Osec – the center of excellence for Swiss Foreign Trade promotion

Osec provides information, advice and support to companies in their international business projects. For this purpose, Osec brings together companies, experts, as well as private and public organizations worldwide and in this way facilitates the dynamic promotion of foreign trade.

In addition to export promotion, Osec has also been responsible since 2008 for promoting Switzerland as a business location, as well as promoting imports and investments in favor of selected developing and transition countries, likewise on behalf of the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs SECO. Osec’s activities in promoting foreign trade include coordinating a tight network (“Business Network Switzerland”) of skilled partners at home and abroad. In Switzerland, Osec works with cantonal chambers of industry and commerce, the chambers of business and economy and also with the cantonal ministries for economic affairs and economic development agencies. Abroad the network comprises, amongst others, 16 Swiss Business Hubs, which are established in growth and key markets at Swiss representations and bilateral chambers of commerce. Osec maintains a worldwide network of specialists (“Pool of Experts”) with a variety of skills in the area of exports / internationalization, both in Switzerland and abroad.

Export promotion

The services of Export Step-by-Step are ideally targeted to the degree of internationalization of the respective customer. As part of the initial information pack, SMEs are given free starting information in respect of their export vision. For this, there are four different sources of information available. During the basic consultancy, Osec, together with the company, examines actual export plans. In this way, the SME benefits from the years of export experience of Osec advisers and from the targeted deployment of efficient methods of analysis. These results form the basis of the detailed consultancy, during which companies are advised individually on their internationalization plans. Typical services include market analyses and investigation, finding business partners and taking part in trade fairs at leading international fairs abroad under the “SWISS Pavilion” umbrella.

Location promotion

By its measures to promote Switzerland as a business location, Osec helps foreign companies to settle in Switzerland. The settlement of foreign companies in Switzerland is a matter of coordination between federal and cantonal governments. In this connection, Osec ensures standard presentation abroad, the provision of information between foreign companies and cantons, the coordination of marketing activities and smooth cooperation with the canons with respect to the establishment of foreign companies. The services for foreign investors are likewise structured in the business concept of Location Step-by-Step in a graduated format, similar to those of export promotion.

Import promotion

The SIPPO mandate promotes market access by SMEs from selected developing and transition countries to Switzerland and Europe, as well as the competitiveness of production in these countries. The SIPPO services are concerned primarily with providing (market) information to importers in Europe and exporters in developing countries, in order to stimulate the establishment of trading relations between exporters and importers, as well as marketing and product consultancy.

Investment promotion

This mandate is limited to promoting investment in some sub-Saharan African countries, in order to enhance local location promotion in these countries. Osec supports local agencies in preparing and promoting local investment projects abroad, with the help of, amongst other things, a local match-making event. The mandate is limited to three years and is expected to end in 2010.

More information at www.osec.ch or 0844 811 812.

Worldwide experts with a variety of skills in internationalization at www.poolofexperts.ch