OREANDA-NEWS. On July 15, 2009 Prime Minister Andrus Ansip met with the Prime Minister of Baden-Wurttemberg Gunther Oettinger, and it was jointly noted that the relations between the two countries have been very good. Currently, the regions are mainly connected by their orientation on innovation and new technologies, reported the Official website valitsus.ee.

“The great and friendly relations between Estonia and Baden-Wurttemberg have become significantly tighter over the past years. Estonia sees continuing potential in the development of mutual economic cooperation,” said Ansip at the meeting. He stressed that despite the global economic crisis, Estonia still offers great economic opportunities for the companies in Baden-Wurttemberg.

“I am especially glad to have Baden-Wurttemberg as a good cooperation partner of Estonia in Germany; it is a region renowned for its high-tech industry, intensive research and development and high innovation indicators,” Ansip stated.

According to the EU Innovation Index, Baden-Wurttemberg is the most innovative region in Europe. This Federal State has the largest number of patents registered per citizen and research and development expenditure amounts to four per cent of the GDP.

Ansip noted that research and development and innovation are also amongst Estonia’s priorities and that investments into new technologies will bring about a new economic upturn. “It is time for something new and for cooperation primarily in the field of innovation,” he said.

Today, the Prime Minister also met with Herbert Muller, the Chairman of the Stuttgart region of the Chamber of Industry and Commerce, with whom he also discussed prospective economic relations and joint projects.

According to the Chamber of Industry and Commerce of the Federal State, 17 local enterprises have invested into Estonia and 418 enterprises are exporting goods to Estonia. In 2008, the volume of mutual trade in goods with the Federal State was MEUR 249, which constitutes 13 per cent of Estonia’s trade in goods with Germany.

The first official contacts in the mutual relations between Estonia and Baden-Wurttemberg were concluded during President Lennart Meri’s official visit to Germany in November 2000, during which he visited Stuttgart and met with Erwin Teufel, the Prime Minister of Baden-Wurttemberg at that time. The Federal State of Baden-Wurttemberg has chosen Estonia as a country of destination for cooperation in Northern and Eastern Europe.