North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) is economically the strongest federal state in Germany. The representative office in Poland will be the first one opened by the Land in the European Union. ”Poland is considered the motor force of economic growth in the European Union. Experts forecast that by 2017 the country’s GDP will grow at 3.5 percent. Entering North Rhine-Westphalia will give Polish companies a chance for rapid growth also in the German market” said Günther Horzetzky, Secretary of State in the Ministry of Economy of NRW, who took part in a conference for the opening of the representative office. ”Relations between Poland and North Rhine-Westphalia date back a long time, and they are thriving not only due to economic cooperation, but also thanks to the strong Polish community living in NRW. We are therefore very happy that in the year of the 25th anniversary of the Polish-German Treaty of Good Neighbourship, our cooperation is giving fruit: a NRW.INVEST office in Poland” he added.
So far, NRW.INVEST offices operated primarily in North America (US), Asia (South Korea, China, Japan, India) and Europe – in Turkey and Russia. ”The opening of a NRW.INVEST office in Warsaw is a clear sign that our western neighbour recognises and appreciates the growing potential of Polish companies, which have become mature enough for international expansion. Polish economic diplomacy will support this expansion” said Katarzyna Kacperczyk, Undersecretary of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland at the ceremony.
Today, over 300 businesses with Polish capital operate in NRW, including well-known companies such as Inglot, Amica, Forte Moebel, Meyra and Sanplast, which together give employment to more than three thousand people. North Rhine-Westphalia is one of the most important business locations for Polish investors in Germany. In recent years, NRW.INVEST has provided assistance in starting a business to Polish enterprises, primarily from the following industries: IT, engineering, technical services, plant and machinery engineering.
“Polish economy has been improving in terms of innovation and competitiveness for many years. This makes Poland an attractive partner for the industry of NRW. We want to convince Polish investors to be active in North Rhine-Westphalia, also in the promising area of Industry 4.0. In our view, Poland is one of the countries with the greatest potential for expansion” said Petra Wassner, CEO of NRW.INVEST GmbH.
The inauguration ceremony of NRW.INVEST Poland was attended by over 100 guests – representatives of Polish and German companies as well as politicians, including Jadwiga Emilewicz, Undersecretary of State in the Ministry of Development of the Republic of Poland and Rolf Nikel, the German ambassador in Poland.
Objectives of the NRW.INVEST office in Warsaw are to intensify direct contacts with the Polish economy and establish relationships with potential investors, organizations and institutions. The Warsaw office will be headed by Katarzyna Sokołowska, previously Director of the Polish Institute in Düsseldorf, with over 12 years of experience in public diplomacy and Polish-German relations.
NRW.INVEST GmbH is a central institution which supports investment in North Rhine-Westphalia. It provides potential German and international investors with a comprehensive one-stop-agency service, from information about business location, to help in finding premises, to assisting in talks and negotiations with local authorities issuing licenses and permits. NRW.INVEST works closely with the government of NRW and local institutions promoting economic development. NRW.INVEST also helps investors who are already present on the market, interested in further expansion. The sole owner of the company is the provincial government of North Rhine-Westphalia, represented by the Ministry of Economy, Energy, Industry, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises and Crafts.
More information on: NRW.Invets
Photo © Grzegorz Chęć