The UK is an exporting colossus: last year, exports totalled £813bn, with the EU accounting for a 42% share. Yet, when it comes to growing a business, it’s all too easy for small-business owners to dismiss the idea of exporting, figuring it to be too complicated, costly or risky. But for small and medium businesses, exporting can bring remarkable benefits, such as becoming, in general, more competitive and profitable.
The good news for UK businesses hoping to sell abroad is that opportunities abound. The Department for Business and Trade (DBT), and its global network of specialists, has been working with governments around the world – including in the high-growth Asia-Pacific region – to dismantle trade barriers faced by UK businesses. For instance, the UK has signed trade agreements with more than 70 countries, including Australia, Japan, New Zealand and Singapore, plus the EU.
