BCC comments at the launch of HM Government’s new Export Strategy

Today Director General Adam Marshall of the BCC spoke to ministers at the launch of HM Government new Export Strategy.

Mr Marshall commented "As many of you know, international trade is at the core of the mission of Chambers of Commerce all across the UK.

Every year, Chambers directly support more than 30,000 businesses exporting goods and services overseas. Last year alone, Chambers helped ensure that over 680,000 shipments cleared customs around the world, ensuring British exports worth over £22bn reached their final destination. British Chambers from Birmingham and Bristol to Buenos Aires and Bangkok helped thousands of UK companies take their first steps into new markets and win new business.

Chambers don’t just talk about international trade – it’s right at the heart of what we do. We work with other private sector organisations, and with the agencies and departments of HM Government, to make trade happen day in and day out.

Over the decades, we have seen a number of trade and export strategies and schemes come and go.

We’ve learned from experience, that businesses hear of a strategy or initiative after one year, engage after five, and only truly feel comfortable after ten. So it is absolutely critical, at a time of immense change for the UK economy, to get our national approach to trade and export right.

He believe export success has four ingredients:

• First, the best possible business environment at home – where dynamic companies have every incentive to invest and grow.
• Second, products and services that are second to none – where quality and reputation underpin competitiveness.
• Third, consistent efforts to promote the best of British around the world, and
• Fourth, a strong trade policy that helps UK companies and sectors build on their competitive advantages.

The comprehensive Export Strategy that the Minister and Secretary of State will launch today is crucially important. So, too, is ‘fixing the fundamentals’ to support growth here in the United Kingdom."

For the full speech please see the link below.