EU offers helpdesk for exporters

THE delegation of the European Commission (EU) to Nigeria has stormed the Lagos fair with export helpdesk for exporters.

According to the Head of the Politics, Economics Trade, Information & Communication Section, Mrs. Belen Uyarra, the delegation of the European Commission to Nigeria had decided to grace the fair to offer helpdesk for developing countries like Nigeria.

According to her, helpdesk is an export service provided by the European Commission to facilitate market access for developing countries to the European Union.

She disclosed that an important element of EU's developing policy was to assist developing countries in achieving higher economic growth through trade.

The free and user friendly service at the on-going fair, Uyarra said, provides information on EU preferential import regimes for the benefit of developing countries and educate on EU and member states' import requirements, as well as, internal taxes applicable to products.

She said visitors to the company's stand at the fair would know more on import tariffs, customs documents, rules of origin, as well as, obtain information about EU and member states' import requirements, and internal taxes.

She explained, "the relationship between trade and development is a complex one. While trade is not a guaranteed route to economic growth for developing countries, evidence suggests that trade and openness to the global economy play an important role in creating jobs and prosperity in developing countries.

"Making trade work for developing means weighing the needs of every developing economy carefully, and tailoring policies that reflect different vulnerabilities and different potential strengths. There is no single model for trade and development.

"Through its trade policy, the EU aims to ensure that developing countries are able to benefit from access to its own markets and from the openness of the global economy. It sees progressive openness to trade as one part of a development strategy that has already lifted hundreds of millions of people in the developing world out of poverty, and can do the same for hundreds of million more."

She said that the EU has been a strong advocate of pro-development measures in the World Trade Organisation's Doha Round' of world trade negotiations.

The EU, she added, works closely with developing countries in the search for appropriate solutions to their particular concerns and needs.