Export platform for medium-sized businesses

In 2007 the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWi) in cooperation with the Association of the German Trade Fair Industry (AUMA), Berlin, will attend no fewer than 262 trade fairs abroad to offer an export platform particularly to German small and medium-sized companies. That is 22 trade fairs more than were agreed in the spring at AUMA's committee on foreign trade fair participation. Participation in 237 trade fairs is being organised for the current year. EUR 36 million is earmarked for this project. After talks with the ministry and the relevant members of parliament, AUMA is confident that the same sum will be made available in the federal budget again next year. The Ministry of Economics and Technology will participate both in the world fair in Zaragoza in 2008 and in the world fair in Shanghai in 2010 with separate budgets. Interested members of AUMA's committee on foreign trade fair participation will be involved in the concept for the participation in these EXPOs. Activities planned as part of the "Germany-in-China-Years" (2007 to 2010): In the approach to this envisaged trade fair involvement, Germany will upgrade its participation at the BIBF - Beijing International Book Fair in August 2007. A special event with an extensive accompanying programme is planned for electronica & productronica China, which includes the Laser - World of Photonics China, to be staged in Shanghai in March 2008. Because of its early scheduling in 2008, this trade fair has already been included in the programme. The climax of the Germany-in-China-Years will be the EXPO participation in Shanghai.
In future, the initiative "Germany - Land of Ideas" will also carry the image campaign pro Deutschland on German information stands. The campaign has so far appeared largely within Germany. Now itis to be given a higher profile abroad.

m+a report Nr.8 / 2006 vom 08.12.2006
m+a report vom 8. Dezember 2006