More Than Thirty New Zealand Companies Are Looking At The UK As A Springboard Into The Enlarged EU

The British Consulate General's Investment Office has supported several New Zealand companies looking at the UK's potential as a base for trading with the EU. New Zealand companies setting up in the UK from the ICT, biotechnology, creative design and manufacturing industries are also attracted by advantages offered to them by UK Trade & Investment - the Government organisation that supports UK companies trading internationally. UKTI support is immediately available to any company operating from the UK. (The British Government has over two hundred FCO missions around the world.)

NZ companies that have successfully set up UK bases and become part of the UK Trade & Investment network include Fisher & Paykel Healthcare, Jade Software, Pulse Data, Orion Software of Excellence, Synergy and Tait Electronics. According to Stephen Turner, British Consul General and Director of UK Trade & Investment there have never been a better time for NZ companies to consider how the UK can add value to their export markets in Europe. A 25 member EU offers NZ real opportunities. NZ products, so successful in the EU now will want to get to grips with new markets among the joining EU member states. Tackling these new markets from a sound base in the UK makes good sense.

The UK - Springboard into an Enlarged European Union

>From the 1 May 2004 the European Union will become the largest developed market in the world (US 260 million; EU 450 million). Its appetite for goods and services is established and it shares with NZ the vital basic concepts of democracy, freedom of speech and respect for human rights.

But NZ has a leg-up in Europe - building on its current trading links with the UK. As the majority of NZ business selling into Europe already knows the UK is a great springboard into Europe.

* 90% of NZ overseas investment in Europe is in Britain.

* NZ Trade and Enterprise is working with UK Trade & Investment to assist companies setting up UK bases and accessing the services offered. Visit www.uktradeinvest.gov.uk

* Both the UK and New Zealand are innovators, both have specifically stated that Biotech, ICT and Creative Industries are the sunrise industries that Government wants to assist.

The UK has :

* Fourth largest economy in the world,

* Historically low interest and inflation rates

* One in four UK jobs is linked to business overseas

* 20% of world wide inward investment stock in the EU

* Nearly 18,000 foreign investors in the UK

* 2.258 million people employed by foreign owned companies in the UK

* The second largest overseas investment portfolio worldwide (after the US).

* A 2003 benchmark study analysing the entrepreneurial environment in Europe and the USA shows that, out of the ten countries analysed, the United Kingdom provides the most entrepreneur friendly environment.