Helping exporters is a key role of both the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department of Trade and Industry. Together we provide help, advice and support under the banner of "Overseas Trade Services".
a wide range of information, advice and assistance is available at every stage of the exporting process;
easily accessible data bases are there to help with basic
research;
our experts in embassies and other posts overseas can provide the answers to specific market enquiries and help you identify suitable agents to represent your company;
financial assistance is available to smalller firms, and to business representative organisations, wishing to undertake export marketing research;
and we support British firms exhibiting at overseas trade fairs and participating in outward missions.
The more customers we have for these services, the more pleased we are. Our aims are clear. We encourage firms to adopt an international approach to their business by helping potential exporters to think seriously about selling overseas, and existing exporters to sell more. In particular we are glad to give support to inexperienced exporters and small and medium sized companies, those new to particular markets and those pursuing major project business.
Looking to the future, some of you may be aware that the President of the Board of Trade has invited British firms to second to the DTI 100 men and women to help design, promote and lead an exciting and challenging export drive. The first of these new Export Promoters will start work later this month, and we plan that all 100 should be active by the Spring. Together they will represent a fund of expert, first-hand knowledge of the opportunities that exist in the world's markets and their expertise will be available to British firms to help them fulfil their export potential.
In another new initiative the Government is planning a network of one-stop shops around the country bringing local business support organisations together under one roof. The objective is to provide firms with easy access to a world class range of services to improve their quality, their productivity, their competitiveness and their ability to sell overseas.
But government can do more than this. We can also work as a catalyst to ensure that business people both here and in the markets concerned increasingly come to see each other as natural global partners. This is particularly important for markets in
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