EUROCHAM vows to boost business cooperation

EUROCHAM vows to boost business cooperation

Tony Hotland, Jakarta

The newly established European Business Chamber of Commerce
(EUROCHAM) in Indonesia plans to set up sectoral working groups
in cooperation with the Indonesian business community to promote
investment in various parts of the country.

Chamber chairman Jean-Francois Fischaux said on Monday that
the pharmaceutical, finance, transportation, trade and
distribution sectors would likely be priorities.

"It's only the beginning, considering that those sectors are
the main core businesses of most of the chamber's founding
companies. We expect, of course, that we'll have more sectors and
working groups," he said in a press conference after being
elected by directors from 30 founding companies and business
associations.

EUROCHAM claims that it will endeavor to improve access for
European businesses to the Indonesian market to stimulate
investment as well as to promote a strong European business
identity with the Indonesian authorities and business community
and to foster business relationships between the two communities.

Launched on May 11, EUROCHAM in Indonesia is an association to
represent the views of the business communities of the member
states of the European Union in Indonesia.

Initiating parties of the chamber include PT Siemens
Indonesia, PT Bayer Indonesia, and PT BASF Indonesia from
Germany; PT Carrefour Indonesia, PT L'oreal Indonesia and
investment bank BNP Paribas from France; UK's
PriceWaterhouseCoopers and the Italian Business Association.

The parties elected on Monday an eight-member executive board
whose term will run until the end of 2005.

Apart from drafting an annual program, the board is also to
form a consultative board to provide overall guidance and review
the annual program of EUROCHAM.

"We'll also make constant contacts and develop cooperation
with the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry," said
Fischaux.

Asked about conditions in Indonesia that deter foreign
investors, Fischaux listed the unstable macroeconomic condition,
the slow progress in banking reformation, and the lack of access
for development.

"There are many potential locations in a country as big as
Indonesia. The government must strive for total development, not
only in big cities like Jakarta," he said.