On February 18, 2000 the Center for the Study of Democracy hosted a workshop to discuss the necessity of changes in the license,permission and registration regimes and the recommendations of the Council of Ministers 'Work Group in this field. The Government 's goals and intentions to relieve the conditions for conducting business in Bulgaria and the stages for implementing this goal were discussed with business representatives, NGOs and branch business associations by the initiative of the Economic Program.The Center for the Study of Democracy, as a participant in the Coalition 2000 activities,con- siders the Government 's intentions to change the acting regimes as the first and most important step for reducing corruption pressure over economy.

Mr. Dimitar Batchvarov, Director of the Economic Policy Directorate at the Council of Ministers,acquainted the participants with the procedures for preparing the work group's recommendations and the next stages. This workshop offered an opportunity to follow up the initial reactions of the branch business associations to the changes proposed,and the way these entities can and activating their foreign economic relations with Japan through information and know-how exchange, training of specialists and state administration officials.

At a Workshop, held on February 28, 2000 with the participation of state institutions, NGOs and busi- ness associations,the Japanese guests introduced the targets and the outcome of Japan's industrial policy, the key factors for developing small and medium enterprises and the importance of high-tech branches for the economic development.

The opportunities for increasing the Japanese investments in Central and Eastern Europe were reviewed.