EURO KNOW
Page 32
Page 33
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
The Single European Market is now a realitybut a recent survey by the London Chamber of Commerce showed that more than half the companies in the UK know nothing of the £46.2 billion worth of grants and tenders that are available under the EC budget.
That ignorance implies that too few businesses have received the help and information necessary to prepare for the arrival of the Single Market. Like EC grants, there's plenty of data available, once you know who to ask.
At government level The Department of Trade and Industry offers free books such as Guide to Sources of Advice, An Action Checklist for Business and Single Market News.lf you have specific questions or simply want to apply for literature, DTI personnel will give advice over the phone.
In line with the Government's belief in selfhelp, the DTI's Enterprise Initiative is designed to help businesses to help themselves by taking expert advice on overseas trade and European exports.
Consultancy grants are available to all companies with fewer than 500 employees. These consultancies can cover virtually all aspects of business, from design and manufacture to marketing and sales, and the DTI will pay up to 66% of the cost for consultations between 5 and 15 days Overseas Trade Services provides practical help and advice for exporters. I lelp starts with market research and continues through to establishing a presence in an overseas market.
The Exports to Europe Branch provides information on specific markets within the EC.
Many non-Government organisations can also give useful advice on European business opportunities.
For example, your local bank managers can brief you on the impact of the EC. Virtually all of the big banks have dedicated units and information programmes to help business adapt.
Depending on which bank you consult you can get finance, help in finding trading partners or agents, foreign currency accounts and links with other EC-based banks If you want a consultant to come in and help you prepare for the Single Market approaches can be made to the various associations and institutes that govern the consultancy industry. These include: The Institute of Management Consultants, The Management Consultancies Association, The Chartered Institute of Marketing, and the British Consultants Bureau.
They all maintain registers of consultancies that operate in given fields and can supply shortlists of candidates for businesses to contact and negotiate with direct.
UK law is complex enough; international law can cause all sorts of problems for uninitiated. But once again there are several organisations which might be of use
For businesses needing solicitors. The law Society of England and Wales operates the 1992 Lawyers List with details on over 800 solicitors firms across England and Wales. The Law Societies of Scotland and Northern Ireland operate similar systems.
For barristers, contact the General Council of the Bar, and Fum-link for Lawyers is a networking association which helps clients find lawyers in specific fields of law, speaking specified languages, in any EC country or city For technical issues, management advice, exporting information, training and language skills, there are also a range of organisations who will be happy to help.
The British Standards Institution (BSI) offers a variety if services to keep you up to date with Britisli and international technical standards.
Also run by the BSI, Technical Help to Exporters (THE) gives advice for those who wish to match their products and services to international standards. It also carries out technical research and maintains a library of some 500,000 British and international standards. THE is currently giving a 50% discount on many of its services under a DTI agreement.
Local Trading Standards Departments will tell you how standards and safety legislation is being implemented and enforced. For information contact the Institute of Trading Standards Administration or your local Trading Standards Office The management organisations such as the Institute of Directors (loll) and the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) also run their own schemes
The jot.) offers an on-line database covering EC law, company and marketing information, with advice on legal, marketing and boardroom matters. The CBI has an office in Brussels to represent UK business and publishes the quarterly Europe Sans Frontieres.
Finally, the European Business Ii offers services similar to some of thi offered by the loD and the CBI Smaller operations are catered fo Association of Independent Busine the Federation of Small Businesses. independent groups that represent interests of small business, rather it same way as the CBI represents management.
To get information straight from horse's mouth you can call the BC e:
London or seek out the nearest Eurt Information Centre. These EICs ma libraries on EC legislation, directive proposals, as well as market intellig sources of finance and R&D grants. They are often hosted by other bt organisations such as a chambers o commerce. The EC can supply deta your nearest EIC.
For export advice you could-call t Simpler Trade Procedures Board (S which offers sets of documents, cop systems and software packages to s the preparation of documents for o It can also help investigate the send documents by Electronic Data Inter (ED!).
Many colleges and private langut schools can tailor language courses individual operations. For a shortlis names try: The Centre for Informat Language Teaching The Institute c Linguists; The Institute of Translat Interpreting the Civil Service Collei MacMillan/PICKUP National Train Directory or Training Access Point And while you're researching EC opportunities don't forget the Freigl Transport Association and the Rom Haulage Association—as the bodie looks after your sector of business, well placed to give industry specific information.
J by Adam Bernstein