- ÐÓÑ/ÁÅË
- EN
Home / Investment Support
Investment Support
To raise and effectively use investments is one of the main priorities of the governmental investment policy of Belarus, which is implemented by the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Belarus.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus together with the Belarusian diplomatic missions assists in raising foreign investments in the economy and projecting a favourable investment image of Belarus abroad.
All sectors of our economy are open to foreign investments, except for the production of weapons, drugs and toxic substances.
Foreign investors may set up companies in Belarus with any amount of foreign investments in any legal form, as well as their branches and representative offices.
For foreign investors Belarus has created all necessary legal conditions. All investors are guaranteed equal, without discrimination, protection of rights and legitimate interests, regardless of the ownership and the national status. Guarantees to foreign investors are also provided in the framework of bilateral agreements between Belarus and other countries. Currently, there are 52 agreements on avoidance of double taxation and 49 treaties on promotion and protection of investments, including with Austria, Great Britain, Germany, Italy, China, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Turkey, Czech Republic, Sweden, Switzerland, Finland, South Korea, etc.
The country established a system of incentives, privileges and preferences for investment activities. Special legal regimes apply to investors in free economic zones, small and medium-sized cities, rural areas, the Park of High Technologies, etc.
The law provides for the possibility of concluding the investment contract with the Republic of Belarus — it allows the investor to obtain additional legal guarantees to protect their capital and additional benefits for the implementation of an investment project.
Belarus has been working to join the 30 top countries with the most favourable business conditions. The country has constantly carried out reforms to liberalize economy and raise its investment profile.
Measures taken by the Government to reform the economy are positively appreciated by the prominent international structures, including the IMF, World Bank and International Finance Corporation.
The effectiveness of measures taken by the Government translates into annually growing foreign investments in the economy of Belarus.
In 2009, Belarus attracted over USD 9 billion of foreign investments, with a 1.4 fold increase against 2008, including USD 4.8 billion of FDI, USD 1.9 million of portfolio investments and USD 4.4 billion of other types of investments.
Foreign Investments in Belarusian Economy
(US$ million)
The share of CIS countries in all inward investments totaled 65.4 percent, with Russia making up 65.3 percent.
The non-CIS countries share amounted to 34.6 percent of all inward investments. The major investing countries are Russia, Switzerland, Austria, UK, Cyprus.
Every year the number of companies with foreign capital is on the upwards. As of January 1, 2010 there were 5,176 companies with foreign investments operating in Belarus, including 2819 joint ventures, 2357 companies with foreign capital. Within a year, as compared to January 1, 2009, Belarus added another 300 new organizations with foreign capital.
Why is it worth investing in Belarus?
- over years Belarus demonstrates a strong economic growth and increases economic cooperation with foreign countries
- as the Customs Union of Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan was launched to abolish internal customs borders, foreign investors obtained access to the market of the Customs Union of 170 million
- since January 1, 2012 in the framework of the unified economic area national legislations will be unified, giving new opportunities to foreign investors
- well-developed transport network and infrastructure
- political, social, and economic stability
- low level of crime and corruption
- highly skilled workforce with employment experience at modern enterprises
- favourable investment climate: guarantees, privileges and preferences to foreign investors
- favourable economic and geographical location
- 6 free economic zones and a High-Tech Park
- establishment of the “National Investment and Privatization Agency” and the Advisory Council for Foreign Investments of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus
Further reading *
-
Catalogue of Investment Projects of the Investment Forum “Belovezhskaya Puscha — Tourism and Recreation” (.pdf, 5Mb) 
Doing Business in Belarus 2011 (.pdf) (by Revera Consulting Group)
Investarby.com — independent investment portal
________________________________________
* External links in this section are not sponsored or endorsed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus and are provided for information purposes only.
