Export Forums
Bedford Borough Council’s Economic Development
unit have a working relationship, and specific business contacts
within UK Trade and Investment (UKTI). They are available to
provide specific and informative advice and information to assist
organisations in the export of their products to markets abroad.
This applies, both within the EU, and in countries outside the
EU.
UKTI have detailed information resources
regarding legislation, best practise and relevant foreign
contracts. They have a significant presence in Bedford, being
located to hand at the Borough Council’s i-Lab building on Priory
Business Park, to the south of the town.
East of England IDB Ltd (EEIDB) now manages
the Trade and Inward Investment activity in the East of England on
behalf of the East of England Development Agency and UK Trade &
Investment.
All Inward Investment and Investor
Development activity will be EEDA branded, operating under the
banner of EEDA Invest and you can contact the team on 01707 398399
or info@eedainvest.org.uk or visit
the EEDA Invest
website.
All Trade activity will be UKTI branded and
you can contact the team on 0845 641 9955 or info@uktieast.org.uk or the
UK Trade and Investment website
Information for businesses wanting to work in Europe
Useful agencies and
contacts
Enterprise Europe Network East of
England (new window)
An EU funded service operated through Business
Link. The network offers:
- a one-stop shop enquiry
service on EU related questions and issues for
enterprise
- Innovation, technology and
commercial partnering service
- Assistance to tap into EU
funding programmes
- A method for raising concerns
at a European level.
Contact details:
Tel: 0845 641 9955
Email: info@uktieast.org.uk
Web:
UK Trade & Investment, Regional Sector Specialists
Deliver UK Trade & Investment services and
supports regional businesses seeking to win a share of the global
market. They offer the following services:
- Passport
to Export (new window) -
flexible and subsidised support delivered by personal
advisers
-
Overseas Market Introduction Service (new window) - an online tool putting companies directly
in touch with staff in overseas offices for focused business advice
and support
- Export Marketing
Research Scheme (new window) -
helps British companies research overseas markets prior to
entry
- Export Communications
Review - grants access to an
accredited export communications consultant who will deliver a
report with recommendations tailored to you
PERA (new window)
PERA is a consultancy firm commissioned by EEDA to
support East of England businesses to access the Framework 7
Programme (FP7). FP7 is the European Union’s biggest
initiative for funding collaborative research and development
projects across Europe.
FP7 proposals should be developed by a collaboration
of organisations which may include small to medium sized
enterprises, larger businesses and research
institutions. There should be representation of at least 3 EU
countries.
The FP7 support can help your business access this
funding, submitting a bid and/or finding partners.
Contact
details:
Tel: +44 (0) 1664 501501
Fax: +44 (0) 1664 501554
Email: innovation@pera.com
East of England Brussels
Office (new window)
The office assists people, businesses and
organisations in the East of England to maximise the benefits of EU
membership by:
- Guiding partners through the
maze of EU institutions and legislation
- Providing intelligence and
advance warning of EU policy and funding developments
- Promoting regional businesses
to the rest of the EU, and helping to forge business links
throughout Europe
- Creating links through
networking and partner searches with other European
regions
- Raising the regional profile
to key decision-makers in the European institutions
In particular it operates a Business Club to help
businesses: tap opportunities; inform them of new relevant policy
developments; give advance warning of legislation and contract
opportunities; and act as liaison office in Brussels
Contact details:
Tel: +32 2 289 1200
Email: brusselsoffice@east-of-england.eu
Online services and other support
The Directorate-General (DG) for Enterprise and
Industry is the part of the European Commission tasked with
ensuring a well run internal market for goods and promoting the
competitiveness of EU enterprise. DG Enterprise & Industry
pays particular attention to the needs of manufacturing industry
and small and medium sized enterprises: it manages programmes to
encourage entrepreneurship and innovation and ensure that Community
legislation take proper account of their concerns.
The DG addresses businesses of all types, regardless
of legal structure or size, but focuses particularly on the needs
of small and medium sized enterprises.
SME Portal
DG Enterprise
website (new window) has an area specifically dedicated to SMEs
– the SME Portal. This portal has been set up to provide a
single entry point to information on all European Union policies,
programmes, projects, tools and services aimed at
SMEs.
It has sections covering:
- EU funding for
SMEs
- EU sectoral
Policies
- Support services across
Europe
- On-line tools
- Going
International
- The EUs SME Envoy
- SME Policy
- SMEs and
Innovation
- Promoting
Entrepreneurship
- A Single Market in
Europe
- Making SMEs more
competitive
The paragraphs below expand on some of these areas,
but this environment is being constantly updated and amended, and
it is recommended that the site is checked before acting on any of
the information.
Funding
Small and Medium sized enterprises (SMEs) can benefit
from EU funding through grants, loans and, in some cases
guarantees. Support is available either directly (EU grants)
or though programmes managed at a national level.
Grant funding is mostly thematic with
specific objectives – environment, research, training etc. and
designed and implemented by a variety of agencies and departments
within the EU Commission. Any SME applying will need to
contribute to a sustainable, value added and transnational
projects. The EU will normally only part fund any
eligible project. For further information go to the on-line funding
tool as below or
The “Grants and
loans” data base.
The online tool for
SME funding (new window) is intended to be a simple way
for SMEs to find the schemes and programmes that they might access.
It gives an overview of the most relevant and links and contacts
for further information. See:
Financial Instruments (new window) do not provide direct
funding to SMEs, but are usually processed through financial
intermediaries such as banks or investment funds. They are
intended to increase the volume of credit available to SMEs and
encourage an increase in SME lending capacity.
European investment fund (new
window)
Enterprise and
industry (new window) website offers
information on access to start up or expansion financing can be
found at:
Loans (new window) are
available in some EU States to help SMEs start up or
develop. The Access to Finance site below includes information
and contact details for each Member State, but there is
no fund as yet set up in the UK. See:
Other Support Services
SOLVIT
(new window) an on-line network to solve
problems caused by the misapplication of Internal Market law by
public authorities.
Your Europe
– Business (new window): practical information and
advice to carry out business in another country within the European
Union.
IPR Help Desk (new window)
a free resource on intellectual property rights, mainly aimed at
contractors and participants in EU funded programmes.
CORDIS (new
window) is a comprehensive website that offers access to
European Union research and development funding programmes, as well
as information on potential partners and previous and ongoing
projects.