Conference to take look at an Eastern promise

YORKSHIRE businesses are being encouraged to take advantage of links with emerging markets in Eastern Europe via the E20 trade route which links six countries across the continent.

Hull Business School is bringing together businesses, business organisations, investors and universities from across Europe in a major conference to discuss how businesses can capitalise on the route.

The E20 route runs from the west to east across Europe from Limerick on the west coast of Ireland to St Petersburg in Russia taking in major ports and cities in England, Denmark, Sweden and Estonia.

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Traditionally trade has travelled along a North-South European route, but the E20 offers access to a population of 127 million people.

Yorkshire businesses are well placed to forge lucrative ties with growing markets in Eastern Europe which are becoming wealthier and require more products, offering the chance to boost the economy and exports.

The route travels through Huddersfield, Halifax, Bradford and Leeds.

Director of the Logistics Institute at Hull University Business School, Professor David Grant said that making connections with Eastern Europe was an opportunity not be missed.

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“We are missing a trick if we don’t go east of Germany. That market is huge, we would be silly not to take advantage of it,’’ he said.

“There are lots of trade opportunities that UK companies can explore,” he said.

Mr Grant gave the example of an Austrian DIY chain which had looked to expand into the eastern bloc countries and Turkey after realising that the Northern European market was already saturated.

He said that the aim of the conference was to raise awareness among the business community that this route exists and that it is well-developed from a logistical point of view.

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Action plans will also be developed from workshops which will cover a range of subjects including building intellectual capital, developing logistics, strengthening seaways and developing international strategies for SMEs to make the most of and develop the opportunities.

It is hoped the conference will lead to delegations from the E20 cities to visit the UK and for organisations from this country to make reciprocal visits.

“It will also give business people the opportunity to network and meet other organisations and create synergies,’’ added Mr Grant.

He said that the route could be particularly valuable for Yorkshire businesses, offering a means to export goods such as food products from the region across Europe.

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“There is no reason why we could not send these to the continent. We have manufacturing and IT expertise which we could also export,” he said.

Academics, business leaders, prominent politicians and delegates from across Europe are expected to attend the conference at the Logistics Institute at Hull University Business School on September 12 and 13.

The conference is being co-hosted by Leeds consultants Nigel and Paula Grizzard and Martin Vinning, who are working alongside the Business School to promote the concept of the E20.

Guest speakers at the event will include Detlef Golletz, head of European Union programmes at the Institute for Sustainability in Holland.

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He will provide a business briefing on the EU’s “Weastflows” project to promote sustainable west-east logistics practice.

Baron Frankal, director of economic strategy at New Economy Manchester, the Association of Manchester Authorities Commission responsible for economic growth and prosperity, will also be a speaker.

The E20 route was first identified by the EU as a means of connecting businesses across countries for the greater benefit of Europe several years ago, but the concept was recently revived to raise awareness of the potential to boost the economies of the countries along the route.

Places can be booked at the conference at http://e20route.eu/events/.

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