Záhony - Gateway between Asia and Europe: Overland Terminal11 December 2009
The Hungarian Government and the European Union is developing the Záhony region situated along the eastern border of the European Union with the help of an investment costing more than a total of 37.5 billion HUF. This complex economic development programme is aimed at stimulating goods traffic between Asia and Europe and creating an attractive economic environment for investors in the entire North Great Plain region.
"As a result of this complex economic development programme implemented with the help of EU funding, Záhony may evolve into a major goods traffic hub between the East and the West. The aim of these developments is to create an industrial logistics zone capable of accommodating major external investments," said Mr Sándor Kis Kálnoki, Special Commissioner of the Prime Minister for the development of the Záhony region, at the forum organised by ITD Hungary for the more than 50 commercial attaches accredited to embassies in Budapest. Mr Sándor Kis Kálnoki added that "One of the biggest rail transfer points along the eastern border of the European Union is located in this region. This, coupled with other advantages of Hungary – highly developed business infrastructure, tax benefits, high standard logistics services – offers unique opportunities for companies involved in goods trafficking, as well as companies engaging in the processing and packaging of raw materials or providing logistics services."
"We are developing the railway network, reconstructing the high load capacity road network and, alongside existing sites, are developing a new 160-hectare industrial logistics zone with the help of funding granted by the EU. In addition, we are also providing assistance for small and medium enterprises operating in the region and are endeavouring to train the local workforce in a targeted manner," said Ms Tímea Paszternák, Vice President of the National Development Agency. As an impact of this programme, a proposal was made to develop joint Ukrainian-Hungarian economic development projects, and therefore – by building on the example of the Hungarian-Austrian initiative running in Szentgotthárd – to create a joint cross-border Ukrainian-Hungarian industrial logistics zone.
Mr Csaba Kilián, Investment Director at ITD Hungary, outlined investment opportunities offered in the region. As Mr Kilián said, plans, among others, include the development of a joint Ukrainian-Hungarian container terminal to help develop terminal capacities for shipments arriving from the Far East, which are expected to substantially increase, and coordinate operations. ITD Hungary is recruiting investors within the framework of a comprehensive marketing plan specifically designed to develop the Záhony region.