of BEROCC: “We are thrilled with the success of our trade mission to Belgium. This event provided an excellent opportunity for Romanian and Belgian businesses to connect, collaborate, and explore new opportunities. We are confident that the relationships forged during this mission will lead to increased trade and investment between our two countries.”

Alain Schodts, Executive Director of BEROCC: “We were particularly excited to see the interest from Romanian businesses to invest in the Flanders region of Belgium. Flanders is a global leader in the agriculture and food industry, and we believe that Romanian businesses can find great success here. We are committed to supporting Romanian businesses that are interested in expanding into the Belgian market.”

Positive Remarks from Participants

  • “The BEROCC Trade Mission to Belgium was an excellent opportunity to network with potential customers and partners. We were very impressed with the quality of the participants and the level of organization. We look forward to doing business with our new contacts in the future.” – Romanian entrepreneur in the packaging industry
  • “The BEROCC Trade Mission to Belgium was a great way to learn more about the Belgian market and to identify new opportunities for our business. We were particularly impressed with the company visits, which gave us a valuable insight into the latest technologies and trends.” – Belgian entrepreneur metal product manufacturer
  • “The BEROCC Trade Mission to Belgium was a well-organized and informative event. I was particularly impressed by the quality of the B2B meetings and the networking opportunities. I am confident that this mission will lead to new business opportunities for my company.” – Romanian entrepreneur in the packaging industry
  • “I was very impressed by the level of professionalism and organization of the BEROCC Trade Mission to Belgium. The event provided a valuable opportunity for me to learn more about both markets and to connect with potential partners. I am confident that this mission will help us to grow my business.” – Romanian- Belgian professional in the Transport industry

Organizers: Belgian-Luxembourg-Romanian-Moldovan Chamber of Commerce and VOKA West Flanders

Event Partners: Embassy of Belgium to Bucharest, Embassy of Romania to Belgium, Flanders Investment and Trade (FIT), Belgian Luxembourg Chambers of Commerce Abroad (BLCCA)

Main Sponsor: INAQ Consulting

Silver Sponsor: Samdam

Media Partners: Business Voice Romania, Transilvania Business

Trade Mission to Belgium perspectives for 2024: BEROCC has announced that it will be hosting another trade mission to Belgium in 2024. The next trade mission is expected to focus on a different industry sector, but the specific details are still being finalized.