7/31/2019 Address by EU-LAC Foundation President Benita Ferrero-Waldner at the Opening Ceremony of the International Bu

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ADDRESS BY EU-LAC FOUNDATION PRESIDENT BENITA

FERRERO-WALDNER AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS FORUM LATIN AMERICA MEETS

CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE IN VIENNA BRIDGING THE

TWO WORDS THROUGH TRADE AND INVESTMENT

Vienna, Business Forum, 14 May 2012

PLEASE CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY UNICAMENTE SERA AUTENTICA LA VERSIONPRONUNCIADA

Sehr geehrter Herr Prsident Leitl,

Sehr geehrte Co-Veranstalter,

Dear Mr. Jackson Senior Advisor to the Vice-President of the Interamerican Development Bank,

Dear Mr. Vantyghem Director International Affairs, Eurochambres,

Estimados Seores Caruz y Uzctegui Presidente Eurochile/Presidente Asociacin de EmpresariosVenezolanos,

Estimados empresarios,

Dear business leaders,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is an enormous pleasure to be here in my role as President of the European Union-LatinAmerica and the Caribbean, the EU-LAC Foundation, my new honorary function. Thank youso much for inviting me.

First and foremost, I would like to congratulate the organizers on this important initiative tostrengthen the networks between business leaders, policy makers and media representativesfrom Latin America and the EU, and Central and Eastern Europe in particular.

Personally, I am especially pleased that my home country Austria acts again as a bridge-builder between Latin America and Central and Eastern Europe.

At the EU-LAC Foundation we are also determined to build bridges. We want to connect the

non-governmental sectors of Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean with each other andbring them closer to the agenda of the governments of both regions.

As a catalyst for increased mutual understanding the Foundation will strengthen a multi-stakeholder and a multi-level dialogue across key areas of cooperation between our regions.

Integration, trade, and connectivity, science, technology and investment are at the top of ouragenda, and so is the role of small and medium size enterprises.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Let me assure you that much has been achieved since the launch of the strategic partnership

between the EU and Latin America and the Caribbean at the first Summit of Heads of Stateand Government in 1999 in Rio de Janeiro. And I am proud, as former Austrian ForeignMinister and EU-Commissioner, that it was at the Vienna EU-LAC Summit in 2006 that the

7/31/2019 Address by EU-LAC Foundation President Benita Ferrero-Waldner at the Opening Ceremony of the International Bu

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business leaders meeting was born and that this has now been amplified to a EU-LACBusiness Summit. I am sure this is the right approach.

I am aware, however, that this perception that a lot has been done does not necessarilyprevail in our respective societies.

We need to change this by recognizing the importance to complement the top-downapproach of the Summits of Heads of State and Heads of Governments that take place everytow years with a strengthened bottom-up approach.

Trade and investment are a natural way of connecting people and societies. It is time for thebusiness community of both sides of the Atlantic to progressively own and invest in thestrategic partnership.

In the light of the sustained global financial and economic crisis we must be creative.Sustainable development is critical for all of us. Therefore, we need to build smartpartnerships.

This event represents a unique opportunity to do this. I wish you every success!

Thank you and a warm welcome to all of you.