In May 2021 AmCham Bulgaria established a “EU Green Deal Working Group”, under the Energy and Mineral Resources Committee.
The Co-Chairs of the newly established Green Deal Working Group are Prof. Iliya Garkov, Vice President and General Manager, Dundee Precious Metals and Mr. Krassimir Nenov, Executive Director, ContourGlobal Maritsa East 3 after unanimous approval by the Board of Directors of AmCham Bulgaria.
The EU Green Deal paves the way for a massive transformation or even disruption of the European industries. Its goals will impact all businesses and member states to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. Any industry in Europe must focus its efforts, investments, and resources to improve its environmental performance while continuing to meet the needs of its customers, shareholders, and partners.
“With the creation of the Green Deal Working Group, Amcham Bulgaria will support its member on the path to climate neutrality and the identification and realization of the opportunities generated by the Green Deal. We are looking forward to rich discussions between all involved stakeholders leading to concrete outcomes,” Olivier Marquette, AmCham Bulgaria President said at the kick-off meeting on May 20th.
In AmCham, large industrial and strategic investors are represented, some of them – American companies. Thus, we feel our duty to unite and to concentrate our experience in sustainability, leadership, and know-how to working together shaping policy and strategic proposals of the Chamber before the national and European institutions.
The goals of the EU Green Deal Working Group are:
- Increase awareness on the opportunities and challenges of the EU Green Deal.
- Ensure business continuity and sustainable transformation among our members, most particularly those who are active in sectors such as energy, mining, cement, manufacturing and their supply chain, and consulting.
- Improving the competitiveness of Bulgaria and its industry through step-by-step transformation.
- Engage in an in-depth and thorough dialogue between businesses and national authorities for the sake of economic growth, development of the regions, protecting jobs.
- Propose solutions for the transformation allowing preserving current investments and paving the road for new investors in the region of SE Europe (incl. the Western Balkans).
Kick-off meeting
On May 20th, 2021, the newly established working group “EU Green Deal” held its first meeting. It was attended by 29 participants representing 17 members from energy, mining, banking, construction, manufacturing, consultancy, and legal industries. Members presented themselves and set the group expectations. Next steps will be further announced.