At the press conference in Tashkent, the head of the Department on assisting trade and investment of Poland Embassy in Tashkent Slawomir Strzalkowski said that the Fifth session of the Polish-Uzbek intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation was held in Warsaw on 7 September 2012.

At the session, Uzbekistan and Poland underlined that there is growing interest in strengthening and developing trade-economic relations and noted that mutual visit of various delegations and joint events are evidence for this, Strzalkowski said.

During the meeting, the sides analyzed perspectives of increasing mutual trade turnover and diversification and expansion of nomenclature of export-import operations.

Slawomir Strzalkowski said that the sides underlined that the sides need to boost direct contacts between entrepreneurs and business entities such as chambers and associations and ensure that business structures of two states actively participate in various seminars, fairs, exhibitions, conferences, presentations, and other events directed at establishing direct contacts and development of business.

The commission supported initiative on establishing cooperation ties between the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan and Polish Agency for Entrepreunership Development, as well as recommended “UZINFOINVEST” the Information Support & Foreign Investments Promotion Agency and Polish Agency of information and foreign investments (PANIZ) to boost cooperation within the memorandum of understanding on exchange of information on perspective investment projects, proposals on visits, presentations, business forums, etc.

Strzalkowski said that the sides considered opportunities on expanding trade-economic cooperation in such areas as investments, finances, technologic cooperation, industry, construction, agriculture, environment, transport, tourism, etc.

He said that Polish sides familiarized with great interest with information on implementation of the programme on priority directions of industry development of Uzbekistan for 2011-2015, measures on improving business environment in Uzbekistan, creation of favourable investment climate and attracting foreign investments to key sectors of economy. The Uzbek side also presented created opportunities at Navoi free industrial-economic zone and Angren special industrial zone, he added.

The Polish side also presented proposals on concrete directions of cooperation in such areas as energy, chemistry, pharmaceutics, renewable energy, and others, Strzalkowski added.

He said that the sides considered competition of investment project “Reconstruction of sulfuric acid production at Ammofos-Maxam” in line with the signed agreement with Polish company Bumar on supply of modern equipment.

They also considered issues on cooperation of Polish side BIOMED-LUBLIN S.A. and Uzpharmsanoat on creation of enterprise on production of pharmaceutical products in Uzbekistan.

The sides also considered cooperation of Корех S.A. and Uzbekugol on project directed at improving coal mining technology and modernization of technologic equipment at Angren coal mine.

Skorut Systemy Solarne Sp. z о.о., producing renewable energy technologies, proposed to produce and sell solar collectors in Uzbekistan.

The commission discussed a proposal of Impuls, producer of washing and disinfection products, machine and equipment, on export of its products and launch of production capacities in Uzbekistan, etc.

Slawomir Strzalkowski said that Polish companies are interested in participation of tenders in energy sector of Uzbekistan.

The commission also paid attention to environment protection projects. State Nature Protection Committee of Uzbekistan presented its projects on use of renewable energy and monitoring toxic pollutants.

Ministry of Environment of Poland expressed interest in organization of the visit of GreenEVO project to Uzbekistan in 2013 to familiarize the Uzbek side with Poland’s potential in this area and to establish contacts with the Uzbek partners.

Slawomir Strzalkowski underlined that the countries boosted cooperation in agriculture sector in recent years. He said that Polish side handed over list of agriculture organizations, research centers and firms, interested in developing ties with Uzbekistan.

He said that the commission also discussed issues on developing cooperation in tourism sector. The sides noted that they have potential to develop tourism sector through participation in fairs and exhibitions, organization of tours for journalists and tour operators, promotion campaigns, etc.

Strzalkowski said that the sides positively rated cooperation in automobile transportation. Within the sessions, representatives of the architecture bodies of two countries held a meeting to establish cooperation ties. The sides agreed to sign a memorandum of cooperation and list of companies and institutes, which interested in cooperation with Uzbekistan.

Within the session, a Polish-Uzbek Business forum was held in Warsaw. Over 60 Polish firms and companies attended the event.

According to the Polish side, the mutual trade turnover between Poland Uzbekistan made up US$158.6 million in 2011 (+23%). The export of Polish services and products made up US$114.5 million (+52%).

In seven months of 2012, trade turnover between two states exceeded US$83.8 million, of which US$64.9 million fell to share of Polish exports (+5%). Import of Poland decreased up to US$18.9 million.