Sustainable development through import promotion
Trade creates economic growth. This is the approach of the Import Promotion Desk, an instrument of economic cooperation. The IPD gives small- and medium-sized companies (SME) from selected developing countries and emerging nations access to the EU, supports local organisations in expanding their trade capacities, and keeps track of the demand of Germany’s importers.
The IPD serves as a link between SMEs in selected partner countries and European importers. It connects exporters and European companies and fosters the establishment of long-term business relations. The IPD supports the integration of companies from the partner countries into global commerce and promotes sustainable economic development in these markets.
Contact
Strong partners
The IPD is an initiative of sequa gGmbH and the Federation of German Wholesale, Foreign Trade and Services (Bundesverband Großhandel, Außenhandel, Dienstleistungen e.V.). The IPD is one of the programmes offered by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) to promote collaboration with actors in the private sector under the umbrella brand Partners in Transformation. Find out more at Privatwirtschaft | BMZ (German only).
Partner countries
- Colombia
- Côte d'Ivoire
- Ecuador
- Egypt
- Ethiopia
- Ghana
- Indonesia
- Kenya
- Madagascar
- Morocco
- Nepal
- Peru
- Sri Lanka
- Tunisia
- Ukraine
- Uzbekistan
Product groups
- Fresh fruit and vegetaries
- Natural ingredients for foods, pharmaceutics and cosmetics
- Sustainable timber products
- Cut flowers
- Sustainable tourism
Support for exporters from the partner countries
The IPD prepares export companies for the EU market. The training and workshops it offers provide exporters with information on, e.g., the regulations, import conditions and quality standards which need to be met to launch products in Germany and Europe. The IPD takes the briefed exporters to trade fairs, where they can present their products to European wholesalers and retailers. By means of “targeted” matchmaking the IPD connects exporters with potential business partners.
Support for European importers
The IPD provides European importers with new sources of supply in the partner countries and supports them throughout the entire sourcing process. In the context of trade fairs and buying missions the IPD establishes contact with reliable suppliers. Importers can extend their product portfolio and optimise their buying processes.
The IPD’s services and activities are demand-oriented and strategically promote the import of products that are in high demand on the European market. This ensures that the SMEs can establish sustainable business relations.
Cooperation with national organisations
In addition, the IPD assists export promotion organisations, chambers of commerce as well as sector associations in the partner countries in expanding their export promotion services and establishing them in the respective national structures.
