EU diplomats visit Devnya Cement plant in Bulgaria

Visit at Devnya Cement becomes part of the official agenda during Bulgaria’s EU presidency.

On 1 January 2018, a decade after its accession to the EU, Bulgaria for the first time took over the rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union. For six months, the country was the main driving force for the agenda of the EU. Bulgaria functioned as mediator, political leader, representative and coordinator within the Council.

During this period, the official calendar included many events in various areas, ranging from economy and energy efficiency to culture and education. One important event was an informal meeting on 7 and 8 June 2018 of the Working Party on Competitiveness and Growth in the region of Varna on the Black Sea coast, not far from Devnya Cement plant. The Working Party on Competitiveness and Growth prepares legislation, Council conclusions and recommendations in the areas of EU growth strategy, single market, smart regulation and industrial policy.

On 8 June, 2018, diplomats of all EU member states came to the plant to see the cement production process and meet some of the team of Devnya Cement.

Axel Conrads, General Manager of Devnya Cement, presents the company to the representatives of the EU member states.

The Ministry of Economy of Bulgaria chose Devnya Cement as one of the most successful examples of sustainable production.

The second part of the event was an informal open session of the Working Party on Competitiveness and Growth dealing with the economic environment in the EU countries. General Manager of Devnya Cement, Axel Conrads, presented the company to the delegates and had the opportunity to attend the discussion from the business point of view.

Lilyana Pavlova, Minister of the Bulgarian Presidency of the European Council, and Vladimir Tudjarov, Secretary General of the Ministry of Economy of Bulgaria praised Devnya Cement for it’s great contribution and partnership with the Bulgarian and EU governance.

Vladimir Tudjarov wrote in a letter to the company: “We are happy that our collaboration in organising the informal meeting of the Working Party on Competitiveness and Growth in Varna, as one of the flagship events of the Bulgarian Presidency’s Competitiveness Agenda, has proved to be an excellent opportunity to show successful business models in Bulgaria and exchange ideas about the future development of key EU policies.”

EU diplomats and the team of Devnya Cement.

Teodor Petsov, Plant Manager of Devnya Cement, explains the production process in the control room.