COMMERCIAL DELEGATIONS – EXTERNAL NETWORK
Published on 28 March 2018
Spain
Extremadura
This is the good practice's implementation level. It can be national, regional or local.
About this good practice
Directly financed by the ERDF Operational Program of Extremadura under the priority Axes 3 “Enhancing the competitiveness of SMEs”, investment priority 3d, through Extremadura Avante (Public Agency), this Good Practice provides SMEs with the services offered by the Commercial Delegations abroad.
Germany, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, the United States, Morocco, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Portugal and the United Kingdom are part of the Extremadura Avante External Network, from where continued support (on demand) is provided to facilitate the promotion and commercialisation of Extremadura products and services.
Extremadura companies have at their disposal free of charge advice and personalised assistance of professional experts, both for prospecting and for consolidation and growth in the different foreign markets.
The services included under this Good Practice are:
• Resolution of queries
• Advice on the market and documentation
• On-time support as an interlocutor in the follow-up of business contacts
• Providing business contacts at destination
• Creation of individualised agendas at destination
SMEs can access to these services on demand and free of charge, through Extremadura Avante.
Germany, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, the United States, Morocco, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Portugal and the United Kingdom are part of the Extremadura Avante External Network, from where continued support (on demand) is provided to facilitate the promotion and commercialisation of Extremadura products and services.
Extremadura companies have at their disposal free of charge advice and personalised assistance of professional experts, both for prospecting and for consolidation and growth in the different foreign markets.
The services included under this Good Practice are:
• Resolution of queries
• Advice on the market and documentation
• On-time support as an interlocutor in the follow-up of business contacts
• Providing business contacts at destination
• Creation of individualised agendas at destination
SMEs can access to these services on demand and free of charge, through Extremadura Avante.
Expert opinion
This is an interesting example of a demand-based support network that can help the companies of a specific region to enter and/or grow in their target foreign markets. In this case, SMEs have access to this network free of charge and benefit from personalized advice, contacts and business opportunities. This support scheme needs considerable preparation in terms of setting up the network with support staff from various countries, but as this good practice demonstrates, the evidence of success (number of companies receiving such support) is also considerable. Customized support instead of generalized market information will naturally attract companies to participate in the programme. As such, this instrument can offer inspiration for policy-makers all over Europe.
Works at
Interreg Europe Policy Learning Platform
Resources needed
For the development of this Good Practice, the resources needed are:
• Technical staff support
• Costs of Promotional Actions Abroad programme are included within the Regional budget bounded to support the Strategic Plan for Internationalisation of Extremadura
• Technical staff support
• Costs of Promotional Actions Abroad programme are included within the Regional budget bounded to support the Strategic Plan for Internationalisation of Extremadura
Evidence of success
• Services offered/ attended by this Good Practice along 2017 have been: 299 inquiries, 78 databases of importers and distributors, 29 commercial reports, 97 business agendas, 43 importers attracted to the region, assistance in 7 promotional events, 11 meeting points organised in the region.
• This Good Practice has helped to increase the exports of Extremadura´s enterprises as they feel accompanied and supported in their internationalisation activities
• This Good Practice has helped to increase the exports of Extremadura´s enterprises as they feel accompanied and supported in their internationalisation activities
Potential for learning or transfer
The potential for learning of this Good Practice has been identified in relation to:
• Efficient public support instrument for the internationalisation of SME´s
• Positive perception of public funding mechanisms
• The external network model (commercial delegations abroad: coordination and operational management)
In terms of transferability, the establishment of an efficient and customised B2B international network that provides updated and practical knowledge can be easily applied by other regions/countries.
• Efficient public support instrument for the internationalisation of SME´s
• Positive perception of public funding mechanisms
• The external network model (commercial delegations abroad: coordination and operational management)
In terms of transferability, the establishment of an efficient and customised B2B international network that provides updated and practical knowledge can be easily applied by other regions/countries.
Further information
Website
Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.
Organisation
EXTREMADURA AVANTE
Spain
Extremadura
Contact
Project Advisor