European Commission overhauls its website for third countries' exporters

The Export Helpdesk has recently launched its revamped website to facilitate market access from third countries to the EU. Besides information on import tariffs, import requirements and trade statistics, the site now offers detailed information on the preferential arrangements in place between the EU and developing countries.

It also offers a series of help tools to further assist exporters in third countries to take advantages of the export opportunities offered by these agreements. This is particularly interesting for SMEs who wish to export to the EU but are still unfamiliar with the EU rules for imports. This website is available in English, French, Spanish and Portuguese.

Among the services provided are:

• Requirements and taxes (requirements to be met to import market goods in the EU, internal taxes applicable in every EU country and product-specific legal or market requirements);
• Import tariffs and other import measures (such as quotas, import licenses, anti-dumping measures, etc.);
• Preferential arrangements (EU’s main trade arrangements with developing countries, documents that must accompany exports and rules of origin exporters must meet);
• Trade statistics (trade flows between the EU and third countries);
• Links (trade authorities (EU and national), international trade bodies, market places and business directories);
• What's New (hosting the quarterly newsletters of the Export Helpdesk);
• Contact (in order to lodge detailed questions).

Since its launch in 2004, the number of visits to the Export Helpdesk has constantly increased. Its main visitors are in Latin America, followed by Asia, the Mediterranean countries, and the Africa Caribbean and Pacific countries.

The website is also widely used by European importers – http://exporthelp.europa.eu/index_en.html.