[Index]
UNECE moves forward to facilitate
industrial restructuring
in European transition economies
UNECE Round Table
Conference room XIX, Palais des Nations, Geneva
12-13 February 2002
Geneva, 11 February 2002
Dismantling non-viable enterprises, enhancing the
competitiveness of industries, assisting deteriorating towns and regions,
and avoiding employment losses – these are the daunting tasks facing the
transition countries which will meet at the Palais des Nations on 12 and 13
February 2002 to discuss issues of industrial restructuring.
The Round Table entitled "Industrial Restructuring
in European Transition Economies: Experience to Date and Prospects",
organized by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) will
bring together representatives of governments, labour unions, the private
sector and academic institutions from the ECE region. They will try to
identify best practices in handling the painful and often politically
sensitive issues of restructuring non-competitive industries and creating
new enterprises in transition economies. The successful experience of
dealing with these problems is particularly important for single industry
towns and areas in transition countries, where thousands of people are
suffering from the legacy of inefficient territorial planning of the past.
Participants at the Round Table will share their
experience on the key issue of domestic and foreign financing to cover the
costs of industrial restructuring. The role of central and local authorities
in creating a favourable business climate conducive to strategic direct
investment from abroad will also be discussed.
The experience of industrial restructuring in developed
and transition economies has shown that its success depends on the close
collaboration of all interested parties from industries, various levels of
government, labour and consumer associations. The Round Table will examine
the conditions of social consensus on the objectives, mechanisms and
acceptable costs of industrial restructuring to be reached by major
stakeholders in transition countries. Finally, the participants will discuss
and adopt recommendations to governments focusing on further action required
to advance the restructuring in these countries.
For further information please contact:
Iouri Adjoubei
UNECE Coordinating Unit for Operational Activities
Palais des Nations
CH – 1211 GENEVA 10
Tel: + 41(0)22 917 24 88
Fax: + 41(0)22 917 01 78
E-mail: [email protected]
Ref: ECE/OPA/02/03