Romania, 3rd destination for future FDI

Romania and Russia will be sharing the number three spot in Central and Eastern Europe in terms of foreign direct investment (FDI) soon, with Poland and the Czech Republic on the top two positions, according to a survey based on the responses of investment experts in various regions and released by UNCTAD. FDI inflows are expected to increase in food and beverages, motor vehicles and other transport equipment and, to a lesser extent, in publishing and media, and electrical and electronics industries, UNCTAD says. The perception of improved prospects for FDI in the services sector is broad-based among the 87 experts surveyed and includes such industries as construction and real estate, retail and wholesale trade, transport, education and health, business services, computer-related services, banking and insurance. Accession to the European Union for many of the countries in this region should give them a new competitive edge, respondents believe. Most of them were optimistic about the region’s FDI prospects for both the short term (71%) and medium term (77%). ZF