The luxury edition on the architecture of the Belgian Residence could reveal the attractiveness in the past of Romania for Belgian investors in oil. The Belgian Consul in the 1920’s, also active in exploration and refinery, initiated the contacts which led to the purchase by the Belgian state in 1928 of this marvelous building in Art Nouveau and Art Deco. In a first volume out of three, published at the occasion of the 175 years of diplomatic, political, economic, cultural and scientific relati ons , quite some attention is paid to the economic involvement of Belgian companies before 1916. In trade, Romania exported predominantly agricultural products while Belgium shipped industrial products mainly by boat from the port of Antwerpen to Danube ports Galaţi and Brăila. Most of the goods today are trucked or shipped by rail. One of the big customers of modern logistics is Mega Image . With an opening in average of a new shop every 5 days over the last three years, Mega Image could convince consumers with its Belgian private label 365 along with the Romanian private label Gusturi Româneşti. CEO Xavier Piesveaux can look back to a successful year and speaks out in the newsletter of an ambitious 2014. Choc-o-Lai t and CSC are equally outspoken on the expectations for 2014. With Clock’s Pub as new Belgian beer spot and Café Leffe as anchor point for nice collar pils, the quality of life for Belgians in Bucharest can only become better in 2014. Belgian beer and Romanian wine will be meanwhile excellent references preparing Christmas and New year. Philippe Beke Ambassador of Belgium

Choc-o-Lait bets on a t wo stage expansion of its bamboo chocolate business in Beiu ş

The Belgian tradition in chocolate until 2005 focused essentially on cover chocolate, chocolate bars, pralines, chocolate folio, spreads, granulates (hagelslag) and cacao powder for different uses. Till 2005 the idea of a hot chocolate drink on a bamboo stick had never been seen. Belgian investors from Gent (Prov of Eastern Flanders) believed in this new product and started investing in Choc-o-Lait , first in Belgium and later on in Romania. With a production site of 800 m2 inaugurated in 2006 in Beiu ş (judeţ Bihor), under the company name Sc Ciocorom Srl , they started to conquer the world, first Belgium, than Europe with today also covering markets in Asia, Middle East, Australia and USA. Since 2013 Choc-o-Lait also entered the Romanian market. In seven years the company increased the number of persons on the payroll from 20 to 120. The variety in production reaches some 200 articles, representing a daily volume of 2,5 tons of chocolate. The production is oriented towards the own brand but also towards private labels, amongst other for supermarkets Lidl, Colruyt, Delhaize and Metro. In order to cope with a growth of 15 to 20%, Ciocorom took the decision to extend its premises to 1.200 m2 that will become operational by the end of the year. With strong growth projections in middle long term, the company is furthermore planning to extend with a new building for production and administration. Info: eszter.dobbelaere@ciocorom.ro

Xavier Piesvaux confirms fut ure ambitions of Mega Image

Retailer Mega Image has recently opened its second concept store in Bucharest, located at Sudului Square , close to the Sun Plaza shopping mall. The shop covers over 1.700 m2 on two floors, in a building which also features as commercial gallery and has office space where the Mega Image headquarters will be relocated. Before the end of 2013 Mega Image will have 280 stores in place, mainly in Bucharest but also in the judeţ of Braşov, Prahova, Giurgiu, Constanţa and Piteşti. The AB Cool Food concept store , near Piaţa Victoria, will start by the beginning of 2014 an online service for home deliveries. Mega image equally proposes a variety of Xmas baskets on www.mega-image.ro/cosuricraciun. Till 5th of December three Delhaize stores in Brussels (1030 Mahillon, 1050 Hennin, 1160 Hermann-Debroux) will promote Romanian products from the gusturi româneşti label including wine, cozonac and salam de Sibiu. CEO Mega Image Xavier Piesveaux looks back with satisfaction to 2013 and projects clear ambitions for 2014. With 280 shops by the end of 2013, Mega Image has developed a strong business model in Romania and in particular in Bucharest. Do you plan to continue this business model in 2014? Despite a though environment, with low to negative consumption trend, Mega Image believes in the potential of the market. The permanent effort to bring good quality items with affordable prices in the proximity of every neighbourhood is rewarded by the satisfaction of our customers. This gives us the trust to continue our expansion at accelerated pace as we have done in the last 3 years. A major success for Mega Image are the private brands. How do you see the opportunities for 'Gusturi Româneşti'? Mega Image has been pioneer in launching "Gusturi Româneşti" , selected products referring to the Romanian food culture in strong partnership with local and small producers. The same Gusturi Româneşti has been selected by our colleagues of Delhaize Belgium to prepare their first Romanian fair in Brussels, in our Belgium supermarkets. Our plan is to reinforce the collaboration with the suppliers, helping them to organize their production while keeping the traditional way of preparing the products. New initiatives to better communicate the products in the stores as well as new products are planned to be launched in the beginning of 2014. The retail market in Romania is a very competitive market. What are for you the 3 major elements to be successful in the business? Being close with customers expectation is essential: customers are getting more and more educated and expert, they are connected to internet and very curious about new trends. It is important to remain permanently connected, through our stores, through our studies, through market feedback to permanently upgrade our deliveries. Medium term view instead of short term. A lot of decision are taken, in Romania, with a short term view while, as emerging market, building foundations in everything you are doing is essential. Keeping costs under control is the condition to fund the development in an emerging market as well as permanent concern for efficiency and productivity.

AMBASADA REGATULUI BELGIEI EMBASSY OF THE KINGDOM OF BELGIUM

Bd. Dacia 58 - 020061 Bucharest tel: 0040 21 210 29 69 - e-mail: ambabuc@clicknet.ro

BUSINESS NEWSLETTER Year III – N° 11/13 # 27 November 2013

New premises and new machines increase performance s of CSC Etichete in Timi şoara

In December 1988 ASQ Labels (www.asq.eu) initiated its production of printed adhesive labels in Lummen (Prov of Limburg). Looking for expansion, the company established in 2004 a production unit in Iaşi as CSC ETICHETE. First with one machine and one assistant, the company in 2006 purchased a second machine and started working in a 2 shifts-system with a staff growing to 10 persons in 2012. The board continued to look for expansion and therefore moved to Timişoara in December 2012 where it since then occupies in the VGP Park Timişoara, Ghiroda, a 900 m2 production space and 300 m2 of offices in a completely new and state of the art building. In 2013 new major investments were made in a UV-flexo 8 colours printing machine 410 mm broad, 2 register-stans machines, a control, a slit and a finishing machine, together with some improvements in the internal logistics and software system. Thanks to this expansion which will be finalized by the end of 2013, the company shall be able to hire more staff which totals today 15 people , including 7 workers that moved from Iasi to Timişoara. CSC Etichete has found its speciality in the production of blank and printed labels up to 8 colours for a diversified portfolio of clients, active in logistics, distribution, food, chemicals and automotive. CSC ETICHETE, together with ASQ, has developed a portfolio of clients in most of the countries in Western Europe with as major references Essers, Inbev, Mazda, Toyota, and Samsonite. For further info: Bjorn Buckinx, plant manager: office@csc-etichete.ro.

Belgian beers and Romanian wines f or fine winter moments Belgian beers and Romanian wines meet more and more success. In Bucharest, the new

place to be is the Clock’s Pub , Str Ion Ghica near Piaţa Universităţii. Over 90 beers are available of which the majority are Belgian beers. Clock’s Pub (www.clockspub.ro) schedules for December 3 professional tastings in presence of Belgian experts. On December 4 , Frederic

Ambroise of the Huyghe Brewery will attend; for December 10 it shall be the turn of Lionel Van der Haegen of Silly and on December 12 Marc Lemay of Dubuisson stands ready to give taste advice. The tastings will be free of charge from 19:00 till 22:00 . It is recommended to make reservations at website@beeracademy.ro or Adrian.clocks@gmail.com. BEROBA members get a permanent 15% discount. Recently Luk Vangansbeke took over Café Leffe , Str Dr. Louis Pasteur (www.cafe-leffe.ro). BEROBA members get a permanent 10% discount. La 100 de bere , Str Covaci 8 is another beer café in Bucharest with plenty of Belgian beers. In the restaurant sector Waterloo , Str Traian 188 (www.waterloo -taverne .com) continues to offer a variety of dishes prepared with beer. BEROBA members get a permanent 15% discount. Belle Epoque continues its Belgian beer image: Av Radu Beller (https://www.facebook.com/LaBelleEpoqueBucharest). Belfoods (https://www.facebook.com/Belfoods ImpexSRL) has over 50 different types of Belgian beers in its catalogue and proposes this year a Duvel Xmas box with 4 bottles and free glass. BEROBA members get a permanent discount of 15%. Procer (www.procer.ro) proposes Gauloise Xmas boxes while Top Beverage Group (www.beeracademy.ro) showcases a half meter beer box. Both offer BEROBA members a permanent discount of 15%. Several supermarkets sell Belgian beers with Cora Sun Plaza proposing a wide range of special beers in a Belgian beer corner . Prahova or Cotnari wines, Banat or Jidvei wines, all Romanian quality wines are on the rise in Belgium. In Herselt , a Romanian wine tasting in support of projects for Berbeşti will be organized on the 01.12.13 from 13:30 till 18:00 in Herberg Mie Maan Info: www.miemaan.be. Next to 3 Delhaize stores in Brussels till 05.12 Romanian wines can be found a.o.: GITI-wijnen Pettenlaan 18, 2400 Mol – 014.59.43.00; Wijnen Martin Sluis 19b, 9290 Berlare (www.wijnenmartin.be); Wijnhof Breughel , Bruggestraat 63, 8730 Oedelem (www.wijnhofbreughel.be) and WINEtime NV , Ambachtstraat 11, 8620 Nieuwpoort (www.winetime.be). The Romanian Mara restaurant (Rebaix) will open also in Av Louise in Brussels a new restaurant. Borşa Turism ( www.borsa-turism.be) organizes on demands field trips for 7 days to 7 vineyards starting from December 2013. Presentation of the first volume on 175 years of di plomatic relations between Romania and Belgium Under the title “România și Belgia. Dinamica rela țiilor politico-diplomatice, economice, culturale în perioada form ării și consolid ării statului-na țiune, 1838-1916” , the first volume out of three will cover the 175 years of bilateral relations. It will contain 4 chapters and covers the period related to the first settlers from the Low Countries in the 12th century till 1916. On Monday 16th of December at 15:00 the book will be presented at the Belgian Ambassador’s Residence. Participation can be confirmed to alexandra.trandafir@diplobel.fed.be The next BEROBA power lunch is scheduled for Tuesday 03.12.13 at 12:00 in Marshall Garden Hotel with as guest speaker lawyer Cunescu Balaciu . The BEROBA Xmas drink will take place at 18:30 on Thursday 12.12.13 in the Dacia showroom, Splai Unirii 311. Confirm your participation to alain@vanmoergroup.com. 2014 Membership: members pay 100 Euro for Silver and 750 Euro for Gold card. New members 150 and 1000 Euro

……….Flash ………. Former Belgian Prime Minister and current leader of the ALDE Group in the European Parliament Guy Verhofstadt received a Doctor Honoris Causa title at the SNSPA Bucharest* Belgian decorations for Vasile Pu şcă, mayor of Valea Lung ă, who was bestowed Knight in the Order of the Crown and prof Ioan Mang , former President of the Belgian Romanian Parliamentary Group , who may carry the title of Officer in the Order of Leopold * Dr Jan Demaere was appointed coordinator for Craiova European cultural capital 2021 * CAROMB is the newest business platform in Brussels aiming the promotion of Romanian products to Belgium and presenting Romania as an investment destination – ivan.lokere@alinso.eu ……….Agenda ………. 01.12 Brussels Royal Conservatory – 20:00 concert of Olga Busuioc (soprano) and London Schubert Players Quartet * 07-08.12 afternoon Diest Begijnhof – seventh Xmas market organized by the Diest Romania Committee * 02.12 Brussels Romanian Cultural Institute - writer and politican Varujan Vosganian will present his latest book comprising 6 stories: The dance of the 100 leaves and other stories* 06.12 Uccle – Centre Culturel : painting exhibition dedicated to Romanian contemporary artists, most of them from Alba County . The exhibition will be accompanied by a presentation of folklore, culture and gastronomy heritage from the Alba county* 11.12 Râşnov 10:00 : Psicontrol presents its strategic partnership and future plans in Romania. For participation: fdrh@psicontrol.com* 15.12 Meerhout Gildenhuis 13:00 – Christmas market with Romanian products organized by Roemenië Werking Meerhout in support of its Romanian twinning municipality Pasar