EU-PNG trade and investment conference set for Oct 30

MORE than 500 participants from the European Union (EU), Papua New Guinea and the Pacific are expected to attend the EU-PNG trade and investment conference in Port Moresby on Oct 30.
The event, funded by the EU, will have member countries under the EU-Pacific Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) in Port Moresby to discuss opportunities in business and in small-medium enterprises, while forging new relationships that would deepen and widen trade and investments.
EU Ambassador Jacques Fradin said the conference was to foster collaboration between the EU and the Pacific Island countries that were part of the EPA.
Fradin said the focus would be on SMEs and how larger companies in the EU could see the products and services displayed during the one-day event in Port Moresby.
“This event will be one of the many opportunities for PNG and the Pacific islands to forge new relationships to deepen trade and investments,” he said.
“It will also be an opportunity for our small businesses, especially the SME sector to show case their products and services.
“We have confirmed some of the big name companies to attend this conference, and hopefully we impress them with what PNG has to offer in SME and the resource sector.”
Fradin said that the EU had emerged as the primary importer of PNG’s agricultural products, fisheries, with a particular emphasis on premium items.
Under the EPA, all the products from PNG are granted duty free, quota-free access to the EU market, encompassing all tuna, even if harvested by non-PNG vessels and processed within PNG.