Foreign trade brings European consumers more choice, higher quality goods and lower prices. International trade also strengthens the competitiveness of Europe's businesses, while harnessing sustainable development worldwide.
Over 600,000 small businesses in Europe export goods and services to the rest of the world and each has its own story to tell.
The benefits for exporters and importers are numerous, as the following case studies show.
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Exporters' stories (129)
RSSFrance - Fresh water from a French firm
The 2003 EU-Chile trade deal cut import taxes and other trade barriers. This enabled French water treatment firm, Eau Pure, to enter the Chilean market, doubling turnover in two years. The workforce has also grown from 10 to 20 employees.
France - Importing European cheese with ease
Based in Mexico City, the company imports and distributes European cheese to its customers throughout the capital. It reaches other parts of Mexico as well through events and local markets.
France - Organic cosmetics producer finds success in South Korea
Laboratoire Soniam produces plant extracts for the cosmetics industry. The small company, situated in the Creuse region of France, benefited from the EU-South Korea trade agreement because the reduced tariff and administrative barriers helped the company to reduce the prices of its products.
France - Pipolaki
Pipolaki is a French company that makes warm headgear for winter sports. Canada’s cold, snowy winters make it an obvious market for warm berets and woollen hats.
France - Putting French delicacies on Australians’ plates
Missing the food culture from the motherland, the founder of this Sydney-based company started sharing his love for French food with Australian consumers.
France - Top cheeses set for Canada’s tables
Maison Mons is a French family firm specialised in refining and selling exceptional cheeses. Founded in 1964, Maison Mons is renowned for the 'affinage' or refinement of its cheeses, where a combination of water, air and temperature is used to develop textures, aromas, flavours and rinds.
France/Germany/Spain - Airbus
The Canadian Space Agency recently chose to work with Airbus as it explores possible concepts for future Canadian Earth Observation systems.
Germany - Anti-aging beer is a great success in South Korea
The EU-South Korea trade agreement abolished customs duties and reduced bureaucratic barriers to trade. As a result, German brewery Klosterbrauerei Neuzelle was thus able to increase its exports to South Korea by 400%.
Germany - Battling Barriers: Enabling exports of pork to South Korea
German firm Brand hopes South Korea's decision to open its market to German porcine products will inspire other large markets such as China and the Philippines to lift their own embargoes, which were imposed after an outbreak of African swine fever.
Germany - CETA holds great opportunity for German recycling firm
Reclay Group is an international service provider in packaging and waste management. It provides consultancy to governments in reaching their recycling targets. Reclay hopes to consolidate its position in Canada by participating in public procurement processes under CETA.
Germany - Cool sisters bring sustainable solutions to warm regions
Sisters Gabriele Renner and Sabine Stein launched a business in their hometown of Ulm in 2010, based on applying 3D cooling techniques to clothing. Today, they export their products not just within the EU but to several markets outside of it.
Germany - EU trade deal gives German firm a lift
The 2000 EU-South Africa trade deal has enabled a small manufacturer of industrial lifting equipment from south-west Germany to take advantage of new export opportunities and hire workers. Its equipment has helped to improve working conditions and promote equal opportunities in South Africa.
Germany - EU trade deal secures jobs in German engineering sector
Kolbus, founded in 1775, is a German company from North Rhine-Westphalia which specialises in book binding and paper processing machines. The 2011 EU trade deal with South Korea abolished customs duties between the two partners, enabling Kolbus to offer its products at more competitive prices.
Germany - Free trade promotes natural products
A Hamburg-based company benefits from reduced customs duties on the import of rose hips from Chile. As such, it saves about €24,000 per year due to the trade agreement between the EU and the South American country.
Germany - German fruit wines a winner in the land of the rising sun
Fruit wine producer Katlenburger Winery exports 10% of its production to 17 countries around the world, including Japan
Germany - German solar panel company shines internationally
The 2013 EU trade deal with Colombia has contributed to the international success of German solar panel company, IBC Solar. EU trade agreements reduced customs duties and bureaucratic burdens that previously made some markets inaccessible, increasing turnover in Colombia and other countries.
Germany - KAESER Compresores de Colombia
The trade agreement with Colombia has gradually reduced tariffs for Kaeser's products, helping the German firm to expand into the market.
Germany - Renewable energy on the horizon
With a solar panel system and Sonnen's smart energy storage, households can cover up to 80 per cent of their energy needs with self-produced power.
Germany - South Korean food packaged by German machinery
The 2011 EU-South Korea trade deal abolished customs duties between the two partners. This allowed German firm, Meypack to cut the price of its food packaging machines in South Korea by 8%, leading the value of its annual exports there to rise to over €2.4 million.
Germany - Sparkling wine producer from Trier celebrates breakthrough in South Korea
The 2011 EU-South Korea trade deal abolished customs duties between the two partners. This enabled German wine producer, Saar-Mosel-Winzersekt GmbH (SMW), to increase the number of bottles exported to South Korea by a multiple of 50. The company’s turnover has also increased by roughly 45%.