Trade Days to bring Botswana business closer to Europe

European consumers are interested in Botswana products and Botswana businesses are interested in selling on the lucrative EU market. For that reason, the Private Sector Development Programme is organising three workshops to inform Botswana producers on how to export to the EU.

The European Union (EU) is the world’s largest single market. With 503 million people and more than 25% of the world’s GDP, it is a good target for any business. Besides, Botswana firms enjoy preferential conditions to export to the EU that totally remove the duties to pay when entering the EU market. This makes Botswana products more competitive.

Despite these advantageous trade opportunities, Botswana producers do not export as much as they can. Botswana firms can increase and diversify their exports to Europe even more. To help them, the BITC via the PSDP programme will organise 3 workshops to explain to firms the key steps to access the EU market. In just one day – and for free- firms can learn things like:

• The EU market - how does it work?
• How my product should be? - which certificates do I need?
• How much will it cost me? - calculate the duties applying to your case
• How you can pay less by using the EU-SADC Economic Partnership Agreement?
• How can I prove that my product is "local"? - learn about the rules of origin
• How can I be sure to get paid? - learn about Botswana's export credit insurance

Experts from the European Union delegation, the Botswana Bureau of Standards and the Botswana Credit institution will be there to explain step-by-step what a firm needs.

This helping hand for Botswana businesses will be presented in Gaborone on 6 August, in Francistown on 25 August and in Maun on 28 August.

For further information, take a look at the Botswana Export project at: www.botswanaexport.com