EU plans SME help centres across the world

EurActiv reports that the European Commission is planning to open a series of offices across the world to help small businesses expand into new markets. However EurActiv reports that the Commission is wary of stepping on the toes of national agencies and private organisations which already provide such services.

A centre is already open in India, with others planned for China and Thailand (to cover ASEAN countries), Russia, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia.

In a separate initiative BusinessEurope said that the EU's new External Action Service (EEAS) could serve as a first port-of-call for small businesses looking to gain a foothold in foreign markets.

• Primary Source

EurActiv, 8.2.10: Call for EU 'embassies' to support business http://www.euractiv.com/en/enterprise-jobs/call-for-eu-embassies-to-support-business

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