Bureaucracy and government economic policies - main issues to be under accusation by Swiss investors

The investments of the Swiss companies to Romania are estimated at the beginning of 2010 at about 1.12 billion euro, between ranks 6 and 8 in the top of foreign investors in our country, according to a report lauched on Monday, 1March by the Swiss Embassy to Bucharest. The document mentions a series of barriers to investments and makes a series of recommendations. Among those,there is the suggestion a " one stop shop" for investors should be set up.

The companies to be analysed in the report accuse some barriers to stop investments, among which the legislative instability, transport infrastructure, political instability. The best aspect met in Romania: th level of salaries. Total costs for the working force are the major positive aspect mentioned by the Swiss investors. Besides that, there are also the domestic market, the social and cultural environment." For a speaker of French, it is easier to adapt to Romania than to another country in the EasternEurope area"

Simon Gerissbuhler, cousellor at the Swiss Embassy explained on the occasion of the report launching.
However, Russia is the country where the Swiss invested most, followed by Poland, both with almost 5 billion Swiss francs, Romania being the fifth in the top of investment destinations, with approximately 2 billion CHF.As regards the long-term perspective, the companies have a moderate approach, a bit optimistic, Simon Gerissbuhler said.

The recommendations included in the report, by the Swiss investors, aim at the necessity of a strategy for attracting investors, keeping political and legislative stability, reducing bureaucracy, simplying and clarifying the legislation. What is very important, according to the opinion of those investors, is the setting up of « one-stop-shop" for the companies to come to Romania. " In the other countries there is an office which deals with the investors, helps them with information, negotiates some discounts for taxes for the next 5-10 years. In Romania there is no such office" the representative of the Swiss embassy said.