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British business has always looked overseas for opportunity, and foreign trade is vital to the UK economy. The UK is the world’s sixth largest exporter of goods and services; business which is worth around £200 billion every year, equating to 17% of the country’s total GDP. In terms of investment, the UK is second only to the USA as the world’s largest investor in overseas markets.
The enlargement of the European Union provides marketing and sales opportunities too good to miss - including unrestricted access to more than 450 million consumers – and rapidly growing and emerging markets such as India and China and Brazil and the Middle East represent astounding global prospects.
The voice of export businesses in the UK is a vital one, and the BCC ensures it is heard clearly by all relevant Government departments and private bodies to ensure exporters’ needs are met - today and tomorrow.
The BCC supports and advises businesses in all areas of International Trade development and intelligent exporting, and with a worldwide network of Bilateral and International Chambers of Commerce the BCC can provide UK exporters with a unique added dimension far beyond the existing role of Embassy Post.
The BCC’s Accredited Network provides numerous international trade services, including:
- Training in all aspects of World Trade
- Export Documentation Services
- Market Research and online intelligence
- Credit Checks and Letters
- Export Planning
- Translation Services and multilingual marketing material
- Inward / Outward Trade Missions and Fairs
- Export Clubs and International Networking
- Consultancy Projects
- Tender Advice and opportunities
- Specialist Advisory Services
- Letters of Credit
- Market focused Programmes
- Introduction and contacts with local and central players in Government
The BCC enjoys a close and productive relationship with UK Trade & Investment, the Government organisation which supports UK companies trading internationally and overseas enterprises seeking to locate in the UK.
On behalf of UK Trade & Investment, the BCC manages and delivers two of their key services; the Export Marketing Research Scheme, which encourages UK businesses to conduct research before entering a new overseas market, and the Export Communications Review, which aims to reduce the instances in which cultural and language barriers come between UK businesses and success overseas.
The BCC holds mandates from the DTI and HM Revenue & Customs for the issue of all EU Certificates of Origin as well as EUR1 and A.TR Certificates. These Movement certificates are readily available from issuing body Chambers across the United Kingdom.
The BCC has recently launched e-Cert eXpress which enables any exporter to apply online for their certificates, have them fully approved and stamped by the Chamber and then allow them to print out on previously purchased certificates at their own office.
This enables the exporter to have completed certificates, stamped and authorised and signed by the Chamber within a couple of hours. The savings in courier fees or staff time out of office is considerable and this service has been widely appreciated by all exporters.
The British Chambers of Commerce is frequently asked to provide information on individual organisations or specific markets and to provide lists of organisations in specific industry sectors. Whilst the BCC is unable to assist in these areas, click here for contacts which may be useful.
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