Message-ID: <MAC.960311140851@maine.maine.EDU> Date: Mon, 11 Mar 1996 14:08:51 EST From: "Dennis McConnell - UMaine, U.S.A." <mailto:mac@MAINE.MAINE.EDU> Subject: REC Business Information Service - Budapest To: Multiple recipients of list DEVEL-L <mailto:DEVEL-L@AMERICAN.EDU>
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Business Information Service
Regional Environmental Center
Budapest, Hungary
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ABOUT THE REGIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER (REC)
The Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe
is an independent, non-profit, international organization. The
REC was established in 1990 by the United States, the European
Commission, and Hungary. Nine other countries have since become
sponsors.
The REC assists environmental nongovernmental organizations
(NGOs), governments, businesses, and other environmental stake-
holders in Central and Eastern Europe to fulfill their role in a
democratic, sustainable society. Specifically, the REC's mission
is to promote cooperation among diverse groups and interests; to
act as a catalyst for developing solutions to environmental
problems; and to promote the development of civil society.
Beneficiary countries are Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech
Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, FYR Macedonia,
Poland, Romania, Slovak Republic, and Slovenia. In addition to
its headquarters and local office in Budapest, the REC has local
offices in Tirana, Sofia, Zagreb, Riga, Skopje, Warsaw, Buchar-
est, Bratislava, and Ljubljana.
The newest addition to the REC's Information Exchange Team is the
Business Information Service.
BUSINESS INFORMATION SERVICE (BIS)
PURPOSE: The purpose of the Business Information Service is to
assist and encourage the business sector and industry to adopt
sustainable development practices in Central and Eastern Europe,
and to help build local capacity to solve environmental problems
in a way consistent with the principles of sustainable develop-
ment.
COVERAGE: The service currently covers the countries of Hungary,
Poland, Czech Republic and Slovak Republic. In 1996, the scope
will be expanded to three more countries of the Region.
BIS AREAS OF OPERATION:
INFORMATION AND RESEARCH SERVICES
* Information Services (tailored research);
* Environmental Legislation in English;
* Partnering Service;
* Technology Information;
* Market Scans and Business Information;
* Access to international data resources through Internet and to
the REC's existing environmental databases.
WORKSHOP AND TRAINING PROGRAMS
In 1995, the BIS organized workshops, "Competing in the New
Environmental Marketplace: A Workshop for Environmental Profes-
sionals," in Poland, the Czech Republic, the Slovak Republic, and
Hungary. Topics included: Environmental Regulations and EU har-
monization, ISO 14000, and financing environmental projects.
PUBLICATIONS:
o Environmental Business Directory: Environmental Service and
Technology Providers in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland,
and the Slovak Republic
o The Emerging Environmental Market : A Survey for the Czech
Republic, Hungary, Poland, and the Slovak Republic
o Government and Environment: A Directory of Governmental
Organizations with Environmental Responsibilities for Central
and Eastern Europe
o Workshop Proceedings: Competing in the New Environmental
Marketplace
CAPABILITIES
The Business Information Service provides information services in the
following areas :
o Applicable environmental regulations;
o Information on local firms providing environmental services and
products;
o Types of projects in the CEE region which fall within a company's
field of expertise;
o Potential sources of funding for environment-related projects in
CEE;
o Governmental agencies dealing with environmental protection;
o Local environmental technologies in use;
o Market scans to determine project opportunities
Since the Business Information Service has started in the Autumn
1995, clients have included : Procter & Gamble; Andersen Consult-
ing; Thyssen AG; KAP spol; Energy Environment Inc.; Vaccani,
Zweig & Associates; EMS-Budapest; U.S. Government; and Austrian
Government.
Examples of work done in the past include:
o Survey of the waste management market (waste generated,
treatment, ecycling, regulations, and active companies) in
the Visegrad countries
o List of companies providing waste composting services and
technologies in CEE
o Collection of regulations dealing with chemical product
registration in CEE countries
o Survey of Polish country regulations to determine discharge
limits for selenium
o Listing of trade associations related to environmental pro-
tection in the Visegrad countries
o Survey of demand for environmental technologies in Visegrad
Countries
o Survey of Polish and Hungarian environmental legislation
BIS INFORMATION RESOURCES:
In its work, the Business Information Service uses the following
information resources:
o REC information specialists, and in-country experts
o Database of CEE Environmental Companies
o Country Environmental Regulations in English
o Environmental Guidelines for Investors
o European Union Environmental Regulations, (including compara-
tive analysis of current environmental regulations in most
CEE countries)
o Comparative Database of CEE Country Environmental Standards
o Local Market Information
o Trade and Business Guides
o Listing of Conferences and Trade Fairs in CEE
o Directory of Government, Environmental Ministries, and other
environment-related agencies
o Project Financing Information
o Directory of Western Business Promotion Agencies Operating in
CEE
o Country Environmental Status Reports in English
If you are interested in how the Business Information Service
could assist you with your specific information needs, please
contact :
Mr. Pawel Kazmierczyk
The Regional Environmental Center
Business Information Service
Miklos ter 1
1035 Budapest, Hungary
Phone: (36-1) 250-3401
Fax: (36-1) 250-3403
Email: mailto:PAWEL@fs2.bp.rec.hu
WWW Home Page: http://www.rec.hu/
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