The Embassy of Finland in Hungary assists enterprises by transferring data and establishing relations, e.g. with Hungarian offices, the enterpreneurial sector, consultants, and lawyers. Occasionally the Embassy can make gates open by its own means.
The Embassy monitors political and economic developments in Hungary, and provides information to companies at request. The Embassy may inform an enterprise on its own standpoint as regards any business risks, dangers, and conceptions affecting the business environment.
The Embassy answers commercial and economic inquiries in cooperation with the Budapest office of Finpro. In the event that the Embassy cannot fulfil a request, it attempts to direct the inquirer to the proper location. In most cases, Finpro network services are suitable to use.
Besides the above, the Embassy organises various promotional events in order to encourage trade and investments in cooperation with companies and taking local features into consideration. It is worth contacting the Embassy in due time and inquire about possibilities.
The Embassy participates in preparations for official visits between Finland and Hungary; it informs Hungarian and Finnish official bodies, associations, and companies thereof. Companies can make use of these visits in the framework of cooperation with the Embassy.
Finpro is an expert and service organization whose mission is to speed up the internationalization of Finnish businesses while minimizing the risks involved. Finpro promotes Finnish Business Solutions Worldwide.
Finpro's Finland Trade Center Network in 41 countries forms a unique expert and service resource for the use of the private and public sectors in Finland, and is open to cooperation with partners in both sectors. The Finland Trade Center Network's activities depend to a notable extent on funding from the public purse, which helps to guarantee that the services can be offered at a price level that is acceptable, particularly to the SME sector and growth companies.
Finpro Hungary is a part of Finpro's Central and Southeast European regional organization with Trade Center network in Czech Republic, Austria, Romania and Turkey as well as partner network covering the whole region. Finpro Hungary's operational area covers Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria, Switzerland, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia and Turkey.
Finpro Central and Southeast Europe's activities are based on industrial specialization. We have specialized teams in the following industry sectors: Information and Communication Technologies, Logistics, Construction & Infra, Environmental technologies, Forestry, Food Chain, and Energy & Basic Industries.
The Finland Trade Center offers businesses services, especially those relating to market entry and market position consolidation, as well as market intelligence.
Typical customized service products include market analyses, partner search and evaluation, and analyses of distribution channels. Typical examples of competence areas where Finnish enterprises are taking increasing advantage of the services of Finpro's local staff in Finland Trade Centers include company acquisitions, transfer of manufacturing facilities outside Finland, and rapid opening of new outlets.
On one hand, the service potential of the Finland Trade Center is based on the staff's long experience of Finnish business, industry, the most important sectors in the market area and the internalization of Finnish companies, and on the other hand, on the staff's experience of economy and business culture of the market area in question.
The Finnish Trade Guild was established in 1991. It is intended to promote cooperation between companies and individuals involved in the Hungarian-Finnish trade business. The guild has 60 members.
The 5-member board includes: chairman Mertsi Lindfors, vice-chairman Timo Pohjolainen, secretary Ilana Varga, finances Heikki Koski, projects Risto Junttila.
The guild admits both companies and private individuals into its membership. Applications in any format can be sent to the secretary, Ilana Varga (ilana.varga(at)hunfintrade.com).
There are clubs and guilds promoting Finnish trade in almost all European countries, headed by the Central Association of Finnish Trade Guild.
The total investment of Finnish companies in Hungary amounts to approx. billion EUR. There are about 170 Finnish subsidiaries, joint ventures, and agencies in Hungary. Nokia has a manufacturing plant as well as a research and development centre; Elcoteq has two manufacturing plants; and Sanoma Oy (Sanoma Budapest) is a leader on the magazine market. Finnish companies are estimated to employ some 20 000 Hungarians.
Finnish-Hungarian trade turnover has increased in recent years. Based on a report of Finpro, Finland delivered goods to Hungary in a total amount of 355,5 million EUR in 2007 and Hungary exported goods to Finland in a total amount of 387 million EUR, therefore the trade balance is at a debit of 31,5 million EUR.
