This year's edition of the CEI Business Forum, under the title SME Development: CEI Experience from non-EU to EU, was held on 6 December 2012 at the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, in Kyiv, with the participation of representatives of 13 CEI Member States.
The conference was divided into two plenary sessions: one dedicated to Global Crisis and Reaction by the Business Community and one to SME Development in CEI Member States: Challenges and Opportunities. The opening session was chaired by the Secretary General of the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Viktor Yanovsky. Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine, Viktor Mayko reaffirmed the commitment of Ukraine to regional cooperation as well as to euro-integration processes, and welcomed participants on behalf of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Kostyantyn Gryshchenko. CEI Deputy Secretary General, Zoran Jovanovic pointed out that the SME sector is among the CEI priority areas and added that, in this respect, the business communities of CEI Member Countries could rely on the supporting instruments offered by the CEI. for more information: jovanovic@cei.int