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Archive for July, 2022

RIGA FOOD 2022 – food fair and hybrid matchmaking event

Your company is invited to participate at popular exhibition and international platform for b2b matchmaking event, that connects companies looking for production partners with manufacturers, service providers and suppliers within the food industry. It gives you a possibility to research the latest trends in food industry, giving an insight of technological development and new products.

More information and registration open until 09.09.2022 on page https://rf2022.b2match.io/

BALTTECHNIKA 2022: engineering and technology exhibition and matchmaking event

You are invited to participate at popular fair and B2B Matchmaking Session, which will bring together local and foreign manufacturers and enterprises, SMEs, R&D institutions, start-ups, clusters, associations, aiming to provide an opportunity for participants to meet potential buyers and suppliers, engage in international business cooperation or projects. The focus is on new manufacturing technologies, expertise and IT solutions that could be shared among European industry representatives.

B2B target fields:

  • Plastics and rubber
  • Metal processing and machinery
  • Electric components and equipment, electronics, etc.
  • Advanced Manufacturing Technologies
  • Digital Industry Transformation
  • Automation, Robotics, Digitalization
  • IT Solutions for Industry
  • Industrial Efficiency
  • Technology Transfer
  • Industry Innovations

Registration is open until 12.10.2022 with additional information on page: https://matchmaking-industry-40-2022-edition.b2match.io/

Supply chain resilience online platform now OPEN – create new international contacts

The aim of the platform is to establish new contacts  and help companies maintain, restructure, or replace existing supply chains, as well as to obtain raw materials, parts, components, or services needed to continue production or activities.

We invite you to register your company profile and interests on the platform in order to establish new cooperation contacts and secure your international supply chain.

Platform focus areas: agriculture and food, construction, digital, electronics, energy-intensive industries, health, mobility, transport, automotive, raw materials, renewable energy, textiles.

The platform was created by the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN), in cooperation with the European Cluster Cooperation Platform, supported by the European Commission and EISMEA.

In addition, European Commission survey on supply chain disruptions remains open, in order to anticipate and find solutions: EUSurvey – Survey (europa.eu)

Additional information: b2b matchmaking platform https://supply-chain-resilience-platform.b2match.io/ or lea@koda.ee or 604 0060

Overview of Recent Legal Acts

More than 150 legal acts entered into force at the end of June and beginning of July, several of these amendments have an impact on companies. For example, the Products and Services Accessibility Act entered into force, according to which certain products and services will have to be more easily accessible for handicapped persons. Furthermore, the Commercial Code will soon be updated with an amendment, which imposes an additional obligation on board members. Positive news is that at the end of June, an amendment entered into force, which allows aliens employed in Estonia for short term, to register in the list of family physicians. 

Accessibility of Products and Services Act entered into force 
On 28 June, the Accessibility of Products and Services Act entered into force, according to the new act certain products and services will have to meet accessibility requirements in the future. This means that certain products and services will have to be accessible through at least two different senses so that people with disabilities could consume these products and services. For example, if a partially sighted person will wish to use the ATM machine, they will have to have the opportunity to do that without using their sight, e.g. through hearing. 

The new act will establish accessibility requirements for e-readers, payment terminals, ticket machines, registration machines, ATMs or payment machines, interactive self-service terminals that provide information, devices that provide access to audio-visual media services (e.g. set-top boxes, routers, remote controls), devices enabling services of electronic communication (e.g. tablets, desktop computers, smartphones), and hardware and operation systems (e.g. software, computer mouse, printer, scanner).  

Among the services to be made accessible through at least two senses are: ecommerce services (e.g. various e-shops), e-books and software used for their reading, electronic communication service (e.g. cable service, internet access and telephone communication), financial services (i.e. financial services provided through mobile devices, websites and self-service terminals), parts of the carriage of passengers service of public transport (i.e. website, electronic ticket and ticket sales of the respective service, providing transport information, providing real time travel information, interactive information displays and self-service terminal), and service for providing access to audio-visual services (e.g. electronic TV programs, mobile applications and websites). 

In addition to the law, the accessibility requirements of products and services are elaborated on in the Regulation “Functional Accessibility Requirements for Products and Services and Requirements for Information Provided”.  

Furthermore, the new act foresees that information on the functioning of the product or service, and accessibility elements of the product should, if possible, be presented in or on the product, in the accompanying user manual, or made available in any other manner, including as a manual that can be found on the website. 

Companies with less than 10 employees and annual turnover or balance less than two million euros are exempt from the new requirements. The rest of the companies may be exempt from the new requirements only in exceptional cases. A respective application should be submitted to the Consumer Protection and Technical Supervision Board, the Board will assess the measures the company is requited to apply to increase accessibility to their products and services. 

Although the new act entered into force on 28 June 2022, the accessibility requirements will be applicable for new products from 28 June 2025. For the products that were available on the market or that were used for the provision of services before 28 June 2025, the accessibility requirements will become applicable from 28 June 2030. Thus, companies have time to adjust to the new requirements. 

If a company fails to fulfil the accessibility requirements in the future, a fine may be imposed in the amount of up to €20,000. 

See also: Products and Services Accessibility Act and Functional Accessibility Requirements for Products and Services and Requirements for Information Provided  

New obligation for Boards 
On 1 July, the Commercial Code will be updated with the principle that if the economic situation of a private limited company or public limited company has deteriorated and solvency in the future is probable, the Board has to take measures to overcome economic difficulties, restore liquidity, improve profitability and ensure sustainable business, including consider submitting an application for reorganisation. The same obligation is applicable for the Boards of non-profit organisations and foundations, as well as the legal representatives of general partnership. The Chamber has previously made a proposal for the legal committee of the Parliament to leave the amendments regarding the Board members out of the law, but this proposal was not taken into account. 

See more: Commercial Code 

Aliens employed in Estonia for short term can be included in the list of family physicians 
Amendment of the Health Services Organisation Act entered into force on 30 June. According to the amendment aliens who are staying in Estonia under a temporary basis and have a health insurance can register in the list of a family physician. This means that aliens working in Estonia for short term can register for a family physician. At the moment, only aliens staying in Estonia based on a residence permit can register in the list of a family physician.  

See also: Health Services Organisation Act 

Should you have any questions regarding the legal acts that are to enter into force soon, please contact the lawyers of the Chamber by writing to juristid@koda.ee

Opportunities to promotion in Japan

The EU-Japan Centre is providing to EU start-ups and innovative SMEs with interest in Japan the opportunity to promote themselves toward Japanese audience during three virtual events.

Acceleration Program by Keihanna Science City
Online pitching session in September 2022
(Free of charge when nominated by the EU-Japan Centre)

Global Innovation Forum Osaka
Online exhibition from 30 Sept., online pitch on 27 Oct. and B2B sessions 9-10 Nov. 2022
(Free of charge when nominated by the EU-Japan Centre)

The Innovation Leaders Summit
Onsite & online matchmaking on 29 Nov. – 2 Dec. 2022
(Preferential participation fee when nominated by the EU-Japan Centre)

Target areas:
• Chemicals / New Materials
• Digital Health / Care / Preventive Medicine
• Renewable Energy / Environmental / Decarbonization / Smart Grid
• VR / AR / MR
• Semiconductors / Electronic Components / Batteries / Photonics
• Artificial Intelligence / Big Data / Blockchain
• Robotics / Mobility / Wearable Devices / Smart Devices
• Sensing / Telcom / 5G & 6G / IoT / M2M
• Biotechnology / Plant-Based Meat / Agri Tech / Food Tech / Aquafarming
• Construction / Civil Engineering / Smart Home / Smart City
• Retail / Logistics
• BI / Cloud Computing / Marketing / O2O
• New Drugs / Medical Equipment / Telemedicine / Regenerative Medicine
• Finance / Insurance / Virtual Currency / Cybersecurity

Applicants will undergo a screening of their applications which can be followed by a video call interview.

Application deadline: 1 August 2022

More details about the 3 events and application form on:
https://form.jotform.com/221846981274465

CONNECTO 2022: manufacturing, digital services, tourism

Meet new people and strike new deals!

INTERA Technology Park Mostar, together with the co-organisers and partners, and with the support of the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN), is providing you with an opportunity to find partners, clients or suppliers in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), the Western Balkans region or anywhere in the world.

The hybrid event implies that the entire program will be equally visible and accessible to on-site visitors and those participating online. Everything will be held in the premises of INTERA Technology Park as well as on the online web platform

Which sectors?

Whether you are in manufacturing, digital services or tourism – you are most welcome! Here are some of the sectors we’d like to see more of, but definitely not limited to:

  • Digitalization
  • ICT and telecommunications
  • Products and semi-products of metal, wood and plastic
  • Engineering, design and consulting services
  • Construction industry
  • Industrial and construction tools and machines
  • Winemaking, Agriculture and Food
  • Tourism, sport and recreation

But don’t be discouraged to utilize this networking opportunity just because you are not the member of BiH diaspora – on the contrary! CONNECTO 2022 is open for everyone worldwide!

Official languages:

  • Conference – English and BCS (Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian)
  • B2B meetings – English and BCS
  • Webinars – BCS

Participation at CONNECTO 2022 conference and B2B meetings is free of charge. More information: CONNECTO 2022 – Home

Important dates

June 1st – July 15th, 2022Registration and business profile completion
July 18 – 25, 2022booking B2B meetings
July 26, 2022CONNECTO 2022 conference
July 26 – 28, 2022B2B meetings
July 27 – 28, 2022Webinars