By Kris Crismundo/PNA
MANILA — European entrepreneurs are organizing at least two business missions to the Philippines this year, in hopes of striking trade and investment opportunities in the waste management and construction sectors.
European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP) Executive Director Florian Gottein said Thursday the initial delegation, which will involve representatives of up to 50 companies, will visit sometime in the first quarter of the year.
Gottein explained that the firms composing the first trade mission will mainly be from the waste management sector. Most of these firms get funding from the European Union (EU), particularly from big economies like Germany, he added.
Another European business delegation, this time from the construction sector, will visit the country in November to participate in this year’s Philconstruct — the leading construction event in the country.
The ECCP executive said European companies are interested in the country’s infrastructure projects in view of the government’s “Build, Build, Build” program.
Gottein noted that ECCP will help these firms by linking them up with potential partners and customers.
In September last year, 52 companies from Europe’s health care sector visited the country, the region’s largest business delegation so far to the Philippines.
“We remain very optimistic. This country has a huge potential. One of the main potentials is the demographics,” ECCP President Nabil Francis said.
Francis said since there are still headwinds due to external factors, European businesses in the country will proceed with cautious optimism.
He added that the ECCP will help foster good relations between European and Philippine enterprises to develop new business opportunities both ways.
