COMET – Trade Development Programme to Valencia

Project Background

Handel Export Consulting in conjunction with 4 local Councils in Northern Ireland has launched a new Trade Development Programme to Valencia – Spain's 3 rd city. The programme is a joint initiative by Belfast City Council, Lisburn City Council, North Down Borough Council and Newtownabbey Borough Council, funded by the Councils and the EU's Regional Development Fund under the Programme for Building Sustainable Prosperity.

As part of this project, participating companies will travel to the city of Valencia from the 5 th – 9 th March 2006 to meet with potential business partners and to establish two-way trading links.

Companies in Northern Ireland participating on this programme receive a comprehensive package of support.

Valencia Trade Development Programme – what does the project include?

• Market research on industry background and potential business partners
• Short listing of relevant contacts
• In-company consultancy to put together an Export Plan
• Training workshop on Doing Business in Spain
• Translation of the company profile into Spanish
• Pre-market visit briefing
• In-market publicity
• Networking event
• Setting up of a tailored itinerary of meetings with short listed contacts
• Assistance with follow-up after the market visit
• Finalising of an Export Strategy
• Flights, hotels and transfers for a 4 day market visit

Eligibility

In order to be eligible for this project, companies need to be located in one of the 4 participating Council areas, i.e. Belfast, Lisburn, North Down or Newtownabbey.