§ Mr. AlexanderTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the markets which have been selected by British Trade International for special promotion; and what plans he has to develop British trade in each of these. [100654]
§ Mr. BattleThe following tables list those markets identified as Target Markets by British Trade International and gives details of the strategies which are being implemented for each market:
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(a) Under-exploited and newly emerging markets for more experienced exporters Countries Promotional launch Strategies China/Hong Kong China January 1998 A 2-year programme of awareness raising events in every region of the UK; an intensive programme of sector-focused activity Hong Kong January 1998 Promote Hong Kong's role as a gateway for British companies wanting to access the China market; focus on the expanding range of opportunities in IT and related sectors; promote the opportunities in Hong Kong's massive infrastructure plans promote Britain as a source for quality consumer goods including fashion Egypt November 1998 Raise the profile of Egypt as a destination for UK services, products and investment; improve the flow and quality of market and sector information available, principally to SMEs; develop a viable Business Council (commercially-driven and led); encourage the formation of SME joint-ventures and other forms of partnership India January 1993 Plans are in hand to widen the scope of the Indo-British Partnership which promotes exports and investment. The new programme will be announced by the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he visits India in January 2000 Japan April 1998 Help British companies win business in Japan and with Japanese companies worldwide; cross-sectoral themes of high technology support for UK businesses setting up in Japan and assistance to companies to invest directly in Japan and set up facilities there Mexico November 1999 (in Mexico) Develop an SME partnership programme in priority sectors; January 2000 (in UK) special focus on the use of electronic media, with the development of a number of virtual trade promotion concepts; support for regional links between organisations and businesses in the UK and Mexico South Africa May 1998 Close co-operation with the South African Department of Trade and Industry to promote trade and investment partnerships; major Partnership Week events in South Africa, focusing on PFI opportunities; UK/South African SME partnership programme, developing linkages with previously disadvantaged groups; 'thinksouthafrica' gateway website Taiwan April 1999 Focus on events in the UK and Taiwan (including inward and outward missions) across a small number of priority sectors Turkey June 1998 Awareness raising activities and events in the UK; assist the promotion of the Turkish market through relationships between representative bodies in the UK and Turkey. 260W
(b) Markets for new and inexperienced exporters Countries Promotional launch Strategies United States of America November 1998 Export USA aims to give small companies, particularly those with innovative products, services or processes, the confidence to tackle the market effectively. Firms pay £1,000 for: on-going contact with Commercial Officers; market assessment and advice; short marketing course at a university business school; visit to a trade fair or conference in the USA; and assistance with commercial publicity Canada December 1999 Export Canada will be broadly similar to Export USA, but will place greater emphasis on new exporters Western Europe September 1998 The Export Explorer scheme has been developed for new and inexperienced exporters aimed at Western Europe. It is delivered through Business Links and other intermediaries at a cost to the company of £99 plus travel. The package is delivered as: Market Explorer, offering companies the opportunity to visit one of the easy access starter markets of the Republic of Ireland, Belgium, the Netherlands and the Nordic countries,; Trade Fair Explorer, which helps firms to visit one of the major trade exhibitions in Western Europe; a continuous programme of sector initiatives, using British Trade International's 18-strong team of Export Promoters for Western Europe