The impetus is provided by the approaching 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics. Opportunities for German companies will be the topic of a joint German-Brazilian Symposium on April 29 in Rio de Janeiro.
Under the moniker “Starting Shot-Sporting Events”, Germany Trade & Invest and the German-Brazilian Chamber of Industry and Commerce in Rio de Janeiro are hosting the symposium to mark the visit to Brazil by Rainer Bruderle, Federal Minister of Economics and Technology of the Federal Republic of Germany.
Since the beginning of the year, the eighth-largest economy in the world has returned to stable economic growth. Forecasts place the country’s GDP growth rate between five and seven percent for the year. The approaching large-scale sporting events are growth drivers.
In total, US$ 53 billion are expected to be invested for the World Cup and Olympics. The emphasis will be on local public transportation, stadiums, security and environmental technologies, in addition to the tourism infrastructure.
Small and medium German businesses (SMEs), known as the Mittelstand, face especially attractive market entry conditions for the sporting events due to their expertise in areas like sustainable development, water management, sanitation, as well as in information technology, logistics, transportation security or efficient traffic management.
The “Starting Shot Sporting Events – German-Brazilian Cooperation for Security, Sustainability, and Infrastructure” event will present the pending investment plans. Rainer Bruderle, Federal Minister of Economics and Technology, and Dr. Guilherme Stussi Neves, President of the German-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Rio de Janeiro, will open the event.
Speakers will include Julio Bueno, State Secretary for Economic Development, Energy, Industry and Services of Rio de Janeiro, Carlos Mariani Bittencourt, First Vice President of the Industry Association FIRJAN (Federation of Rio de Janeiro’s Industries), Wanderley Mariz, Undersecretary for International Relations in the Communal Government of Rio de Janeiro, as well as Dr. Stefan Zoller, Member of the EADS Executive Committee in Germany.
In the ensuing discussion forums on sustainable planning and stadium operations, on infrastructure and mobility, as well as on security, representatives will speak on behalf of the federal state of Rio de Janeiro as well as various German companies, including gmp – Architekten von Gerkan, Marg und Partner, Rohde & Schwarz Vertriebs-GmbH, Deutsche Flugsicherung and Dermalog Identification Systems GmbH. Dr. Jurgen Friedrich, Chief Executive of Germany Trade & Invest, will moderate the symposium.
Germany Trade & Invest is the foreign trade and inward investment promotion agency of the Federal Republic of Germany. The organization advises foreign companies looking to expand their business activities to the German market. It also provides information on foreign trade to German companies that seek to enter foreign markets.