IGEME - Export Promotion Center of Turkey

http://www.igeme.org.tr/

İGEME is the only non-profit public Organization in its field which was established in 1960 with the aim of assisting the foreign enterprises in doing business with Turkey, while on the other hand supporting Turkish entrepreneurs in their efforts to export more, as the primary means of its existence.

Headquarters of İGEME is in Ankara. With the aim of ensuring speedy service and meeting regional needs and requirements more closely, İGEME has two branch offices in İstanbul and İzmir. It also has two overseas offices in Rotterdam, the Netherlands and in Lefkoşe, in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Besides, İGEME has established local representatives in 18 cities of Turkey with the aim of reaching as many as SME's as possible for a better communication of İGEME's services and for a better feedback from the service users. The representatives are from the staff of the chambers of commerce/industry or exporter unions in the respective cities. İGEME is also the liaison office of ITC-International Trade Center in Turkey.

The activities of İGEME can be categorised in six main areas: Research and development, training, promotional activities, international relations, trade information, publications.

Main Activities of İGEME

Research and Development

To assist companies succeed in today's dynamic global economy, İGEME closely follows the developments and changes in international trade. İGEME assists and advises Turkish exporters in finding, developing and diversifying their markets through its Research and Development activities. These cover;

- Country and market surveys of selected countries
- Surveys about industrial/agricultural products with export potential
- Marketing information and advice on all aspects of exporting as well as rules, regulations and procedures

Advises and consultancy services are mostly directed to small and medium sized enterprises. İGEME also has a direct "SME Information Phone Line" where the companies can turn for assistance and ask questions on specific issues related to foreign trade.

Training

With the conscious that competent, qualified and motivated staff has a vital part in carrying out effective export marketing, training through courses, seminars and workshops has always been a main focus of attention in the activities of İGEME. Numerous "Foreign Trade Training Programs" are organized each year in various cities of the country. Such programs are aimed to give and refresh basic practical information on international trade, marketing, rules and regulations and actual trade related issues. İGEME strongly cooperates with the domestic organizations in this platform.

As an outcome of close relations with similar organizations abroad, İGEME conducts workshops and seminars with their collaboration. These cover topics and issues that are on top of the world trade agenda and attract great interest.

Promotional Activities

Within the framework of its efforts to establish business relations between foreign importers and Turkish exporters, İGEME organizes the national participation of Turkish companies in international fairs. At international fairs, the information stands provided by İGEME together with giving information on Turkish export products and statistics serve to introduce companies that can not participate in these fairs.

International Relations

İGEME has very close relations and links with Trade Promotion Organizations around the world and is paying attention to developing cooperation possibilities with other countries. Integrated export promotion projects and export marketing management programs are conducted in cooperation with other Trade Promotion Organizations and international organizations.

İGEME has signed Cooperation Protocols with the following trade promotion organizations:

CMPE (Centre Marocain de Promotion des exportations)
CEPEX (Centre de promotion des exportations)-Tunisia
IEI (Israel Export Institute)
MATRADE (Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation),
BEPC (Bulgarian Export Promotion Center),
NCTI (National Center for Trade Information)-India,
EEPC (Egyptian Export Promotion Center),
PROCHILE (Export Promotion Bureau)-Chile
ICEX (The Spanish Foreign Trade Institute),
EXPORT.AR (The Fundacion Export.ar of the Argentine Republic)
NCM&PS (National Center for Marketing and Price Study)-Belarus,
CEPEC (The Center for the Promotion of Exports of Cuba)
EPCI (Export Promotion Center of Iran),
CRCE (Romanian Foreign Trade Center)
EEPA (Ethiopian Export Promotion Agency)
CCPIT (The China Council for the Promotion of International Trade)
OCIPED (The Omani Center for Investment Promotion and Export Development).

İGEME is a member of ETPO (European Trade Promotion Organizations), WETFEG (West European Trade Fairs Experts Group) and IATTO (The International Association of Trade Training Organizations). Each year İGEME is represented in many international meetings, group and forums where developments in world trade are discussed, experience shared, mutual cooperation strengthened.

As a strong supporter of regional cooperation, İGEME has pioneered the establishment of "The Balkan Regional Center for Trade Promotion-BCTP" by bringing together the Trade Promotion Organizations of Balkan Countries. BCTP (www.balcantrade.org) is hosted at İGEME Headquarters. İGEME acts as the Permanent Secretariat of the Center and responsible for the coordination and realization of the main activities of the Center with the aim of developing and strengthening trade relations in the region and also with other countries.

Trade Information

İGEME offers fast and accurate commercial trade information through its rich commercial library, computerized trade information system and publications.

İGEME has its own web site (http://www.igeme.org.tr) and would produce home pages and multimedia catalogues for companies and hosts them on the Internet. İGEME web site, which has a rich content, also offers Turkish trading company registers, world and Turkish trade statistics, trade inquiries and foreign trade regulations in electronic form.

In addition to its other activities, İGEME has the responsibility of being Ankara Trade Point since June 1st, 1999. Ankara Trade Point is a trade facilitation center with the ultimate aim of increasing participation in international trade and harmonizing trade procedures, thus pulling down costs of trade transactions. Ankara Trade Point is reached through İGEME's web site.

Publications of İGEME

Publications in Turkish:

Daily Foreign Trade News Bulletin: It is a daily publication, which aims at supplying exporters with commercial information and foreign demand. It is distributed via mail, fax and e-mail.

R&D Info Bulletin: It is a monthly publication for exporters, which includes the changes in foreign trade regulations and developments in foreign markets.

Overview from İGEME: As a quarterly publication, Overview from İGEME aims to inform Turkish business environment on İGEME's activities, agenda and developments on foreign trade.

Publications in Different Languages:

Trading Highlights From Turkey: It is a quarterly publication which includes topics such as product and representation offers, import and joint venture inquiries as well as trade statistics and news in brief about Turkey.

Turkey: This annual publication aims at introducing Turkey in all aspects of its geographical, historical, social, cultural, touristic and economic structure and includes statistical information about Turkey.

Guide For Businessmen: It is published to serve foreign businessmen and includes country profile, business background, business brief, useful addresses and general economic information about Turkey.

Product/ Sector Catalogues and Directories: These publications include information on the production and export potential of Turkey and the list of main producers/exporters.

Turkish Export Directory: This publication which is circulated worldwide and also available on disc, includes names and addresses of exporter companies in Turkey.