Meeting with the Ambassador of the Republic of Chile H.E. Jorge Tagle

The Ambassador of the Republic of Chile H.E. Jorge Tagle, accredited for Bulgaria, based in Romania, visited the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry during his first trip to our country. The President of BCCI Tsvetan Simeonov talked with him and Andrés Barahona, Consul of the Republic of Chile in Sofia. The discussion was pragmatic and focused on concrete steps to connect companies from both countries.

Ambassador Tagle informed that there is interest from Chilean companies to establish contact with Bulgarian companies importing and processing fish and seafood, as this sector is extremely well developed in the South American country. The diplomat pointed out that Chile traditionally exports copper /45% of total exports/, successfully develops construction, agriculture, wine production and tourism, but this year, due to the global epidemiological situation the number of tourists in the country is very small.

The Ambassador recalled that since 2005 trade between the EU and Chile has been based on the Association Agreement, and since 2017 an active procedure for its update has been in place. EU - Chile Preferential Trade Agreement is also being negotiated.

Bilateral trade between Chile and Bulgaria in 2019 amounted to USD 52.8 million according to customs statistics, but its volume decreased in 2020. Tsvetan Simeonov stressed that the distance between the two countries is a factor in bilateral trade, but the BCCI will support interested companies from Bulgaria and Chile which are looking for partners and offering cooperation. The President of the Chamber also presented specific inquiries from Bulgarian companies interested in cooperation with South America.