1. EURASIAN CUSTOM UNION
&BELARUS
JUST THE EXPERIENCE OF A BELGIAN
Ing.Filip Vandenbroele
Hon. Consul of Belgium to Belarus

2. Filip A.G. Vandenbroele
 °Brugge, 1961
 Engineer in biochemistry food&winetechnology
 Purchaser for a mayor EU supermarket group

3. Since 1993 in CIS
« it is easy to become a millionnaire here, but you have to be a billionair first »
EDAH EDA

4. SOYUZKONTRAKT
1993-1998
 Dutch-Russian holding
 Largest food importer in Russia
 Bush legs & distribution FMCG
 Tysson foods, Farmland, Land-o-lakes, Unilever, Herschi
cola, Hero, Grolsch, Maple river
 Responsible for several projects
 Best Supermarket and C&C ‘96
 Pilot store
Dutch partner (and me) left on time
RIP 1998

5. MARKOM Ukraine
1998-2000
 Wines&Spirits : Bacardi-Martini, Calvet,
Johnnie Walker, Hennessy, Interbrew,
Evian,....
 Food : Albi, Seeberger, Gundelsheim, dr
Oetker, Destrooper
 Group of supermarkets & restaurants
 hug e m arke t share , but did no t like to spo nso r
pre side ntialcam paig n UA

6. Komsokol IP Belarus
2000-2004 till now
 Production of garden furniture near Minsk
 One of first purchases of state property
 200-250 trucks export to Belgium- 100-150
staff
 Fast growth of a Belgian KMO after
investment BY

7. Honorary consul
of the Kingdom of Belgiumto the Republic of Belarus
since 2004
-Belgium representation in Belarus
-Link to Embassy in Moscow for Consular affairs
-Assistance to Belgian citizens
-Humanitarian and cultural exchange
-Economical development and relations
-Local information source
Voluntary and not paid
http://consulbel.at.tut.by

8. Honorary consul
of the Kingdomof Belgiumto the Republic of Belarus

9. Some activities
 Exposition Belgian lace in National
bibliotheque
 EU business networking events
 Friendship fire men and cities
 DEVE gallery Bruges www.deve-gallery.com
 Seminars and business talks JCI, Europa
college, rotary, business clubs, VOKA, FIT
 Sports events
 FICAC World Association of Honorary consuls
Allto stim ulate e co no m icalactivitie s with

10. Activities

11. Honorary Consul
 Obligations to the
public
 Function not
understood by both
parties
 Expensive hobby
 Not paid
 Free to fill in
 Prestige & opens
doors
 Some privileges and
immunities
 Important business
and social network
To consider Also to consider

12. Consultbel bvba
 Our business : start ups, problem solving , networking
& lobby, local representation in Belarus
 References & partners :
 www.consultbel.com

13. Questions & cases
 Big and small EU compagnies, often in
Moscow
 Main fields: logistics, hypermarkets, pharma,
global brand companies and producers.
 We are happy to be first guide
But too often problem solving when too late
(confiscation, liquidation, incassation, stealing, unclear financial rapporting )
BY unknown EU-Rus neighbour, unfortunately still bad
reputation
After visit, always good impression : clean, safe and

14. Belarus

15. Belarus
 Population 9,7 million
 GDP per person 5.330 USD, still small growth
 Inflation 20%
 Average salaries increased, but productivity
not
 Big gabs in salaries
 10.000 millionaires, 800.000 BY in Russia
 World bank & IFC “Doing Business 2013”
BY improved now on 58 th place (B 33, Rus
112)

16. BELARUS

17. Belarus import & export
 50% Rus 50 % EU
 Import : minerals 41%; machines 9,4%; cars 7,6%; steel
5,6%; electronics 4,1%
 Export : minerals 35,5%; transport 10,3%; meststoffen
9,4%; machines 4,6%; dairy 4,3%
 BY-B : 240 million import, 124 million export
 Now negotiations WTO.
 Result increased competition
 Now difficulties to Russia in dairy, food, agro machinery

18. Belarus
Transport and logistics
2 transeuropean transport corridors 2&4

19. Warehouses & logistic centres in
Belarus
 2.600.000 sqm warehouses
 362.000 sqm class A&B in 22 locations
 4 major private logistic centres (35.000sqm)
 Important share of Beltamozhservice
 Plan government : 15 new warehouses till
2015
www.prilesie.com 150.000 sqm

20. Belarus & transport
 Total cargo 462 million Tons/y
 36% automobile 4500 companies +44%
 33% Train 154 million T of which 45,6 transit
 30% pipeline oil& gas

21. Belarus & transit
Confusing signals
 Not forgotten : confiscation policy in 2000-
2004
 Still problems with transit (often mistake
documents and no presence=quick reaction not easy)
 Still big concurn : stable economy, predictable
legislation, trustworthdy gouverment
 Difference between Minsk and regions
 Logistic infrastructure (warehousing) not yet
 Facts : low foreign investments, little business
presence, small country, bureaucracy,…


22. Custom Union
confusion signals from
presentations
 Simplifying
procedures for
individuals
 Electronic
declaration
 More members CU
 WTO & competition
 tariffs from 10% to
7,8%
 VAT
 Custom clearance at
borders
 Principe of residence
 Promising but not
realised infrastructure
 Difficult political
relations
positive negative

23. But:
 Long term : Euroasian Union more and more economical player in
world wide trade, particular between EU and Asia.
 2011-2020 : carrying over of custom control on external borders
(internal order of 8 nov 2010: 42 custom offices in Moscow
dissolved, 19 newly found custom offices)
 Moscow saturation traffic jams, lack of available place, high costs.
 Just in time more and more important for all companies
 Belarus offers unique geostrategic location, excellent roads,
competent workforce at relatively good price (excellent specialists,
hard work, russian speakers who think european), still possibilites
in locations and opportunities
 Extra market of 10 million, next to Europe
 Safe & clean, low corruption

24. Do and Don’ts
 Respect documents and administration
 Never be tempted to brown envelops
 Keep low profile and know your strategy
 Ask information first or help to professionals
 Consider local presence (rep office, local
partner, activity)
 Study if interesting without prejudgments
 Be social

25. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
ATTENTION
Filip Vandenbroele
Honorary Consul of Belgium to Belarus
http://consulbel.at.tut.by
consulbel@tut.by