Saturday, September 18, 2004
Sweden gateway for RP products in EU
SWEDEN, a member of the European Union (EU), is offering itself to be the Philippines’ gateway in its trade relationship with the EU and other countries in the northern part of the world.
“Trading with the Sweden is trading with millions of people in the North,” Sweden Ambassador to the Philippines Annika Markovic said.
“Sweden wants to bring business opportunities to the Philippines. We come here with an open mind, not looking at specifics but all areas of trade opportunities between the two countries,” Markovic said amid the Philippine-Sweden Trade Promotion Forum at City Sports Club Cebu yesterday.
But in terms of Swedish interests, she cited furniture, information technology (IT), fashion jewelry and tourism to be among the potential areas for cooperation between the two countries.
Incidentally, furniture, IT, fashion jewelry and tourism are among the sectors Cebu considers it has a competitive edge in.
Sweden Embassy Commercial Officer Nayoka Martinez said Sweden, which is larger than the Philippines, has a population of nine million people. It has a strong and well-organized private sector.
She said Sweden is dependent on imports as the country has few raw materials.
Last year, electronics accounted for the biggest share of Swedish imports accounting for 18 percent of the country’s total imports. Machinery and chemical-pharmaceuticals followed, accounting for 14 percent and 12 percent, respectively, of the country’s imports.
Sweden also imports furniture, vehicles, food, clothing and shoes, metals and minerals and energy, among others.
Some 66 percent of Swedish imports come from the EU and only 9.8 percent from Asia.
Martinez said major Swedish brands in the Philippines include Electrolux, ABB, Sony Ericsson, Volvo, Volvo Penta, Atlas Copco, Tetra Pak. (JBN)
(September 18, 2004 issue)
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