Informest experience in Kosovo (2001 – 2007)

1. Informest experience in Kosovo(2001 – 2007)

2. An Italian success story of a privately managed non-profit public equivalent agency with geographical specialisation into the Central and Eastern European Countries. • Public organisation established with the Italian Law No. 19/91, Informest provides a wide range of specialised and integrated services (capacity building, training, documentation, assistance and consulting services) both directly to companies and to national, regional and local authorities.

3. Share-holders Founders • Region Friuli Venezia Giulia • Region Veneto • ICE Italian Institute for Foreign Trade Ordinary Members • Region Trentino-Alto Adige • Autonomous Province Trento • Unioncamere

4. Branches ITALY Gorizia – Head-quarters Padova – Veneto Office Trieste - Studies & Research Unit Network of more than 50 foreign correspondents Representative Office in Brussels Informest operates in the whole Italian territory

5. Mission • Fostering economic relationship between Italy, Central and South Eastern European Countries + Central Asian Countries

6. Countries of Operation

7. Partners SIMEST MINISTRIES FINEST ICE SACE INFORMEST BANKS AGENCIES LOCAL BODIES CEI

8. Areas of Activity • Assistance & Counsultancy • Information Services Department • Development Projects • Study & Research

9. Assistance and Consultancy Services supplied to Italian companies both in Italy and in the foreign countries: • SMEs strategic evaluation and operational support to international trade and industrial co-operation. • SMEs assistance in accessing national and European financing tools for internationalisation. • Due diligence for FDI of Italian companies

10. Information Services Dept. • the first italian portal on Eastern Europe and Asia markets, rich of information, documents, news and links necessary to run new business abroad • www.informest.it • Business Guides • Countries Profile • Legislative archive • Internet Services • patented on-line information service on the economic and legal framework of foreign countries which allows to assess viability, convenience and costs of doing business abroad • useful online handbooks aimed at providing general information on foreign countries • most important laws on foreign investments, company laws fiscal issues, customs regulation of foreign countries • designing and creating web sites, databases, telematic exchanges, technical management services

11. Development Projects Designs, organises and manages pilot projects and horizontal initiatives for the promotion of trans-national industrial and economic co-operation and training actions, both for national and foreign beneficiaries. Such projects are financed by national aid programmes or by the European Commission in the framework of various programmes (Objective 2 & 3 / IPA - CIP – EuropeAid – other sectoral programmes). • In October 2001, a new Service Unit was created within the Development Projects Area, named "Information and Assistance related to International Public Procurement" with two main areas of activity: • the provision of information and qualified assistance to Italian companies interested in participating in international tenders for supplies and works; • the participation of INFORMEST in tenders related to technical assistance and training projects in the fields and in the countries of its competence.

12. Informest and Law 84/2001 Informest is an implementing organisation of the Italian law for the Balkans n. 84/2001 Along the years Informest proved effectiveness and flexibility, innovative projects generation capacity, strong management & administration skills, growing partnership capacity within its priority area and nation wide, becoming more and more an agency for the development of internationalisation of the territory and a faithful partner for different organisation in Italy and abroad.

13. Informest experience in Kosovo 1 Informest has a strong track record of export and investment promotion in Kosovo since the year 2001. 1. Establishment of EICC Kosovo (2001-03): Achieved results in one year of activity led by the Informest Team Leader > 600 questions from local companies were answered, > 1153 clients were registered in the Clients’ Data Base, > 13 seminars were organized > 6 newsletters and 4 guides for SMEs were published, > 3 business delegations were sent to EU > 1 business delegations was hosted in Kosovo

14. Informest experience in Kosovo 2 • Long lasting bilateral relationship with the Kosovo Chamber of Economy • Projects generation up to a successful “Support to New and Dynamic SMEs in Kosovo” - JOP1 type bilateral project in 2006 • Organisation of the first “Kosovo promotion week” abroad in the Italian Region Friuli Venezia Giulia (March 2006) • Organization of Business Missions from/to Kosovo for Kosovan and FVG entrepreneurs (2006 and 2007)

15. Informest experience in Kosovo 3 • Signature of a biannual cooperation agreement among Informest – KCC/OEK – FVG Chambers (April 2006) • Desk Kosovo in Friuli Venezia Giulia established for the enhancement of bilateral cooperation between Kosovo & FVG Region in 2007 & 2008 • Promotion of investment in the hydro-energy production in Kosovo (2007) • MTI study tour in FVG on Industrial Zones capacity building & marketing (April 2007)

16. Informest experience in Kosovo 4 • Partner organisation of SOGES for the EuropeAid contract no. 06KOS01/07/04/001 “Investment Promotion” for the TA to the Investment Promotion Agency of Kosovo - IPAK • Webmaster of the first Italian site on Kosovo http://www.dkfvg.org/english/kosovo.asp (since 2007)

17. Informest skills for EuropeAid tenders 1 • Commitment to Inception phase for the assessment of innovative approaches • TA to the enhancement of attractiveness of FDI locations in Kosovo • Capacity building of integrated approaches to territorial programming on PPP basis for the competitive organisation of Local Productive Systems • Investment promotion at European level, focussing on the area Italy – Austria – Slovenia – Hungary • Excellence in the organisation of study visits in Italy

18. Informest skills for EuropeAid tenders 2 • Establishment of coordination between the IPAK institution building and operational planning and KTA programmes for privatisation tenders. • Partnership with other stakeholders in Kosovo, i.e. OEK (Kosovo Chamber of Commerce) for the international accreditation of Kosovo economy. • TA to quality reception services and direct support to foreign investors • Communication and maximisation of ICT in the international marketing

19. Informest skills for EuropeAid tenders 3 • STEs provision & deployment • FDI promotion • Technology transfer & Networks establishment • Spin-off & SMEs clustering • Business Support Services • Non financial services design • Institutional capacity building

20. Informest skills for EuropeAid tenders 4 • Involvement of the Italian business support systems • Potential additional inputs • Internship placement and tutorship • On the job training and coaching Beneficiary’s staff • Events organisation • Business match-making programmes

21. Thank you for attention ! Informest – International Tender Service sandra.sodini@informest.it vanessa.sanson@informest.it www.informest.it