Export

During 16 years of its existence the Lithuanian Business Confederation/ICC Lithuania, that unites companies of services, commerce and high technologies, has managed to earn the reputation of an efficiently working organization. The Confederation differs from other business organizations in that its powerful voice is heard when fighting for the improvement of business conditions and the projects that bring Lithuania closer to organic joining the global market of the world.

 

 

Banks, bailiffs, layers, financial brokers and trades people – the service sector clusters together under the umbrella of this Confederation. The name of ICC is well known in the world because of the network International Chamber of Commerce of business organizations that is widely spread in many countries. The Lithuanian subdivision represents more than 1500 companies, which create as much as 20 per cent of the gross domestic product of Lithuania, as well as 16 business associations.

“We are the largest representatives of the service business companies in Lithuania. We are the only ones in the country to help economic entities take over international practice so that business people should become competitive. We help implement new international business standards, rules and recommendations and the companies that we represent save time and funds when presenting their products and services to the international markets. We help them do that”, said Director General of the Lithuanian Business Confederation /ICC Lithuania Algimantas Akstinas.

On the map of the organizations representing business interests the Confederation distinguishes itself in partnership and the dialogue.

“We represent employers in the National agreement between the authorities, employers and the employees”, explained Algimantas Akstinas.

During the economic crisis the National Agreement was signed by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania and social partners, including the Lithuanian Business Confederation /ICC Lithuania. 

 

 

What do business people most often want? They want their interests to be represented by professionals in the Government and the Seimas. This is what our Confederation exactly does.

“We represent the rights of the employers. Our thirty-five experts are delegated to different working groups, which bring in and amend legal acts at the Seimas, in the Government, and the ministries”, said Director General of the Confederation.

Decisions made by the state institutions determine prosperity of business, they create conditions and requirements. The Confederation has signed agreements with different state institutions of Lithuania, holds consultations with them. For example, every year, together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania, the Confederation organizes two meetings with ambassadors and diplomats-economists, discusses their activity, advises them on what to undertake to make conditions for Lithuanian business abroad better.

“We assess their activity directly. We meet commercial attaches and tell them our observations. This helps us develop economic diplomacy, which is of great significance to business when it is looking for markets and investors’, explained the Head of the Confederation.

 

The voice of the Lithuanian Business Confederation /ICC Lithuania is heard at an international level too. The Confederation also has its representative in the European Economic and Social Committee where legal acts of the European Union are considered and where business expresses its position.

“In this way Lithuania’s business has its representa-tive and can defend its interests and rights through him at a European level”, added Algimantas Akstinas.  

Furthermore, the Confederation has signed 16 co-operation agreements with similar business organizations in the world.

“We are a bridge of assistance from the Persian Gulf, south-eastern Asia, the countries of the CIS to Lithuania. In this way we help in attracting investments to Lithuania and our business people in looking for new markets, reliable partners”, stated Algimantas Akstinas.

During a year the Confederation organises 10 business delegations, including those with the highest officials of Lithuania. Business people go abroad together with ministers, the Prime Minister or the Speaker of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania to establish relations. This improves the image of business representatives of the country, and helps establish relations faster. And the representatives of the authorities make use of the relationship through economic diplomacy.

The Confederation also receives similar business delegations in Lithuania. 

 

 

“Our organization was founded 16 years ago. Through our work and quality we have established ourselves in the market and we are among those whose opinion is important to the Seimas, the Government and the ministries. For example, in January next year the Speaker of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania is going to Azerbaijan. The mission of Lithuanian business people is going to be organized. It is pleasant that the list of the events devoted to interparliamentary co-operation includes development of economic relations and assistance to them. Hence, both parties need us”, said Algimantas Akstinas.

According to him, half of the proposals they make are usually implemented in the structures of the authorities. For example, recently the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania took into consideration the Anticorruption Programme. What issues do we most often represent the business people in? What are members of the Confederation concerned about most? Algimantas Akstinaas explained that these are faults of the authorities.

“When the authorities are unable to organize stable realisation of legal acts, business suffers because of that, and investors suspend their decisions, take their time to act. When excise tariffs, other taxes, trading conditions constantly change, business is affected. We have to react to that efficiently”, explained the conversationalist.

The tax policy related to import and export, the improvement of investment conditions, attractiveness of the business environment are the spheres in which the Confederation extends its influence.

Assurance of export conditions and co-operation with the diplomats in charge of economics, require-ments to the commercial attaché to repre-sent economic interests more efficiently abroad is also the concern of this organi-sation.

 

 

Representation and defence of business interests is not the only goal that the Confederation has set itself. The Lithua-nian Business Confederation /ICC Lithuania is famous for various projects, which turn Lithuania into a global state.

On the initiative of the Confederation the World Lithuanian Economic Forum, as well as all continuous projects related to it, has been held since 2009.

“This is as though a new trademark of our Confederation, which is supported by the President’s Office, the Government, the Ministries of Economy and Foreign Affairs; and this year we have started co-operating with the Ministry of Science and Education”, said Algimantas Akstinas. Private business also sees the value added of developing this project, and one of its greatest supporters is Danske Bank. Together with its partners the Confederation creates social networks among its fellow-countrymen in Lithuania and the Lithuanians living abroad. During 20 years of its independence many talented enterprising people who do not want to severe their relations with their native land left Lithuania.

Therefore various initiatives are organised for them, for example, “Global Lithuanian Leaders”, or “Invite a Friend to Lithuania”, as well as “Global Lithuania” at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“We have to know what kind of people have left Lithuania, what their interests are and we are trying to get them interested in the processes going on in Lithuania, “to employ” them for their own benefit and for the benefit of Lithuania. Last year we invited the world Lithuanians to Vilnius, and this year we are helping the Lithuanians in London to find new contacts, new ideas and sponsors to finance the projects among the risk capital leaders not only from Great Britain”, said the Head of the Confederation.

We support the programme Verslo laiptai (Business Stairs) of the Ministry of Economy, which came into existence when business confederations tried to contribute to assisting small family business. Information centres, business incubators, special programmes of the “Export Academy” are being established, presentations of new and potential markets are made and consultations are provided.

 

The Confederation, being well aware of the needs of common interests of business and science, initiated and started carrying out the project of organising students’ practical work and creating a search for jobs. The Lithuanians studying abroad are expected to make use of it too. They will be willingly invited to do practical work in banks and insurance companies operating in Lithuania. In this way new possibilities will open up for the employers to find employees and to bring a business society of Lithuania closer to the fellow-countrymen living abroad. “The most important thing is to help young and active Lithuanians to return to Lithuania and to find a job here. Many Lithuanians study in London, so if at least part thereof returned to their motherland and found a job here, it would be of great benefit to the state”, Algimantas Akstinas is convinced of that.

The first step is students’ practical work with Lithuanian companies where the Lithuanians studying in London will be given the possibility to become established in the labour market first of all by getting practically acquainted with the companies. We are creating the database in which companies will announce how many trainees and what trainees they can employ. Students will also have the right to provide information about themselves in the same database.                                                

“Hence, we are going to help both parties. This project should be a stimulus for the Government, which wants and is looking for various effective forms of bringing back the emigrants to Lithuania. With the country’s economy growing, Lithuania will need more and more workers. Banks and insurance companies operating in Lithuania need young people who speak English fluently, and have experience of studying abroad. It is thought that companies of the service sector will make the greatest use of the portal. We also intend to help the Lithuanian exporting companies to properly present themselves. Relations with business owners in Lithuania are important to exporting companies, which are looking for foreign investments and business relations”, spoke Algimantas Akstinas.

 

The initiative planned to be implemented in 2011, when Lithuania tries to invite its fellow-countrymen scientists, business people and cultural workers, as well as Lithuania’s friends from all over the world, deserves special mention.

Also, Lithuania’s friends who due to various reasons want to develop relations with this Baltic State or to visit it for the first time will be invited. “Invite a Friend to Lithuania” is the programme, which will encourage as many people to visit Lithuania next year as possible.

“Our aim is to receive 5 million guests. This is a private initiative. We want to show Lithuania to all our fellow-countrymen who are scattered around the world, to foreign tourists, friends from all over the world. Besides, next year the European Basketball Championship is held and basketball is one of the most famous forms of national pride of the Lithuanians”, spoke Algimantas Akstinas.