March
27, 2002
ProGlobe
Publicly Presents Its Legislative Agenda Initiatives
Bucharest
- March 27 2002, 3 pm, Mariott Hotel, the ProGlobe Coalition
is officially presenting the proposals outlined in their legislative
agenda. The ProGlobe Coalition brings together over twenty business
organizations and Chambers of Commerce supporting businesses
in the manufacturing sector. On this occasion, the members of
the Coalition will present their legislative proposals to the
representatives of Parliament, Government and Mass media.
The
ProGlobe - Products and Processes for the Global Economy - Coalition
was created based on the initiative of business associations
serving the manufacturing sector with the support of the Center
for International Private Enterprise (CIPE). The Coalition's
purpose is to build up an effective relationship with the Romanian
authorities in order to enhance the competitiveness of the manufacturing
sector. The Coalition's initiators firmly made up their minds
to collaborate in order to address impediments to competitiveness
such as the current regulatory environment, the slow pace of
privatisation, and high energy tariffs.
The
main purpose of the ProGlobe Coalition is to establish a national
program of quality enhancement, environmental protection and
the development human resources. The Coalition partners also
want to facilitate access to capital, to encourage the primary
manufacturing sector, to stimulate production and exports under
Romanian brands, to diminish bureaucracy in the judiciary system
and to promote an international model of "best business
practices" for manufacturers.
Mark
McCord, CIPE's Chief of Party, says: "The ProGlobe Coalition
followed all the stages of the process appropriate to any advocacy
activities. The experience and success already acquired under
the CIPE guidance by the IT&C and tourism business association
coalitions were the starting point for the ProGlobe initiative."
After
forming the ProGlobe Coalition, the representatives of the business
associations met in order to identify the most critical issues
facing the manufacturing sector and to develop a strategy to
address them. The list of legislative initiatives developed
by the ProGlobe Coalition include: creating a legislative environment
for new ecological industries already present in Romania, the
Environment Fund Law, addressing the rising cost of energy that
erodes the competitiveness of the sector, establishing a supporting
legislative environment for tax payers and improving the legislative
environment in order to stimulate the development of small and
medium enterprises.
"The
immediate goal of the ProGlobe Coalition is to take those issues,
translated into proposed, well-articulated legislative initiatives,
to the most appropriate members of the Government and Parliament.
Members of government and Parliament will be approached in a
variety of ways, but an initial focus will take place during
the Lobby Days event in April 1-3.
The
ultimate goal of the ProGlobe Coalition is to enhance the competitiveness
of the manufacturing sector by working as partner with government
to address significant issues.
The
Center for International Private Enterprise, an affiliate of
the US Chamber of Commerce, is a non-profit organization whose
aim is to build democracy and market economies throughout the
world. In 2000, USAID - Romania selected CIPE as the contractor
for a major initiative to support business association development
in the information technology, manufacturing and tourism sectors.
CIPE has fully operated on the Romanian market since 2000 but
has had an active presence in Romania since 1991.
Contact
Person: Lidia Stoichici
Tel. 091-880-220
