On the 13^th and 14^th of May, the central European meeting of venture and start-up capital funds, along with annual international congress of European Business Angel Network – EBAN 2013, will take place in Vienna. As partners, also representatives of PanSlovenian Shareholders' Association (VZMD) will attend a two-day congress and will on this occasion again provide for the proper presentation of companies, institutions and investment projects, included in the international investors' programs investo.si (Invest to Slovenia) and invest-to.net (International Investors´ Network)

This time's 13^th EBAN Annual Congress will traditionally host influential representatives of companies, investment funds, financial institutions and national associations of business angles, among others Federal Minister of Finance for Austria,Maria Fekter, Vice President of the European Investment Bank, Wilhelm Molterer, Ex President, Federation of Industry(Industriellenvereinigung), Veith Sorger…

Within the framework of Congress, along with a gala dinner, a ceremony with conferring of 8th EBAN Awards for Business Angel of the Year, Early Stage Fund of the Year, Business Angel Network of the Year, Business Angel Federation of the Year, Best Performing New EBAN Member will take place at the famous Grand Hotel Wien.

Like at numerous previous international investors' meetings, conferences and fairs, VZMD will provide showroom and presentations with personal contacts, and the happening will be filmed by the investo.tv crew that will prepare transparent video report (you can view over 300 video reports at www.vzmd.tv in www.investo.tv).

Beside the opportunities for presentation, VZMD as a partner of EBAN 2013 enables all supporters of investo.si and invest-to.net programs special conditions for direct participation – a 50% discount to visit any of the events (you can find more about the events on the website www.eban2013.com).

VZMD invites you to share your esteemed interest in participating with the coordinator of the investo.si program at VZMD, by telephone: +386 31 770 771 or by e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. At the same time,VZMD informs about the possibility of cooperation and integration of information-promotional materials in the materials and happening of other international investors' events during this week: the visit of the Slovenian economic delegation at the visit of the President of the Republic of Slovenia, Mr. Borut Pahor, May the 10^th 2013 in Zagreb, and at the 14^th Bled Forum »Europe for Africa & Africa for World", May the 7^th and 8^th 2013 in Ljubljana.

On the 24^th and the 25^th of April the 19^th financial fair KAPITAL 2013 took place at Cankar Hall (Cankarjev dom) in Ljubljana. At the 19^th KAPITAL over 60 financial services providers presented their offer andmore than 40 lectures, roundtables and other events, related to the current economic situation at home and abroad, took place during two days fair.

PanSlovenian Shareholders' Association (VZMD) – with its international investors' programs investo.siand invest-to.net – actively participated at the fair for the fourth year, this year also with the lecture of VZMD President, Mr. Kristjan Verbič, M.Sc., entitled "International Investors' Environment – Opportunities for Recognized Presentations of Slovene Companies, Institutions and Investment Projects".

At the financial fair, they traditionally conferred awards of Kapital Magazine "The Top Director", "The Top Financier" and "The Top Company". "The Top Company" of 2013 is Krka, company for the production and sale of pharmaceuticals and health products, which last year also received a VZMD-Euroshareholders award "Shareholders' Friendly Company" (VIDEO). Krka has 9500 employees; it has exceeded one billioneuros in trade and created 155 million euros profit. The award was received by Mrs. Zvezdana Bajc, theMember of the Management Board and Director of Accounting and Controlling at Krka. "The Top Financier" award was conferred to Mr. Matjaž Rakovec, President of the Management Board of the Triglav Insurance Company. Despite a major crisis in the financial system, last year Triglav created record profits.While the Government of the Republic of Slovenia is planning to sell certain state-owned companies, Triglav is planning new takeovers in Croatia. "The Top Director" of 2013 is Mr. Andrej Božič, the General Manager of Steklarna Hrastnik, a glass products manufacturing company. In four years, he successfullyreformed the company, in 2009, the company had 5 million euros loss, last year, they had over one million euros profit. He just returned from the USA, where he promoted the new Slovenian prestigious vodka, for which Steklarna Hrastnik produced specially exacting bottles.

Like in previous years, the variegated fair happening was filmed by the VZMD.TV crew, who prepared transparent video report (to view VIDEO REPORT, click on the picture above).

On the 24^th and the 25^th of April the 19^th financial fair KAPITAL 2013 took place at Cankar Hall (Cankarjev dom) in Ljubljana. At the 19^th KAPITAL over 60 financial services providers presented their offer andmore than 40 lectures, roundtables and other events, related to the current economic situation at home and abroad, took place during two days fair.

PanSlovenian Shareholders' Association (VZMD) – with its international investors' programs investo.siand invest-to.net – actively participated at the fair for the fourth year, this year also with the lecture of VZMD President, Mr. Kristjan Verbič, M.Sc., entitled "International Investors' Environment – Opportunities for Recognized Presentations of Slovene Companies, Institutions and Investment Projects".

At the financial fair, they traditionally conferred awards of Kapital Magazine "The Top Director", "The Top Financier" and "The Top Company". "The Top Company" of 2013 is Krka, company for the production and sale of pharmaceuticals and health products, which last year also received a VZMD-Euroshareholders award "Shareholders' Friendly Company" (VIDEO). Krka has 9500 employees; it has exceeded one billioneuros in trade and created 155 million euros profit. The award was received by Mrs. Zvezdana Bajc, theMember of the Management Board and Director of Accounting and Controlling at Krka. "The Top Financier" award was conferred to Mr. Matjaž Rakovec, President of the Management Board of the Triglav Insurance Company. Despite a major crisis in the financial system, last year Triglav created record profits.While the Government of the Republic of Slovenia is planning to sell certain state-owned companies, Triglav is planning new takeovers in Croatia. "The Top Director" of 2013 is Mr. Andrej Božič, the General Manager of Steklarna Hrastnik, a glass products manufacturing company. In four years, he successfullyreformed the company, in 2009, the company had 5 million euros loss, last year, they had over one million euros profit. He just returned from the USA, where he promoted the new Slovenian prestigious vodka, for which Steklarna Hrastnik produced specially exacting bottles.

Like in previous years, the variegated fair happening was filmed by the VZMD.TV crew, who prepared transparent video report (to view VIDEO REPORT, click on the picture above).

Among the events, which accompanied the General Assembly of the European Federation of Financial Services Users (EuroFinUse) and the International Conference "The Audit Reform – Impact on Investors"in the European Parliament, which took place last month in Brussels (VIDEO REPORT), representatives of some national investors' and shareholders' organizations, including PanSlovenian Shareholders' Association (VZMD), also attended a lecture, given by one of the Directors of UK Shareholders' Association ShareSoc and experienced stock market investor, Mr. Stan Grierson. Interesting lecture, which is also relevant, topical and instructive for Slovenian investors, shareholders and individual investors, was exclusively filmed by the investo.tv crew and is fully available with clicking on this LINK.

On March 26th, the European Federation of Financial Services Users (EuroFinUse) organized a high-profile International conference in the European Parliament »The Audit Reform – Impact on Investors«, which was, in addition to many businessment and representatives of influential interest groups and European institutions, also attended by the EU Commissioner for Internal Market and Services, Mr Michel Barnier, who held the closing speech.

Like last year's conferences at Brussels Stock Exchange and Ljubljana Cankar Hall, also this conference was exclusively covered by the investo.tv crew, which prepared an exclusive VIDEO REPORT (to view click on the picture above).

The previous day, the General Assembly of EuroFinUse took place at the Brussels business club, the first one after the merger with the European Shareholders Association (Euroshareholders), which happened on the basis of the last year's Ljubljana Declaration. This year's election Assembly, which also re-elected a representative of Slovenia, the President of the PanSlovenian Shareholders' Association (VZMD), mag. Kristijan Verbič, into its highest authority – the Board of Directors, was followed by a formal reception and the announcement of Mr. Jean Berthon, who was immediately before this elected President of this prestigious European association, which brings together over 50 european associations of investors and shareholders with over 4 million members. The high-level meeting was, in addition to the distinguished guests from all over Europe, also attended by the senior representatives of the World Federation of Investors (WFI).

During these occasions, a proper presentation of companies, instututions and investment project included in the international investors' programs: invest to Slovenia (investo.si) and International Investors' Network (invest-to.net) was also provided. This year - after successful participation in the business delegation, which visited the Azerbaijani capital Baku (VIDEO) in January with the Prime Minister and the Minister of Economic development and the visit of the business delegation to Japan with the President of Slovenia – VZMD continues with the ambitious international program and invites all interested companies, institutions, communities and individuals to take advantage of the opportunity to participate and include their informative and promotional material and investment projects on the web portals, in literature and the commemorative magazine »investo Expo«and in the numerous other international business events which are prepared within the framework of both international investors' programs.

After successful visit of Slovene economic and political delegation to Japan, Mr. Kristjan Verbič, the President of PanSlovenian Shareholders' Association(VZMD), ended his working visit there, with the visit of Japanese investors' association, SeLeNet, where he was welcomed by the Managing Director Mr. Frank Kaneko and the Director Mrs. Yoshiko Togashi. The conversations were focused mostly on the further intensification of mutual cooperation within the international investors' programs of VZMD: Invest to Slovenia (investo.si) and International Investors' Network(invest-to.net).

In organization of SPIRIT Slovenia, partner Japanese agency JETRO and the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in Japan, supported by the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology of the Republic of Slovenia, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia,Manufactured Imports and Investment Promotion Organization MIPRO and Tokyo Chamber of Commerce and Industry, "Slovenian-Japanese Business & Investment Forum" was held in Tokyo last Friday. At the forum, all gathered were among others addressed by the President of the Republic of Slovenia, Mr. Borut Pahor, the President of JETRO, Mr. Hidehiro Yokoo, and the Acting Director of SPIRIT, Mr. Boštjan Skalar. Mr. Yokoo and Mr. Skalar also signed an agreement on cooperation between SPIRIT Slovenia and JETRO to deepen economic cooperation and strengthen partner relations. At the same time, two commercial contracts have been signed: DUOL company has signed a contract about establishment of competitive center for new materials and technology with the Japanese producer of membranes, Hiraoka company, and VSR Lab company has signed a letter of intent for the supply of water vessels to the Japanese buyer.

The forum concluded with B2B business meetings, which were attended by numerous businessmen and representatives of Japanese companies. Also on these occasions, the proper presentation of companies, institutions and investment projects, included in the international investors' programs investo.si and invest-to.net, was provided. Japanese participants have shown considerable interest in these programs,and all of the extensive informational and promotional materials, presented by the VZMD in Tokyo, ran out.

After a successful cooperation in economic delegation, which in January visited Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, and this time visit of the economic and political delegation in Japan, VZMD invites all interested companies, institutions, communities and individuals to take advantage of opportunities for cooperation and inclusion of their informational materials, promotional materials and investment projects in web portals, materials and occasional magazines"investo Expo", as well as in events on numerous other anticipated occasions, which are being prepared within the context of both international investors' programs in 2013.

On Wednesday, March the 6^th, a large and high-level economic delegation with 33 representatives of Slovenian companies, economic andscientific-research institutions arrived to Japan. This time visit of economic delegation takes place along the visit of the President of the Republic of Slovenia, Mr. Borut Pahor, to His Imperial Majesty, the Emperor of Japan, Akihito, and the Prime Minister of Japan, AbeShinzō. As part of the efforts of the international investors' programs of PanSlovenian Shareholders' Association (VZMD): Invest to Slovenia(investo.si) and International Investors' Network (invest-to.net), the President of VZMD, Mr. Kristjan Verbič, is also visiting Japan as a member of Slovene delegation.

In organization of The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia and SPIRIT Slovenia, partner Japanese agency JETRO andJapanese Agency for Development of New Energy and Industrial Technologies – NEDO, numerous bilateral business meetings, presentations and events are being held in Tokyo and Yokohama. Thus, members of the delegation on Wednesday visited the Toyotapresentation center Toyota Mega Web and the Panasonic Center, where they were received by the highestrepresentatives of global corporation. Visits were followed by a joint dinner of Slovenian businessmen in Japan, businessmen and members of the delegation, which was also joined by the President of the Republic of Slovenia. The meeting was held in the famous Yam Yam restaurant in the center of Tokyo, which is renowned as an important meeting point for Slovenes in Japan, and it impresses distinguished Japaneseguests with the outstanding selection of Slovenian wines. At the end of the evening, individual members of the delegation, including the President of VZMD, have beenadmitted to the eminent association of Japanese-Slovene friendship – Fuji Triglav Society (FTS).

Yesterday, "Japan – Slovenia Technology Cooperation Seminar" was held on the premises of Association for Technological Excellence Promoting Innovative Advances – TEPIA, where President Borut Pahor addressed the participants. The seminar was followed by a working lunch, organized by the President of NEDO, Mr. Hideo Hato. In addition to the members of the economic delegation, President of the Republic of Slovenia, President of the Board of Hitachi Corporation, Mr. Hideo Hato and many other prominentbusinessmen also attended the lunch. After lunch, the participants set out for Yokohama, where they visited Kankankyo and the Nissan Global Center premises.Slovene economic delegation concluded its intense and successful day at the reception for reputable Japanese representatives and members of the Slovene community in Japan, hosted by the President of the Republic of Slovenia in cooperation with the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in Japan.

Also on these occasions, the proper presentation of companies, institutions and investment projects, included in the international investors' programs investo.siand invest-to.net, was provided. After a successful cooperation in economic delegation, which in January visited Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, and this time visitof the economic delegation in Japan, VZMD invites all interested companies, institutions, communities and individuals to take advantage of opportunities for cooperation and inclusion of their informational materials, promotional materials and investment projects in web portals, materials and occasional magazines"investo Expo", as well as in events on numerous other anticipated occasions, which are being prepared within the context of both international investors' programs in 2013.

In the framework of Memorandum of cooperation between International Center for Promotion of Enterprises (ICPE) and PanSlovenian Shareholders' Association (VZMD), the international investors' programs invest to Slovenija (investo.si) and International Investors'Network (investo.international) were presented in India by ICPE Acting Director General, Mr. Janez Podobnik. ICPE ADG joined the Slovenian government and business delegation to India, led by Mr. Radovan Žerjav, M.Sc, Minister of Economic Development and Technology, The Government of the Republic of Slovenia.

On the 27^th and 28^th of January, the delegation attended the 2013 Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Partnership Summit in Agra, joining the over 1200 business representatives from India and worldwide delegations. They met with Shri Anand Sharma, Minister of Commerce and Industry, and Shri Akhilesh Yadav, Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. On January the 29^th, the delegation attended the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) India-Slovenia Business forum and visited the CII premises in New Delhi.

As the delegation continued with B2B meetings in Kolkata, ICPE ADG met in New Delhi with representatives of the Government of India and individual institutions, with which ICPE had closely cooperated in the past.

On Wednesday, the 30^th of January, ICPE ADG visited the Department of Personnel and Training, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, and met with Dr S. K. Sarkar, Additional Secretary, and Smt. Deepika Lohia Aran, Deputy Secretary. ICPE ADG shortly presented the recent restructuring and improvement of ICPE's educational programmes and the ICPE plan of activities with regard to the international MBA and short-term training programmes for the Government of India. DOPT will offer their support to ICPE programmes in agreement with the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE), responsible for ICPE, and the key government institutions, which will enrol their officials to ICPE's programmes.

Late afternoon, ICPE ADG, Minister Žerjav and HE Mr. Janez Premože, Ambassador of Slovenia to India, met with Shri Praful Patel, Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, State Secretary of the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) and ICPE Council President Shri O. P. Rawat, as well as Joint Secretary DPE, Shri Ashok K. Pavadia. The possibilities of strengthened economic cooperation between the two countries were discussed, while underlining the crucial role of ICPE in intensifying and opening new possibilities for concrete cooperation

On Thursday, the 31^st of January, ICPE ADG and HE Premože met with Secretary O. P. Rawat and Joint Secretary Ashok K. Pavadia to discuss in more detail the near future activities of ICPE in cooperation with the Government of India. Secretary Rawat specifically noted the immense potential for cooperation within the energy sector and the central role which ICPE could play in this field with the support of the Government of India and the Government of Slovenia. Further on, firm grounds were laid for the conduct of short-term training programmes in the period of the following six months. They discussed the details of the international postgraduate MBA programme, which is to be re-launched in September 2013 in cooperation with the Faculty of Economics, University of Ljubljana. It is expected that 20 candidates will be nominated by the Government of India to enrol in the ICPE MBA programme in this renewed programme first study year (2013/2014).

Later on, ICPE ADG met with Prof. R. K. Mishra, Director of the Institute of Public Enterprise from Hyderabad. ICPE and IPE have a signed Memorandum of Understanding, which broadly defines the scope and content of cooperation between the two institutions. They specifically discussed the details of organising training and educational programmes on e-Governance, commencing joint research projects, as well as the organisation of the joint conference on Public-Private Partnerships with a focus on energy issues in October 2013 at IPE.

On Friday, February the 1^st, ICPE ADG held the inauguration address at the "Board Orientation Program", organised by IPE in New Delhi and attended by management boards representatives from major public sector enterprises, as well as private companies. ICPE ADG was also introduced to Shri T. K. A. Nair, Advisor at the Prime Minister's Office, who
addressed the participants on behalf of the Government of India.

In the afternoon, ICPE ADG visited the National Institute of Financial Management (NIFM) in Faridabad, Haryana. NIFM is a premier Indian research and teaching institution in the field of financial management, supported by the Ministry of Finance of the Government of India, it was a long-term partner of ICPE and numerous programmes were organised at ICPE for NIFM participants. Together with the NIFM Director, Shri Anupam Kulshreshtha, and Dr Namrata Agrawal, ICPE ADG set solid ground for a re-start of the short-term training programmes in the following months, as well as explored the potential for joint research and faculty or student exchange programmes between the two institutions.

The Memorandum between ICPE and VZMD was signed as part of the efforts for further successful and closer cooperation between ICPE and the international investors' programs invest to Slovenija (investo.si) and International Investors'Network (invest-to.net), while there are additional options of expanding the international activities of VZMD also as part of the plans and presence of ICPE in Africa, Asia and South-East Europe.

The aim of cooperation is to develop common content, through which alliances between ICPE member states and VZMD, as well as between international organizations, of which VZMD is an active member (World Federation of Investors – WFI and European Federation of Financial Service Users - EuroFinuse), and their member states (55 national organizations of shareholders and investors). The emphasis is on the areas of active shareholding, education, strengthening entrepreneurship, investments and social responsibility. (To view investo.tv's video report from the recent international conference ICPE and Knowledge Economy Network (KEN) about the Benefits and Challenges of Public-Private Partnerships for Improving Energy Efficiency, click the picture to the right).

During "investors' Week" – the world's largest meeting of investors' representatives – which took place in Ljubljana in September 2013, numerous international guests, investors' representatives from 55 countries, among others visited the Postojna cave and the Jamski Dvorec Mansion.

VZMD invites all institutions, communities, business entities and individuals from Slovenia, the region and a wider area to take advantage of this exceptional opportunity to realize and expand their interests and business plans, offered by the programs Invest to Slovenia – investo.si andInternational Investors' Network – investo.international.

A sizeable business delegation with representatives from over 50 Slovenian companies, economic, science and research institutions visited the Azerbaijani capital of Baku on the 15th and 16th of January 2013, where, within the framework of the they met with representatives of over 100 Azerbaijani companies within the framework of the Azerbaijani-Slovenian Business Forum. The Azerbaijani representatives demonstrated a strong interest for business cooperation with the attending Slovenian companies, as well as with those companies and projects represented and presented within the framework of the international investment programs of the PanSlovenian Shareholders' Association (VZMD); invest to Slovenia (investo.si) and International Investors' Network (investo.international).

The visit of the business delegation took place during the visit of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, Janez Janša, with the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, dr. Illham Aliyev. The Slovenian Prime Minister took the opportunity to meet with the Prime Minister of Azerbaijan, Artur Rasizade, with which he agreed on the establishment of a joint economic committee, and signed two agreements, i.e. the Agreement on International Road Transport of Passengers and Goods and the Agreement on the Exemption of Visa Requirements for Holders of Service Passports. The important political and economic visit was also attended by the Slovenian Minister of Economic Development and Technology, Radovan Žerjav, M.Sc., for whom cooperation with Azerbaijan is a priority.

The opening of the Azerbaijani-Slovenian Business Forum was followed by one-on-one discussions between the Azerbaijani and Slovenian entrepreneurs and businessmen. The acting director of the newly established Slovenian Public Agency for Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Development, Investment and Tourism (SPIRIT Slovenia), Boštjan Skalar and the President of the Azerbaijani partner agency AZPROMO, Rufat Mammadov, took this opportunity to sign a memorandum of understanding.

Additional important agreements, memoranda and contracts were signed at the business forum – the Azerbaijani company Baghlan Group and the Slovenian company Duol signed a contract worth € 600.000 for the covering of the stadium in Baku, while Iskratel signed a letter of intent for cooperation with the Azerbaijan Technical University in the field of broadband connections. An agreement of cooperation was also signed by Ljubljana University and the Baku State University. Furthermore, a partnership memorandum was also signed by the Oguz region executive authorities and the Slovenian town of Nova Gorica.

The PanSlovenian Shareholders' Association (VZMD) invites all companies, institutions, communities and individuals to take advantage of the opportunity to participate and include their informative and promotional material and investment projects on the web portals, in literature and the commemorative magazine »investo Expo«and in the numerous other international business opportunities – conventions, conferences and presentations – which are prepared within the framework of VZMD's international investors' programs invest to Slovenia (investo.si) and International Investors' Network (investo.international).

The European Federation of Financial Services Users (EuroFinuse), of which the PanSlovenian Shareholders' Association (VZMD) is an active member, supports the efforts and initiative of MEP Sven Giegold in the framework of the project »Dangerous Financial Products«, which calls on individuals, organizations, businesses and professionals to participate in the search for the most dangerous financial product through the web portalhttp://www.dangerous-finance.eu.

More information on the invitatioin and participation opportunities can be found in the letter below or on the given web link.  

Dear friends, dear colleagues,

I would like to start this year with an interesting project I need your help with. Europe is searching for the most dangerous financial product.

During their establishment in 2011 the new European Supervisory Authorities were given the power to ban certain financial products from the markets. However, this new power has not been used even though it is known that many products are dangerous. Nonetheless, at least the practice of naked short selling could be banned following an initiative of the European Parliament under the surveillance of a Green drafts person by special European legislation.

Some products are opaque and complex and thus threaten consumer protection with concealed risks and high costs. They harm third parties such as the global poor, particularly in developing countries by speculation with food and land. They put the stability of the financial system and sustainable development at risk because in some cases they cannot even be sufficiently analysed by financial markets experts or regulators and because they exacerbate price volatilities (also for currencies, credits, etc.). Other financial products might harm the environment by investments in non-sustainable industries or resource consumption. They might also endanger development policy by channeling funds through tax havens which has severe consequences for much needed revenue, in particular in the developing world but also in Europe.

Therefore, we are launching a competition to find the most harmful and dangerous financial product traded on the marketsand want to create publicity and raise awareness.With your input and the help of an expert jurythe most dangerous financial product shall be determined and brought to the attention of the supervisory authorities. We then expect them to scrutinize the product and limit its application or ban it totally from the markets if necessary.

We are happy to receive contributions from citizens, organisations, corporations, consumer advocats and financial markets experts via our online platform (http://www.dangerous-finance.eu). All proposals can be discussed in a public forum after expiration of thedeadline of submissionson15 February 2013on this website. Subsequently, a jury of experts will analyse and rate all proposed products. In a public vote one out of three very harmful financial instruments nominated by the jury will be elected the "winner".

You can join the competition and debates here:

http://www.dangerous-finance.eu

I am looking forward to receiving your submissions and to holding constructive debates - let's work together to make 2013 the year in which the interests of people in developing countries, consumers and our planet prevail over badly regulated financial markets.

In co-operation,

Sven Giegold

On Tuesday, 8 January 2013, the Acting Director General of the International Center for Promotion of Enterprises (ICPE), Mr. Janez Podobnik and the president of the PanSlovenian Shareholders' Association (VZMD), mag. Kristjan Verbič signed a Memorandum of cooperation between the two institutions, with which synergetic effects and cooperation on a wider international market will be additionally strengthened. The Memorandum was signed as part of the efforts for further successful and closer cooperation between ICPE and the international investor programs invest to Slovenija (investo.si) and International Investors' Network (investo.international), while there are additional options of expanding the international activities of VZMD also as part of the plans and presence of ICPE in Africa, Asia and South-East Europe.

The aim of cooperation is to develop common content through which alliances between ICPE member states and VZMD as well as between international organizations, of which VZMD is an active member (World Federation of Investors – WFI and European Federation of Financial Service Users - EuroFinuse), and their member states (55 national organizations of shareholders and investors). The emphasis is on the areas of active shareholding, education, strengthening entrepeneurship, investments and social responsibility. (To view investo.tv's video report from the recent international conference ICPE and KEN network about the Benefits and Challenges of Public-Private Partnerships for Improving Energy Efficiency, click the picture to the right).

The program investo.si was established in 2008 by VZMD, prior to the first investor conference and the »investo Expo«convention in Ljubljana. Since then, they have arranged notablepresentations of business opportunities in Belgium, Bolgaria, Brazil, France, Holland, Libanon, Luxemburg, Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey and Great Britian for their members, while strong presence in the international investment market on similar conventions, conferences and presentations is expected to continue also in the future (you are welcome to view video reports on www.vzmd.tv andwww.investo.tv).

In 2012 the international investment programs investo.si and invest-to.net, among other events, organized the World's Largest Meeting of Investors' Representatives: »Investors' Week«, during which Ljubljana's Cankar hall also hosted the international investor conference and the »investoExpo«convention. The meeting of over one hundred investors' representatives from 55 countries, which was supported by the European Comission, was organized by the PanSlovenian Shareholders' Association (VZMD) together with the international associations of shareholders and investors EuroFinuse, Euroshareholders and the World Federation of Investors (WFI), which only in Europe directly represent over 4 million individual investors.

VZMD invites all companies, institutions, communities and individuals to take advantage of the opportunity to participate and include their informative and promotional material and investment projects on the web portals, literature and happenings at the many anticipated opportunities in the year 2013:

• BAKU – visit of business delegation, during the visit of the Prime Minister of Slovenia, Janez Janša with the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, dr. Ilham Alyev, January 2013,
• PERU, CHILE – visit of EU business delegation with the Vice President of the European Commission Antonio Tajani during the EU-Latin America Summit (in confirmation process),
• LONDON – Conference of European Banking Authority (EBA), January 2013 (in confirmation process),
• BRUSSELS – International Conference of the European Confederation of Directors' Associations (ecoDa), EuropeanIssuers and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), February 2013 (in confirmation process),
• BRUSSELS – International Investors' conference and General Assembly of the European Federation of Financial Services Users (EuroFinuse), March 2013,
• LJUBLJANA – "Kapital" convention, April 2013,
• LJUBLJANA – Slovene Capital Market Days 2013, April 2013,
• PARIS – OECD Forum, May 2013,
• International Investors' Conference, June, 2013 (in confirmation process, to be held in one of the EU countries),
• MADRID – International Investors' Conference and the General Assembly of the World Federation of Investors (WFI), September 2013,
• LJUBLJANA – Ljubljana Forum, October 2013,
• LJUBLJANA – FDI Awards, November 2013,
• VIENNA – International Investors' Conference, date not yet determined (in confirmation process),
• Annual conference of the Slovenian Association for Quality and Excellence, date and location not yet determined.

Thus, after successful the presentations and activities of 2012:

BLED – International conferences "India and Slovenia as Business Partners" and "CloudForum", March 2012,

BRUSSELS – International Conference at the Brussels Stock Exchange, March 2012,

LJUBLJANA – Visit of International Monetary Fund (IMF) representative responsible for the area of International Capital Market Regulation, Richard Britton, at the VZMD headquarters, April 2012,

BLED – International conference "Bled Forum", April 2012,

LJUBLJANA - "Kapital" convention and Slovene Capital Market Day 2012, April 2012, LJUBLJANA – International conference "Africa Day", organized by the International Center for Promotion of Entrepeneurship (ICPE), the Slovenian Association for International Relations (SDMO), and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia, May 2012,

MARIBOR – International conference Knowledge Economy Network (KEN) 2012, June 2012,

SAO PAOLO – Visit of business delegation during the visit of the Deputy Prime Minister mag. Radovan Žerjav, June 2012,

BLED – Bled Strategic Forum and Business lunch with the Secretary- General of OECD, Jose Angel Gurria, September 2012,

LJUBLJANA – World's Largest Meeting of Investors' Representatives "investors' Week", international investors' conference "investo Expo" and a conference on educating financial services users, September 2012,

LJUBLJANA – Mayor's reception and award ceremony of Euroshareholders and VZMD award "Shareholders' Friendly Company", September 2012,

PTUJ – Slovenian Development Days on International Development Cooperation and a business conference on International Integration of Local Entrepreneurship, October, 2012,

LJUBLJANA – International Conference on Benefits and Challenges of Public Private Partnerships for improving Energy Efficiency, October 2012,

PORTOROŽ - Slovenian Association for Quality and Excellence (SZKO) awards ceremony, November 2012,

BRUSSELS – "European Public Affairs Awards" award ceremony, November 2012,

LJUBLJANA – roundtable discussion "The Future of the Eurozone" with Maria João Rodrigues, Special Advisor to the European Commission, November 2012,

WIESBADEN – International Investors' Conference, December 2012,

VZMD would like to invite companies and institutions to continue to participate in and benefit from the opportunities offered by the programs investo.si and invest-to.net in 2013 and also participate in all upcoming opportunities and events. Membership in the above mentionedinternational programs enables companies, institutions and projects, for which they require partners or investors to be seen on both web portals (in English), the production and use of professional video materials from www.vzmd.tv and www.investo.tv, the inclusion of informative and promotional materials at important investor conventions, meetings of representatives of national and trans-national organizations of investors and shareholders,the possibility of active representation in individual countries or environments, presentation in the commemorative magazine"investo Expo", promotional leaflets, folders, etc.