Austrade
The Australian
Trade Commission – Austrade – is the Australian Government’s trade, investment
and education promotion agency.
Through a
network of offices in over 50 countries, Austrade assists Australian companies
to grow their international business, attracts productive foreign direct
investment into Australia and promotes Australia’s education sector
internationally.
Austrade’s role
Our role is to
advance Australia's international trade, investment and education
interests by providing information, advice and services.
Specifically,
we:
- Help Australian companies to grow their
business in international markets, including through administration of the
Export Market Development Grants (EMDG) scheme and the TradeStart program.
- Provide coordinated government assistance to
attract and facilitate productive foreign direct investment (FDI) into
Australia.
- Promote the Australian education sector in
international markets and assist Australian education providers with
market information.
- Provide advice to the Australian Government on
its trade and investment policy agenda.
- Deliver Australian consular, passport and
other government services in designated overseas locations.
- Manage the Building Brand Australia program
to enhance awareness of contemporary Australian skills and capability and
enrich Australia’s global reputation.
Services for Australian companies
Austrade provides information and advice to assist
Australian companies reduce the time, cost and risk of exporting. We also
provide a range of tailored trade services to Australian companies looking to
expand their business in growth and emerging markets.
General information
General information about exporting and doing business in
international markets is provided free of charge to Australian companies and
can be accessed via Austrade’s website, seminars
and events or Austrade staff.
Tailored trade services for internationally-ready
companies
Austrade’s tailored trade services are primarily focused
on providing support to Australian businesses in growth and emerging markets,
where there is strong demand for our services and where we can add the most
value. These markets include Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Middle East and
Russia. In other markets we can provide you with alternative service
providers.
Our tailored
trade services are designed for companies that are ready to do
business in overseas markets and that meet Austrade’s eligibility criteria.
These services include:
- Information
and advice on doing business in international markets
- Help
with international market selection
- Identification
of relevant international contacts
- Assistance
with market entry and expansion
- Identification
and follow-up of specific international business opportunities
Export Market
Development Grants (EMDG)
What is EMDG?
The Export Market Development Grants (EMDG) scheme is a
key Australian Government financial assistance program for aspiring and current
exporters. Administered by Austrade, the scheme supports a wide range of industry
sectors and products, including inbound tourism and the export of intellectual
property and know-how outside Australia.
The EMDG scheme:
- encourages
small and medium sized Australian businesses to develop export markets
- reimburses
up to 50% of eligible export promotion expenses above $10,000 provided
that the total expenses are at least $20,000
- provides
up to seven grants to each eligible applicant.
To access the scheme for the first time, businesses need
to have spent $20,000 over two years on eligible export marketing expenses.
Applications for the 2012-13 grant year open 1 July, 2013
and close 2 December, 2013 (as 30 November falls on a Saturday this year).
Austrade is represented in more than 140 overseas locations in over 60 countries and in Australia. Austrade's domestic network comprises 18 Austrade offices and 54 Tradestart offices including 8 Export Hubs.