NOVEMBER 2011

Jean Léonard Cottone, consultant charged of the Franco-Dominican relations

Jean Léonard CottoneThe Var Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the CCDF turn to him

Jean Léonard Cottone, and international consultant, who has been living for more than 10 years in the Dominican Republic and is President of the firm CARIBEN CONSULTING INVEST, has been working for the past months on the development of an important economic, strategic and trading exchange between the Dominican Republic and the Var Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

This relation between the two countries was concretized in September 2011 when an institutional mission visited the island to explore the Dominican market.

The purpose was to detect and identify opportunities for economic and trade exchanges that may exist with the French Department of Var.

This mission was a success and its objective was fully reached according to 100% of the surveyed participants.

The main protagonists of this mission are Jacques Bianchi (President of the Var CCI), Horace Lanfranchi (President of the General Council of Var), Jean-Pierre Barlatier (Barjane), Bruno Bartalli (Fabre vineyards), Jean-Jacques Brebes (CCI Var), Jean Léonard Cottone (CCI Var / Dominican-French Chamber of Commerce), Pierre Esquembre (Château Farambert), Henri Fabre (Fabre vineyards), Patrick Heintz (Secretary General of the General Council of Var), Florence Perret (Château Farambert), Christine Tholin (Missions and International Institutional Relations of Var CCI ), Jacques Verdino (Business Representative of the Var CCI).

As part of these projects, Jean Léonard Cottone was chosen as the consultant contact in the Dominican Republic whose mission is to facilitate trade and respond to any requests of the Var companies interested in this Caribbean market.

Details of the achieved progress

1 - Agreement on cooperation for the promotion of relations between the Dominican Republic and the Var-Provence (CCDF / VCCI)

After a meeting with the Dominican Minister of Finance Julio Fernández, the parties should be able to reach an agreement.

This agreement would unite the competences of the different institutions in order to encourage the development of exchanges between the Dominican Republic and the Var, on a 5 years period (delimitation of the cooperation area).

A derogatory tax system should support this project, which legal framework could be to transpose free zones (which now are geographical areas) to activities (free zones) that would strengthen the cooperation (public utility).

These free zone activities would provide fiscal advantages, specially on some hey economic areas, in order to generate more trade exchanges (tourism - mainly cruises- training, sustainable development) classification of household waste, biomass, solar energy, reserves management / parks), culture ..

The draft of this convention is being elaborated

2 - Project to open an air route La Romana / Toulon-Hyères-Saint-Tropez (CG / VCCI)

The visit of Casa de Campo (10 000 ha hotel resort with golf courses, beaches…), and the airport of La Romana, have shown that there are similarities between the clientele of this place and the one of the Var, the Gulf of Saint Tropez (golfers, polo, idleness, exclusive class, luxury…).

With nearly 300 000 French tourists per year in Santo Domingo, the possibility of installing an air route between the Dominican Republic and the Var has to be studied.

Productive discussions were started by the VCCI and the CG with Claudio Silvestri, president of Casa de Campo and La Romana airport, during a reception given in honor of the visitors at his villa at Casa de Campo.

Claudio Silvestri said he was very interested by this project and expressed he would support the Var department.

In order to materialize this project, and since he has many contacts in the airline industry, said he would be happy to contact companies to introduce this project.

Negotiations are ongoing between the CDDF and Air Caraïbes.

3 - Organization of the France Festival at Altos de Chavon in March 2012 (VCCI / CEV)

Located on a cliff that overlooks the Chavon River and Casa de Campo, Altos de Chavon is a town with a 16th century Italian look, and is the meeting place of billionaires, of which several own a residence there.

The Festival of France will take place from March 22 to 26, 2012 in this beautiful place.

For this first edition, this event, to which can participate professionals and every interested person, will be a way to promote France in the Dominican Republic, and particularly the Var Department. It will allow the public to discover the agro-food, wine, environment, tourism (cruise ships, golf…) of this French region.

This trip, during which several visits and meetings were conducted between economic and political entities surprised most of the members of the delegation who for the most had never come in Dominican Republic.

This initiative allowed the French entrepreneurs discover one of the most dynamic markets in the Caribbean that is focusing more and more on the Europe continent, with a skilled personal and great economic opportunities for the Var.

The meetings witg economic and political personalities allow us think future projects will be materialized soon, creating real development bonds between the two countries.

Regarding the commercial area, we are still in contact with 2 participating companies in order to provide them all the answers they may need concerning their international strategy.

4 action point result from this institutional mission and the 4 next steps are:

  1. Agreement on cooperation for the promotion of relations between the Dominican Republic and the Var-Provence (CCDF / VCCI)

  2. Project to open an air route La Romana / Toulon-Hyères-Saint-Tropez (CG / VCCI)

  3. Organization of the France Festival at Altos de Chavon in March 2012 (VCCI / CEV)

Jean Cottone was named to be in charge of the mission for the two Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Var and the Dominican Republic in order to:

  • Develop relationships Dominican Republic / Var (public bodies, professional and inter-training centers, transport companies…) ;

  • Bring their collaboration in achieving the 3 goals.

Dominican Republic Live, 11.11.11 / 10 a.m.

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