Decision-making processes for participation in world exhibitions must be clearer in the future
The Estonian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Estonian Employers’ Confederation addressed various ministries and the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Riigikogu in connection with participation in the 2025 Osaka EXPO.
Commenting on the address, Mait Palts, Director General of the Estonian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that both neighbouring countries and Japan have shown interest in why Estonia does not want to participate in EXPO. "There have also been clear messages of support from Latvia and Lithuania that it is not too late to go out with the joint pavilion. Estonian entrepreneurs are generally of the opinion that participation in EXPO is important in order to introduce the country, its companies, culture and people. All of this will ultimately contribute to our prosperity. The financial cost of participation is certainly important, but being excluded from EXPO as the only European country certainly comes with a negative message, which must also be taken into account," Palts said, adding that in the future, however, a clearer way and when the participation of the state will be decided must be found, in order to avoid multiple re-decisions and ensure sufficient time for preparation.
In the address, business organisations state that they support Estonia's participation in the 2025 EXPO in Osaka and are surprised that Estonia will not participate, although the official decision to participate had previously been positive. It is also pointed out that the course of things has also been incomprehensible, how and why the situation was reached, where instead of a separate pavilion, Estonia was offered the opportunity to participate in the joint pavilion with Latvia and Lithuania, which is known to continue to be possible, but which Estonia has decided to abandon. According to the organisations, participation in the joint pavilion would continue to be a realistic and better solution than staying away from EXPO at all. Nordic countries also participate in the joint pavilion.
In the opinion of the Chamber and Employers, it remains particularly important for Estonia as a small country in today's geopolitical situation to take advantage of all opportunities to make itself more visible and to tell its story. It is also stressed that increasing the country's recognizability not only means directly introducing its entrepreneurs or establishing business links, but is much wider, covering both cultural and diplomatic ties, their creation and strengthening. The address stresses that Estonia would be known to be the only member state of the European Union that does not participate in EXPO.
A systemic approach is needed
Regardless of whether or not Estonia participates in the next EXPO, according to business organisations, the decision-making process of participation in global exhibitions would need a more systematic approach. The address points out that it is extremely negative that, after long experience, there is still a great degree of uncertainty and uncertainty in this process. National indecision and breaking promises have a negative impact on Estonia's international reputation and credibility.
In the address, the organisations consider that it is necessary to make the decisions on Estonia's participation as soon as possible after the announcement of the organizer's state and to adhere to the deadlines given by the organizers.
In addition, it is pointed out that, to the knowledge of the Chamber and Employers, Estonia would have had to submit a formal application to participate in Osaka EXPO for the B-pavilion before 31 December 2021, but the corresponding applications were submitted to the EXPO Secretariat for the first time on 8 June 2022 and further on 10 January 2023. If this is true, it is an extremely regrettable situation that should not have happened.
On the basis of the above, it is necessary to convene a discussion involving the relevant ministries and interest groups and to agree on a fundamental decision-making process with the responsibilities and deadlines. In the context of participation in subsequent world exhibitions, it is important to ensure a timely, correct and thoughtful process and its comprehensibility, both nationally and internationally, which would enable similar situations to be avoided in the future.