Atradius - Key to Business Success in Mexico

Sydney, Australia 9 August 2013

In line with the ‘Trade Successfully With…’ series, Atradius has now released the recording of the ‘Key
to Business Success in Mexico’ webinar which is available to view for free.

A panel of experts on Mexico’s economy, business culture and law cover the opportunities and the
logistics of trading in Mexico in a lively debate designed to help businesses make their mark there.
The discussion is led by award winning financial journalist and broadcaster Adam Shaw.

Mexico is an accelerating economy. It is Latin America’s 2nd largest with a growing middle class that
has an increasing demand for luxury goods. With 150 million people and an economically stable
market, consumers now have more money to spend. Consumer spending is forecast to increase by
32% between 2013 and 2017.

As an emerging market, Mexico has signed 43 trade agreements with different countries making
Mexico a more appealing and competitive market to do business with. The reform of the
telecommunications market sector offers opportunities for foreign providers.

The webinar discusses the key factors for doing successful business in this market, including having a
local representative on site in Mexico.. There are 31 different states in Mexico all with different cultures,
rules and regulations which are just some of the key reasons a local representative is crucial to get
ahead in this market.

As always in the series there is also an accompanying special report ‘Trade successfully with Mexico –
10 Important Principals’. The report looks at ten principles that those seeking to expand their sales
strategy into Mexico should follow to avoid the many pitfalls of trading in untried territory.

To download the report, click here

If you have any questions or comments in regards to these publications or the webinar please contact
us at oceanianews@atradius.com.au

About Atradius
The Atradius Group, a company of Grupo Catalana Occidente S.A., protects businesses against trade
credit risks throughout the world with credit insurance, bonding, and collections services offered in 45
countries. With total revenue of EUR 1,554 million and a market share of approximately 31% of the
global trade credit insurance market, Atradius’ products contribute to the growth of companies throughout the world by protecting them from the payment risks associated with selling products and
services on credit.

Contact Details:
Level 14, 1 Market Street
Sydney  NSW 2000
Phone: +61 (0)2 9201 2389
Fax: +61 (0)2 9201 5224
Website: www.atradius.com

Atradius Country Report: Czech Republic July 2013

Summary of Report

Low demand from EU partners continues to hit exports

• Austerity measures hit domestic demand
• Export growth is forecast to slow down
• However, budget deficit targets will be met in 2013
• Construction and textile sectors remain in trouble

General Information

• Capital - Prague
• Government type - Parliamentary democracy
• Currency - Czech Koruna (CZK)
• Population - 10.6 million
• Status - Upper middle income country
•  (GDP/capita: US-$ 18,037 in 2011)

Main import sources (2012, % of total)

• Germany - 25.2%  
• China - 11.1%
• Poland - 7.1%
• Slovakia - 6.0%
• Russia - 5.6 % 

Main export markets (2012, % of total)

• Germany - 32.4%
• Slovakia - 9.0 % 
• Poland - 6.1 %
• France - 5.1%
• UK - 4.8 %

After a 1.2% year-on-year contraction in 2012, the Czech economy continued to shrink in early 2013:
by 2.2% year-on-year in Q1 (down 1.1% on the previous quarter), with GDP forecast to decrease 0.8%
in 2013 after its 1.2% decline in 2012.

The continued weak economic performance is partly the result of austerity measures. Tax increases
and public sector cuts have lessened the purchasing power and confidence of both households and
businesses, with a consequent impact on domestic demand. Private consumption is expected to
increase only slightly - by1.2% - this year after a 2.6% decrease in 2012, while lower government
spending will continue to have a negative effect on growth. Industrial production will level off this
year after a drop in 2012, investments will continue to decrease.

At the same time, low demand from EU trading partners will continue to hit exports. At more than
75%, the Czech Republic’ export-to-GDP ratio is one of the highest in the EU, making it especially vulnerable to trade losses.

To download the full report, please click here.

IP Australia: Economic Opportuntities in Asia

The role of intellectual property in capturing economic opportunities in Asia

Asia is one of the most important opportunities open to Australian businesses. If we play it right, there are numerous ways innovative enterprises can use their intellectual property to help Asia solve some of its most pressing issues, including food security, energy and environmental challenges.

At the recent IP Forum hosted by IP Australia, Scott Bouvier, a partner with law firm King Wood and Mallesons, outlined the Asian context for Australian firms wishing to expand into Asia. As he noted in his address, given he works for an entity that combines established law firms in Australia and China, he is uniquely positioned to reflect on the potential for Australian businesses to use their intellectual property to expand their operations across Asia.

THE POLICY CONTEXT

Certainly, the policy framework is in place to help support Australian businesses wishing to leverage their intellectual property into Asia. Central to this is the Federal Government's Australia in the Asian Century whitepaper, which acts as a comprehensive roadmap to increase engagement between Australia and Asia.

The paper sets out five pillars of productivity, of which innovation is one. As Bouvier notes, "intellectual property is a large part of innovation." Therefore, it will be key to identifying better ways of doing business, as well as developing new business models  and products tailored to Asian nations.

The second key policy initiative that will be central to Australian businesses capturing commercial opportunities in Asia, explains Bouvier, is the Federal Government's recently released statement on industry and innovation, "A Plan for Australian Jobs".

Part of the statement is a pledge by the Federal Government to set up Industry Innovation Precincts. The 'Manufacturing Precinct and Food Precinct' will likely be a springboard for Australian businesses to develop Asian-centric initiatives.

"Precincts will enable firms to collaborate and build scale with researchers and with each other to improve knowledge and skills, deploy technology, create new products and services and take advantage of business opportunities," explains Bouvier.

He believes the Industry Innovation Precincts will boost productivity by fostering clusters of innovative firms and encouraging better connections with Asian researchers and industries.

The third plank in the policy armour that will help shepherd the best of Australian intellectual property into Asia is the National Food Plan, which outlines the immense opportunity for Australian food exporters to Asia. As the paper notes, "By 2050, world food demand is expected to rise by seventy seven per cent in monetary terms. Much of this growth will occur in Asia where demand will double."

The food plan works in concert with the cross-border governmental study Feeding the Future: A Joint Australia-China Report on Strengthening Investment and Technological Cooperation in Agriculture to Enhance Food Security.

The report recommends the initial focus of technological cooperation should be sustainable agriculture, plant genetic resources, plant biosecurity, animal disease control and health, plant biotechnology, agricultural processing technologies, animal genetic resources, environmental remediation, remote sensing technologies for agriculture and supply-chain development and improvement.

"These policy initiatives focus on Australia being Asia's food bowl, in the context of a growing need for food security in Asia," explains Bouvier.

"There is a significant emphasis on innovation, collaboration and R&D with China in these policy initiatives. In my mind, this sets the scene for intellectual property to play an important role in developing Australian commercial initiatives across Asia," he adds.

THE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CLIMATE IN ASIA

Bouvier notes that across Asia, intellectual property laws are becoming stronger, and the number of patent filings is increasing, especially in China, Japan and Korea. "But there seems to be real challenges in turning innovation into commercialisation," he says.

Nevertheless, there is huge potential for Australian firms to be part of the shift as the Chinese economy, which has traditionally been based on manufacturing, moves to a knowledge-based economy.

"What we're seeing is a shift from 'made in China' to 'designed in China', which is a reason why there is a focus on strengthening their IP laws," he explains.

Bouvier acknowledges counterfeiting, especially in electronics and pharmaceuticals, remains a problem. He stresses the ability to enforce intellectual property rights is improving in Asia, but points to the failure of foreign investors to establish rights in China as a key issue.

"Many fail to register their trademarks or patents, often turning a difficult enforcement situation into an impossible one," he says, adding that the "best solution is to file early and monitor carefully."

Of course, China is not the only Asian market to offer Australian businesses economic opportunities. As Bouvier notes, Japan is a key intellectual property market and there are more patents held in Korea than any other Asian country. There has also been a big increase in patent filings in India, but he says enforcing intellectual property rights is extremely challenging on the sub continent.

Overall, says Bouvier, the intellectual property system is strengthening in Asia, which is a positive for Australian businesses wishing to leverage their intellectual property in Asia. He also stresses that although it's easy to hold a stereotype that Asian intellectual property laws, as well as the enforcement system, remain difficult, the situation is rapidly progressing.

"Things are improving in Asia, a region that will be at the centre of the world's economy in twenty years. It's important to remember that even in Australia we don't always get it right. What's key is to focus on using our technologies to help Asia face its food, energy and environmental challenges. It's a great opportunity and it's important we don't miss it," he says.

To learn more about IP Australia, please visit their website.

IP Australia: The Future of Intellectual Property in Australia

The Australian Intellectual Property system is ranked in the top five systems globally.

Intellectual property remains an issue of national significance as Australia gears up to take its place in the ‘Asian Century’. Data shows the Australian intellectual property system is robust – as a nation our intellectual property system routinely ranks in the top five systems globally.

But our level of investment in intangible assets, which includes intellectual property, is far behind that of our tangible assets – things like roads, mines and buildings. In addition, although our innovation inputs - for instance patent filings - are high, our outputs and record when it comes to commercialising innovative activity could be better.

So what can we do to better support innovation and intellectual property in Australia? This was the central question that framed discussion at IP Australia’s recent IP Forum in Sydney.

Keynote speaker Christine Emmanuel, executive manager, intellectual property and licensing, CSIRO Operations, believes as a nation we could be better at talking about the value of innovation.

“We don’t have a good way of communicating value, as well as no way of talking about innovation in the language of the government.”

According to Emmanuel, this inability to adequately communicate around innovation is a problem when it comes to attracting investors to innovative projects, which is a reason why innovative businesses find it challenging to attract venture capital.

But importantly, as we resolve this and nurture our intellectual property system, we need to make sure we don’t give too much away.

“We need to have our scientists think about the value of innovation for our economy and our country. Scientists need to understand the value of their work from a commercial perspective. We seem to think scientists must have integrity and not bow to commercial pressures, but that’s nonsense. Both science and commerce should be going in the same direction. We need to teach our scientists to work on problems that will create value.”

Another keynote speaker, Scott Bouvier, a partner with law firm King Wood and Mallesons, suggests to generate better business outcomes from the innovation process, intellectual property advisers need to become better business advisers.

“Advisers need to broaden their role so that they understand the commercial context and to develop intellectual property within that context. Intellectual property advisers also need to be working with clients on commercialisation strategies,” Bouvier argues.

Nevertheless, another keynote presenter, Christine McDaniel, deputy chief economist, IP Australia, says we should not take for granted that our intellectual property system is well-functioning. The fact it’s possible to obtain high quality patents, which can be opposed and defended, within a transparent intellectual property system is a situation to which many countries aspire.

As to how or even whether our intellectual property system needs to be improved, McDaniel says “it’s a reasonable goal just to maintain the system.”

So what’s the place of government in encouraging investment in innovative activities? According to McDaniel, governments have a role in helping new, innovative firms enter the market, as well as in promoting innovation in existing firms.

Public sector involvement in innovation can take a number of forms – it can include support of ongoing research and development, acquisition of external knowledge through activities such as buying patents, as well as encouraging new business processes and new ways of organising people.

McDaniel says according to OECD figures, the Australian government is already a strong supporter of innovation. Data suggests sixty per cent of large firms receive support for innovation and twenty per cent of small firms receive government support to be innovative.

“But the question is whether we’re doing it the right way – how do we know whether we’re giving financial support to the right firms? It’s very hard to pick winners,” she states.

According to McDaniel, a new way of approaching this challenge is for governments to invest in performance-based innovation. So the idea is that if an innovative firm receives government funding, if it can demonstrate it is performing, it will qualify for further government support.

“But the challenge is how to measure performance – this is the big question,” says McDaniel.

She says there is also a role for governments in providing opportunities for innovative firms to be networked through trade shows, to assist in the collaborative process.

“Governments can help create the circumstances for firms to collaborate, but ultimately collaboration happens at the individual firm level.”

Emmanuel says as a nation we’re actually good at collaborating. “We do that well and to innovate you have to collaborate – no-one can innovate in a silo. Scientists are always sharing information at conferences and sharing information across universities, as well as travelling overseas to collaborate. So we’re seeing that activity – it’s just whether this translates into value.”

Bouvier says the intellectual property sector must work from more of a position in which intellectual property portfolios are created with the purpose of attracting investment.

“We need to understand investors’ drivers and look for collaboration based on intellectual property. By doing that we will be able to improve the services we provide to the sector and also improve innovative outcomes. Businesses need a mix of skills to be able to translate innovation into commercial results and advisers need the right skills to assist in this process.”

Fundamentally, says Bouvier, intellectual property needs to be properly structured so investors can securely invest. “Poor decisions about the way intellectual property is structured are very hard to undo and investment deals can die just on the terms of licenses.”

“We have undertaken the right steps to reform the industry. Our IP system is highly regarded. We have the right framework and what we need to do now is work more effectively within it,” he says.

For more information about IP Australia, please visit their website.

Atradius Payment Practices Barometer Eastern Europe

Atradius International survey of B2B payment behaviour - June 2013

Eastern Europe is heavily influenced by the weak economic conditions in the Eurozone. In particular, countries like Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary, which are nearer to the borders of the Eurozone, are affected by the continued financial constraints experienced by their neighbouring economies, which also puts pressure on their cash flow levels. The increase in long overdue receivables is also contributing to the increase in the value of receivables write offs reported by Eastern European respondents.

Core results:

•  29.4% and 21.6% of the total value of the invoices issued by Eastern European respondents to their domestic and foreign B2B customers respectively are overdue
•  B2B invoices in Eastern Europe are more likely to be paid late due to liquidity constraints of domestic (79.6% of respondents) than of foreign customers (53.2%)
• Uncollectable B2B receivables increased markedly over the past year, particularly in relation to export trade
• Around 45% of the respondents in Eastern Europe become concerned when average DSO is 46 days to over 90 days longer than the average credit period extended to B2B customers
• The majority of Eastern European respondents consider falling demand of products and services and maintaining adequate cash flow to be the biggest challenges to the profitability of their businesses this year

To view the full report, please click here.

For further information:
Atradius Credit Insurance N.V.
5/22 Pitt Street
Sydney NSW 2000
Phone: +61 (0)2 9201 2389 
Fax: +61 (0)2 9201 5224  
Website: www.atradius.com 

Messaging to Multicultural Australia

Author: Tea C. Dietterich 
Director of 2M Language Services
2m.com.au
Ph: +61 7 3367 8722
E: multimedia@2m.com.au




One in four Australians were born overseas, and there are more than 22 million people in our country who all contribute different ideas, religions, languages and customs. The diversity of these people makes Australia a unique place to live and creates multiple and versatile markets for our products and services.

I often talk about international marketing and how to reach your global markets. But we should not forget that LOTE (Languages other than English) speakers have strong purchasing and decision power in Australia, too, and any business would want to get the right messages across to them.

Nelson Mandela said: “If you speak to a man in a language he understands – it goes to his head. If you speak to him in his own language – it goes to his heart.” 

The same applies for our multicultural Australian audience. Although the majority do speak English, it is ideal to talk directly to your customers in their own language.

Whether you are a private or public institution – the aim is to get the right message across to your key audience.

Here are some basic facts on Australia's diversity:

• Since 1945, more than seven million migrants have made Australia their home.
• Around 45 percent of Australians were born overseas or have at least one parent who was born overseas.
• People from more than 200 countries make up the Australian community.
• The top ten countries of birth in Australia are: Australia, the U.K., New Zealand, China, India, Italy, Vietnam, Philippines, South Africa and Malaysia.
• Australians practice more than 100 religions including Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam and Judaism.
• More than 300 languages are spoken in Australian homes; the most common apart from English are Mandarin, Italian, Arabic, Cantonese, Greek, Vietnamese, Tagalog/Filipino, Spanish and Hindi.

The changing mix of origins of Australians is always a topic of interest in every Census. We often quote the above statistic that a quarter of the population was born overseas. That figure hasn’t changed much over the years; however what has changed is how that quarter is made up. See details in the below migration chart which shows that the largest increase has come from India and China.

 

Translating for multicultural Australia
When you are translating for multicultural Australia, you are reaching out to Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Communities. But before you begin, it is imperative to identify your readership.

Are you a City Council with information for retirees? A Health Department with a brochure for mentally ill? An Internet Service Provider with a website for all age groups? A manufacturer with a product suitable for the Asian Australians? The answers to these questions will help you to frame your messaging and your tone.

How long have they been here?
One example segment could be Italians who have lived in Australia for 50 years. Their terminology and key word usage is very different to Italians in their native country. Their home is Australia, and they are Australian – so, your messaging cannot be compared to what it would be if you were addressing their compatriots in their birth country. A competent translator in the origin country might do an outstanding job translating the text, but will still not give the right message to the Australian multicultural reader, because it is not using their language. Locally known keywords, names or government programs will often stay in English, because that is how they are known - whereas for overseas markets, the translation approach would differ.

What is their age group?
Closely related to above point, the age group will determine the type of language to be used. Tone of language has to be adjusted. This applies to translation in general and is particularly important, as the language of older migrants may not have evolved naturally due to their distance from their birth country.

What is there education level? 
The tone of the translation should be dependent on your target audience, whether it is plain and simple, sophisticated or somewhere in between. The demography and geography of your target audience should also be noted. Convoluted sentences that are often found in lengthy government documents may be a challenge. Essential messages should be portrayed in the right terms for the audience, so that they completely understand.

Consider their health
CALD communities are an important target audience for health departments in government levels as well as for health device manufacturers. The language to be used will differ considerably here as well, depending on the target group. For example, is your health brochure for the mentally ill, or directed at people prone to sports injuries, or at the wide variety of CALD public groups?

What should be left in English?
Often, the question of where and when to use English in key phrases, is a matter of personal preference. For this reason, it is important to establish a style guide from the beginning to determine which terms are left in English and which are to be translated or explained. This can differ from language to language. In German for example, English terms are frequently used and accepted without an explanation. This is contrary to Arabic, where often everything will be translated, numbering included.

However, it is important to note that it is logical to leave the English words in for many instances. This is so the LOTE speaker knows which words to use when they come across that situation in their Australian daily life. It applies in everything from health programs to transport options and everything in between.

Language specific differences
There can also be many subtle differences within a language group. Just to name one example: Serbian can be written in Latin (Roman) or Cyrillic script. Which one should you use?

This proves that you need to check your target audience closely and don’t assume anything.

As you can see, there are many differentiators when translating for CALD communities, and this also includes the design aspect (i.e. which images and symbols to use). It is important to remember that Australia contains a very large multicultural audience that needs to be communicated with in the right way.

In return, we can harness this vital part of our community to share information and knowledge, and to market our products and services.

The European Union’s new Cosmetics Regulation (EC 1223/2009)

On 11 July 2013, the European Union’s new Cosmetics Regulation (EC 1223/2009) will replace their existing Cosmetics Directive (76/768/EEC).  This new rule will now apply to all EU member states.  The following points outline the upcoming changes to regulation and how to comply with the measures when exporting cosmetics to EU markets.

1. Product classification

EU law defines a cosmetic product as, “any substance or preparation intended to be placed in contact with the various external parts of the human body or with the teeth and the mucous membranes of the oral cavity, with a view exclusively or mainly to cleaning them, perfuming them, changing their appearance, and/or correcting body odors, and/or protecting them or keeping them in good condition.”

For more on product classification, refer to the Manual on the Scope of Application of the Cosmetics Directive: http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/sectors/cosmetics/files/doc/manual_borderlines_version50_ en.pdf

2. Ingredient legality

The new Cosmetics Regulation lays out restrictions for special ingredients through a set of Annexes:

•  Annex II: substances prohibited in cosmetic products
• Annex III: substances subject to conditions and limitations
• Annex IV: permitted colorants
•  Annex V: permitted preservatives
• Annex VI: permitted UV filters

Review the restrictions here: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CONSLEG:1976L0768:20100301:en:PDF

3. Product Information File (PIF)

The PIF is required for each product and discloses evidence of compliance to the Competent Authorities for their inspections.

The UK’s guidance document outlines how to prepare a dossier and safety assessment.  While it is not binding for other countries, pages 25-31 offer a good indication for a general template: http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/biscore/consumer-issues/docs/guide-to-cpsr.pdf

Also, under the new Cosmetics Regulation, all safety information must be combined in a cosmetics safety report (CPSR).  Each product must have one as part of its PIF.  Refer to Annex I, page 21: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2009:342:0059:0209:en:PDF

4. Responsible Person

Only products with a designated Responsible Person can appear on the EU market.  The Responsible Person must serve as the primary contact for product compliance and ensure its legal status by maintaining the PIF and safety assessment.  Their name and contact info will appear on the product label.

Usually, the Responsible Person is the EU manufacturer, distributor, or importer.

The consultants on this webpage provide “Responsible Person” services: http://export.gov/europeanunion/accessingeumarketsinkeyindustrysectors/eg_eu_044318.asp

5. Labeling

Both the container and packaging must clearly display the following information:

• EU address.  The name and address of the Responsible Person as well as where the PIF can be found.
• Nominal content.  Metric weight or volume at the time of packaging.
• Durability.  Expiration date information based on the nature of the product.

o   For products with shelf lives over 30 months, an “open jar” represents the maximum “period after opening,” and the figure below it (e.g. 6 months) is the product’s durability after it has been opened.

o   For products with shelf lives under 30 months, the “hour glass” accompanies the date of expiration.  The date must indicate the month and year or the day, month, and year, in that order.

•  Precautions for use.  
• Warnings and conditions.
• Batch number.
• Product use.
• List of ingredients.  List in order of descending weight at the time added to the product.  Use the nomenclature in the International Nomenclature of Cosmetics Ingredients.  Europe’s naming conventions can be found here: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2006:097:0001:0528:EN:PDF 
• Nanomaterials.  Indicate the presence of nanomaterials with nano in brackets after the ingredient.
• Country of origin.

Label information must appear in the national or official language of the Member State where the product is sold.  However, the ingredients listing must still use International Nomenclature names.

For small packages, consider using a leaflet or card with the product’s labeling information.  The container and packaging must reference the leaflet or card with the “open book” symbol.  This exemption only applies to warnings, ingredients, and product use information; everything else must appear on the container and packaging.

6. Notification of authorities

Cosmetics do not require the CE mark used for EU products, but notification must still be given to the proper authority.  Products require notification before sale through the cosmetics products notification portal (CPNP).

The CPNP electronic system will replace the current mechanisms for notifying Competent Authorities and poison control centres.  Notification by the designated Responsible Person will become mandatory in July 2013. 

Products already notified at the national level prior to July 2013 must be re-notified to the CPNP.

7. Product claims

The EU has no precise guidelines for product claims (i.e. “organic,” “natural”).  They have a general good-faith requirement that, “labeling, marketing, and advertising of cosmetics products, texts, names, trademarks, pictures and figurative or other signs cannot be used to imply that these products have characteristics or functions which they do not have.”

If a product makes any such claim, the PIF must have information to support that claim.

8. Animal testing

The EU has prohibited animal testing since 2009.  An exception was made until 11 March 2013, but only for products tested for repeated-dose toxicity, reproductive toxicity, and toxicokinetics.

9. Marketing and sales

The EU has rules for internet marketing, internet sales, and direct sales:

• Internet marketing.  The e-commerce Directive (2000/31/EC) imposes business requirements explained here: http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/e-commerce/index_en.htm
• Internet sales.  The Directive on Distance Selling to Consumers (97/7/EC, amendments) creates obligations for internet venders.  See http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/cons_int/safe_shop/dist_sell/index_en.htm and http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/rights/gen_rights_en.htm
• Direct sales.  Specific rules apply for sales involving unsolicited visits.  See the Directive on consumer protections in contracts negotiated off business premises (85/577/EEC): http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:1985:372:0031:0033:EN:PDF

10. Trademark protection

To register a product trademark, apply online through the Office for Harmonization in the International Market (OHIM).  For more information on European trademarks: http://oami.europa.eu/ows/rw/pages/CTM/regProcess/regProcess.en.do

More Information

This summary is based on information provided by the U.S. Commercial Service in “Steps to Exporting Cosmetics Products to the European Union,” May 2012.  The U.S. Department of Commerce does not claim responsibility for actions taken by readers in response to this information and recommends that readers conduct their own due diligence before entering into business ventures.  Email them at Office.BrusselsEC@trade.gov

More information for U.S. suppliers: http://export.gov/europeanunion/accessingeumarketsinkeyindustrysectors/eg_eu_044318.asp

Cosmetics Regulation (1223/2009): http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2009:342:0059:0209:en:PDF

European Commission website on cosmetics safety: http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/sectors/cosmetics/index_en.htm

Japan Market Update

Snapshot:

Population: 27.9 million
Nominal GDP: US$5.8 trillion
Nominal GDP p/c: US$45,920 (2011)
GDP Growth: -0.6% (2011); 2% (2012)
Exchange rate: AU $1 = 90.79 Yen (June 2013)
Major industries: Automobiles, consumer electronics, computers, refined petroleum and civil engineering equipment and parts
Exports to Japan: AU $ 53.1 billion (2011-2012)
Imports from Japan: AU $22.5 billion (2011-2012)

Bilateral Trade Relationship

Japan is the third largest economy in the world in terms of GDP and is characterised by a democratic, constitutional monarchy, respect for the rule of law and commitment to regional security. Japan’s large population and significant number of wealthy, highly educated citizens, makes it one of the world’s largest consumer markets in the world.

Australia and Japan share a strong bilateral relationship which is built on mutual interests, especially in the area of trade. Japan is Australia’s second largest export market. In 2011-2012 exports to Japan were valued at $53.1 billion or 16.8 per cent of Australia’s total exports. Japan sits behind the USA and the UK as Australia’s third largest foreign investor, with investments in 2011 totaling roughly $123.4 billion, of which over 40% was foreign direct investment.

In terms of merchandise trade, Australia’s key exports to Japan are coal, iron ore and concentrates, beef and copper ores and concentrates. In services, personal travel (excluding education) and transport contribute the largest amount in export value. Japan’s key imports into Australia are passenger and goods vehicles, refined petroleum and civil engineering equipment and parts.

Trade Agreements

A Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Australia and Japan has been under negotiation since 2007. The last formal negotiating round was held from 13-15 June 2012 in Tokyo. However, significant progress has been made since that time and the finalisation of the agreement is said to be imminent.

Two key benefits of the FTA would be reduced tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade and expanded export opportunities for trade in the agricultural sector which is currently quite regulated.

In April 2013 the members of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) formally invited Japan to join negotiations. Japan will join Australia and 10 other nations already in talks on the TPP: the United States, Canada, Mexico, Peru, Chile, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei and New Zealand. A deal is hoped to be reached by the end of 2013.

Japan and Australia also sit on a number of regional forums including APEC and ASEAN.

Economic Outlook

There are three key factors that could impact on Japan’s economic outlook moving forward. These include:

• The impact of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami which severely affected Japan’s global supply chains and has left the country with power shortages. Nuclear power constituted 30% of the total energy supply.
• Japan has an ageing population. By 2050, the population is expected to fall by 20 million from where it stands currently at 127 million. With fewer tax payers to fund the increase in expenses associated with an aging population, the government will be forced to increase taxes.
• The weak global economy is hampering the recovery of the Japanese economy following the devastating 2011 natural disasters. 

The Government is expected to continue with monetary easing in an attempt to stimulate the economy, and have increased their target inflation rate to 2 per cent. On a positive note, the weakening Yen is increasing competitiveness and analysts expect the strengthening of global markets, coupled with resilient domestic demand, will enable Japan to emerge from recession by mid-2013. Nevertheless, the future remains uncertain as the country faces an ongoing battle with deflation.

Doing business in Japan

The Japanese are very polite, and business etiquette is extremely important. Politeness, sensitivity and good manners are the pillars of Japanese business etiquette. When doing business in Japan, also take note of the following:

• Business cards should be printed with English on one side and Japanese on the other. It is not so important to have you address translated, more so you name and company name. Carry at least 100 cards for a one week business trip. Present your business cards with two hands and with the Japanese side facing upwards to the most senior member of the Japanese party first, bowing slightly as you do so. NEVER write notes on a Japanese business card, treat them with respect and store them away only after the meeting closes.

• English is not widely spoken in the business world so an interpreter is normally required 
• Japanese business attire is formal. Men should wear blue or black suits, a white shirt and subdued tie. Women should be conservatively well dressed, wearing either trousers or a longer skirt suit.
• When it comes to attending business meetings, be sure to arrive at least 5 minutes early and call ahead if you are running late. Wait to be seated. It looks good to take a lot of notes during the meeting at it shows your interest in the matter.
• Do not shake your hosts hand when first meeting as the Japanese seldom shake hands. Be pleasant and do not speak derogatorily about anyone, even competitors, be willing to learn and ask lots of questions (just not about their personal life).

Opportunities for Australian Exporters

Prominent sectors including energy, education, food and agribusiness, have been identified as export growth markets. However, for Australian exporters, the focus should be on higher value-added and knowledge intensive sectors such as the life sciences, information technology, nanotechnology, aerospace and environmental technologies. These sectors are seen to offer the most promising prospects for exports growth to Japan.

• Opportunities in niche markets for exporters also exist in the following areas: 
  
• biotechnology and nanotechnology
• building materials and products
• bloodstock and equine industry
• creative industries including architectural design and arts
• clean technology and renewable energy
• education and training
• food and agribusiness
• health and lifestyle products and services
• mining
• energy infrastructure
• finance and investment.

Tariffs and Taxes

Japan has low or zero tariffs on most industrial products but maintains tariffs and restrictions on some agricultural items. Australian products enter the country at the lowest rate notified, with the exception of preferential rates, with a ‘self-assessment’ system designed to accelerate customs clearance allowing prior calculation of duty by importers.

36th-Parallel Geopolitics & Strategic Assessments: Asia Pacific/Latin America Strategic Architecture Assessment Part 1

Executive Summary

The South Pacific is rapidly becoming an area of economic and political importance. Spanning the waters from the equator to the Southern Ocean between the West Coast of South America and the East Coast of Australia, Papua New Guinea and Indonesia, the region is characterized by great travel distances, a broad range of nation-states, a maritime orientation and previously inaccessible resources. During the last thirty years technological, economic and political change has seen the region emerge as a strategic arena in its own right, with both resident and extra-regional actors now vying for influence and wealth. In this two-part assessment 36th Parallel outlines the major features of the strategic architecture underpinning this evolution.

Part One: Introduction and Overview.  

Until the late 20th century the strategic importance of the South Pacific was only apparent during wartime. With the revolution in transportation, telecommunication, services, production and exchange that swept the world economy over the last three decades, the South Pacific has increasingly become a region of major economic importance. This includes the sea lines of communication that connect Asia to Australia, New Zealand and the West Coast of South America, as well as the increasingly exploitable natural resources above and below water in Melanesian and Polynesian island states, the open waters between them, as well as along the Eastern and Western South Pacific Rims. With trade and production trend forecasts predicting continued growth in Australasian-South American commerce, the region has assumed previously unknown prominence.

The three main legs of South Pacific strategic architecture are Trade, Politics/Diplomacy and Security.  Although intertwined and overlapped, they can be analytically distinguished from each other. These “pillars” span three distinct sub-regions: the Southeastern Pacific, which extends westwards 2500 kilometers from the South American coast line from the Equator to Chilean Patagonia; the South-central Pacific, which occupies 3000 kilometers of mostly open water between the Equator and the Southern Ocean west of Easter Island to Fiji and Rarotonga; and the Southwestern Pacific, which covers the 2000 kilometers of water and land masses extending from Australia, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea to Fiji and the Cook
Islands (distances approximate).

The pillars of the architecture can be respectively sub-divided into Production, Commerceand Services,  (with regard to trade), regime type and stability, local political culture and foreign relations (with regards to politics and diplomacy); and enforcement authority and armed force (with regard to security).

To continue reading this report please click here.

Atradius: Economic Outlook May 2013

Summary

The global economic environment has weakened over the past six months and we expect only modest economic growth in 2013. Global growth is projected to improve at the end of the year due to a better economic performance in the United States and stabilisation of the Eurozone economy. However, there is a high risk that economic growth will be even slower than pictured in this outlook.

Key points

• Global economic growth is expected to stabilise at 2.6% this year as growth in advanced markets remains sluggish and emerging markets continue their strong performance. 
• Eurozone GDP is expected to shrink further in 2013, at a rate of -0.4%. Growth in the United States is stable at 2.1%. Asia and Latin America show strong and slightly improving growth rates. 
• Risks to the global outlook are high: the Eurozone crisis could intensify, fiscal consolidation may derail the economic recovery in the United States and growth in emerging markets may slow. 
• While the overall insolvency environment stabilises, we forecast rising insolvencies in 10 out of the 22 markets that we track. Eurozone countries in particular will see a further increase due to the ongoing weak economic conditions. 

Global growth is expected to reach 2.6% in 2013, more or less the same rate as last year. The global economy is forecast to gain speed at the end of the year and improve in 2014 to 3.2%. However, for this acceleration in growth to take place, a number of conditions need to be met. Firstly, the Eurozone should continue implementing banking union and make progress on fiscal and political integration. Secondly, the United States should reduce its frontloaded austerity. Thirdly, emerging markets have to maintain their rapid expansion. These assumptions are far from certain and therefore the downside risks to the outlook remain high.

Global trade grew by just 2.5% in 2012: well below the long-term average of 5.4%. We now expect slow trade growth in 2013 due to the weak global environment, credit constraints and increased protectionism. Trade between emerging markets is however expected to continue growing rapidly.

Advanced markets are characterised by a combination of fiscal consolidation and loose monetary policy. Despite the latter, bank lending conditions for both firms and households are still tough. The Eurozone will contract again this year, but may resume positive growth in 2014. Financial market conditions have improved significantly over the past six months, but this has yet to translate into better economic conditions. Unemployment in Europe has reached a record level and consumers remain pessimistic. Economic growth in the United States of 2.1% in 2013 and 2.7% in 2014 marks a relatively weak but steady recovery.

Emerging markets remain the driving force of global growth. Asia, excluding Japan, is expected to grow 6.6% this year, largely thanks to China, whose growth is projected to reach 8.2%. Latin America will benefit from this strong growth in Asia, increasing its growth to 3.4%, up from a moderate 2.7% last year. Eastern Europe is heavily influenced by the weak economic conditions in the Eurozone, but growth may pick up to reflect a better Eurozone performance in 2014. Emerging markets face risks associated with large capital inflows, as the expansionary monetary policy regimes in advanced markets seek profitable investment opportunities.

The weak global outlook is however consistent with a stabilisation of the insolvency environment in many markets, with the aggregate insolvency frequency even improving marginally in 2013. The Eurozone shows a moderate increase in the already high level of insolvencies, while the Eurozone periphery will see a more significant increase. Conditions improve in the Asia-Pacific region and the United States because of their relatively better economic conditions. In general terms, credit risk is elevated and will remain so throughout the forecast horizon.

To view the full report, please click here.

Atradius Credit Insurance N.V. 

Level 5, 22 Pitt Street

Sydney NSW 2000

Ph: +61 (0) 2 9201 5222

E: info.au@atradius.com

W: www.atradius.com

DHL Export Barometer Results: Aussie exporters cope with the high dollar, but feeling the heat

Author: Tim Harcourt
JW Nevile Fellow in Economics & Professor,
UNSW & The Airport Economist

Australian exporters are learning to live with a high dollar but are feeling the intensity of international business competition. The power of proximity is also replacing the tyranny of distance as Australian exporters focus their activities on the Asian Pacific with China and South East Asia leading the charge. That’s the key finding of the 2013 DHL Export Barometer released this month after a comprehensive survey of close to 700  Australian export businesses.

Export confidence was maintained from 2012 when businesses recovered from a GFC ravaged world economy. 58 per cent of exporters anticipate orders will increase, which is just a shade higher than last year’s forecast. Exporters have successfully ridden out the sub-prime storm. But there are competitiveness pressures, as just under half (48 per cent) of exporters expect an increase in profits. Similarly Australia’s exporter labour market remains tight with 58 per cent of exporters expecting to pay a wage increase over the next 12 months.

Australian exporters are still looking to the big three engines of growth in Asia – China, India and ASEAN. But New Zealand and the Middle East are also resilient. 34 per cent of exporters say they focus on a range of markets as a ‘hedge’ to manage fluctuations in the exchange rate but they are focusing their energies regionally.

The Australian dollar is still adversely affecting most exporters; but they are using a range of approaches to deal with exchange rate related competitiveness pressures. Most of them have become importers – around 74 per cent of exporters now import (compared to around a third 10 years ago) and become enmeshed with supply chains. Very few exporters hedge – around 19 per cent – and only 13 per cent think it is an effective method of dealing with exchange rates. A majority look to different markets but only 10 per cent think that is effective given the strength of the dollar across the board.

Despite the online revolution in the retail sector (which is mainly imported consumer items) only 38 per cent of exporters sell online. We may well see a quiet revolution now in online exporting following the trend in importing so far.

To view the a summary of the 2013 DHL Australia Export Barometer report, please click here.

Language and Expanding into International Markets

Former German chancellor Willy Brandt once famously said: “If I am selling to you, I speak your language. If I’m buying from you, dann müssen Sie schon deutsch sprechen”.

When expanding into overseas markets it is important to get the translation of your materials and messaging right. This is even more evident when there are large dollars at stake or sensitive negotiations to take place.

Here is our guide to avoiding getting lost in translation when expanding into export markets.

 1. Pick the dialect of your target market

 Does your target market speak English… US, UK or Australian English? Spanish… South American, or European Spanish? North African or Gulf Arabic? Also consider whether you might want English for non-English mother-tongue readers. When forming your messaging, be specific and be sure to put yourself in the shoes of your target market. The more that you can relate to your audience with language that resonates with them, the more this will help your efforts to expand into the new market.

 2. Understand the culture

To make sure your messaging is sensitive to the country’s culture, have your English source material checked for appropriateness first.

Failure to understand cultural differences can bear serious consequences, and whole campaigns have been pulled due to lack of research into cultural awareness. Last minute redesign and reprinting is not only costly but can be very stressful, so make sure that images and text are culturally appropriate first, before the translation process occurs.

Check to make sure the colours you are using are appropriate for the country. For example, blue is a popular colour associated with the sky and nature. But in Iran, blue is the colour of mourning, and in many countries it is a colour associated with authority and discipline. Green is a very positive colour, associated with good health and life in many parts of the world. In China, green is thought to repel evil, and in the Muslim world it is linked to spirituality, religion and God.

It may seem obvious, but ensure your product names do not sound offensive in another language or another culture. You may remember when Mitsubishi had to rename the Pajero for the Spanish and Latin American market, or Ford their “Mist” car for the German market.

Body parts also play different roles in different countries. A film poster with a man sitting on top of a Buddha statue caused problems in Thailand where most people are Buddhist and the head is the most sacred part of your body.

 3. Use business cards to your advantage

Companies often spend thousands of dollars to have their websites and materials right, but relegate designing and preparing their international business cards to the local copy shop. When expanding into international markets, it is important to make a good first impression. The right business cards are amongst the most powerful means of communication to use.

One of the most important considerations for an international business card is the title, as this will define organisational rank. Foreign businesses and organisations want to assign people of the same rank to deal with you. In Japan, the business card is of paramount importance, with the handing out and receiving done in a ritualistic format.

The names of the person and the company must be transliterated as a guide to pronunciation, and middle initials are often eliminated for simplicity.

However, in some countries, they do not adapt English-like spelling in names, for reasons of readability.  For example, Czechs expect women’s names to end with –ova. Sharon Stone is known as “Sharon Stoneová” and Nicole Kidman as “Nicole Kidmanová”.

 Make sure to arrange numbers in the country’s format. Europeans are used to phone numbers running together, whereas in Australia, we separate the area code and then 4 digits grouped together.

 4. Measure your translating efforts

If you are committing to penetrating your product or service into new countries we highly recommend to put KPI’s in place to check how many new customers you have acquired and the results of your investment in translation activities.

Check your export figures to see the financial outcomes gained from your translation activities. Also check the leads or number of inquiries from the overseas market compared to those from within Australia.

 By keeping a close lid on these figures, you can clearly calculate the profit generated per translation project to determine their effectiveness and which markets merit further investment.

When expanding into export markets, there are many considerations with regards to culture, language and translation. Accredited and professional T/I’s (Translators/Interpreters) are experts at communication and will be able to let you know any technical obstacles to translation, any confusion that could occur and the rationale for certain actions.

It is recommended to build a trusted relationship with an accredited individual or service provider who gets to know your service offerings, messaging, language and your markets. They will give efficiency and consistency to your communications and be able to offer ongoing guidance on your expansion into new markets. 

Written by Tea C. Dietterich, Director of 2M Language Services.

www.2m.com.au

Tea is Managing Director of 2M Language Services. Through her firm 2M, Tea is in charge of providing translations with publication quality into 155+ languages. Further services include foreign language typesetting and DTP, multilingual publications, website & software localization, apps, multilingual voice overs, dubbing and subtitling. 2M also provides cross cultural training and simultaneous conference interpreting for international events. Tea is Board Member of ABIE France (Australian Business in Europe), former President of AUSIT QLD (Australian Institute of Interpreters and Translators), sits on the board of the AUSIT National Council, is a Member of the NAATI RAC (Regional Advisory Council) as well as an active member of the Australian Export Council (AEC/AIEX) and the prime international industry organisations GALA and ELIA.

New OECD Analysis on Trade Facilitation as it Applies to Australia and the World

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) recently published the results of research, undertaken to measure the relative economic and trade impacts of trade facilitation measures currently under negotiation in the World Trade Organization (WTO) on trade flows and trade costs across all WTO member countries. 

A series of Trade Facilitation Indicators (TFIs) that identify areas for action and enable the potential impact of reforms to be assessed have been identified by the OCED  to help governments improve their border procedures, reduce trade costs, boost trade flows and reap greater benefits from international trade (see list of indicators in Appendix 1).

“Trade facilitation is about easing access to the global marketplace,” OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría said. “Complicated border processes and excess red tape raise costs, which ultimately fall on businesses, consumers and our economies. The trade facilitation negotiations offer countries a golden opportunity to reduce or eliminate these bottlenecks, cut the cost of trading, boost the flow of goods and reap greater benefits from international trade,” Mr Gurría said.

A key message from the OECD research is that a multilateral agreement to cut red tape in international trade would have a significant impact on reducing trading costs and add a much needed boost to the global economy (for details on the the progress of a multilateral agreement, see Appendix 2). 

The OECD estimate that comprehensive implementation of all measures currently being negotiated in the World Trade Organization’s Doha Development Round would reduce total trade costs by 10% in advanced economies and by 13-15.5% in developing countries.  Reducing global trade costs by 1% would increase worldwide income by more than USD $40 billion, most of which, according to the OECA, would accrue in developing countries.

TFI analysis was conducted on all WTO member countries to measure their relative trade facilitation performance and reveal areas where more can be done to improve trade flows and costs.

How did Australia rank?

Australia performed significantly better than the OECD average in the areas of appeal procedures, border agency cooperation (internal and external) and governance and impartiality. We performed slightly above the average in most other indicators but performed below average for harmonisation and simplification of documents.

The OECD’s quantitative analysis reveals that, for developed countries, the areas with the greatest impact on increasing bilateral trade flows and reducing trade costs are the following:

• information availability
• advance rulings 
• fees and charges 
• automation and streamlining of procedures 

Taking into account the OECD research, Australia would benefit from continued improvements in the following areas:

Information availability: 

• Introduce a full time hotline (24/7) for addressing reasonable enquiries to Customs.
• Publish decisions and examples of Customs classification on the Customs website.
• Publish examples of judicial decisions on the Customs website.

Advance rulings: 

• Increase the length of time for which the advance ruling is valid, as it remains lower than the OECD average.

Fees and charges: 

• Decrease the number and diversity of total fees and charges collected. Interestingly, in the recent budget announcement the Government announced they will be restructuring the Import Processing Charge (IPC) in order to recover the costs of all import related cargo and trade functions undertaken by Customs, which is obviously in contrast to the above OECD recommendation. For details on the IPC changes, please see Appendix 3.  

Formalities – Procedures:

• Improve the treatment of perishable goods with respect to the separation of release from final determination and payment of Customs duties.
• Further develop the Post-Clearance Audit program.
• Further develop the Authorised Operators program as the number of authorised operators in the total number of traders remains low compared to the OECD average.  However, what the OECD did not mention, or was perhaps unaware, was that Australia does not actually have any Authorised Operators program.
• Continue overall simplification of procedures in terms of both time and costs.

What is the ECA doing?

The ECA has long advocated for a reduction in trade facilitations costs.  In fact, the ECA is currently working on a research project which analyses the fees and charges businesses across a wide range of industries incur in order to be able to export their product overseas. The results of this research will be used to reveal to government how significant these costs in fact are and how they impede exporters and their ability to compete internationally. If you are interested in being involved in this research please contact Lisa McAuley: lisamcauley@export.org.au.   

The ECA has a five point agenda in its Trade Policy paper to be tabled in June. The paper will call on government to:

1. Address International Trade as an essential aspect of domestic economic policy
2. Incorporate International Trade in economic and physical infrastructure and investment
3. Rigorously review all aspects of regulation (both red and green tape) and increase the focus on competition policy
4. Re-evaluate policy settings in foreign trade negotiations to place greater emphasis on trade.
5. Ensure International Trade becomes a “whole of Government” issue

In addition, the ECA is involved in the Future Logistics Living Lab which provides industry and research the opportunity to work together to create innovative solutions to logistics challenges. Ultimately, the projects developed through the Lab improve trade facilitation through the increased availability of information and the automation and streamlining of procedures.

Appendices

Appendix 1
OECD Trade Facilitation Indicators:

1. Information Availability: Publication of trade information, including on internet; enquiry points.
2. Involvement of the Trade Community: Consultations with traders.
3.  Advance Rulings: Prior statements by the administration to requesting traders concerning the classification, origin, valuation method, etc., applied to specific goods at the time of importation; the rules and process applied to such statements.
4.  Appeal Procedures: The possibility and modalities to appeal administrative decisions by border agencies.
5.  Fees and Charges: Disciplines on the fees and charges imposed on imports and exports.
6. Formalities-Documents: Simplification of trade documents; harmonisation in accordance with international standards; acceptance of copies.
7. Formalities-Automation: Electronic exchange of data; automated border procedures; use of risk management.
8. Formalities-Procedures: Streamlining of border controls; single submission points for all required documentation (single windows); post-clearance audits; authorised economic operators.
9. Internal Co-operation: Co-operation between various border agencies of the country; control delegation to Customs authorities.
10. External Co-operation: Co-operation with neighbouring and third countries.
11. Governance and Impartiality:Customs structures and functions; accountability; ethics policy.

Appendix 2:

Trade facilitation refers to the simplification and harmonisation of international trade procedures to assist the movement of goods. Customs, licensing and transit formalities are areas which can involve complicated administrative processes and additional costs to business.

Negotiations on a multilateral trade facilitation agreement were launched as part of the WTO Doha Round in 2004. Nearly 9 years on there is now a draft negotiating text which is said to be a fairly accurate indication of what the final document might look like. With the Doha Round of negotiations at an impasse, it is hoped that headway on the agreement might be made at a high level meeting to be held in Bali this December.

Organisations that are involved in studying the implications of trade facilitation costs and are actively pursuing the ratification of a multilateral agreement include the WTO, the OECD, the World Bank, the EU, the World Economic Forum and other regional trade forums such as APEC, among others.

Most of the gains attributed to a multilateral trade facilitation agreement would accrue to developing nations and would lead to significant gains to world trade.

Appendix 3: Change to Import Processing Charge for full cost recovery

In the recent budget announcement the Government announced they will be restructuring the Import Processing Charge (IPC) in order to recover the costs of all import related cargo and trade functions undertaken by the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service.

The new charges will take effect on 1 January 2014 and will take effect as follows:

• For consignments valued over $10,000 the IPC for electronic sea import declarations will be increased by $102.60 to $152.60 per consignment.
• The IPC for electronic air import declarations will be increased by $81.90 to $122.10 per consignment, for consignments valued at over $10,000.
• For consignments valued over $1,000 and up to $10,000, the IPC will remain at current levels, being $50 for electronic sea import declarations and $40.20 for electronic air import declarations.
• The IPC will continue not to be applied to consignments valued at $1,000 or less.

The increase to the IPC will result in additional revenue of $674.3 million over four years and will be implemented in accordance with the Australian Government's cost recovery policy.

Author

Stacey Mills

Export Council of Australia

Ph: 02 8243 7460

Fax: 02 9251 6492

Email: StaceyMills@export.org.au

Website: http://www.export.org.au/

Education & Training: http://www.aiex.com.au

Twitter: http://twitter.com/Aussieexport

For media queries or further information on the Export Council of Australia, please contact:

Lisa McAuley

National Manager

Export Council of Australia

Ph: 02 8243 7400

Fax: 02 9251 6492

Email: lisamcauley@export.org.au

Website: www.export.org.au

Education & Training: http://www.aiex.com.au

Twitter: http://twitter.com/Aussieexport