Find new export markets using our free–of-charge export sparring programmes
Your company wishes to enter a new export market and you have a product that appeals across borders, but you are unsure how to proceed. A free-of-charge export sparring programme prepares your company by helping you to develop a specific plan for your export market of choice.
Export sparring is designed for small and medium-sized enterprises with limited or no export experience. The objective of the sparring is to help your company devise an export strategy and select the right export market.
"The free-of-charge export sparring programme led us to look at South Korea as a market, which a company as small as ours would otherwise not have had the resources to do."
The first step towards the new export market is a free-of-charge sparring programme at a Regional Business Hub, which prepares your company for an upcoming export adventure. Together with an international business advisor, you examine your company’s relevant internal and external situation. The programme concludes with your company making an export plan.
This is followed by a maximum of 15 hours of free export sparring with a Trade Council export advisor on one market. The sparring will often consist of basic market information that the company can use to assess the export market.
Export sparring involves therefore a collaboration between a Regional Business Hub and The Trade Council, which comprises two integrated components. This ensures that your company benefits from the advice and guidance from both organisations and becomes well-equipped to tackle the new export market.
"The counselling provided by both Business Development Centre Southern Denmark and The Trade Council in South Korea fully matched our expectations. After the export sparring programme, we continued our collaboration with The Trade Council."
Thus, the Export Sparring programme is a collaboration between the Regional Business Hubs and The Trade Council, which ensures that your company benefits from the advice and guidance of both organizations. The Trade Council’s nine International Business Advisors are stationed in the six Regional Business Hubs in Denmark to secure a strong link between the two organizations. The services of the Regional Business Hubs are free of charge, and you get access to a wide range of public and private services that can help your business move forward.
To qualify for the Trade Council’s SME subsidies, a company must meet the following criteria:
- Danish Registration: The company must be registered in the Danish Central Business Register (CVR).
- De minimis: Companies receiving subsidies are required to comply with the European Commission's regulations regarding state subsidies, commonly referred to as the "de minimis rule". Under this rule, companies, when considered on a group level, cannot receive state subsidies exceeding EUR 300,000 over a three-year period. Please notice that exceptions and specific regulations may apply to particular sectors, types of services, etc. For additional details, please visit the official website of the Ministry of Industry, Business and Financial Affairs.
- EU SME Definition: The SME category consists of enterprises which employ fewer than 250 persons and have either an annual turnover not exceeding EUR 50 million or an annual balance sheet total not exceeding EUR 43 million.
For linked enterprises, the combined headcount and financial figures of all entities within the linked group must be considered. This means that 100% of the linked enterprise's data (employees, turnover, and balance) must be added to those of the company in question to determine if it meets the staff headcount and financial thresholds. For more information on linked enterprises, please refer to the European Commission's "User guide to the SME Definition".
EU has trade agreements with 78 partners around the world. For further information read more here or contact us by mail – [email protected]. The Trade Council offers additional 3 hours of free advice per year on how to make the best possible use of the trade agreements, including how you obtain lower customs rates. More information about the advice read here.
would you like to know more about your company’s opportunities for export sparring?
Contact us to hear more.