Texas-EU Business Summit Announces Line-Up Additions
Central European Opportunities to Feature Prominently
AUSTIN – Event organizers have announced that France as well as the Visegrad Group (representing the Central European nations of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia) will play a prominent role at the 3rd annual Texas-EU Business Summit.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for Texas businesses,” says Ben Ramirez, International Economic Development Manager for the City of Austin. “We have previously had representatives of one or more of the Visegrad countries, but this is the first year we will have trade representatives from all four.”
The Visegrad nations will be represented by trade and investment officials from all four nations’ embassies in Washington, DC. The four-nation area encompasses a market of more than 65 million people and a combined economy of approximately $900 million. Nominal per capita income in the group ranges between $18,600 and $12,600, with values higher at purchasing power parity. Texas already enjoys a strong footprint in the Visegrad area. It is the largest U.S. exporter to the Czech Republic and Hungary and in the top ten for the other two countries.
“The member states of the Visegrad Group welcome the opportunity for an introduction to one of the economically most significant states in the U.S,” says Katalin Csorba, First Counselor at the Hungarian Embassy in Washington and Head of Hungarian Economic Representatives in the U.S. “Within the Visegrad Group, political and economic stability as well as rapid growth potential provide a favorable economic environment for domestic and foreign companies alike. Taking into account the flexible economic policies, a strong industrial base and the openness of our countries’ economies, we are confident that we can further expand the bilateral economic and business relationship with the state of Texas.”
The Texas-EU Business Summit provides Texas businesses, entrepreneurs, policymakers and economic development professionals with the opportunity to interact with business leaders with proven track records in Europe, trade and investment officials from EU countries, trade policy experts and political officials.
The 2014 Texas-EU Summit is organized under the auspices of the Delegation of the European Union to the United States and the EU Center of Excellence at the University of Texas at Austin. It occurs in partnership with Austin Community College, the City of Austin, Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce, Greater San Marcos Partnership, Kozmetsky Center for Excellence in International Finance at St. Edwards University, the World Affairs Councils of America and the World Affairs Council of Austin.
Additional summit highlights will be posted as they are confirmed, for additional information visit http://conferences.la.utexas.edu/texaseusummit/
