Poland calls on Indonesian firms to join economic forum

JAKARTA (JP): The Polish government called on Indonesian companies to participate in its first economic forum with Southeast Asian countries due to be held in Warsaw on Sept. 2 to Sept. 3.

"I hope they see the forum as a great opportunity to sound out the possibilities of doing business with my country's firms," the commercial counselor at the Polish Embassy, Boguslawa Barankiewicz, said yesterday.

She pointed out that the forum aims to look into the possibilities of trade and investment cooperation and exchanging information on regulations concerning tariffs, taxes and the climate for foreign investment.

"The forum will also provide information on access to the markets in Poland and Southeast Asian countries," said Barankiewicz, who was accompanied by Commercial Attache Marek Kijewski and Deputy Commercial Attache Artur Dabkowski.

According to her, the economic forum is being organized by United Nations Industrial Development Organization, the Polish Foreign Investment Agency and the Polish Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Barankiewicz said that many companies from other countries in Southeast Asia have registered to participate, but no Indonesian companies have as yet.

"We have also invited representatives of CEFTA (Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia and Slovenia) as well as from China, Japan, and South Korea as observers," she said.

She noted that there are 170 Polish companies interested in cooperation with firms in Southeast Asia.

Barankiewicz said that there is ample opportunity for Indonesia and Poland to expand their trade relations. "I think there are still potential sectors that haven't yet been tapped by both sides to expand business relations," she said.

She cited that last year Indonesian exports to Poland were mostly agricultural products, notably coffee which accounted for 32.9 percent the total volume.

Last years, Indonesian imports from Poland amounted to US$50.8 million against $44.8 million in 1994. Its exports to Poland totaled $105.4 million against $98.7 million in 1994.

Poland's exports to Indonesia consist of powdered milk, steel products, machinery and equipment, and chemical products.

According to her, the economic reforms introduced in early 1990 have widely opened the Polish market to imports.

She said Indonesian products can enter the Polish market duty free, but those from countries whose per capita income is higher than Poland are subject to 10 to 20 tariffs. (13)