News

CBI can look back on 50 years of successful development cooperation. This time was also partly shaped by the cooperation with SIPPO and IPD, in various projects, in the TRIC network or in the development of the Trade Promotion Academy. A retrospective with Dick de Man (former CBI Director), Fabienne-Alexia Müller, Head of Programme SIPPO, and Julia Bellinghausen, Head of IPD.

The pandemic has demanded a sudden shift to digital contacts at all public trade shows. Some fairs adapted extremely well to the new situation. They are developing extensive pre- and post-show offerings. These offerings are digital by nature. What should SIPPO convey when advising its BSOs on how to successfully participate in trade fairs in the "new format"?

The current World Expo in Dubai is dedicated to the three themes "opportunity, mobility and sustainability". Within these themes the World Expo wants to stimulate export and investment promotion activities. Serbia seized this opportunity, and SIPPO Serbia is supporting Serbian BSOs in their presence at the Expo in Dubai.

Business Support Organizations (BSOs) from Bosnia-Herzegovina, Northern Macedonia, Serbia and Albania were represented at A+A in Düsseldorf. In preparing for this important trade fair, the BSOs worked closely with the SIPPO teams in the four countries. What did this cooperation look like in detail?

Before the pandemic, SIPPO’s BSO partners were alternately present at ANUGA in Cologne and SIAL in Paris with their national pavilions. After the cancellation in 2020, ANUGA was held again as a live event In October 2021. What changes were noticeable? Which new trends should be considered for a visit to food trade fairs in the future? What new trends are visible in the food sector?

SIPPO collaborates with Business Support organisation in 11 countries with the aim to structure forward-looking concepts and projects to increase the BSOs export promotion capacity and service provision to export-ready companies. This summer, SIPPO Tunisia carried out this process in an exemplary manner together with the Business Support Organisation GIPP.

Last year in October SIPPO launched the Trade Promotion Academy (TPA). Over 400 people have registered so far, and over 130 certificates have been issued. Now the TPA is getting a new module, the “Destination Promotion Toolbox for Tourism BSOs”, and we are also offering several modules in French and Spanish: These are two new and exciting chapters in the TPA success story!

Together with the Swiss Start-up Fund, SIPPO had a stand at the swiss export day in Frauenfeld. At the trade fair, which was once again held as a face-to-face event, topics relating to innovation and progress were addressed in various workshops, presentations and a panel discussion.

How can exporters manage to stay connected to global markets despite the massive restrictions caused by the Covid 19 pandemic? What can be done to ensure that trade chains become more resilient and remain viable in times of crisis? "Creating long-term partnerships based on trust"  was the repeated response at the 4th SIPPO Import Promotion Forum, broadcast live from Basel/Switzerland.

Covid-19 has a massive impact on the economy. The pandemic is forcing us to reinvent matchmaking with customers and suppliers. Over the past year, SIPPO countries in cooperation with our BSO partners have made remarkable strides in this regard. Get excited by these awesome insights from a few success stories:

What does the future hold for established textile fairs and communication in the fashion and textile industry? How are contacts developing in the B2B sector? It remains the aim of the most important trade fairs for the textile sector to provide the most direct, personal encounters possible. But of course hybrid events are also being prepared to still allow profitable encounters.

For Switzerland, cross-border trade flows are vital to its survival. Imports are just as crucial as the export which is mentioned more often. The majority of exported products are preceded by the import of resources needed for production. In a representative survey of over 200 trading companies, “Handel Schweiz” and SIPPO have identified important import parameters.

Beginning of October, SIPPO launched its brand-new Trade Promotion Academy. This is an exciting e-learning platform that allows to continuously acquire core export promotion and market access knowledge and to consolidate existing knowledge through the exchange with peers. It was developed by top experts in the field and currently features four modules on key topics of trade promotion. In addition, it contains a rich resource library and provides excellent networking opportunities.

PROMPERU supported by the Swiss Import Promotion Program (SIPPO), a program sponsored by the Swiss Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), has published the presentation of the webinar about the sustainable tourism sector in the context of COVID and the considerations for the post COVID-19 scenario, to tour operators and the general public interested in the sector. This presentation was executed in August 2020.

A market study on three export products of the Philippines (Processed Food, Natural Ingredients and Natural Fiber&Textiles) aims at strengthening the Philippine trade with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). The study is carried out in close cooperation between SIPPO, the Export Marketing Bureau of the Department of Trade and Industry of the Republic of the Philippines (DTI-EMB) and the Embassy of Switzerland in the Philippines. It is expected to be disseminated in the Philippines by December 2020.

What is the profile of the sustainable tourist in the future? And what are post-COVID19-trend in Europe for the sustainable tourist sector? In a Webinar with 280 participants, organised by the Commission for the Promotion of Peruvian Exports and Tourism (PROMPERÚ), with the support of the Swiss Import Promotion Program (SIPPO),  these crucial factors were discussed.

The Commission for the Promotion of Peruvian Exports and Tourism (PROMPERÚ) with the support of the Swiss Import Promotion Program (SIPPO) funded by the Swiss Cooperation-SECO, carried out the webinar "Profile of the Sustainable Tourist and Post COVID trend" including the results of the research on sustainable tourism trends in Germany, France and Switzerland, important international source markets for tourists with a vision of sustainable development. The webinar had more than 280 attendees. 

The SIPPO Global Meeting 2020: an event for joint planning, learning and connecting

HANDEL Schweiz published an article about SIPPO in issue 3/19 of the magazine "Wir handeln"

This year’s SIPPO Import Promotion Forum, held at the Fossil Europe Group Headquarters in Basel on 14^th of November 2019, dealt with the questions surrounding Sourcing 4.0: how does digitalization affect supply chains and export markets in developing countries?

The many speakers delved into the different dimensions affecting the topic: from political, to technical to societal dimensions, with cases from entrepreneurs developing supply chains and sourcing from developing countries.

A strong kick-off for the programme’s second half time of its mandate phase 2017-2020, where partners from all European stakeholders joined for a two-day programme at Basel

The Salon International de l’Alimentation (SIAL) food fair, which took place at Paris Nord Villepinte from 21 to 25 October 2018, delivered on being the food event of the year and meeting place for the entire industry with more than 7200 exhibitors from 119 countries, attracting 300.000 stakeholders to the fair. SIPPO supported country pavilions of Indonesia, Peru, South Africa and Tunisia who delivered a strong performance contributing to this year’s innovations.

The Trade Related Instruments Connected (TRIC) is a loose network of European import promotion organizations that meet once a year for an exchange of information.

The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries of The Republic of Indonesia (MMAF) supported by the Swiss Import Promotion Programme (SIPPO) presents 15 carefully selected Indonesian fish & seafood producers.

On January 3, 2018, the NZZ published its article in the online and print edition about the SIPPO Buying Mission for wood traders to Serbia.

Rund 80 Teilnehmerinnen und Teilnehmer haben mit namhaften Referentinnen und Referenten Chancen und Herausforderungen der staatlichen Importförderung diskutiert.

From 16 to 19 October, SIPPO has successfully held the buying mission to Serbian companies for high quality solid wood products.

As of April 2017, the Swisscontact foundation assumes implementation of the Swiss Import Promotion Programme SIPPO.