Belgian Foreign Trade Agency

The Belgian Foreign Trade Agency (BFTA) is a public institution, which is an incorporated body, founded under the Cooperation Agreement (only available in French and Dutch) of 24 May 2002 agreed between the Federal Authority and the Regions. In recent decades, the competence for ‘foreign trade’ has undergone some phases of regionalisation in Belgium. Until 1990, the Belgian Foreign Trade Office (Belgische Dienst voor Buitenlandse Handel - Office belge du Commerce extérieur) was the most important institution for export promotion. In 1990, a Walloon agency Wallonia Foreign Trade and Investment Agency, was founded, followed by a Flemish equivalent in 1991 Flanders Investment & Trade. That same year, Brussels Invest & Export was also founded.

Belgian Foreign Trade Agency
Founded2002
Headquarters
Belgium 
Websitehttp://www.abh-ace.be

Structure

The Board of Directors, of which His Majesty the King is Honorary President and Annemie Neyts-Uyttebroeck President, consists of sixteen members appointed by the Regional governments and the Federal government, providing an equal representation of public and private sectors. Each Region appoints a Government Commissioner. The Agency’s day-to-day management is carried out by a Director General assisted by a Deputy Director General, both appointed by the Board of Directors and belonging to a different linguistic group. Marc Bogaerts is Director General and Fabienne L’Hoost is Deputy Director General.

Financing

The Agency is funded by an indexed Federal grant and by contributions from the Regions based on the distribution scale with regard to taxes on natural persons.

Activities

The Belgian Foreign Trade Agency is as a public institution, at the disposal of three Regional authorities that promote exports, and also collaborates with the Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs. The Agency acts as a vast platform in which the Federal competence of international relations and the Regional competence of foreign trade meet.

The Agency is responsible for:

  • deciding on and organising trade missions linked to an initiative by one or several of the Regions or at the request of the Federal Government,
  • organising, developing and disseminating information, studies and documentation about external markets to regional services responsible for foreign trade,
  • tasks of common interest decided unanimously by the Board. In this respect the Board unanimously agreed in December 2014 that the BFTA would contribute to the logistical organisation and the economic aspects of two State Visits abroad a year by the Belgian Sovereigns as from 2015.

Organisation of trade missions

Presidency

The Belgian Foreign Trade Agency organises joint trade missions in collaboration with Wallonia Foreign Trade and Investment Agency (AWEX), Brussels Invest & Export and Flanders Investment & Trade (FIT). The FPS Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation handles the political aspects and protocol for the programme. The missions focus mainly on countries and markets with a growing economy. Participants belong to various sectors.

Until his accession to the throne, H.R.H. Prince Philippe has always found it utmost important to strengthen the competitive position of Belgian companies. During the economic missions, he opens doors even at the highest level. To date, he has visited 41 countries during 70 economic missions. His presence creates unique opportunities for success for the participating companies as they can establish high-level contacts with leading foreign industrial players, organisations and public bodies during these missions. Hereafter follows an overview of the 10 last missions under his Presidency:

  • 2011
    • Russia
    • USA
    • China
    • Chile
  • 2012
    • Vietnam
    • Japan
    • Turkey
    • Australia & New Zealand
  • 2013
    • Thailand
    • USA (Los Angeles, San Francisco / Silicon Valley)

H.R.H. Princess Astrid has been presiding over the economic missions since October 2013 as the Representative of His Majesty the King.

  • 2013
    • Angola & South Africa
    • India
  • 2014
    • Saudi Arabia & Oman
    • Colombia & Peru
    • Malaysia & Singapore
  • 2015
    • Qatar & United Arab Emirates
    • ...

Mission results
  • The first mission that the Agency organised in collaboration with its partners took place in 2003. Since then, the missions have met with increased success.
  • In the period 2003 – 2014, 8,180 business men and 5,296 companies took part in the jointly trade missions.
  • Of the participating companies almost 80% is a SME.
  • Of the 19 missions that took place between 2010 and 2014 some companies participated up until 19 times.
  • 74% of the companies state that the trade missions helped to achieve on targets.[1]
    • An average of 52% of the obtained results is solely achieved thanks to the missions.
    • An average of 35% of the results could not have been obtained in any other way.
  • 76% of the companies declare that the trade missions have a distinctive added value[1] which shows in the opening of doors, more media coverage, a higher level of legitimacy, greater attendance on meetings and a national unitary aspect.

Information centre

The Agency on behalf of the Regions is at the disposal of all Belgian enterprises for their information researches in the field of foreign trade. Whether it concerns business proposals, foreign trade statistics, legal assistance, economic or sectoral studies, the Agency provides regularly detailed and personalized information to Belgian and international enterprises, private persons and public bodies.

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References
  1. “Prinselijke handelsmissies: impact op de Belgische export en meerwaarde voor de deelnemende ondernemingen” – Master Thesis Valérie Desmet, University of Ghent, academic year 2012 – 2013.
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