SMEs are being given an opportunity to change the international environment for exporters.
Two international agencies, Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), are surveying thousands of SMEs across 44 different economies on the most significant barriers to successfully internationalising products or services.
The information gathered from the survey will be used by officials and governments in those economies to make decisions, regarding changes to government regulations and government assistance programmes for SMEs, to ensure the barriers to exporting are removed.
This is a great opportunity for New Zealand businesses to connect with an international initiative to better understand issues small businesses face when accessing international markets. Governments around the world will get to hear what they have to say.
To take part in the survey visit the website www.oecd.org/cfe/sme/surveyintbarriers and complete the 20 minute questionnaire on-line. The closing date is 30 April 2006.
This project is being led by the Ministry of Economic Development in New Zealand. Results of the survey will be published in November 2006.
21 February 2006