Estonia is a northern European country with a population of 1.32 million. It has a highly developed infrastructure and business environment, ranking highly in indices such as the Index of Economic Freedom. Estonia has a simple and favorable tax system, including a 0% corporate income tax rate on reinvested profits. The country also has well-developed ICT infrastructure and is among the global leaders in e-government services. Estonia's central location provides access to markets across Europe and in Russia and is a growing hub for international transit and distribution.
Lääne-Virumaa is an attractive destination for allocating your company or investment, because:
- Good logistic position: 100 km to the airport in Tallinn,
25 km to port Kunda, 120 km to the east border with
Russia (Narva)
- Highways network in good shape
- A railway and port to ship raw materials and/or goods
for export
- The existence and availability of local raw materials
- Skilled labour force within a radius of 100 km
- Local vocational schools and colleges ensure training
and retraining to labour force
- Long experience and traditions in wood processing,
metalworking, foods industry and transport
- Good cooperation with local authorities and assistance
to investors
Executive summary
• A 534 ha Free Economic Zone situated in Kaunas, Lithuania, known as FEZ.
• Lithuania is a member of the European Union (EU) as well as a member of the Schengen area. (This
permits passport-free travel throughout the 26 countries of the Schengen area).
• Stable currency; since 2002, 3.45 Litas = €1. As from 1st January 2015, Euro replaces national currency.
• Businesses established within FEZ are totally tax-free for six years; for the next ten years, 50% reduction in
the rate of Corporation Tax. As the Lithuanian rate of Corporation Tax at present is 15%, the effective tax
rate for the first sixteen years of operation is 4.69%.
• Highly educated labour force.
• According to the World Bank, Lithuania is the seventeenth country in the world for “ease of doing
business”.
• Ability to obtain 1, 2, 3 year “temporary residence permits”, depending on individual circumstances.
• Ability to obtain Lithuanian citizenship after ten years of residence.
• Land is subleased for a term of 99 years. Pursuant to the Land Law of Lithuania, if the sublessee has
erected buildings on the land then, after the end of 99 years, the sublease will be extended until the end
of the economic life of the buildings erected on the land. The life of the building can be further extended
by continued improvements.
The following extract, compiled by China Intelligence Online, is a brief overview of the main trade indicators and port industry.
For more information on trade or logistics industry performance in Vietnam please contact:
info@chinaintelligenceonline.com
This is a comprehensive analysis of the agriculture sector in Ukraine. It is a sectoral guide for perspective investors who are exploring opportunities in Ukraine. The report includes key figures characterizing the market, as well as information about the ongoing projects. This report also contains the list of forthcoming reforms and policy development needed to boost Ukrainian agriculture. The report was prepared by the Office of the National Investment Council of Ukraine and presented at the Council meeting in Kyiv, on May 25, 2018
Lääne-Virumaa is an attractive destination for allocating your company or investment, because:
- Good logistic position: 100 km to the airport in Tallinn,
25 km to port Kunda, 120 km to the east border with
Russia (Narva)
- Highways network in good shape
- A railway and port to ship raw materials and/or goods
for export
- The existence and availability of local raw materials
- Skilled labour force within a radius of 100 km
- Local vocational schools and colleges ensure training
and retraining to labour force
- Long experience and traditions in wood processing,
metalworking, foods industry and transport
- Good cooperation with local authorities and assistance
to investors
Executive summary
• A 534 ha Free Economic Zone situated in Kaunas, Lithuania, known as FEZ.
• Lithuania is a member of the European Union (EU) as well as a member of the Schengen area. (This
permits passport-free travel throughout the 26 countries of the Schengen area).
• Stable currency; since 2002, 3.45 Litas = €1. As from 1st January 2015, Euro replaces national currency.
• Businesses established within FEZ are totally tax-free for six years; for the next ten years, 50% reduction in
the rate of Corporation Tax. As the Lithuanian rate of Corporation Tax at present is 15%, the effective tax
rate for the first sixteen years of operation is 4.69%.
• Highly educated labour force.
• According to the World Bank, Lithuania is the seventeenth country in the world for “ease of doing
business”.
• Ability to obtain 1, 2, 3 year “temporary residence permits”, depending on individual circumstances.
• Ability to obtain Lithuanian citizenship after ten years of residence.
• Land is subleased for a term of 99 years. Pursuant to the Land Law of Lithuania, if the sublessee has
erected buildings on the land then, after the end of 99 years, the sublease will be extended until the end
of the economic life of the buildings erected on the land. The life of the building can be further extended
by continued improvements.
The following extract, compiled by China Intelligence Online, is a brief overview of the main trade indicators and port industry.
For more information on trade or logistics industry performance in Vietnam please contact:
info@chinaintelligenceonline.com
This is a comprehensive analysis of the agriculture sector in Ukraine. It is a sectoral guide for perspective investors who are exploring opportunities in Ukraine. The report includes key figures characterizing the market, as well as information about the ongoing projects. This report also contains the list of forthcoming reforms and policy development needed to boost Ukrainian agriculture. The report was prepared by the Office of the National Investment Council of Ukraine and presented at the Council meeting in Kyiv, on May 25, 2018
This is a comprehensive analysis of the gas upstream sector in Ukraine. It is a sectoral guide for perspective investors who are exploring opportunities in Ukraine. The report includes key figures characterizing the market, as well as information about the ongoing projects. This report also contains the list of forthcoming reforms and policy development needed to boost Ukrainian gas extraction. The report was prepared by the Office of the National Investment Council of Ukraine and presented at the Council meeting in Kyiv, on May 25, 2018
Ukraine: more than just another outsourcing destination” by Alex Golod, InteticsIntetics
The presentation highlights the latest social and economic trends in the country, discusses why Ukraine is becoming a hot outsourcing destination based on its industry growth, its access to a skilled well educated talent pool, and the government support. Special emphasis is placed on the favorable environment for direct investments in next few years, as well as expected growth of M&A activity in the country. In conclusion, the argument is made that Ukraine will gain prominence as ITO and especially BPO hot destination within next 3 to 5 years.
Estonia - Future Facing Financial CenterMartin Koch
With a total population of 1.3 million and a GDP of 17.4 billion euro, Estonia
is a relatively small Nordic country with outstanding economic freedom,
remarkable and rapid development, and a stable economy that implements
e-solutions. As it is for a smaller fish, the key to survival for a smaller country lies in
the ability to swim faster and adapt quickly to a changing environment.
Estonia has put notable effort into developing a competitive and stable
business environment. The outcomes of these endeavors is demonstrated
in numerous facts, figures, and global indices.
The Estonian economy rests upon a solid foundation, with the rule of law strongly
bolstered and enforced by an independent and efficient judicial system. A simplified
tax system with flat rates and low indirect taxation, a competitive banking sector,
openness to foreign investment, and a historically liberal trade regime all
support the resilient and well-functioning economy.
Find out more: www.businessinestonia.com
Estonians are e-believers. We are proud to be pioneers and leaders in e-government. We have developed and implemented innovative solutions that improve the lives of millions, and we intend to develop more.
In Estonia we can see a version of the interconnected and computerized future that is inextricably a part of the fundamental operations of society: 25% of the electorate votes online, nearly 100% of prescriptions and tax returns are done online, as is almost all banking. Estonians have given 140 million digital signatures, and last December, Estonian and Finnish PMs signed the first international treaty digitally. Adding to this near 100% broadband coverage and countrywide Wi-Fi, Estonia is one of the most wired countries in the world.
As a country so dependent on digital solutions, the whole of ICT infrastructure must
be regarded as an “ecosystem” in which everything is interconnected. It functions as
a whole, thus it needs to be defended as a whole. The more digitized we are, the more
vulnerable we are. It is therefore crucial to understand that cyber security is not just a matter of blocking the bad things a cyber attack can do; it is one of protecting all the good things that cyber insecurity can prevent us from doing – in other words, cyber security should not be seen as an additional cost but as an enabler, guarding our entire digital way of life.
Find out more: www.businessinestonia.com
Enter e-Estonia: the story of a successful digital society - Indrek Onnik - S...TOPdesk
Estonia is one of the most developed digital societies in the world and an innovator in the area of digital services in the private sector.
Indrek Õnnik talks about the path that Estonia has taken when creating a form of services that did not exist, which is available 24/7 now.
This is a comprehensive analysis of the gas upstream sector in Ukraine. It is a sectoral guide for perspective investors who are exploring opportunities in Ukraine. The report includes key figures characterizing the market, as well as information about the ongoing projects. This report also contains the list of forthcoming reforms and policy development needed to boost Ukrainian gas extraction. The report was prepared by the Office of the National Investment Council of Ukraine and presented at the Council meeting in Kyiv, on May 25, 2018
Ukraine: more than just another outsourcing destination” by Alex Golod, InteticsIntetics
The presentation highlights the latest social and economic trends in the country, discusses why Ukraine is becoming a hot outsourcing destination based on its industry growth, its access to a skilled well educated talent pool, and the government support. Special emphasis is placed on the favorable environment for direct investments in next few years, as well as expected growth of M&A activity in the country. In conclusion, the argument is made that Ukraine will gain prominence as ITO and especially BPO hot destination within next 3 to 5 years.
Estonia - Future Facing Financial CenterMartin Koch
With a total population of 1.3 million and a GDP of 17.4 billion euro, Estonia
is a relatively small Nordic country with outstanding economic freedom,
remarkable and rapid development, and a stable economy that implements
e-solutions. As it is for a smaller fish, the key to survival for a smaller country lies in
the ability to swim faster and adapt quickly to a changing environment.
Estonia has put notable effort into developing a competitive and stable
business environment. The outcomes of these endeavors is demonstrated
in numerous facts, figures, and global indices.
The Estonian economy rests upon a solid foundation, with the rule of law strongly
bolstered and enforced by an independent and efficient judicial system. A simplified
tax system with flat rates and low indirect taxation, a competitive banking sector,
openness to foreign investment, and a historically liberal trade regime all
support the resilient and well-functioning economy.
Find out more: www.businessinestonia.com
Estonians are e-believers. We are proud to be pioneers and leaders in e-government. We have developed and implemented innovative solutions that improve the lives of millions, and we intend to develop more.
In Estonia we can see a version of the interconnected and computerized future that is inextricably a part of the fundamental operations of society: 25% of the electorate votes online, nearly 100% of prescriptions and tax returns are done online, as is almost all banking. Estonians have given 140 million digital signatures, and last December, Estonian and Finnish PMs signed the first international treaty digitally. Adding to this near 100% broadband coverage and countrywide Wi-Fi, Estonia is one of the most wired countries in the world.
As a country so dependent on digital solutions, the whole of ICT infrastructure must
be regarded as an “ecosystem” in which everything is interconnected. It functions as
a whole, thus it needs to be defended as a whole. The more digitized we are, the more
vulnerable we are. It is therefore crucial to understand that cyber security is not just a matter of blocking the bad things a cyber attack can do; it is one of protecting all the good things that cyber insecurity can prevent us from doing – in other words, cyber security should not be seen as an additional cost but as an enabler, guarding our entire digital way of life.
Find out more: www.businessinestonia.com
Enter e-Estonia: the story of a successful digital society - Indrek Onnik - S...TOPdesk
Estonia is one of the most developed digital societies in the world and an innovator in the area of digital services in the private sector.
Indrek Õnnik talks about the path that Estonia has taken when creating a form of services that did not exist, which is available 24/7 now.
e-estonia diginno-Toomas Turk @lovedigital.si, Slovenian digitalization compe...Aleš Vidmar
Estonia is beaking headway in terms of building an e-society and it shows in its unique approach to all aspects (education, economy, politics, health, social services). In the presentation one may see, just how many steps can be made.
Presentation and useful links:
e-Estonia - https://e-estonia.com/
Estonian Clusters - https://www.estonianclusters.ee/language/en/
Connected Health - http://connectedhealth.ee/
Smart City Lab http://smartcitylab.eu/
ITL and ICT Cluster - https://itl.ee/estonian_ict_cluster
Startup Estonia - https://www.startupestonia.ee/
Garage48 - http://garage48.org/
Prototron - http://prototron.ee/en/
Ajujaht - http://www.ajujaht.ee/en/
Level11 - https://level11.ee/
EU projects
DIGINNO - https://www.diginnobsr.eu/
SME2G0 - http://sme2go.eu/
Technology competence centers
https://www.estonianclusters.ee/cluster-partners/tehnoloogia-arenduskeskused/
Incredible pioneering experience of estonian government & public services in digitalization ... would it not be the way foward for a real European Digital Development plan ?
Agencia de Desarrollo Wroclaw Agglomeration para INVATEfundacioninvate
Presentación realizada por Jan Zarski, de la Agencia de Desarrollo Wroclaw Agglomeration para la jornada “Pioneros en acción: oportunidades de inversión en Polonia”.
Similar to Estonian business for US students - March 2014 (20)
2. Area: 45,227 km2 (similar in size to Denmark or
Netherlands)
Population: 1.32 million (68% Estonians, 25%
Russians), Capital Tallinn (401,000)
Official language: Estonian (belongs to
Fenno-Ugric language group, similar to Finnish
language)
Currency: EURO
Member of: EU, NATO, WTO, OECD and the
Schengen zone
Country credit ratings: Fitch A+
S&P AA-
Moody’s A1
Time Zone: GMT+2
Estonia is the heart of the Baltic Sea.
3. Why make business with Estonia?
A unique location and culture combining Nordic roots
and Eastern influencesA unique location and culture combining
Nordic roots and Eastern influences.
hy make business with Estonia?
4. Business in Estonia
Estonia can offer a progressive business environment with an
efficient and compatible infrastructure. Our e-services, mobile
communications and internet applications are among the most
progressive in the world. Estonians are adaptable towards new
technologies, and use them willingly.
At the same time, our Nordic influence gives investors a transparent,
clearly defined, sincere and honest partner who is considerate, rational
and not very talkative. The Estonian approach is functional and one
that creates timeless value. Our natural resources are powerful and
accessible.
As an added value, rootedness is like a guarantee that Estonians do
not give up and would rather break their arm than a promise they have
given. Perseverance and culture are a good basis for long-term plans in
any area of business.
5. High position in business
environment rankings
1
9 10
13 14
16
19 19
22
24
29
48
55
57
Index of economic freedom
rankings 2013
Source: World Economic Forum
Source: Wall Street Journal; The Heritage Foundation
1
3 4 5 6
10
32
42
46
48
52
Global competitiveness index
2013
6. High e-readiness and low corruption
Source: World Economic Forum
Source: Transparency International
1
3
5
7
9
13
21 22
32
41 42
44
49
Networked readiness index
rankings 2013
Estonia is second in the internet freedom in the world.
According to Freedom House
1 3
3
12
14
18
19
28
38
43
47
49
Corruption perception index
rankings 2013
7. Politically and Economically Stable
Political stability. Estonia is seen as
the most stable country in CEE –
more stable than Czech Republic,
Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Romania or
Hungary.
No 1 in Europe in lowest
government debt. Government debt
was 10.1% of GDP in 2012. A stable
and future oriented state budget, with
a growing interest in entrepreneurs
and foreign investors.
Low inflation – 3,9% in 2012
9.05 8.77 8.5
6.49
6 5.92 5.64
5.24
4.37 4.12
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Risk of political instability, global rank
Source: IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2013
The higher the rank the lower the risk
9. Simple and favourable tax system
* 0% Corporate income tax on reinvested profits
All distributions are subject to income tax at the rate of 21% of the
amount of taxable payment
Personal income tax: flat rate 21%. The same rate applies for expats
VAT: 20%
Social tax: 33% (20% for social security and 13% for health
insurance)
Unemployment insurance: 3% of the gross salary. (The employer
pays 1% of the salary and deduction from employees salary is 2%.)
no property tax
The land tax is from 0,1% to 2,5% on the assessed value of the land,
rate established by local government (i.e in Tallinn 2,5%).
All the taxes can be declared via E-tax/e-customs (an electronic
service desk of the Estonian Tax and Customs Board)
Source: European Commission
0% *
15.0%
15.0%
19.0%
19.0%
19.0%
26.0%
26.0%
26.3%
30.2%
0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0%
ESTONIA
Latvia
Lithuania
Poland
Czech Rep
Hungary
Finland
UK
Sweden
Germany
Tax rate on corporate
income, 2013
10. Use of ICT
98%
95%
95%
94%
93%
91%
90%
86%
85%
77%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Finland
Sweden
Lithuania
ESTONIA
UK
Czech Republic
EU 27
Latvia
Hungary
Poland
Enterprises with fixed broadband access, 2012
Source: Eurostat
100% of schools and government organisations have broadband connection
74% of homes have broadband connection (Statistics Estonia 2012)
98% of bank transfers are performed electronically
94% of income tax declarations are made via the e-Tax Board
1 192 029 active ID-Cards
Digital signature legislation
87%
85%
81%
74%
72%
68%
67%
68%
67%
61%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Sweden
Finland
UK
ESTONIA
EU 27
Czech Republic
Poland
Hungary
Latvia
Lithuania
Households with fixed broadband access, 2012
11. Why make business with Estonia?
A highly progressive environment that offers an efficient
way of doing business.
Highly developed infrastructure that supports business
development.
Among the most successful countries in the world in
attracting inward investment.
Well developed infrastructure
that supports business development.
13. Estonia Distribution Hub
Estonia has been a global trading post for 760 years. As the
“centre of Europe” moves further north and east, Estonia is once
again a key gateway between the East and West, North and South,
linking Scandinavia, the Baltics, Russia, the CIS, Central Asia, China
and the Far East.
An impressive infrastructure – 5 key international ports, 4 free zones,
10 border posts to Russia, block trains to Moscow and Beijing,
shortest EU flight time to China – still has plenty of capacity and
scope for growth.
Estonia, ranked 7th in the world for ease of trading across
borders, is an ideal location for international, intermodal
distribution and transit activities.
14. Accessibility
Toll free roads, excellent capacity, 10 border inspection posts from Estonia to Russia
Electronic pre-arrival customs processing for the European Union and Russia border
checkpoints
Excellent national and international rail network with particularly strong links to Russia
including partnership with Russia’s major wagon owners Containers to Central Asia:
regular train “Baltic Transit” operated since 2003
Regular container train service Tallinn – Minsk – Black Sea
Future: Southward extension, i.e. Turkey etc.
Land and sea bridge connecting to the Far East
Land
Sea
Air
Port of Tallinn – the largest and deepest (18 m of depth) port of the Baltic Sea
Port of Sillamäe – the easternmost port of the European Union
EU tax exemption in the customs-free zones of the ports
All-year navigation without assistance of ice breakers
An ideal location for cargo shipment to neighbouring markets
2 international airports: Tallinn, Tartu
Most European capitals served directly within 3 hours
7.5hr flight to Beijing – shortest in the EU
Global connections via Copenhagen, Helsinki, London
Helsinki connection provides frequent services from Europe to Far Eastern cities in
China, Japan and South Korea
15. Location - Markets sizes and delivery times
Russia – 143.8 mln
to St.Petersburg – 24 hours (by train)
to Moscow – 24 hours (by train) 48 hours (by truck)
Finland – 5.2 mln
to Helsinki – 3 hours (by ship/truck)
Latvia & Lithuania – 6 mln
to Riga – 4 hours (by truck)
to Vilnius – 8 hours (by truck)
Belorussia – 10 mln
to Minsk – 24 hours (by train) 48 hours (by truck)
Ukraine – 46 mln
to Black Sea – 2 days (by truck) 5 days (by train)
16. Industrial & Science Parks
SILPORT hinterland territory of 600 ha has the Free
Zone status and is available for developing different
terminals, distribution and manufacturing facilities.
SAIVTA is developing 6 industrial parks in Ida-Viru
County in Eastern Estonia, a key development area.
Paldiski South Harbour Industrial Park - located 50
km west of Tallinn and it is the third largest harbour of
the five harbours belonging to Port of Tallinn. A 21 ha
industrial park area bordering on the harbour is
developed.
Muuga Industrial Park is located in Muuga
Harbour, near Tallinn, the largest and deepest cargo
port in Estonia. The total area of the industrial park is
75 ha.
Extensive network of quality
sites for different user types at
all stages of the development
process
17. Free Zone area – Transit Benefits
Free zone enables to set up distribution or manufacturing facilities
Free zone regime exempts from Value Added Tax (VAT) & customs
duties, excise taxes on transit cargo
But preserves Estonian speciality – exemption from corporate
income tax on retained earnings
There are 4 free zones in Estonia:
Port of Muuga
Port of Sillamäe
Paldiski Northern Port
Valga free zone
18. Customs
EU common customs tariffs
The online tariff dataase – TARIC
Electronic customs board for tax administration
From 1 August 2011, the new procedure of border crossing works on
the Estonian–Russian border and all motor vehicles are obliged to
book a place in the electronic border queue in the Russian direction.
Information and booking at the Internet addresses
www.eestipiir.ee and www.estonianborder.eu
Estonian Tax and Customs Office:
http://www.emta.ee/index.php?id=1939
19. Cutting Edge ICT connectivity
By 2015 all Estonian households,
enterprises and institutions will
have access to the broadband
network with the data connection
speed of up to 100 Mbit/s
Fiber optical backbone network
connects all Estonian county
centers
The country is completely covered
by digital networks providing
wireless internet
A network of Public Access Points
covers most cities and towns
Fiber optical
network in 2015
Fiber optical
network today
20. Estonia is part of the Nordic
electricity market
Estonia is part of Nordic electricity market and Estonian electricity
system is connected also with Russia and Latvia.
Estonian energy system is the only predominantly oil-shale-based
energy production system in the world.
The biggest energy producer in Estonia is Eesti Energia, a 100%
state-owned company.
The price of electricity consists of four components: electricity,
network service, renewable energy support and excise duty.
Electricity market is 100% open starting January 2013.
21. Natural gas market
Natural gas is imported into Estonia
from Russia and from Latvia
Estonian natural gas company is Eesti
Gaas
Network services to all participants of
the natural gas market on the territory
of Estonia are provided by EG
Võrguteenus
The price of gas consists of three
elements: gas, network service and
excise duty
The price for industrial users is a
matter of negotiations
8.51
8.97
9.36
9.82 9.94
10.88
12.04
12.4612.48
13.76
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16 Gas price for industries, 2012 (EUR per
GJ)
Source: Eurostat
22. Labour market and education
system
Total labour force: 691,000
The unemployment rate: 10,2% in
2012
General working time: 8 hours a
day, 5 days per week. The duration of
one shift may not exceed 12 hours
Overtime is allowed by mutual
agreement
The duration of the annual vacation:
28 days
10 Public holidays a year
The average wages in Estonia in 2012
was EUR 887. The monthly minimum
wage for full-time work is EUR 320.
Education system
7 universities (6 public, 1 private) - ca
49,400 students
o University of Tartu – 17,200
students
o Tallinn University of Technology –
13,900 students
o Tallinn University – 10,300
students
22 other professional higher
education institutions – ca 15,400
students
48 vocational schools - ca 26,200
students
214 gymnasiums (high schools) - ca
24,000 students
23. Living in Estonia
Living cost lower that in Scandinavian countries, according to the
www.xpatulator.com database, Tallinn is in 285th place out of 780 cities
Most health services covered by general medical insurance system - all
persons insured with the Health Insurance Fund have a family practitioner
Education: pre-school care, obligation to attend school from the age of 7 –
basic, secondary and higher education. 2 international schools in Tallinn
Social insurance in the EU: http://www.sm.ee/eng/for-
you/employees/social-insurance-in-the-eu.html
24. Why make business with Estonia?
A highly progressive environment that offers an efficient
way of doing business.
Highly developed infrastructure that supports business
development.
Among the most successful countries in the world in
attracting inward investment.
Among the most successful countries to
attract foreign investments – all
entrepreneurs are treated equally.
26. Sweden 15,9%
Finland 14,5%
Russia 12,1%
Latvia 8,7%
Lithuania 5,4%
USA 4,7%
Germany 4,5%
Norway 3,4%
Netherlands 2,5%
Others 28,3%
Commodities exports by country
and commodity, 2012
Commodities exports represent 74% of Estonia’s GDP
Source: Statistics Estonia
Machinery and appliances 28,7%
Mineral products 15%
Base metals and articles of metals 8,3%
Wood and articles of wood 7,4%
Miscellaneous manufactured
products
6,6%
Chemical products 5,2%
Transport equipment 5%
Food products 4%
Live animals, animal products 3,3%
Plastics and rubber 3,1%
Other 13,4%
27. Finland 14,4%
Germany 10,3%
Sweden 10,2%
Latvia 9,6%
Lithuania 8,6%
Russia 6,8%
Poland 6,3%
Netherlands 3,8%
UK 3,8%
China 3,5%
Others 22,7%
Commodities imports by country
and commodity, 2012
Source: Statistics Estonia
Machinery and appliances 28,4%
Mineral products 15,5%
Transport equipment 9,2%
Chemical products 8,2%
Base metals and articles of metals 7,7%
Food products 5,6%
Plastics and rubber 4,9%
Textiles and textile articles 4%
Wood and articles of wood 2,4%
Vegetable products 2,1%
Other 12%
30. Structure of FDI outflow, (EUR m)
137.4
216.6
556
881.6
1275.6
760.2
1113.9
107.3
-1044.8
740.8
80.3
-1500
-1000
-500
0
500
1000
1500
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
1H
FDI outflow reinvested profits
Source: Bank of Estonia
Total stock: EUR 4.6 bln
31. FDI inflow by countries and
activity, stock as of 30.06.2013
Sweden 27,1%
Finland 23,0%
Netherlands 9,9%
Russia 4,9%
Norway 4,6%
Lithuania 3,0%
Cypros 2,9%
Denmark 2,5%
Luxembourg 2,2%
USA 2,2%
Other 17,7%
Financial and insurance activities 24,1%
Manufacturing 15,9%
Wholesale and retail trade 12,9%
Real estate activities 8,9%
Professional, scientific, technical activities 8,8%
Transportation and storage 5,7%
Agriculture, foresty and fishery 2,7%
Information and communication 2,6%
Other 18,4%
Source: Bank of Estonia
32. FDI outflow by countries and
activity, stock as of 30.06.2013
Cyprus 30,9%
Lithuania 19,0%
Latvia 17,1%
Ukraine 6,1%
Russia 4,8%
Netherlands 3,4%
Finland 3,0%
Others 15,7%
Transportation and storage 28,9%
Professional, scientific, technical activities 19,3%
Financial and insurance activities 16,3%
Real estate activities 12,4%
Wholesale and retail trade 8,1%
Manufacturing 4,2%
Other 10,8%
Source: Bank of Estonia
33. Key sectors
ICT
Transport and logistics services
Business and financial services
Industrial machinery and metalworking
Electronics
Industrial opportunities –
Engineering and metalworking
34. Competitive Advantage in Mechanical
Engineering Products
- opportunities as a near-shore manufacturing hub for both in-
house and outsourced production, services and distribution
- a dynamic, internationally focused mechanical engineering
ecosystem, excellent accessibility, a sustainable, high-quality
skills base and competitive, low-inflation costs.
1,250 companies are active in the machinery and metalworking
sector, ca 18,200 direct employees
EUR 1.4 billion revenues, of which 67% is generated from exports
3 main branches
Metals and metal products – 64% of total revenues
Transport equipment – 22% of total revenues. 91% of transport
equipment production is exported
Machinery, tools & equipment – 14% of total revenues
35. Summary – Why Estonia?
Competitive advantages in mechanical engineering products
Strategic location – global
vision
Baltic, Nordic and Western European connections
Proximity to Russia and other CEE markets
Exports represent more than 100% of Estonia’s GDP
Dynamic engineering
industry ecosystem
World class foreign investors supported by extensive local supply chains
Productivity increased by 48% in 5 years
Development and production of globally innovative products
Quality talent pool–
resourcing for business
98,000 engineers
50% of engineers studied specialized or vocational engineering courses
R&D know how
High quality universities - Ranked 19th in the world for the quality of math and
science education
Government support - Zero % tax on re-invested profits
Mechatronics Innovation Centre at Tehnopol
Competitive costs & taxes –
outstanding value
Labour costs are at least a third of those in Sweden or Finland
Prime land values €20/m², prime bulk industrial space rent €4/m²
Simple, flat rate tax system
Progressive infrastructure
Sites – scalable and accessible
Ports – growth potential, open year round
100% fibre broadband by 2015
Easy to do business
Ranked by the IMD, World Bank and the World Economic Forum as the easiest
place to do business in CEE
Ranked 7th in the world for ease of trading across borders
Low risk
Lowest government debt in Europe (10.1% of GDP in 2012)
Sustainable workforce – 8% unemployment; latent engineering talent pool
Political & economic stability – joined the Euro in January 2011
Security – NATO chose Estonia for its cyber security operations
36. Opportunities for Mechanical
Engineering Companies
Metals & fabricated metal
products
Tool-making
Machinery & equipment
Automotive components
Ship and boat building
Key Specialisms Opportunities
Nordic and Baltic production & distribution hub
Contract manufacturing & engineering services
High-end welding
Precision tungsten carbide dies
Design & R&D services
Product development , piloting & testing
Ideal “small country” test market
Scalable development sites around major sea
& land hubs
41. 6. Quality Talent Pool -
Number of students and graduates
Name of
faculty
Name of the
study
programme
2011/2012 2012/2013
Social
sciences,
business &
law
Social and
behavioural
sciences
3,746 3,487
Journalism 1,161 1,067
Business
Administration
16,427 15,637
Law 3,448 3,124
Technical
sciences,
production
and
construction
Production and
processing
3,751 3,748
Techical sciences 10,826 10,749
Architecture and
construction
6,392 6,098
Name of
faculty
Name of the
study
programme
2010/2011 2011/2012
Social
sciences,
business &
law
Social and
behavioural
sciences
679 626
Journalism 234 210
Business
Administration
3,870 2,284
Law 708 688
Technical
sciences,
production
and
construction
Production and
processing
881 1,002
Techical sciences 2,473 2,244
Architecture and
construction
1,392 1,193
Number of students Number of graduates
Source: Ministry of Education and Research World class talent: according to the World Economic Forum’s 2012-
2013 Global Competitiveness Index, Estonia was ranked 19th in the
world for the quality of its math and science education.
Universities & vocational colleges: student base = 91,000
42. 8. Competitive Costs – Labour & Property
Source: Financial Times, fDiBenchmark.com, autumn 2013
Approximately four to five times lower labour costs compared to Germany and Sweden in
the manufacturing of machinery & equipment
0.83
0.94
1.10
1.21
1.46
2.84
3.79
4.92
0.00
1.00
2.00
3.00
4.00
5.00
6.00
Latvia Lithuania Estonia Hungary Czech
Republic
UK Finland Sweden
Total labour costs, MEUR/year
Machine tools & equipment, 110 persons
Benchmark locations
Head of Manufacturing – 1
Production Manager – 1
Quality Control Manager – 1
Facilities/Office Services Specialist – 2
Secretary – 3
Warehouse and Distribution Operative – 3
Quality Control Specialist – 3
Engineer – 7
Production Operative (Highly Skilled) – 9
Production Operative (Skilled) – 25
Production Operative (Unskilled) – 52
Competitive labour costs, with a
Scandinavian-like culture
43. 8. Competitive Costs & Taxes –
Manufacturing Salaries
Source: FONTES Estonia Compensation Survey 2013
http://www.fontes.ee/eng/fontes
Role Monthly Annual
Assembly line worker 630 7,500
Senior assembly line worker 700 8,900
Foreman 1,000 11,400
Mechanical engineer 1,200 13,300
Chief engineer 2,100 25,000
Plant manager 2,400 31,200
R&D/Product development director 3,000 38,000
Head of production 3,100 42,900
Median Salaries 2013 – Capital Region, gross EUR/month
44. 8. Competitive Costs – Property Market
Indicative range for rents (excluding VAT and operating expenses) in major towns of
Estonia for class A and B1 office premises (EUR/m2 per month).
Class A –property with professional property management company, located in Downtown (Südalinn),
completely new construction, fully controllable technical systems, reasonable column spacing, raised
floors and suspending ceilings, good underground parking ratio, corresponding infrastructure/amenities in
the building (including cafeteria).
Class B1 –reconstructed or newly constructed building with fully or partially replaced technical systems,
located in City Centre (Kesklinn) or on the edge of the City Centre; possibility to install raised floors and
suspending ceilings, western-standard interior fit-out, and surfaces parking.
Type of space Tallinn Tartu Pärnu Narva
Office 5.5 – 15.1 4.8 – 11.5 4.0 – 8.0 3.1 – 5.5
Industrial 2.8 - 5.0 2.0 - 4.0 1.6 - 4.4 1.9 - 3.8
Source: Colliers International
4.2 4.2 4.2
5.3
6
7.5
13.2
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
Tallinn Berlin Warsaw Stockholm Paris Helsinki London
Industrial rents in 2012, bulk space
(EUR/sqm/month)
45. Estonian Investment Agency –
free consultancy services to
potential foreign investors
www.investinestonia.com
www.estonia.eu
46. Thank you!
Ele Merike Pärtel
Estonian Investment Agency
ele-merike.partel@eas.ee
www.investinestonia.com
Editor's Notes
All free zones in Estonia are open to foreign direct investments.Goods in the free trade zone are considered as being outside the customs territory. Goods brought to the free zone for later re-export are not subject to VAT, excise nor customs duties. Also the Estonian speciality - no tax on reinvested profits - preserves in free trade zones.The free trade zones are established by the Estonian governemnt and the Estonian Tax and Customs Board is responsible for monitoring the movement of goods in the free trade zones.
All free zones in Estonia are open to foreign direct investments.Goods in the free trade zone are considered as being outside the customs territory. Goods brought to the free zone for later re-export are not subject to VAT, excise nor customs duties. Also the Estonian speciality - no tax on reinvested profits - preserves in free trade zones.The free trade zones are established by the Estonian governemnt and the Estonian Tax and Customs Board is responsible for monitoring the movement of goods in the free trade zones.
Foreign investors have played a very significant roll in Estonia since its independence in 1991. In fact according to the UN’s World Investment Report, at the end of 2008, Estonia had a total FDI stock of 11,906 USD per capita, which is the highest among the EU new members, ahead of the Czech Republic and Hungary. All of these international companies have invested in Estonia as a manufacturing hub to service regional and global markets.
In December 2009, Oxford Intelligence carried out a nationally and regionally representative survey of 4,000 adults of working age across Estonia. Full-time students, retired persons and those unable to work for health reasons were excluded from the survey. The results of the research provide a highly accurate and statistically robust assessment of workforce skills.The engineering workforce in Estonia was estimated at 98,300 at the end of 2009. This is equivalent to 14% of the total Estonian workforce as a whole and it shows the intensity and importance of engineering and manufacturing skills in the Estonian economy. Indeed, Estonia has a long tradition of manufacturing skills, going back before the Soviet Union era. There is also a lot of room for growth in terms of hiring engineers because, currently, only 52,000 or those 98,000 are actually working in a hands-on engineering role. Indeed, of the remaining 47,000, there an estimated 35,000 who would be very interested in taking an engineering job and around 18,000 are currently unemployed.
Founded in Tartu in 1990, we in Fontes are the most experienced human capital management consultants in Estonia. Every year FONTES produced an annual compensation and benefits survey which is considered to be the most comprehensive in the country. The data here provides just a few examples of median salaries for the Tallinn-Harju capital region for selected, relevant manufacturing and engineering job titles. More specific data is available on request.