EIRP Proceedings, Vol 7 (2012)

Abstract

The global financial and economic crisis which started in 2007 had a considerable impact on the international exchange of goods and services and on the intensity of global financial flows and business activity. Starting with 2010, the EU-27 economy returned to its previous trend of progressively more integration with the international economy in terms of its level of credits and debits relative to gross domestic product (GDP), having experienced a reversal in 2009. The average value of EU-27 trade flows of goods corresponded to 11.6 % of GDP in 2010, up from 9.8 % the previous year. The level of trade integration of services rose to 4.0 % of GDP in 2010, up from 3.9 % in 2008 and 3.8 % in 2009.

The basic challenge in EU countries promotion strategy in exporting a commercial service is to convince a foreigner to try a service that does not exist yet. The foreigners have to believe that the service will be of good quality and will meet their needs. Usually the foreigner forms that belief based on recommendations, referrals, or somehow seeing the service provider in action. There are also several roles that trade promotion activities can play in building that belief or credibility. A national TPO needs to find or reinforce some special quality that its country has so that when potential customers hear about a service supplier from this country, their first response is, “Oh yes, I’ve heard good things about services from your country.”