Traditionally, the first event organized by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Katowice in the new year was a meeting of meeting of representatives of the business community, local government, politics and science, who discussed business and development plans, as well as directions for companies for 2024. The Economic Opening of the Year combined with an open meeting of Member Companies, an annual event on the calendar of the Chamber of Commerce and industry in Katowice, took place on January 22 this year in the tropical setting of the Exotarium Environmental Education Center in Sosnowiec.
The year 2024 is another year of new challenges and experiences for entrepreneurs. Recent years have shown that the economy is shaken by unexpected events. This will certainly be a time of continuation of many conflicts that have begun, and their course will affect the economy. We are also facing a number of events that are important for the Polish and global economy – including local elections in Poland, as well as presidential elections in the US. All this will be compounded by the increasingly widespread use of artificial intelligence. What will the new next years bring? What can we expect in 2024? These and other factors were discussed at the Economic Opening of the Year.
–This is going to be a year of challenges, adventures and, I hope, also successes and satisfaction. What this economy will look like, how we will create it – depends on us, on our ability to work together – stressed Tomasz Zjawiony, President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Katowice, organizer of the event.
The declaration of cooperation and synergy of activities was presented by representatives of government authorities, provincial and local governments, as well as representatives of business-related institutions.
Silesian Governor Marek Wójcik spoke about the need for changes in the Silesian Provincial Office.
-We are diagnosing the problems. There are 50,000 pending job applications for foreigners in the state. We have embarked on a reorganization in this regard, with the aim of speeding up these processes. An important task for me is that administrative decisions in the office are made as quickly as possible – stressed Marek Wojcik, the Silesian governor.
Vice Marshall of the Silesian Voivodeship, Anna Jedynak-Rykała spoke about the opportunity for the region’s EU funds to support entrepreneurship.
– The Silesian Voivodeship has one of the largest EU funding programs in Poland and the highest in its history. Funds from the Just Transition Fund amount to more than 2 billion euros. More than PLN 3 billion has been announced in competitions and distributed to local government entities, educational units and entrepreneurs. The remaining funds will be announced this year. Funds related to the development of entrepreneurship and support for innovation, in grant and repayable instruments, are an opportunity for our province. I invite you to cooperate with our Investor and Exporter Service Center -encouraged Anna Jedynak-Rykała.
One of the development symbols of the region may be the Ecological Education Center – Exotarium in Sosnowiec. In the newly opened facility, which was built in the place of an old one with a tradition of several decades, you will find three main zones: tropical, Mediterranean and desert – a cacti room, as well as numerous aquariums, the largest of which , dedicated to the waters of the Amazon River, has 35 thousand liters.
The impressive venue welcomed participants to the Economic Opening of the Year by its host, Sosnowiec Mayor Arkadiusz Chęcinski.
– An investment has been made that we can be proud of. All this was possible thanks to joint work, combined European and municipal funds. Thank you entrepreneurs for being with us, you can always count on us local government officials – stressed the Sosnowiec mayor.
The investment in Sosnowiec, which complements the region’s offer with a new leisure activity with educational value, also pleased the mayor of Katowice, a city that was a Partner of the Economic Opening of the Year.
– The title of the European City of Science 2024 awarded to Katowice is an appreciation of the entire region and a demonstration of its potential. We are strong and together we can fight for more. The so-called golden triangle – science, local government and business is the clue of our development – Marcin Krupa concluded.
Janusz Michalek and Mateusz Rykała, President and Vice President of the Katowice Special Economic Zone summed up the record year for the Zone, which for the seventh time in a row has been recognized as the best Zone in Europe (out of several thousand existing ones), it also has the second place in the world.
– The success wouldn’t have been possible withoit entrepreneurs and local government officials. We have 27 years of transformation, more than 100,000 jobs, 900 completed investment projects, 48 billion zlotys invested. Our treasure is people. We are able to get along across divisions, we work passionately for our region – said the President of the KSEZ.
The fact that the Silesian region is the economic heart of Poland can be evidenced by the establishment of a new government administration unit – the Ministry of Industry, based in Katowice. Special guest of the Economic Opening of the Year – Minister of Industry, dr hab. Marzena Czarnecka, spoke about the need to listen to the needs of business, which is to be served, among other things, by a specially established Department of Business Information; She presented the competencies of the Ministry, which begins operations on March 1 at the headquarters of the Polish Mining Group.
–In 2022, I said at a conference that “I have a dream” for this ministry to be established, in order to raise the people of our region and show that we Silesians and Zagłębie people know how to do more – the Industry Minister emphasized
The ministry’s area of activity will include not only mining, as a descending industry, but also nuclear, hydrogen, gas and oil policy. A department dedicated to raw materials and energy transition will be important.
– We have an outdated energy mix. The first step that awaits us as residents of the Silesian region is to show which way we should go. I support the idea of building so-called green zones. This is an opportunity for business to operate according to the requirements of the ESG directive. I hope to mobilize funds from the KPO, the new Silesian Transformation Fund, fed from the Treasury and the Modernization Fund – added Minister Marzena Czarnecka.
The event was at the same time a Meeting of CCI Member Companies in Katowice and an opportunity to welcome new entrepreneurs who have joined the Chamber, as well as to present CCI projects and ideas for 2024.
The new vice presidents of the CCI, elected at the December meeting of the Chamber’s Council, received their appointments. President Tomasz Zjawiony presented the composition of the new presidium of the Arbitration Court, and also handed out the nomination of the Ombudsman for Entrepreneurs for 2023-28.
The next meeting of CCI Member Companies – will be held already on February 19. More details coming soon!
We welcome the new CCI Member Companies:
- PERITUS-ACT Sp. z o.o.
- CUDOTWÓRNIA Sp. z o.o.
- GPP S.A.
- BAKARD ENERGIA Sp. z o.o.
- SMART SELLING GROUP Dariusz Gawron
- JARED Sp. z o.o.
- Ideal Place Monika Biolik
- Izabela Jakubek Kreowanie Wizerunku
- Teatr Zagłębia
