The might of the British diplomatic service has been mobilised in support of Essex export rookies looking to tap into the £100bn European market for the first time.

UK embassies throughout the continent are at the heart of the Export Explorer project, designed to help small, inexperienced companies break into the markets of Belgium, the Netherlands, Iceland, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Ireland, Spain, France and Germany.

The scheme, operated by Business Link for Essex on behalf of Government trade support organisation Trade Partners UK, gives participating business people training and the support of an experienced exporter and takes them to their target country armed with a list of contacts interested in doing business.

Rupert Hill, senior international trade advisor at Business Link for Essex, said: "We hope that by having the backing of the embassy, these SMEs will have more chance of getting a foot in the export door and, in turn, a foothold on an export market they may not have investigated before."

Export Explorer costs £99 and is open to companies which employ less than 250 people and turnover less than £28m a year. For details call Rupert Hill on 01245 241460

Published Tuesday, March 19, 2002