World Trade Center Dublin September Newsletter

World Trade Center Dublin EXPORT SUPPORT FOR SMES SEPTEMBER 2021

INTERVIEW WITH AMBASSADOR MULHALL PLUS EXPORT ADVICE:

PROTECTING YOUR INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, EXPORTING SPIRITS INTO GERMANY & MORE

MARKET ENTRY BEST PRACTICES:

COSMETICS LABELLING & FDA REGISTRATION

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT:

WTC DUBLIN MEMBER, NEARYNÓGS SHARES THEIR INCREDIBLE STORY

JOIN OUR WEBINAR ON 30th SEPT How SMEs can Protect their Intellectual Property when Exporting.

Title

Get Ready to Be Ready to Export.

Unlimited Call Support on Your Export Journey Market Insights for exporting Marketing and Exposure International Trade Shows and Training

Contents

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24

CONTENTS 04 A MESSAGE FROM THE

24 FINANCE & GRANTS FOR

06 MARKET ENTRY

26 WTC DUBLIN NEWS

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MEMBER PRODUCTS

28 WTCA NEWS

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MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

30 INTERNATIONAL TRADE NEWS

PRESIDENT

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AMBASSADOR MULHALL INTERVIEW

20 EXPORT ADVICE

EXPORTERS

31 32

UPCOMING TRAINING UPCOMING INTERNATIONAL TRADE EVENTS

CONTACT US +353 (0)1 662 4036 membership@wtcdublin.ie www.wtcdublin.ie

@wtcdublin

@DublinWTC

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A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT A new Fall, a new look, a whole lot more content! We are delighted to deliver our new design of the World Trade Center Dublin’s monthly newsletter. We hope that you will find this new format to be informative, exciting, and provide you with vital resources that will assist you as you navigate international trade for your business.

In this premier issue, we are featuring the esteemed Ambassador Dan Mulhall, the 18th Irish Ambassador to the United States.

He was born and raised in Waterford and joined the Department of Foreign Affairs in 1978. With a long history and experience in Foreign Service for Ireland, Ambassador Mulhall has represented Ireland around the world. In 2017 he arrived in the U.S. from his last post in Great Britain. Before departing for Washington, he was made a Freeman of the City of London in recognition of his work as Ambassador.

In addition to his active role in public diplomacy, Ambassador Mulhall is expert in Irish history and literature. He is the author of A New Day Dawning: A Portrait of Ireland in 1900 (Cork, 1999) and coeditor of The Shaping of Modern Ireland: A Centenary Assessment (Dublin, 2016) and has made numerous contributions to books, newspapers and journals published in Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Germany and Britain.

Maureen Pace, President WTC Dublin

communities and those with an interest in Ireland. He provides daily updates on Twitter @DanMulhall.

In addition to our feature article, don’t miss these sections of our newsletter: • WTC Dublin member news and products • Market entry content highlighting the spirits and cosmetics industries • Export advice • International trade news and events We at the World Trade Center Dublin are committed to providing international trade services that open global opportunities that support your business goals. Your feedback is important to us and look forward to hearing from you on how better to serve your needs. Do not hesitate to contact us at any time and thank you for letting us be your resource in international trade.

Sincerely,

Ambassador Mulhall makes regular use of Maureen Pace, social media to provide information on the President, World Trade Center Dublin and work of the Embassy, to highlight Ireland’s WebPort Global achievements and to engage with Irish

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Inter-Continental Freight Import / Export Specialists

Local Service – Global Access – Sea Freight – Air Freight – Brokerage - Logistics Unit 10 D Santry Business Park

Phone:

+353 1 842 8404

Santry,

Fax:

+353 1 842 8280

Dublin 9,

email:

info@airocean.ie

Ireland

web:

www.airocean.ie

Local Service – Your local AirOcean Ireland Team Managing Director Garrett O’Brien garrett@airocean.ie

Business Development Alan O’Brien alan@airocean.ie

Sea Freight Jennifer Daly jennifer@airocean.ie Air Freight Isobel Roche isobel@airocean.ie

Providing efficient and flexible import and export service to clients in Ireland since 1997

MARKET ENTRY U.S. LABELING REQUIREMENTS FOR COSMETIC PRODUCTS How are cosmetic products and labels defined under the U.S. law?

Cosmetics under the U.S. law are products such as skin creams, lotions, perfumes, lipsticks, fingernail polishes, eye and facial make-up preparations, shampoos, permanent waves, hair colours, toothpastes, deodorants, and any material intended for use as a component of a cosmetic product. Even raw materials used in the cosmetic products are considered as cosmetics in the U.S. law.

What mandatory information you must display in your cosmetics’ labels?

1. Identity of the Product: it entails what the product in question is, for example mascara, perfume, and so on. It is an essential piece of information to display as consumers must clearly understand what type of cosmetic product is and what it is used for. The identity of the commodity may be expressed in terms of the common or Here’s the definition: “A cosmetic is a usual name of the cosmetic, a descriptive product, except soap, intended to be name, or when the nature of the cosmetic applied to the human body for cleansing, is obvious. It may also be expressed in beautifying, promoting attractiveness, or form of an illustration. The product identity information must be displayed on the front/ altering the appearance”. principal display of the label/package.

Labelling under U.S. law is defined as: “All labels and other written, printed or graphic 2. Net Contents: net content advises the consumers how much content matter on or accompanying a product”. the cosmetic product contains. Net content statements must be in terms What competent authorities and laws of weight, measure, numerical count, or you must comply with when exporting a combination of numerical count and weight or measure. Statements of net cosmetics to the U.S.? content must be on the bottom area of In order to protect U.S. consumers from the front panel in line generally parallel to deceptive and/or unsafe packaged or the base on which the package rests, and labelled cosmetic products, foreign in a type size commensurate with the size companies must comply with the following of the container. laws and authorities when exporting their 3. Ingredient Declaration: it tells the cosmetics to the U.S.: consumer what the cosmetic product • Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic is made of. Such a declaration must be (FD&C) Act contained only in cosmetic products • The Fair Packaging and Labelling intended to be sold to final consumers for (FP&L) Act their personal use. Therefore, cosmetic • Regulations published by the Food and products used by professionals at the Drug Administration (FDA) under the workplace such as hairdressers do not need to display the ingredient declaration above-mentioned laws. (unless the products are then sold to consumers at the salon).

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Title

The ingredient declaration may appear on any information panel of the package, i.e., the folding carton, box wrapping if the immediate container is so packaged, and may also appear on a firmly affixed tag, tape or card. All ingredients in a cosmetic must be declared on the label in descending order of predominance (i.e. the ingredient present at the highest percentage is listed first, the next highest percentage second, etc.).

4. Any required warning labels: warning labels are required for cosmetics whose use may cause hazard to consumers’ health. Therefore, statements must include information on how to safely use the cosmetic product. Moreover, they must Example of a cosmetic label in the U.S. be easily identified by the consumer and including special symbols’ meaning it must stand out from other statements, word or design (the warning statement must be in bold type).

1. Product identity 2. Net contents 3. Ingredients in descending order of predominance 4. Direction of use 5. Name and location of the manufacturer or distributor 6. Country of origin 7. The symbol tells the consumer the recommended number of months within which the product should be used after being opened 8. The symbol denotes that the company contributes to European programs for the proper disposal and recycling of all packing components 9. Warning statement 10. The symbol tells the customer to look elsewhere in the packing for additional information, for example in a leaflet, card or tag

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MARKET ENTRY

First Step for Exporting to the U.S. – FDA Facility Registration

If you’re an Irish company producing food or drink and interested in exporting to the U.S., the first step is to register your facility with the Food and Drink Administration (FDA).

I use a contract manufacturer, do I need to register?

Do I need to be FDA Registered to ship food and drink to the U.S.?

Yes. U.S. law requires that all foreign facilities must appoint a U.S. agent who is a U.S. based individual or company who serves as a point of contact for the FDA.

Contact your manufacturer and ask if they are already registered. If they aren’t registered, you’ll need to ask them to FDA Facility Registration is mandatory for register or register on their behalf. all food and drinks companies, is relatively straightforward and generally takes 2-3 Are foreign food facilities required to have an agent in the U.S.? weeks.

Yes. To send food or drink to the U.S., exporters must be FDA Registered and file a ‘Prior Notice’ with the FDA prior to I only use my facility for storage; do I still need to register? shipping.

What is a ‘Prior Notice’?

A Prior Notice is a notification to the FDA that is required in order for the shipment to pass through customs. The Prior Notice filing Includes information about the product, quantity, and packaging, and related facilities, such as the manufacturer, shipper, owner, and ultimate consignee.

Who needs to register their Facility with the FDA?

Yes. You’ll register your facility even if you just store / pack the goods at the facility.

The responsibilities of the U.S. agent include: • Assisting FDA in communications with the facility.

• Responding to questions concerning the facilities products that are imported or offered for import into the United States.

FDA Facility Registration is obligatory for • Verifying the facilities details.

Irish companies that manufacture, process, pack or hold food or drink for consumption • U.S. point of contact on behalf of the in the United States. facility.

Am I required to register a facility every FDA Facility Registration is relatively quick two years? and easy, provided you have a U.S. Agent.

Be aware a number of companies can Yes. All food facilities need to register every charge up to $750 to process it for you. two years.

World Trade Center Dublin offers completely free, expedited FDA registration and U.S. agent services to our members.

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Next month: Second Step for Exporting to the U.S. – Registering Trade Mark

Beers brewed with water and barley sourced from the 13th generation Walsh family farm in the heart of Ireland. Available for export in recyclable kegs, cans and bottles.

Tours are available in English, French and German

ballykilcavan.com @ballykilcavan

MARKET ENTRY Attention Spirits Companies: Expanding into the German Market?

Read below and find out Germany’s main strengths and growth opportunities for your business!

Selling online: Germany’s online market is highly developed and could prove to be a useful channel. Be aware that German sites don’t always accept credit cards.

Ensure your site is equipped for alternative payment forms.

• Population is 83.9 million people • Europe’s largest economy and the 4th largest in the world • Europe’s largest consumer market • Second largest e-commerce market in Europe

What’s the recent spirits and wine consumption in Germany?

Consumption of wines and spirits in Germany is stable as shown in the below graph. (Source: Statista 2021)

• €29 billion German/Irish bilateral trade • Ireland’s 4th largest market for merchandise exports in 2019 • 3rd largest online retail market in Europe

What are the main channels to the German market?

Commercial agents: working with a commercial agent or distributor can reduce the risks for an Irish company by providing Germany remains the primary EU market in terms of volume of consumption of spirits, a presence on the ground. with annual consumption of around 5.4 Distributors: The German consumer Litres per inhabitant. market is robust. It will be necessary to use a national distributor. You may The per capita consumption of alcoholic need to incentivize large, broad-based beverages in Germany amounted to 128.5 distributors to promote your product litres in 2019. over an established comparable brand in The country had a per capita wine their portfolio. An alternative to using a consumption of 20.1 litres that year. large distributor is to select a small niche Brandy is the largest category in value distributor. terms in the German spirits sector.

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What are the main growth forecasts in the Spirits industry?

Hypermarkets & supermarkets accounted for the leading share in the distribution of spirits in the country.

As it is a member state of the European Union, Germany is a market that is relatively easy to get access to. However, there are few regulatory differences on topics such as spirit labelling or even packaging management.

Revenue in the Spirits segment amounts to US$8 billion in 2021. The market is expected to grow annually by 8.66% (CAGR 20212025).

By 2025, 38% of spending and 14% of volume consumption in the Spirits segment will be attributable to out-of-home consumption (e.g., in bars and restaurants).

What’s Germany’s import share for spirits and other drinks and what were its main trading partners in 2020?

• Ireland with a share of 2.54% (217 million US$) • Italy with a share of 20% (1.76 billion US$) • France with a share of 17.6% (1.5 billion US$) • Austria with a share of 10.6% (907 million US$) • Netherlands with a share of 7.63% (651 million US$)

In the Spirits segment, volume is expected to amount to 510.1 Millilitres by 2025. The market for Spirits segment is expected to show a volume growth of 4.0% in 2022.

The average volume per person in the Spirits segment is expected to amount to 5.70 Litres in 2021.

• Spain with a share of 6.74% (575 million US$) • United Kingdom with a share of 4.74% (405 million US$) • Belgium with a share of 4.57% (390 million US$) • Denmark with a share of 3.13% (267 million US$)

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THE WAY FORWARD: 100% SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING As companies become more and more aware of climate change, they are trying to find new ways to improve and reduce their environmental footprint. Take a look at our member All Real Nutrition and the innovative and sustainable solutions they have come up with to make their product environment friendly. All Real is indeed leading the way for nutrition brands with their home-compostable packaging.

During the composting process, the packaging fully breaks down within 26 weeks. The materials then return to the soil, leaving no adverse effects on the environment. This is a result of utilising bio-based paper and metallised cellulose films which are manufactured from sustainably sourced wood pulp. They are fully accredited by TÜV Home compostable standards.

All Nutrition is also helping to fight singleuse plastic with their certified plastic free packaging. The Plastic-Free Certification Mark is an aspirational mark of excellence and demonstrates the company’ commitment to a sustainable future of packaging without plastic.

L I F E ST Y L E

S U STA I N A B I L I T Y

MEMBER PRODUCTS

NEW HEALTHY ALTERNATIVE FOR SUGAR! Are you trying to reduce sugars or looking for some healthy alternatives to sugar?

You should definitely try Homespun Chicory Root Syrup!

Homespun Chicory Root Syrup is the perfect alternative to honey and has 70% less sugar than honey, maple and agave syrup. This syrup is extracted from fresh chicory roots and brings natural plantbased sweetness to your favourite foods and drinks, without causing any spike in blood sugars. It’s high in gut-healthy probiotic fibre and tastes delicious.

The product contains low and naturally occurring sugars only. The low glycaemic index in the syrup is scientifically proven to keep blood sugars low. The high prebiotic fibre level supports gut health. It is plantbased and vegan friendly with a light and delicate sweet taste. Homespun Chicory Root Syrup is for cooking, home baking, and complements porridges, pancakes, hot and cold beverages.

If you enjoy taking recipes and giving them a nutritious twist like Homespun’s founder, Erica Sheehan, then Homespun Chicory Root Syrup is a superb honey alternative you should try!

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N E W P R O D U C TS

ENJOY THE NEW SOYA FREE TOFU SAAG WITH NAAN BREAD! Here is an incredible product from our member My Apricot Kitchen, the Soya Free Tofu Saag!

This is a popular vegan and vegetarian dish from India rich in flavours: buckwheat has been added to the gram flour base to make it more nutritious, the asafeida - which helps in digestion - provides the dish a beautiful lingering aroma, while tomato, ginger and garam masala cooked with special pickle make the dish more flavourful. The Soya Free Tofu Saag is absolutely natural, vegan, vegetarian, cruelty free, well balanced, nutritious, and fit for daily consumption!

RECIPE IRISH BILTONG & TENDERSTEM BROCCOLI IN SWEET SOY WITH SESAME Cooking Instructions:

Ingredients

Heat a wok and add in the vegetable oil. Sweat the onion and chilli without colour, season.

• 24 tender stem broccoli (blanched in boiling salted water and then into iced water, set aside) • 100g Biltong • Drizzle of vegetable oil • 1 sliced white onion • 1 sliced red chilli • 50ml water • 2 tsp cornflour • 2 tbsp. honey • 1 tbspn rice wine vinegar • 1 tbspn soy sauce • Handful salted peanuts, roughly crushed • 2 tbspn sesame seeds, toasted • Juice of 1 lime • 4 lime wedges • Nut Crumble

Add in the blanched broccoli and continue to sauté until the broccoli warms. Add in the water and soy sauce followed by the vinegar. Bring to the boil and add in the cornflour. Mix the cornflour in well and add in the honey & lime juice.

Now add in the Biltong and simmer for three minutes. Adjust seasoning then serve family style in a large oval platter and finish with a coating of salted peanuts,toasted sesame seeds & lime wedges.

Serves 4 adults as a main course. Enjoy!

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MEMBER SPOTLIGHT Shane Neary from NearyNógs, speaks to us about Northern Ireland’s first bean to bar craft chocolate!

Tell us a little about your background treatment at Great Ormond before setting up NearyNógs?

I’ve worked as a Graphic designer, web- Street Hospital designer, postman, National Trust tour in London. A 9 guide, warden and I’ve also run my own month treatment plan was suggested. I left landscaping business and worked in my job to help support and sell chocolate.

As treatments became more necessary the Factories and on farms. need shifted from 9 months to 10 years and Dorothy qualified as a Nurse in the State so the business continues to this day. of Washington. She has a talent for photography and a serious skill for making As chocolate demands grew, better equipment was purchased and in 2018 amazing food!

NearyNógs bought our own factory on the What do you enjoy about running your site of a former potato farm in Carlingford own business?

Lough County Down.

There is a joy and satisfaction of watching What has been the biggest challenge you the business grow and seeing the have faced on your journey so far? opportunities and doors that have been opened. We also love helping people enjoy Running a business while in and out of chocolate while helping them understand hospital has been challenging. It’s always the impact of sustainably sourced cacao on difficult to balance family and work life. peoples lives around the world.

Cash flow has also been very challenging Tell us about NearyNógs and how it came while wholesaling. Chocolate can take 3-4 days to make and so generating an income to fruition? with simple machinery was very very hard.

NearyNógs began as a fundraiser for our eldest daughter travelling to India to work Now the challenge is that the factory with kids. Attendees at the event asked is machine dependant and energy Dorothy to make chocolate for weddings requirements can be high and upgrading systems can require repeat investment. and eventually craft fairs.

Customers asked for allergen free, additive free chocolate and just like that bean to bar was born!

It was 2011 and our daughter, who was 2 at the time, became ill and needed regular

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How has COVID-19 impacted your business NearyNógs is a family business, what and what do you think will be the long- advice would you offer to readers thinking lasting affects for Irish business? about going into business with family Our online sales grew during Covid-19. members?

The pandemic has definitely helped create brand awareness. It is hard to know if online sales will remain consistent as restrictions ease so we have started offering tours of our factory with on-site retail. Once restrictions ease we predict it will be a profitable income stream for us.

Family is always there when life throws curveballs and unexpected demands, family is your baseline safety net.

Packaging has been hard to source but we have decided to source locally where possible and by using outlets in the Republic of Ireland and the EU has helped.

challenges.

However, performing to a professional degree in work can be different as relationships can complicate procedures and efficiencies. I would describe it like NearyNógs is based in Northern Ireland, hugging a cactus. Saying that, when the pressure is on, the results can be have you been affected by BREXIT? Sourcing Cacao beans internationally has tremendous. meant we only use Dublin as a port to avoid We have mixed our staff with non-family extra paperwork and transport fees. It took which balances out any unwillingness at much longer to import Cacao beans in work... most of the time!

January compared to pre-BREXIT times! Working with family is a great journey to Living in Northern Ireland has given us be on as you share experiences with those some flexibility but it has hit us hard when you are closest to. Remember, no matter importing from mainland UK. who you work with there are going to be My advice would be to be self aware and to operate in your best skill sets while delegating where possible.

What are you ambitions for NearyNógs over the next few years?

Our ambition is to grow our retail section from site and to increase our wholesale accounts near and far. Also to increase my salary as over the past few years I’ve been reinvesting constantly in the company!

How has the WTC Dublin helped you You ethically source sustainable coca achieve your exporting ambitions so far? beans and are part of the rainforest The WTC Dublin rapidly helped open the alliance. Why is sustainability such an door to the U.S.. They helped us to create important element of your company? connections that without their assistance Sustainability produces longevity of our and experience would have taken industry. As Chocolate companies like considerably longer on our own. ours grow it shows the immoral practices The WTC Dublin have assisted us with of some larger chocolate companies and trademarking and have helped up to grow the unsustainable ways farmers are paid our brand internationally. They have given and the farms are maintained. This creates us valuable support and advice in preparing pressure for the industry to change at a for sales abroad. grassroots level. We want our business to have a positive impact on our environment for the generations to come.

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COVER STORY A sit down with.....

AMBASSADOR MULHALL The last time I had the honor of interviewing you, we were talking about Brexit and the impact it would have on Ireland. Can you give us a brief Brexit update?

Ambassador Daniel Mulhall with Andrew Gelfuso, Director of the WTC D.C.

sets out commitments on a Shared Island Initiative. This includes efforts to work with all communities and traditions on the island of Ireland to build consensus around a shared future, underpinned by the Good Since we last spoke, the United Kingdom Friday Agreement. The initiative includes left the European Union - on 31 December a €500 million Shared Ireland fund, which 2020. The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation provides for significant new, multiannual Agreement (TCA) was agreed at the 11th capital funding for investment on a strategic hour and has assured tariff-free trade in basis in collaborative North/South projects. goods. This was particularly important for businesses in Ireland given the significant From a trade perspective, you may have trading relationship we enjoy with Britain. seen the interesting statistics published As has been widely reported, the Northern recently. Our imports from Northern Ireland Ireland protocol, also agreed between the have increased 77% while our exports to EU and the UK in December 2020, continues the North have risen 43% since the UK’s to be a subject of discussion between the exit from the EU. The reasons for this are two sides as there are differences about complex and the situation is still evolving. It its implementation. The Protocol, which is far too early to draw precise conclusions was jointly negotiated by the current UK from it. Stockpiling pre-Brexit, COVID and Government and the EU, is jointly owned by other factors have no doubt contributed to them. It needs to be properly implemented the new trading dynamic. The significant by both sides. There can be no room for increase in trade does however point to unilateral actions or renegotiation of the new supply chains emerging as businesses Protocol. From the perspective of the seek alternative sources of supply.

Irish Government, we will do all we can to ensure that solutions are found to support What will be the long-term impact on continuing economic advancement in the economy?

Northern Ireland, to which the Protocol, by giving Northern Ireland full access to the I will leave predictions of the long-term EU and UK markets, has the potential to impact to the economists, but I would facilitate. like to point out two things. First, Ireland has been diversifying its links with other Has the relationship between the Republic trading partners, making use of the many and Northern Ireland changed as a result? free trade agreements that the EU has with third countries. The Irish Government’s The Irish Government is investing heavily Global Ireland initiative is ensuring that we in its relationship with Northern Ireland. have an Irish presence on the ground in an In particular, our Government’s program increasing number of countries, which is

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designed to provide Irish businesses with new international opportunities. This is having a marked impact with dependence on the UK market decreasing and trade increasing with other key partners like the United States and other EU Member States.

Second, I would like to highlight the unique economic opportunity that Northern Ireland now has under the arrangements agreed between the EU and the UK last year. It is the only place that has free access to the prosperous UK and EU single markets.

Indeed, Invest NI commented recently on the increased interest from companies seeking to locate projects in Northern Ireland since Brexit. The United Kingdom will remain an important trading partner for Ireland and there is early evidence of increased trade between North and South in Ireland. More investment into Northern Ireland and North-South trade can only be good for both economies and societies.

pandemic struck has enabled the Government to take an active role in supporting the economy.

Our economy also performed remarkably well during 2020, and was one of the few countries that actually recorded economic growth.

This was powered by our strong export performance, in the ICT and life sciences sectors in particular. Ireland worked to ensure that supply chains of essential products were kept open. This was done by designating essential services and maintaining of critical transport routes. As a result, the OECD recognized Ireland as the fifth largest exporter of COVID-related goods in 2020. Our research community also participated strongly in the fight against COVID, with Irish researchers playing critical roles at the WHO and in developing the Astra Zeneca vaccine. Indeed, Irish companies were integral to transatlantic initiatives from developing therapeutics and testing to contact tracing and software used to verify safe travel. Companies like Icon, Nearform and Verifly were shining lights during a very difficult time.

While the pandemic is far from over, Ireland has managed the vaccination of its population well, with 90% of our adult population now fully vaccinated.

When do you think business will start hiring again?

Most recently we have had to face the While Ireland has performed strongly, the challenges of the Global Pandemic. How has economic impact has been very challenging this impacted Ireland? for some sectors. As the public health situation improves further and the economy Like other nations across the world, Ireland is further re-opened, we will begin to see the has been significantly impacted by the rate of unemployment reduce further. Most COVID pandemic. The Irish Government took of the Irish economy will be reopened during early and decisive action and prioritized the September, including the entertainment health of our citizens by implementing strict sector and this will have a significant impact protocols to slow the spread of the disease. on hiring and increased job opportunities. It Significant fiscal supports were introduced is also vital that international travel returns. to support businesses and to keep as many Ireland welcomed over 11 million tourists in people in employment as possible. The 2019 contributing over 1 billion euro to the strength of the Government’s fiscal position economy. and strong economic performance before the

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Ireland has truly become the gateway to Europe. What impact is that having?

What do you anticipate will happen after wage subsidies are no longer available?

The Irish Government intervened strongly to protect employment and extended these supports to ensure that people and businesses were protected from the worst impacts of the pandemic. As more people are vaccinated and health restrictions are further eased and the economy fully reopens, it is hoped that the business outlook and employment opportunities will improve without the need for the same level of subsidies.

When will tourism and business travel be back to pre-pandemic rates?

In 2019, Ireland saw record levels of passenger numbers, including 2 million visitors from North America. While it is impossible to predict when travel will return to pre-pandemic rates, Ireland has proved itself as an international hub for travel. Preclearance of travel into the United States is an important aspect of that. Unfortunately, travel restrictions still apply for many countries (including Ireland) entering the United States which is impacting on travel severely. It is difficult to see why Irish visitors cannot be allowed to enter the US given the very high levels of vaccination in Ireland. I am hopeful that EU-US engagements on this matter, that were established earlier this summer, will find a way to lift these restrictions soon. Ireland remains open, and welcomes vaccinated visitors from most countries including the USA with no quarantine requirements.

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Ireland is a gateway to Europe and continues to attract significant volumes of Foreign Direct Investment. We continue to provide companies with the unique benefits of a dynamic, innovative and competitive business environment which is underpinned by a diverse, young, highly talented, educated and English speaking workforce. Ireland has pursued a strategy of an open knowledge economy for many years now and the impact of this has been significant. While we continue to attract and retain multinational companies, their activities have evolved as the economy has moved into advanced manufacturing, emerging and future technologies, cutting edge life sciences and advanced business and customer services. Ireland’s evolution towards becoming a global innovation leader is connecting world class researchers and research centers with cutting edge companies, in what is becoming a highly innovative business environment. As well as the advancement of our economy, we have also seen our society changing to become one of the most open and inclusive societies in the world. We were the first country to legalize marriage equality by popular vote and we now have one of the most diverse populations in the EU. Has this impacted the cost of living?

As a country becomes more successful, it must manage its competitiveness to ensure a good standard of living. This is doubly important for a country like Ireland that is so open to international trade and investment. Attracting investment is not just about the business environment but also about infrastructure, safety, education and ensuring Ireland is a place that people want to live and can afford to live in. Ireland was recently ranked by the OECD as the best place in terms of overall life satisfaction.

How is the labour market in Ireland looking?

Ireland had the fastest growing economy in Europe before COVID and was one of the only countries in the world to record economic growth in 2020. Current forecasts project strong economic growth in 2021 and 2022, at 7.2% and 5.1% respectively (according to the EU Commission). This bodes well for the recovery of the labour market, which was severely impacted during the pandemic. Our third-level attainment rate among 25–34-year-olds is significantly above the EU average (58.4% vs 40.5%) and Ireland has the highest level of STEM graduates per capita in the EU (among 20–29-year-olds).

Ireland is also developing sophisticated approaches to research, third level education, remote working and regional development to ensure we are well positioned to attract and retain the brightest talent for the future of work.

DC and Dublin have some similarities.

They are both capital cities and have lots of beautiful green spaces and historic buildings and monuments. From a business perspective we both enjoy a vibrant tourist industry and excellent restaurants and entertainment venues. We differ also though, with many companies headquartered in Dublin, particularly the ICT and Financial Services sectors, whereas DC tends to house the Government and Regulatory Affairs offices of its major companies.

Both cities share a similar desire though to become centers of investment and commerce. In this regard, my Embassy was delighted to be involved in the first virtual trade mission between the Mayor’s Office of Planning and Economic Development and the DC Chamber of Commerce, and the Dublin Chamber of Commerce and many of our State Agencies, earlier this year. The Mayor’s Office has a plan to make DC a hub for international business and we very much share this ambition for our capital city and country.

Is there any update on the Corporate Tax Rate for companies locating in Ireland?

Ireland has maintained a transparent and consistent position in respect of our corporate tax rate for many years. There is a process at the OECD to develop a new framework for international corporate taxation. Ireland has been part of this process and has implemented recommendations arising from the first stage of the process (BEPS 1). Our Department of Finance publishes the details of these and other corporate tax reforms in the Corporate Tax Roadmap, which was updated earlier this year. Ireland remains committed to the OECD process and to achieving a comprehensive, sustainable and equitable agreement (BEPS 2) that meet the needs of all countries, large and small, developed and developing.

You have been serving in Washington D.C. for a few years now. How would you compare the business climate between DC and Dublin?

You have a devoted following on social media that shares your passion for poetry.

How were you introduced to poetry and please share a favorite poem if you would.

I am an admirer of the work of W.B. Yeats and am the Honorary President of the Yeats Society. As an Irish historian, I have a special interest in the manner in which Yeats’s poetry brilliantly sheds light on key moments in Ireland’s past. His poem, Easter 1916, is a favorite of mine. It deals with the Easter Rising of 1916, which inspired Ireland’s independence. A shorter Yeats poem that I like to recite is ‘The Lake Isle of Innisfree’. ‘I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree.’

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EXPORT ADVICE Selling Online into the U.S. – The 3PL Model For Irish companies wishing to sell online into the U.S. it is imperative to be aware of how to best manage the shipping process.

With the constraints around time and cost, shipping from Ireland greatly limits potential sales. Third-party logistics companies alleviate this by completely taking care 3. A warehouse team member gets a of the product once an online purchase is picking list to collect the items that have made. been ordered.

What is third-party logistics (3PL)?

4. The items are packed in boxes with the receipt and order details.

Third-party logistics providers manage inbound and outbound transportation for their clients, as well as warehousing. Most 3PL companies own or lease warehouse space, which they provide to their clients.

They generally don’t own their own fleet of trucks but contract with other carriers for freight and shipping.

3 valuable services 3PLs offer

5. The 3PL prints the shipping label or uses Third-party logistics (or 3PL) refers to one of its shipping carrier partners. the outsourcing of ecommerce logistics processes to a third party business, including 6. The shipping carrier collects the package from your 3PL’s distribution center and inventory management, warehousing, and delivers it to your customer. fulfillment. The third party logistics also allow ecommerce merchants to accomplish 7. Tracking information is uploaded to the more, with the tools and infrastructure to 3PL system and synced with your order automate retail order fulfillment. management software.

3PL Order Fulfillment Process

1. Inventory management Managing inventory involves much more than just warehousing your products. A 3PL should allow you to easily sync inventory with your online store, view real-time inventory levels at each 3rd party fulfillment center, and proactively reorder inventory to prevent stockouts.

1. The 3PL receives your inventory at its warehouse and organizes each SKU. Once your 3PL receives and stores your 2. When an order is placed on your inventory, you can check the quantity ecommerce site, it’s either manually on hand and units sold per day for each forwarded to the 3PL or automatically product. This offers full visibility into what pushed (if its software integrates with is available to ship to your customers at any given time. your online store).

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Depending on your 3PL’s technology and workflows, you may also be able to push real-time stock counts back to your store’s website, so your customers immediately know if items are out-of-stock.

Distributing inventory won’t necessarily be cost-effective for everyone, especially if you don’t yet have a high volume of shipments.

As your online business grows, however, having a network of fulfillment centers can help you efficiently reach more customers.

2. Two-day shipping Splitting inventory across 3PL warehouses can also help you be prepared in the event Some of the most popular online retailers that your orders can’t leave a particular offer two-day shipping and free shipping fulfillment center (for example, in extreme options and most customers expect weather conditions). Distributing inventory both fast and affordable shipping. 3PL also helps with inventory management: warehouse location can make or break your When you store products in multiple ability to deliver on customer expectations geographic areas, you will have backup by storing inventory closer to your shipping stock if you run out. destination. Working with the right 3PL can help you offer 2-day shipping to your Benefits of third-party logistics customers at an affordable price.

There are several benefits of this operational Third-party logistics service providers often model: have relationships with shipping carriers that allow them to negotiate discounted Greater flexibility in product sourcing. rates for their clients; however, the biggest When you use an E-Commerce fulfillment cost savings for 2-day shipping come business model, you can more easily source from distributing your inventory across products from more than one manufacturer. fulfillment centers in different regions.

All your items will be stored in the same warehouse, so orders that include products 3. Distributed inventory from multiple suppliers can ship in the same box. This saves on shipping costs.

When working with a 3PL that has several warehouse locations, you can split inventory More control over your logistics operations. across fulfillment centers to ship each order You get to choose an order fulfillment out from the 3PL warehouse that is closest partner that provides the services your to your customer. This model is called customers expect. distributed inventory.

Faster order fulfillment. You can pick a With the right technology in place, 3PL third-party logistics service with warehouse companies can automate the order locations that will get your orders delivered fulfillment process using powerful quickly. algorithms that route each order to the optimal fulfillment center.

Easier returns processing. The 3rd-party logistics warehouse that shipped your If your customers are geographically products can provide customer service distributed across the country, you will and seamlessly process any returns. This likely want to distribute your inventory improves customer satisfaction and lets you to multiple fulfillment centers. This puts put products back into inventory quickly. your inventory closer to your shipping destinations, meaning you can offer For more information on the 3PL model guaranteed two-day shipping via ground please contact the team at the WTC Dublin. for customers in those surrounding areas.

This can be much cheaper than expedited air shipping.

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EXPORT ADVICE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY What is IP? IP are the intangible property rights which can be obtained to protect creations of the mind, such as new inventions and modifications, literary and artistic works, the outward appearance of a product, and symbols, names and images used in commerce. The different forms of IP protect different things and provide different rights Create a strategy for your IP and obligations.

1. Having an IP Strategy provides a Like other types of property, IP is protected competitive edge in the market. by law which allows the proprietors of such property to earn money or recognition from 2. Develop and identify innovation, new designs, new trade marks or new trade their inventions or creations, while enabling secrets (formulas/recipes); action to be taken to prevent others from obtaining a benefit from these important 3. Apply to protect the innovation, pieces of property. modification, design, trade mark or to document the trade secret, ideally Why protect IP? before it goes to market or is promoted; IP is an integral component of any successful business. For SMEs it’s very important to 4. Renew any existing patents, designs or trademarks; protect any unique products or services to prevent market share loss to copy cats.

5. Value your IP, if applicable; The link between IP and economic growth 6. Licence or enter in other agreements has been demonstrated in a joint study taking advantage of your IP or carried out by the EUIPO and the EPO in collaborate in the knowledge that your February 2021, showing companies that IP is safeguarded; and own IP rights to have 20% higher revenue per employee than companies that do not. 7. Police and enforce your rights against infringers, if necessary.

This rises to 55% and even higher for SMEs. Protecting your IP protects not just your MacLachlan & Donaldson has substantial current marketplace but your future experience working with companies and marketplace as it safeguards your ability investors and we understand the time, to expand geographically. Additionally, effort, and resources that go into creating IP rights can be bought, sold, used as new IP. We understand the need to include a lien or as security and can generate IP in any international trade strategy. By income through licensing. Identifying and working closely with our clients, we can protecting your IP may increase the worth recognise new and emerging IP, and the potential value it can create for a business of a business in the eyes of investors. if properly safeguarded.

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Join our webinar: How SMEs can Protect their Intellectual Property when Exporting. Thursday, 30 September 2021. More info here.

Contact us on mail@maclachlan.ie to arrange your free consultation.

YOUR PARTNER IN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ONE OF IRELAND'S MOST EXPERIENCED IP LAW FIRMS

LISTEN We engage with you to identify, consider and discuss your brand, innovation or design.

EVALUATE

PROTECT

We assess the protection available for your Intellectual Property and make recommendations.

ABOUT US

We work with you through the stages involved so that your valuable asset is secured and we assist you in enforcing or defending that asset.

CORE SERVICES

MacLachlan & Donaldson is one of Ireland’s leading Intellectual Property firms, having specialized in managing our clients’ rights for more than 50 years. Our highly trained staff of attorneys, and our extensive resources, are dedicated to protecting your IP interests. With attorneys in Dublin and Belfast, we are an allIreland firm who can represent your rights in Ireland, the United Kingdom and the European Union, as well as multiple territories across the globe.

Trade Marks Patents Designs Commercialisation

WWW.MACLACHLAN.IE +353 1 676 3465

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Title

FINANCE & GRANTS FOR EXPORTERS Are you worried about extended payment terms with international retailers and distributors? Invoice discounting can help you to manage your cash flow.

touch with your invoice discount provider and generally within 24 hours you will be able to access your funds, namely an agreed % of your invoices. The payment will be collected from your customers on your One of the biggest challenges our members behalf and you will be paid the remainder, face when trading internationally is getting minus any fees as agreed with you in paid upfront by overseas buyers. advance.

For example, working with the larger U.S. Grants (Technical Assistance for Micro retailers can be an incredible opportunity Exporters) by Local Enterprise Office (LEO). given the scope of potential orders, however in many cases their payment TAME Grants are suitable for first time micro terms can extend up to net 120 days. In exporters. They will part-fund the costs order to avoid this and not miss out on that can be incurred in investigating and the opportunity, one option to consider is researching export markets, e.g. exhibiting Invoice Discounting. This allows exporters at Trade Fairs, preparing marketing material to receive their payments upfront through and developing websites specifically a third party while establishing good and targeting overseas markets. Grants cover solid working relationships with their foreign 50% of eligible costs (net of vat) to a max customers by accepting and working within of €2,500. their payment terms.

Invoice discounting will allow you to get Who can apply for this grant? access to working capital, before you are paid, when selling your products and • Enterprises not employing more than 10 people services to customers abroad. There is generally no limit to the funding available • Enterprises located within the geographic location of the Local as it’s based on the purchase orders you Enterprise Office receive.

Accessing Financing is simple and only • Enterprises operating in the commercial sphere requires a few steps. The first step is to invoice your customer as normal. Get in • Enterprises must demonstrate a market for their proposed product/ service • Enterprises engaged in manufacturing or internationally traded services • Innovative businesses with prototype products • Enterprises who have not received any funding from another source

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UPCOMING EVENT

WTC Dublin NEWS

How SMEs can Protect their Intellectual Property when Exporting Thursday, 30 Sept.

10:00 AM ET / 3:00 PM Ireland

NEW TRADESHOW ALERT: NTERNATIONAL FOOD TRADE SHOW IN LAS VEGAS

Register here

IN 2022: A long-established international food & beverage industry trade show will make its debut in the United States at the Las Vegas Convention Center in March of 2022. Salon International de L’Alimentation (SIAL), has a 50-year history drawing 16,000 exhibitors and 700,000 visitors from 200 countries.

The SIAL America Show debut in the U.S. will be one that you will not want to miss if you are in the industry! The show will feature organic and wellness products, beverages, grocery, sweets & bakery, fruits and vegetables, seafood, dairy, frozen foods, snacks and meat to an audience of foodies, food product retailers, distributors and wholesalers.

Read More

SUPPORTING THE FUTURE OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE ENTREPRENEURS In this ever-changing business environment, FedEx continues to support the international trade industry and planning for the future through their 15th Annual FedEx Express / JA International Trade Challenge (ITC).

This year’s competition expanded with over 4,000 aspiring entrepreneurs, drawing students from ten AMEA markets.

This year’s theme was to create a market entry strategy for a physical product to the United Kingdom that will enable people to recover from or overcome the impact of the pandemic. The WTC Dublin welcomes stories like this that support the future of international trade entrepreneurs and welcome you to submit any similar stories that rejuvenate our industry.

Read More

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POWERSCOURT DISTILLERY CASK PROGRAMME Powerscourt Distillery announce details of their cask programme. The programme consists of 200 litres of 65% ABV fill strength of highest quality, triple distilled, premium Irish whiskey (spirit) into American white oak, first-fill ex bourbon barrels.

This will be the Inagural cask programme of Noel Sweeney, who has as 40 years experience in Irish distilling. He is considered the most experienced working Master Distiller of Irish Whiskey in the world. The globally-celebrated Master Distiller & Blending Expert was 30 years as Master Distiller of Cooley Distillery. He produced all variations of award-winning whiskeys such as Connemara, Greenore, Kilbeggan, Lockes, ect.

UPCOMING EVENT America’s Food and Beverage Show 20 – 24 September 2021 Miami, FL Register here

The ten year programme costs €7,800 and only 397 casks were ever made available.

Numerous whiskey cask finishes available inclusing Rum, Port, Sherry, Bordeaux red wine, Amarone, ect. 10 year programme membership including maturation, insurance with first & exclusive access.

STRUGGLING WITH HOW TO PROTECT YOUR SUPPLY CHAIN? Read about 5 strategies you can implement today: 1. Fully leverage connectivity and digitization 2. Strive for end-to-end visibility 3. Improve partner collaboration 4. Diversify your supply sources 5. Build more trust into supply chain processes Read More

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WTCA NEWS CHINA INTERNATIONAL IMPORT EXPO (CIIE) 5 – 10 NOVEMBER 2021

The China International Import Expo (CIIE), the world’s largest import-themed expo, is taking place in Shanghai from 5th10th November 2021.

Following the successful participation in the past two years, the WTCA is partnering with WTC Shanghai to launch the 2021 WTCA CIIE program - an initiative to support World Trade Center Dublin members in expanding their global reach to the China marketplace.

World Trade Center Dublin Members have the exclusive opportunity to promote their company and products at the Expo, free of charge and no need to travel.

CIIE AT A GLANCE • The largest Import Expo in the world.

• 500,000 professional visitors expected in 2021.

• $70 billion worth of deals expected to be reached for purchases of goods and services.

How does it work?

• Your marketing material will be translated into Chinese and displayed at the World Trade Center (WTC) booth at the Expo, managed by WTC Asia Pacific Regional Office (WTC APRO).

• The WTC APRO staff will familiarize themselves with your products and USPs to allow for face-to-face interaction at the booth with potential buyers on your behalf.

• WTC APRO and WTC Shanghai will provide lead follow-up and assist with sample delivery to interested parties after the Expo. To avoid unnecessary expense, samples will only be requested when a qualified buyer has registered interest.

• Your company marketing material will also be included in the official 2021 WTCA CIIE booklet for online and offline distribution and your Products will be displayed on the CIIE Online Exhibition.

• As an added benefit, all participating members will be promoted throughout local Chinese business communities through our World Trade Centres in China: WTC Shanghai, WTC Beijing, WTC Tianjin, WTC Xiamen, WTC Fujian, WTC Xia, WTC Shenyang, WTC Qingdao.

How do I participate?

If you’d like to participate in this showcase opportunity to the Chinese market, please contact Tadhg Morris at tmorris@WTCDublin.ie, by 17th September 2021.

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9 T H A N N UA L E M BA S S Y S H OWC A S E

WINTERNATIONAL A VIRTUAL MARKETPL ACE

PRESENTED BY:

Shop Artisans From Around the World Winternational continues its annual Embassy Showcase in a new virtual year-long format. Support Washington, DC's diplomatic community and shop artisans from around the world selling handicrafts, visual arts, apparel, decor and more.

African Union Nontando

Bahamas My Ocean

Bulgaria Rose Valley Oils

Czech Republic Shelalee

Eritrea Lila Charm

Guatemala A Thread of Hope

India Chhoti Si Asha

Kyrgyz Republic Arashan

Mexico Jacobo Y Maria Angeles

Morocco Zyne

Pakistan Alkanooz

Peru Peru Gift Shop

Portugal Portugalia Marketplace

St. Kitts and Nevis Caribelle Batik

Ukraine UGEARS Models

1300 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC rrbitc.com | tradeinfo@rrbitc.com | 202.312.1300

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INTERNATIONAL TRADE NEWS

Title

CHINA FINALLY EXEMPTS IMPORTED COSMETICS FROM ANIMAL TESTING

The Chinese cosmetics and beauty market is expected to record a value of US$87.64 billion in 2025, increasing at a CAGR of 6%, for the duration spanning In March 2021, Chinese regulators made 2021-2025. headlines when they announced a change to animal testing requirements that the Factors, other than the loosening of country had previously maintained for restrictions on testing, which are predicted imported cosmetics. to drive growth in the Chinese market, are: a growing female population, an upsurge in The change, which came into effect on May demand for natural and organic cosmetics, 1st of this year, exempts mandatory prean escalating number of social media market animal testing for general imported users, rapid urbanization and strong brand cosmetics, and stands to have significant awareness among young consumers. implications for Irish cosmetics brands.

The mandatory animal testing requirements imposed by Beijing on imported cosmetics have posed a major dilemma for many cruelty-free brands. Until now, only companies that manufacture locally in mainland China were able to bypass mandatory animal testing.

While China has not banned animal testing for all cosmetics, the new regulations provide a pathway for Irish, and any other cosmetic and beauty brands, to enter the China market and remain cruelty-free, including shampoo, skincare, body wash, lipstick, and makeup.

While these ‘general’ cosmetics will be excluded from mandatory animal-testing and require a simple declaration, ‘special use’ products (including hair dyes, hair perming products, freckle-removing and whitening products & more) will require registration with the National Medical Products Administration and are likely to require animal testing.

Nonetheless, this is a hugely significant change, given that China is now the secondlargest cosmetics market after the U.S.

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Domestic Responsible Agent The primary regulatory hurdle that brands need to be aware of is the appointing of a Domestic Responsible Agent. Legally, the main requirement is that the Domestic Responsible Agent must be based in China.

Companies who already export to Russia or the U.S. will be familiar with the requirement to appoint a local contact to look after importation and official documentations.

Domestic Responsible Agents for Irish brands are likely to be one of the following…

A Chinese Importer or Distributor (A buyer) Or A Regulatory Expert, Consultant or Agent (A third party who will act as the Domestic Responsible Agent for a nominal fee) For more information on the new regulations, domestic responsible agents, or new opportunities in China in general, please feel free to reach to Tadhg Morris at tmorris@WTCDublin.ie.

UPCOMING TRAINING Training is important because it represents a good opportunity for everyone within a company to grow their knowledge base and improve their job skills to become more effective in the workplace. Despite the cost of training, the return on investment is immense if it is consistent. Below you will find some upcoming training opportunities you may be interested in.

SUBHEAD XXXXX

Introductory Certificate in Bookkeeping using Big Red Cloud

Business Accelerator Programme- 21st September

GDP Champion 22nd September

This practical, certified course with 12 weeks’ access to Big Red Cloud gives you a strong foundation in Bookkeeping Principles using practical worked examples and realto-life case studies. You will also be introduced to VAT and RCT as well the key skill of Cash Budgeting.

This 10 stage program has been created by Simon Haigh and Jason Cooper to address the most relevant, and sought after, skills for any aspiring entrepreneur and established SME owner in 2021. You will finish the course will the skillns and information you need to succeed.

Involved in manufacturing, transportation or storage of pharmaceutical or medical devices? Do you need a better understanding of your responsibilities to ensure supply chain compliance?

FIND OUT MORE

FIND OUT MORE

FIND OUT MORE

If so, this is the webinar for you.

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UPCOMING INTERNATIONAL TRADE SHOWS OCTOBER SEPTEMBER Hofex Hong Kong, 7-9 Sep. 2021 Hong Kong More info here Salone del Camper Parma, 11-19 Sep. 2021 Parma (IT) More info here America’s Food and Beverage Show, 20-24 Sep. 2021 Miami, FL More info here Babydays Antwerp, 25-26 Sep. 2021 Antwerp More info here 1st Sustainable Goods Expo Osaka, 29 Sep. - 1 Oct. 2021 Osaka More info here

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Bar Convent Berlin International Bar and Beverage Trade Show, 11-13 Oct. 2021 Berlin More info here Agrokos Pristina, 21-22 Oct. 2021 Pristina More info here Incheon International Fishing & Boat & Camping Fair, 15-17 Oct. 2021 Incheon, South Korea More info here Caravan Salon Austria Wels, 20-24 Oct. 2021 Wels More info here

NOVEMBER Eco Life Scandinavia Malmö 2021, 17-18 Nov. 2021 Malmö More info here

OCTOBER Caravaning Brno, 21-24 Oct. 2021 Brno More info here BabyWelt Munich, 08-10 Oct. 2021 Munich More info here Warsaw toys & kids Expo Nadarzyn, 13-14 Oct. 2021 Nadarzyn More info here Fashion World Tokyo 2021, 18-20 Oct. 2021 Tokyo, More info here

China International Import Expo (CIIE) 5 – 10 Nov. 2021 Shanghai More info here

DECEMBER Beverage and Tobacco Middle East Dubai, 8-9 Dec. 2021 Dubai More info here CBME Turkey International Children, Baby & Maternity Industry Expo Online, 8-11 Dec. 2021 Istanbul More info here

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