With this autumn’s ratification of CEFTA, a harmonised trade regime will finally arrive in South East Europe. In recent years, over 30 bilateral trade agreements have been signed in the region; now, in the words of EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson, “CEFTA will replace the spaghetti bowl of regional FTAs in South East Europe with a single agreement that will boost trade and attract investment.”

What this means to business is that a market of nearly 30 million consumers has just opened up – goods can move across borders more freely, international partnerships can be formed for maximum advantage, and investments in the region finally have the security they were seeking.

Alongside all of this is the development of a new consumer class in the region. Whereas product variety and shopping experiences were more or less limited in the past, privatisation, entrepreneurship and foreign investment have changed the game – and consumers are responding with unprecedented enthusiasm. Everywhere you look shopping malls and new generation supermarkets are springing up, and everyday a new brand seeks to attain loyalty among audiences thirsting for variety.

To be successful in this exciting region, top management needs to understand the nuances of these unified but unique markets. To be influential, they need to understand the management trends that are shaping modern world business. And to be comfortable in their travels, top managers will want to know about what the region has to offer.

see.market brings all this together in one place. In each issue you will find valuable insight into regional retailing and consumer goods, articles on topics affecting management and features on the region’s top hotels, restaurants and holiday destinations.

Welcome to the market of South East Europe, and welcome to see.market, your source for analysis of and news on the consumer and retail markets in Europe’s fastest growing region.

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