Henrik Jelert, Chairman of the Scandinavian-Polish Chamber of Commerce talks to The Warsaw Voice.

When was the Scandinavian Chamber of Commerce established and who are its members?
The Scandinavian-Polish Chamber of Commerce (SPCC) was established in March this year from the merger of four independent organizations that have operated for some time on the Polish market: the Danish-Polish Chamber of Commerce, the Norwegian Business Forum, the Swedish Business Club and the Finnish Chamber of Trade.

The SPCC is an independent organization affiliating 227 firms and 46 individual members from the following Scandinavian countries: Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. Corporate members include representatives of the main sectors of the Scandinavian economy: energy, construction, the paper industry, logistics, services, telecommunications, furniture, petroleum industry, food, and banking. The SPCC ranks fifth among chambers of commerce representing foreign investors in Poland in terms of members as well as their total investment.

What is the function of the newly established SPCC?
The SPCC represents Scandinavian investors on the Polish market. The main goal of the SPCC is to strengthen a constructive dialogue between Scandinavian firms in Poland and local authorities and associations in order to shape good Scandinavian-Polish business relations. In 2004 SPCC have already hosted guests such as Prime Minister Marek Belka, Minister of Finance Mirosław Gronicki and deputy Jan Maria Rokita, the leader of the Civic Platform (PO).

What are the most serious obstacles encountered by investors from Denmark in Poland?
Danish investors mention the following barriers on the Polish market: bureaucracy, unclear legal regulations, infrastructure and corruption.

Scandinavian-Polish Chamber of Commerce
40B Wi¶niowa Str., app. 3, 02-520 Warszawa
tel (22) 849 74 14, fax (22) 646 49 30
spcc@spcc.pl

www.spcc.pl