OWWF in times of the coronavirus

In recent days, the corona crisis has led to significantly more stringent measures in Bavaria, Germany and Europe. The avoidance of direct personal contact is the focus of these measures. In addition, there are travel restrictions, a reduced range of gastronomy and preventive quarantine orders on returning from risk areas.

Even though some of these measures are limited until 19 April 2020, we have decided to cancel our Russia Economic Forum planned for 28 April 2020. This is difficult for us because we have invested a lot of work in the preparation, but as with the previous cancellations of the Economic Forum Serbia and the event for specialists in Nuremberg, health is our priority. We therefore hope for your understanding and will make up for all planned events in due course.

We are convinced that the pandemic caused by a virus is a perfect example of how globalization needs regulation. In 2001, during the BSE crisis, we experienced how hygienic deficits in animal nutrition, starting in the United Kingdom, have caused Europe-wide health risks and massive economic damage.

In spring 2003, SARS, caused by a corona virus that spread worldwide from Guandong, kept us on tenterhooks. The virus has been transmitted from animals to humans and has infected thousands of people worldwide. Here too, hygiene deficits were the cause.

In 2008, financial products such as ABS (Asset Backed Securities) led to a global financial crisis. Warren Buffet later called these financial products "weapons of mass destruction".

We all know how vulnerable the Internet is to external attacks caused by hackers. That is why there are virus protection programs and international cooperation to minimize and eliminate risks. Globalisation needs firewalls to protect health, jobs and the economy.

In view of the current crisis, this is once again becoming abundantly clear. Without internationally binding hygiene standards, we will continue to experience crises that threaten the health of many people, lead to massive cuts in public and private life, pose a threat to world trade and cause unimaginable economic losses.

This is precisely why we as the East-West Economic Forum Bavaria want to pay close attention to this topic, because bridges are more important than barriers and national isolation is a short-term crisis reaction but not a sustainable basis for world trade based on the freedom of movement of goods, persons and capital.

In addition to the events we want to catch up on, we are planning an event on the topic of cooperation between the European Union EU and the Eurasian Economic Union EAWU for the second half of the year. With this event, we are taking up our overarching priorities of One Road One Belt, Danube Strategy and Russia and are trying to give an impetus to strengthen East-West cooperation at European level.

We want to keep you informed and will therefore constantly update our website.

We will also send out our newsletter at shorter intervals. If you are not yet receiving the newsletter, you can order it at the bottom of this page.

The current restrictions have of course also meant that the announced Stammtisch/Round tables could not yet be started. But we will keep the ball rolling here as well.

We hope that the measures taken worldwide to contain the corona virus will take effect and that the readiness for joint preventive measures will increase. For the next few weeks, we hope that you are not directly affected by a virus infection and that we can meet in good health at our next meeting, which will depend on the development of the infection.

Eberhard Sinner, former Minister of State
President OWWF

Next Events: Skilled Workers - date postponed /  04.03.2020 Consular Corps  /  Economic Forum Serbia - date postboned  /  28.04.2020 Economic Forum Russia  - date postponed /  05.10.2020 Opening DanubeMacroRegionBusinessWeek DMRBW

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