International trade

Exporting can be a great way to improve your businesses performance. There is a wealth of information and business support available for you which you should take advantage of before making a decision to export.

If you plan to start exporting or importing, you should undertake checks and actions to make sure you comply with the rules and regulations governing exporting and customs for businesses.

See detailed guidance on the Gov.uk pages via this link – Import, Export and Customs for Business

You can use a commercial agent (export agent or overseas distributor) or a freight forwarder (freight forwarding is a service industry that involves moving goods around the world on behalf of importers and exporters) if you don’t want to deal with export procedures yourself.

If you are already exporting and would like to increase your export income there is tailored advice available and you can talk to an international trade expert adviser.

Find out about all the free support from the Department for International Trade here. Alternatively you can get in touch with the Growth Hub team who will be able to talk to you about your business goals and introduce you to a DIT adviser if that’s right for you.

See links at the bottom of the page for business support programmes that can help you export successfully.

Useful Resources

Export Support Service | A ‘one-stop shop’ service that brings together UK government information, making it easier for exporters to access advice and support.

Gov.uk | Online exporting advice and guidance – https://www.gov.uk/browse/business/exports

Open to Export | Free export advice for international growth – https://opentoexport.com/

Export Trade Development Programme | A free programme of support helping local businesses in the South West region to boost their export sales – https://www.businesswest.co.uk/export/export-trade-development-programme

Trade and Investment Country Factsheets | Cover the latest statistics on trade and investment between the UK and individual countries Trade and investment factsheets – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

British Chambers of Commerce International Trade | Every Accredited Chamber provides local businesses with access to a range of services to support businesses to trade internationally. See British Chambers International Trade Hub