Businesspeople

About Exporting

There’s never been a better time to trade internationally. And whether you’re completely new to exporting, have some experience, or are looking to expand a well established range of global markets and services, there’s always more you can do to increase your bottom line

Why Should I Export?

Academic research confirms that exporting companies are more productive than non exporters, achieve stronger financial performance, and are more likely to stay in business. Read more on gaining the “export advantage” here

UKTI have recently commissioned a series of surveys and reports detailing the attitudes of UK exporters to international trade – the reports, including “Surving to Thriving – Doing Business Overseas” are available here

I have no experience of international trade. Where should I start?

You should take some time to consider the realities of exporting and their implications for all aspects of your business, and to be aware of any assistance you may need. You’ll find lots of useful information on the country and sector pages of this site. Get yourself started by reading our advice for first time exporters

I have some export experience. How can I build on this?

If you have some experience of exporting you may now be thinking about to take things to the next level. You’ll need more strategic support which allows you to build lasting commercial relationships with clients and partners. Read our advice for experienced exporters here.

EU single market : successful trading, overcoming barriers

To help companies take advantage of the enormous opportunities for trade offered by the European Single Market, both the UK Government and the European Commission provide guidance on trading in Europe as well as support to businesses to overcome barriers they might face in accessing this important market. View guidance, resources and useful links on the BIS website:

EU market access - overcoming barriers

How to tackle regulatory barriers when doing business abroad (PDF, 1.5 Mb)

Help for exporters from Businesslink.gov.uk

Businesslink.gov.uk helps businesses to succeed by providing access to clear, simple, and authoritative information. The website divides the world of business and government into easy to understand thematic areas, including international trade. Businesslink.gov should be your first port of call for regulatory information on exporting. Relevant resources include:

Growth and Improvement Service - this new service provided by Business Link has a range of easy-to-use tools, online tutorials and video case studies, and signposts to discussion forums, events and support schemes Access the Growth and Improvement service here

Interactive tools – Businesslink.gov and the Growth and Improvement service host a range of interactive tools that provide personalised advice relating to your business through a series of short questions. The tools cover key business questions from “are you ready to export?” to “what are my duty and VAT liabilities when importing or exporting”? Find a list of interactive tools for your business on the Businesslink.gov.uk website, and access the "Exporting for Growth" tool here

The UK Trade Tariff - the UK Trade Tariff is an easy-to-use online tool which gives you free, direct access to current trading information on taxes and levies, rebates, preferences, restrictions and other information supplied by HM Revenue & Customs on all imports to and exports from the European Union. Access the online UK Trade Tariff on the Businesslink.gov.uk website.

Help for exporters from UK Export Finance

UK Export Finance 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/or services from UK exporters by

guaranteeing bank loans to finance those purchases;

- sharing credit risks with banks in order to assist exporters in the raising of tender and contract bonds, in accessing pre- and post-shipment working capital finance and in securing confirmations of letters of credit; and

- insuring UK investors in overseas markets against political risks.

The amount and terms of support available depends on the risk involved. Find out more about services and eligibility on the UK Export Finance website

Mentoring for exporters from mentorsme.co.uk

Mentorsme.co.uk is a gateway to a national network of over 10,000 experienced mentors from a wide variety of business backgrounds - offering both free and paid for mentoring. The Portal provides interested parties with a single, easy to use search engine to locate organisations that provide mentor services. The aim is to give users access to existing mentoring organisations and networks under one umbrella