EU envoys visit European BPO on renewable energy

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InterAksyon.com
The online news portal of TV5

MANILA -- Philippine-based ambassadors of member-states of the European Union (EU) on Wednesday visited Vestas Services Philippines Inc., a European Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) firm active in the field of renewable energy, and saw for themselves how EU investments contribute to the thriving BPO sector here.

Philippine Export Zone Authority (PEZA) director-general Lilia de Lima welcomed the 10-country delegation at the BPO, which is located at the PEZA zone in Makati City. Over 200 EU companies have invested in PEZA zones, making it a top investment destination within the Philippines.

EU foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows in 2010 stood at 400 million euros, a fourfold increase from 100 million euros in 2009. Total EU FDI stock is close to 8 billion, according to media officer Thelma Gecolea.

De Lima informed the EU delegation, headed by Ambassador Guy Ledoux, that PEZA’s motto “is no corruption, no red tape, only red carpet treatment to investments.”

This brightened Ledoux's face who noted that “the EU continues to be the world's top investor and also here in the Philippines the EU investment stock is second to none. We welcome PEZA's initiatives and reforms to attract more Foreign Direct Investments (FDI). Good governance is a key for good business."

De Lima also said that the Philippines was “proud to see the EU companies among the most active investors in PEZA. We hope that even more EU investors will make use of the PEZA's business friendly environment in the future."

Another visitor, Danish Ambassador Svend Waever, said that "the EU investments range from services to manufacturing and include high and green technology. They not only create jobs, but also bring innovation and economic dynamism to the recipient countries".

Others ambassadors in the EU group were Josef Rychtar of the Czech Republic, Joachim Heidorn of Germany, Jorge Domecq of Spain, Gilles Garachon of France, Robert Brinks of the Netherlands, Constantina Koliou of Greece, Alfonso Tagliaferri of Italy, Ms. Isabel Schmiedbauer of Austria and Ms. Riitta Puukka of Finland.

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