Croatian President Stipe Mesić and Helen Tanner, UK Trade & Investment in Croatia were the key speakers at a discussion on Croatia's market competitiveness. The event was organised by the British-Croatian Business Network (BCBN) in Zagreb's Regent Esplanade Hotel on 9 November 2009.

Helen Tanner, speaking on behalf of HM Ambassador David Blunt, focused her speech on three main topics: the global economic environment; the meaning of competitiveness in today’s market; and the effects of competitiveness for Croatia and the UK. The concept of sustainable economic growth was a salient point in the speech.  The Embassy believes that it is necessary to coordinate ‘international action to put the world economy on an economically, environmentally and socially sustainable path to recovery and growth.

‘Every country is affected by this global recession. Every country has been hit in different ways’, said Helen Tanner, and added, ‘The exact timing of recovery will vary from country to country, but what is clear is that coordinated international action has prevented a global depression.

‘We [UK] want Croatia to play a full and active role in the EU, so we want to see the fullest possible transfer of skills, knowledge and technology between our two countries’, stated Helen Tanner. She concluded by reminding the participants that investing in Croatia was not a simple task given the various permit and tax regimes, which often make for an uncertain investment.

President Mesić stated that the fall in economic activity in Croatia would be 6% this year, and that 2011 would see a return to better economic times. He also spoke of the high level of debt in Croatia and the privatisation process in the country, which ‘benefitted 200 families and forced many people into the streets’.

The BCBN was established in 1999 as a non-profit international business group. The main goal of the BCBN is the promotion of friendship and bilateral trade. The organisation provides a forum for discussion of key economic issues facing investors and existing businesses alike, and promotes the highest standards of governance and business conduct during Croatia's EU accession phase.