Monday, 23 Jan 2012
Men looking at an engine
Preparing for market
Researching and understanding the market,
legal matters (export licencing regulations, Government trade embargoes),
business enterprise and financing schemes,
information security/intellectual property protection,
and a funding scheme to aid attendance at overseas trade shows.
Understanding the market
Market Research
Doing your homework is essential if you are going to identify the right markets for your product or service – those that have a clearly stated requirement for what you are selling and have the finances available to purchase it. Business Link has provided a dedicated online Overseas Market Research Guide which you should consult before deciding which countries to approach.
Country by country “doing business in” guides
There is a wealth of information available to help you understand how business is conducted in overseas territories. These links should provide you with all of the basic advice and guidance you require.
UKTI country by country ”doing business in” guides
Overseas Marketing Guides – Defence & Security
To offer added value to the general country information available UKTI DSO is developing a series of defence and security overseas marketing guides. These will focus initially on UKTI DSO’s list of priority markets – those that offer the best opportunities for UK plc.
Overseas Market Introduction Service (OMIS)
OMIS is a flexible business tool which uses the expertise of our global trade teams to benefit your business. OMIS provides a non defence and security service package backed up the personal support of UKTI personnel based both in the UK and within our overseas missions.
You can read more about OMIS or speak to your regional ITT officials for further details.
Tradeshow Access Programme
UKTI’s Tradeshow Access Programme (TAP) provides grant support for eligible SME firms to attend trade shows overseas. Taking part in overseas exhibitions is an effective way for you to test markets, attract customers, appoint agents or distributors and make sales
Market Reports
UK Space Sector Capabilities
The UK Space Sector Capabilities report highlights the capabilities of the UK space sector, in particular setting out the strength and versatility of the UK offering in five areas: Satellite Communications, Earth Observation, Space Security, Key Technologies and Position, Navigation and Timing. The document has been produced by UK industry with input from the UK Space Agency (UKSA) and UKTI DSO.
Export licences and legal requirements
The Export Control Organisation
The Government imposes strict controls on the export of strategic goods, technology and software for important reasons, including safeguarding the national and collective security of the UK and its Allies.
The Export Control Organisation (ECO) - part of the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS) – is responsible for assessing export licence applications for specific categories of controlled goods and for issuing or refusing licences as appropriate. Any item exported from the UK that is subject to export control needs a licence.
Updated export notices are issued frequently throughout the year by the ECO and potential exporters are advised to check regularly for changes.
Do I Need an Export Licence?
It is the responsibility of the exporter to ensure that all legal requirements are met when exporting goods and services. Exporters are reminded that licenses may be required for intangible material as well as the more obvious hardware. This could include information held on computers or related software or even knowledge stored in the mind for oral delivery.
Exporters can check whether or not an export licence is required by visiting the ECO website and registering to use the free online Goods Checker service. If your goods or services require an export licence you should apply by registering to access the SPIRE online export licencing system.
Overseas Promotion
Companies that are required to release classified information overseas for use in export promotion prior to obtaining an export licence will need to apply to the Ministry of Defence for clearance, known as Form 680 or F680 clearance. Instructions on how to do this can be found on the SPIRE webpage.
Please Note: Companies must obtain F680 clearance before UKTI DSO will give support to an export campaign.
The F680 process follows the same administrative route through Government as a regular export licence application. For companies about to embark on a more general overseas marketing campaign the F680 process can provide a useful indication of whether an export licence is likely to be approved. However F680 clearance does not remove the need for an export licence.
Trade Sanctions
It is inevitable that there will be UK trade sanctions in place with certain overseas countries in respect of certain pieces of kit or technology. To ensure that you are not wasting money, time and effort in pursuing an overseas contract for which an export licence will be refused please visit the Foreign & Commonwealth website to view the latest trade sanctions.
Useful links
Overseas Business Risk is a Government service, providing UK companies with information relating to the security related risks they might face when operating overseas. This includes advice and information subjects such as political and economic issues, bribery & corruption, terrorism threats, organised crime, etc.
Companies may also wish to visit the UKTI Business Ethics web page, which provides information on the efforts of Government and Trade Associations to advise on bribery & corruption and serious fraud issues.
UKTI has a web page providing useful advice and information on the protection of Intellectual Property when doing business overseas.
Enterprise and Business Support
The BIS website provides a wide range of advice, information and support to encourage SME growth, including access to finance.
UK Export Finance (formally known as ECGD) is the UK’s official export credit agency. It provides services such as insuring UK exporters against non-payment by their overseas buyers, helping overseas buyers to purchase goods and services from UK exporters by guaranteeing bank loans and insuring UK investors in overseas markets against political risk.
Overseas Defence Officials Accredited to London
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has an online publication – ‘The White Book’ – which lists details of overseas military and civilian defence officials assigned to the Foreign High Commissions and Embassies situated in London. Applications to access the White Book must be made to the MoD.
British Defence Equipment Catalogue (BDEC)
BDEC is an electronic reference source for the UK defence sector’s products and services.