President Eberhard Sinner welcomes the speakers and guests in attendance. He emphasises Romania's economic development in recent years. With its 19 million inhabitants, Romania is an economic heavyweight in the Danube region. Its prominent strategic position also makes it an important partner in NATO.
In her welcoming address, Consul General Diculescu-Blebea Miheia-Mălina referred to the excellent relations with Bavaria and the historical connections that have grown over the centuries. There has been institutional cooperation for 25 years, and Romania is among the top 15 Bavarian trading partners with a volume of over eight billion euros. There are over 1,000 Romanian companies in Germany and over 200,000 Romanians live and work in Bavaria. The aim is to join the OECD by 2026. The Romanian economy is focused on high technology, innovation and sustainable economic activity in line with the ‘Green Deal’.
Jens Böhlmann, Director of SME/Green Transformation at the German Committee on Eastern European Economic Relations (OA), welcomes the event as co-organiser. Romania's geographical location on the EU's eastern border, with neighbours Moldova, Ukraine and Bulgaria, makes it particularly interesting in times of Russia's war of aggression.
Minister of State Eric Beißwenger MP, Bavarian State Ministry for European Affairs and International Affairs and Vice President of the OWWF Bavaria, summarises the cooperation of the last 25 years: Romania as a strong pillar in South-East Europe
Over the past 25 years, Romania has developed into a central pillar in South-East Europe. It acts as a strategic bridge, for example in its relations with neighbouring countries such as the Republic of Moldova. Successful cooperation has been established, particularly in the fight against crime, which is significantly more effective than with other states in the region.
Since Romania's accession to the EU in 2007, the volume of trade between Germany and Romania has tripled, which illustrates the growing economic exchange. This close partnership not only strengthens the economy, but also contributes to security and stability in Europe.
Germany supports Romania's bid for full accession to the Schengen Area, which will further advance its integration into Europe. In addition, the largest Romanian community in Germany lives in Bavaria, which underlines the close cultural and human ties between the two countries.
In summary, Romania is an important partner for Europe, particularly in terms of trade, security and European integration.
Armida Hemeling, CEO Goduni International GmbH
Field report
Armida Hemeling focuses on the experiences and perspectives of her company, which specialises in infrastructure project development, particularly in Romania and Poland. She describes how her company, based in Berlin and Baden-Württemberg, has been operating in the Romanian market since 2014, with a first contract in the field of circular and waste management. Over the last ten years, the company has successfully implemented various projects, including a transformation project with the city of Buzău that has received international recognition. The company is also planning to build an incinerator in Romania, although this process is proving more complicated due to bureaucratic hurdles and other challenges. Hemeling highlights Romania's economic dynamism and innovative strength, and emphasises the importance of trust, loyalty and a long-term strategy for success in the country. Finally, she praised Romania's energy strategy and its focus on renewable energies and local value creation.
The lecture by Armida Hemeling
In the concluding panel discussion chaired by Jens Böhlmann, the participants reported on their companies' consistently positive experiences in Romania. Representative of these was the statement by Dr Mathias Kranz (Linde AG):
‘Romania has developed into an important market. Linde has been in Romania since 1996 and has been particularly successful in the medium-sized business, industrial and medical sectors.’ Kranz emphasised the remarkable commitment of Romanian employees. Not to be forgotten is Romania's role as a hub for Moldova and Ukraine.
At the concluding get-together, many questions were discussed and opinions exchanged in personal conversations.
