I hope you all have had a nice holiday season and I look forward to seeing you again at SCCE’s upcoming meetings, seminars and events during a year which will be filled up with commerce, trade, investments, jubilees and celebrations.

As for the two latter event categories, the 95th Anniversary of the Republic of Estonia will be celebrated this year. In cooperation with the Swedish Embassy, SCCE is now taking part in the planning of the traditional festive reception in connection with Vabariigi Aastapäev – Estonia’s Independence Day. Our event this year will take place a couple of days before the official celebrations and I will be back with information on date, time and venue very soon.

Other major jubilees and celebrations this year have a very Swedish profile; In the beginning of June, Princess Madeleine and Mr. Christopher O’Neill will get married in the Royal Chapel at the Palace of Stockholm. In September, the Princess’ father King Carl XVI Gustaf will celebrate his 40th anniversary as Sweden’s King and Head of State. And in December, Queen Silvia will celebrate her 70th birthday.

The intensity in Swedish – Estonian commerce, trade and investments continues, and this year two additional major and global Swedish companies will enter the Estonian and the Baltic marketplaces.

Already present in Riga, H&M will now also open shops in Tallinn this autumn. And in Lithuania, IKEA will open their first store in the Baltics. Located to Vilnius, this opening is also scheduled to the autumn this year and I hope that this will inspire IKEA to also take a closer look at Tallinn.

SCCE’s magazine focus will continue to report on our business environment and will also continue to meet interesting business people and visit equally interesting businesses. On the link below  you will find focus advertizing sizes and prices as well as the publishing plan for 2013.

All in all, this and much more calls for a row of SCCE meetings, seminars and events throughout the year. Our first event in 2013 will take place already on Thursday, January 24th as the Swedish and Finnish Chambers of Commerce in Estonia will once again start up the very fresh New Business Season together. More information on this event is found at www.swedishchamber.ee and I wish you very welcome and look forward to seeing you.

Sincerely,

Kristiina Sikk

SCCE Ombudsman