Latest news
Help Director magazine and UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) build up a picture of how the recession is changing export markets.
International trade can be daunting at the best of times, even if your company has worked overseas before. In a recession it is even tougher. That’s why it’s crucial to get expert advice. But how are these uncertain economic times affecting exports? Has the recession stopped or encouraged sales overseas? What factors are holding you back from exporting? Where would you most like to export and what’s stopping you?
UKTI is offering three companies the opportunity to win an Overseas Markets Introduction Service (OMIS) consultation (worth up to £1,000 each).
According to a recent survey, only 25% of EU 27 SMEs export or have exported at some point during the last 3 years. While 13% of them have exported to markets outside the EU, the rest of the good/services has been sold within the EU 27, making it the FIRST market destination. ...
Internationally active businesses get better results:
International SMEs create more jobs: Internationally active SMEs report an employment growth of 7% versus only 1% for SMEs without any international activities.
International SMEs are more innovative: 26% of internationally active SMEs introduced products or services that were new for their sector in their country; for other SMEs this is only 8%.
Public support goes largely un-noticed: Only 16% of SMEs are aware of public support programmes for internationalisation and only a small number of SMEs use public support.
European SMEs are more internationally active than US and Japanese SMEs. Overall, European firms are more active than their counterparts in Japan or the US. Even if only extra EU exports are considered they still perform better.
Most often SMEs start international activities by importing. SMEs that both import and export started with import twice as often (39%) than with exports (18%).
- More time proposed for 2009 VAT refund requests
The Commission has adopted a proposal to postpone the deadline for the submission of VAT refund requests relating to 2009. Member States were obliged to make the web portals available on 1st January 2010. However, delays in getting these portals up and running in some Member States has led to a situation where people have not been able to submit their refunds. It is therefore proposed that the deadline for submission of refund requests for 2009 expenses is postponed from September 2010 to March 2011.
An eLearning course has been developed to help tax officials in EU countries and others with a particular interest in value added tax (VAT) get a good basic knowledge of the VAT Directive.
The training has been prepared by the Commission's Taxation and Customs Union Directorate General in close collaboration with expert taxation officials and is freely available for download.
Commissioner Máire Geoghegan-Quinn has announced nearly € 6.4 billion of European Commission investment in research and innovation. The package, the biggest ever, covers a vast range of scientific disciplines, public policy areas and commercial sectors (health, food, nanosciences, nanotechnologies, energy, environment, secutiry…).
This proposed strategy is aimed at boosting both the environmental performance and global competitiveness of the European automotive sector. The strategy promotes clean and energy efficient vehicles, in all categories of vehicles, from buses and lorries to cars, vans and motorcycles.
A common charging system for electric cars, scooters and bicycles will be developed by the European Standardisation Organisations bodies. The new standard will ensure that all types of electric vehicles and their batteries are charged both safely and easily all across Europe, by mid-2011.
Best Practice for FP7 (Framework) Projects and further ICT opportunities, were the two main subjects of this event, which was jointly held by EEN and the University of Manchester. Please click here to see a summary of this event.
The CE marking signals that a product is in compliance with all relevant EU legislation, making it eligible to be marketed and sold throughout the EU. By affixing the CE marking on a product, a manufacturer is declaring, on his sole responsibility, conformity with all relevant legal requirements, in particular those which ensure health, safety, and environmental protection.
The CE marking applies to approximately 23 different product categories. Does your product need CE Marking?
1 July saw the entry into force of new EU labelling rules, including the new EU organic logo.
The EC has launched a new web portal to help businesses to understand the customs procedures for importing goods into and exporting goods from the EU.
This supports the creation of training networks to help professionals in the industry enhance their competence in the international market. The scheme aims to encourage exchanges and cooperation between film / audiovisual schools and universities and the commercial sector.
If so you may find this leaflet useful to you and your suppliers.
The EC has recently decided to encourage industry to set up certification schemes for all types of biofuels, including those imported into the EU.
This website claims to be the voice of ICT SMEs in Europe and is well worth a look if you are involved in ICT. UKITA, United Kingdom IT Association are a member.
The European Commission is pursuing legal action against several Member States for failing to comply with EU law. Law includes: Taxation Policy, Environment, Public Procurement, Internal market and Data Retention.
MEPs have voted for an expansion of EU rules on the energy labelling of household appliances, including fridges, washing machines and ovens. A revised energy efficiency label will include additional energy consumption classes. The Directive will be extended to commercial and industrial products. The Directive is expected to be published in the Official Journal in June, with Member States having a year to transpose it into national legislation.
The European Commission has proposed changes aimed at simplifying access to EU funds. If adopted, the new rules would introduce a range of measures, including making it easier to combine public and private funding; raising the threshold above which a simplified administrative procedure applies from €25,000 to €50,000; and creating multi-donor trust funds to pool resources of the EU, Member States and others to provide coordinated financial assistance in crisis and post crisis situations.
The Commission has published its 2009 Report on Competition Policy, which provides an overview of how the State aid, anti-trust and merger control rules were developed and applied during the year and how they were deployed in selected sectors.
- German-British Chamber publishes new edition of its subsidiary database
The German-British Chamber of Industry & Commerce has published a new, extended edition of its database "German Subsidiary Companies in the United Kingdom & British Subsidiary Companies in Germany".
The latest Bank Lending Survey of the European Central Bank indicates a very modest net tightening of credit standards on loans to enterprises in the first quarter of 2010. However, 83% of surveyed banks kept their tight conditions unchanged. A large amount of short-term funding will need to be refinanced in the near future. The economic crisis has clearly taken a toll on venture capital too.
The 2009 annual report shows strong patent filing trends from the clean energy sector. While total patent applications decreased by 8%, the report shows a significant increase in clean energy patents. Filing in sectors such as wind and water power, photovoltaic, solar thermal energy and biomass shows a 27% increase, with some sectors, such as the wind power sector putting in stronger performances.
The EUROSTARS project is funded by both the participating countries and the European Commission and is established to stimulate new, innovative, interdisciplinary and market oriented research networks in Europe. The deadline to submit proposals is 30 September 2010.
The call offers direct co-financing with grants that cover up to 50% of the total project cost in the areas of Material recycling; Sustainable building products; Food and drink sector and Green business. The projects are selected on the basis of their innovative approach, their market replication potential and their contribution to European environmental policies, especially in terms of resource efficiency. The deadline for submissions is 9 September 2010.
- Europe's top innovation prize winners announced
From ecology and nuclear physics to information systems and satellite-based navigation. These were the big winners when the European Commission and the European Patent Office presented the 2010 European Inventor of the Year awards:
1. Lifetime Achievement
Wolfgang Krätschmer (Germany) - A whole new field of research in physics has been discovered, laying the foundations for the creation of new materials
2. SMEs/research category
Jürgen Pfitzer and Helmut Nägele (Germany) - Breakthrough in the sustainable use of renewable resources reached with Arboform liquid wood
3. Industry category
Albert Markendorf (Switzerland) and Raimund Loser (Germany) - 3D scanning and measuring system opened up a new level of accuracy in industrial measuring systems and revolutionised the field
4. Non-European countries category
Sanjai Kohli and Steven Chen (USA) - GPS systems can now also be used commercially and are a part of our everyday lives
Ben Wiens and Danny Epps (Canadians) - Electrochemical fuel cells which are now a commercially successful alternative to fossil fuels
The Council has adopted a Decision establishing a €100 million European microfinance facility for employment and social inclusion. The fund will offer sums of up to €25,000 to unemployed people, budding entrepreneurs and micro-enterprises (especially those employing vulnerable or disadvantaged people).
EU Finance Ministers have reached a general agreement on a proposed Directive aimed at modernising VAT invoicing requirements. The changes to be introduced by the new legislation are expected to be of particular help to small and medium-sized enterprises. Paper and electronic invoices will be treated equally and rules on storing information and on recording periods will be harmonised.
A consultation has been launched on the options for reviewing EU rules on working time. The views of the social partners are being sought on whether action is needed at EU level on the Working Time Directive (2003/88/EC) and what scope it should take.
Regulation (EU) No 265/2010 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 March 2010 amending the Convention Implementing the Schengen Agreement and Regulation (EC) No 562/2006 as regards movement of persons with a long-stay visa.
On 1 April 2010, a new electronic system for monitoring and controlling the movement of excise goods (alcohol, tobacco and energy products) within the EU becomes operational. Replacing a paper-based system, the The Excise Movement and Control System (EMCS) will allow real-time recording of the movement of products for which excise duties have still to be paid.
The Commission Regulation (EU) No 271/2010 sets out new rules on the use of the ‘Organic production logo of the European Union', which apply from 1 July 2010.
The European Commission has recently published a new call for proposals under the 'Cooperation' specific programme of the 7th Framework Programme for Research and Development.
The European Commission recently published a call for proposals under the Intelligent Energy Europe (IEE) Work Programme of the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP). Applications must be submitted online before 24 June 2010.
The deadline to submit project proposals is 18 May 2010. Companies are invited to apply for Marco Polo funding to fight road congestion and make freight transport greener. Please note that threshold have been lowered to make it easier to SME to participate! New calls will include: modal shift actions, motorways of the Sea actions, traffic avoidance actions, common learning actions.
The next opportunity to apply under CIP Eco-innovation will be with the new call for proposals which will open on 13 April 2010 with € 35 million available for funding new projects.
Under the 2009 CIP Eco-innovation initiative, the 45 best green projects will receive € 32 million funding. Ranging from innovative materials for easy sorting and recycling to advanced production methods that save water and other resources, the selected projects are set to strengthen Europe's competitive edge while improving its environmental standing.
The deadline to submit pre-proposals is 15 April 2010 and the deadline to submit full proposals is 7 July 2010. The main objectives of the project are to launch ambitious RTD calls for proposals and therefore to fund trans-national projects involving RTD actors from the private or the public projects will be funded under: eHealth, Protective Textiles, Sustainable construction, Recycling, Bio-based products, Renewable enrgies
The European Commission has selected 43 major energy projects, which will significantly contribute to the economic recovery in the EU, while increasing our security of energy supply by creating cross-border infrastructure. The Commission grants € 2.3 billion to 31 gas and 12 electricity projects.
The establishment of a European Heritage Label is being discussed at the EU level. The Heritage Label would seek to 'strengthen European citizens' sense of belonging to the European Union, based on shared elements of history and heritage, as well as an appreciation of diversity, and to strengthen intercultural dialogue.'
The added value of having the European Heritage Label is it would only designate sites which have played a key role in the history of the European Union. It is not about a site's beauty or architectural quality but rather its symbolic value for European integration. It is not about conservation of sites in itself but rather the activities they offer and their educational dimension, especially for young people, and, finally, it would help labelled sites be more effective by working together.
If you went to Germany on a business trip or exhibited at a German trade fair in 2009, you can potentially save approximately 19 percent of your business expenses by claiming back the German VAT you incurred during the trip.
Since 1 January 2010 British businesses can submit their claims via a new online system with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). Applications can be filed online via standardised forms and in most cases original invoices will not have to be provided. Claims for 2009 have to be submitted to HMRC by 30 September 2010.
From 1 July 2010, the use of a new 'organic logo' will be mandatory on pre-packaged organic products produced in the EU. Council Regulation (EC) 834/2007 (the 'Organic Farming Regulation') is to be amended to include the new logo in one of its annexes. Use of the logo will be optional for imported products.
The new Regulation on the EU Ecolabel has been published in the Official Journal. Regulation aims at increasing the effectiveness and streamlining the operation of the scheme.
Pizza Napoletana gains traditional specialities guaranteed (TSG) status. Regulation includes a list of ingredients, baking instructions and a description of how the finished product should look.
The report 'New Skills for New Jobs: Action Now', published by the European Commission, 'stresses the need to provide the right incentives for people to upgrade their skills, to better link education, training and work, to develop the right mix of skills, and to better anticipate those skills needed in the future.'
To find out what government training and programs are running in the North West, you can contact Manchester Solutions.
Cedefop, the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training, has redesigned its website. Targeted at policy-makers, researchers and social partners, the new site gathers materials under four broad themes: identifying skills needs; understanding qualifications; analysing VET policy; developing lifelong learning...
- Overseas Export Schemes
At the beginning of February, the European Commission authorised, under EU state aid rules:
- a Danish scheme providing export loans to Danish exporters and /or their clients who experience difficulties in accessing funding in the current financial crisis...
- modifications to a Dutch short-term export credit insurance scheme
For information on UK export scheme, please contact UK Trade & Investment North West.
Competitions
Looking for a winner: European Entrepreneurship Video Award 2010
Have you ever thought of being your own boss, of being an entrepreneur? Do you want to do what you believe in instead of following the orders of someone who pays you?
The European Commission is encouraging enterprising film lovers to prove their creativity and skills by producing a short video that deals with...
European Competition - Architecture and Design, Realisations in Eco and Agro-Materials: ADREAM
Organized by Picardy Region and the Free State of Thuringia, regions producing and processing renewable resources, this first competition of ideas is granted with financial prizes and prototyping fees for a total value of €80,000...
The so-called "VAT Package" (EU VAT Directive) enters into force from 1 January 2010 across the EU and includes rules to avoid double taxation.
Under the new legislation, VAT for business-to-business services is to be paid in the country of consumption rather than the country where the supplier is located. For business-to-consumer services, VAT will continue to be paid in the Member State in which the supplier is established.
On 1st January 2010, Spain took over from Sweden the presidency of the EU. Implementing changes introduced by the Treaty of Lisbon will be the main priority for Spain's six months in charge of the Council of the European Union. Priorities for Spain include: economic recovery, gender equality, a people's Europe, energy security, climate change, and immigration.
TMview is an online consultation tool allowing any Internet user to search, free of charge, the trade marks of all participating official trade mark Offices.
TMview is an online consultation tool allowing any Internet user to search, free of charge, the trade marks of all participating official trade mark Offices. It is multilingual and easy-to-use, and gives access to trade mark applications and registrations of the participating official trade mark offices in a single place.
The information is provided by the trade mark offices that own the content and are responsible for its daily update.
You can use TMview to:
- Carry out a trade mark search
- Check for the availability of your trade mark name
- Discover what your competitors are protecting
- Provide information to trade mark examiners
This is a thirty minutes module interactive guide to protecting your IPR when exhibiting at tradefairs in China.
Trade fairs represent an opportunity for SMEs to showcase their products and act as a gateway to the Chinese market. Although attending a trade fair or exhibition in China can reap substantial benefits, SMEs should be aware of the associated IP risks.
The revised Machinery Directive became applicable at the end of 2009. It ensures that everything from small consumer products, to paper-making machinery and tower cranes can circulate freely in the internal market as long as health and safety requirements are respected.
The machinery sector is an important part of the engineering industry and is one of the industrial mainstays of the Community economy, and the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC provides the regulatory basis for the harmonisation of the essential health and safety requirements for machinery at European Union level.
The Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC was published on 9th June 2006 and has been applicable since 29th December 2009, replacing the Machinery Directive 98/37/EC.
Regulation (EC) 689/2008 affects all European Union based companies involved with the export or import of chemicals or articles containing chemicals. It is commonly known as the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) Regulation.
New rules on tyre labelling have been published in the Official Journal as Regulation 1222/2009. The aim of the Regulation 'is to increase the safety, and the economic and environmental efficiency of road transport by promoting fuel-efficient and safe tyres with low noise levels.' It establishes a framework for providing consumers with information on tyre parameters and will apply from 1 November 2012.
The Commission has issued Directive 2009/164/EU, amending Directive 76/768/EEC on cosmetic products.
The Council has today unanimously adopted conclusions on an enhanced patent system in Europe. The package agreed covers major elements to bring about a single EU patent and establish a new patent court in the EU. Both together will make it less costly for businesses to protect innovative technology and make litigation more accessible and predictable. Today's agreement will pave the way for solving the outstanding issues to achieve a major reform of the EU patent system in the near future.
From 28 December 2009, each EU Member State has to set up Points of Single Contact for service businesses. This will be a 'one-stop-shop' through which service providers can obtain information and complete procedures and formalities via electronic means and 'at a distance'. This means if you run a service business (and there are a few exclusions) you can access information from a single source. There will be less red tape and streamlined regulation. This is part of the EU Services Directive.
EEN is supporting the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills who would like to hear your views on what issues are barriers to trade in the service sector. Please complete our simple on-line survey here.
- Scam grant awards
BIS colleagues have alerted us to a possible email scam that seems to be doing the rounds. It appears to offer "free grants" to SMEs from the UK Government and other bodies. If you think your company may be eligible for a grant, contact us on 0161 875 2324 or eenw@business-support-solutions-co.uk and we will carry out a search on your behalf.
EUREKA's Eurostars Programme is the first European funding and support programme to be specifically dedicated to SMEs. The programme open for funding applications on a continuous basis, with an average of two application submission deadlines each year.
The next application submission deadline is 25 February 2010.
Subsequent application deadline for the Fifth Eurostars Cut-off is 30 September 2010.
This political agreement clears the way to extend the scope of the current framework directive, which covers only household goods, to all energy-related products. In practice, the new directive shall apply also to other appliances, even where these are sold for nonhousehold uses, e.g. air-conditioning systems and lighting sources...
