Chamber News: ‘Doing Business in…’ Guides

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We have a wide variety of ‘Doing Business in…’ guides available for FREE at our offices. This page will be updated when new guides are received.

The countries we have available are as follows:

To request a FREE copy of any of these guides, please contact us on 01603 729712 or email [email protected]

Angola Angola is the third biggest market in Sub-Sharan Africa, and one of its fastest growing economies. Situated on the south-western coast of the continent, it is estimated that Angola will overtake Nigeria by 2020 to be Sub-Saharan Africa’s leading oil produces with production figures currently close to two million barrels per day.

Argentina Argentina is the eight largest country in the world, and the second largest in Latin America.   Argentina is rich in natural resources, and has seven diverse regions, including the Pampas – a very large and fertile alluvial plain in the centre and east of the country, and Patagonia in the south, consisting mostly of arid steppes and cold grasslands, with some forests in the Andes foothills.  Argintina has an export-orientated agricultural sector, and a diversified industrial base.

Australia Australia’s economy has famously avoided recession for the last 25 years, navigating the global financial crisis more successfully than most. While economic conditions are more challenging, strong cultural and institutional ties mean Australia remains an excellent place for British companies to do business.

Azerbaijan The Republic of Azerbaijan is located on the souther edge of the Caucasus Mountains in Transcaucasia, and borders Iran to the south, Armenia to the wesst, Georgia to the northwest, Russia to the north and the Caspian Sea to the east.  Azerbaijan’s economy expanded in the first half of 2018, with revived output in the services sector due to imporved terms of trade.  Azergaijan’s economic performance should strengthen, helped by natural gas exports and a moderate acceleration in domestic demand.

Bangladesh There is talk of Bangladesh as the new ‘Asian Tiger’. The country’s export-led growth over the past two decades has been supported by an abundance of low-cost labour, an increase in female labour force participation, and productivity gains from a shift away from agriculture to manufacturing. It is estimated, for example, that Bangladesh has picked up about two-thirds of China’s low-end manufacturing market share in Europe.

Belgium Belgium is an idea starting place for UK companies new to exporting. For any company looking to expand into Europe, Belgium is the ideal tester market – it is an open and dynamic market with plenty of opportunities for high-value products and services, and English is an accepted business language, and for UK companies it is just a shot train ride away, making your export journey that much easier.

Cambodia Cambodia is one of the fastest-growing economies in Southeast Asia and currently ranks 11th in the world in terms of high GDP growth over the last decade.  With a forecasted 7% economic growth per year for the next five years and a rapidly growing consumer class that is earning triple the average income, it is an attractive market to invest and do business in.

Canada Canada is the world’s second largest country and eleventh-largest economy, with a population of 37 million people.  There are extensive historical ties between the UK and Canada, and English is one of Canada’s two official languages.   The UK exported £10 billion of goods and services to Canadain 2017, making it the UK’s eighth biggest export market outside the EU and the Uk is Canad’s seventh largest source of good imports and second largest services trading partner.

China China is the great economic success story of the past 30 years. Since the “reform and opening-up” policy was introduced in 1978, china has changed beyond recognition. A Soviet-styled planned economy has transformed into a vibrant market-orientated economy and 600 million people have been lifted out of poverty. Between 1985 and 2010, 70% of the world population who had been lifted out of poverty were Chinese. Without China, the global poor population would have risen by 58 million.

Denmark Denmark is a Nordic country located in northern Europe, located southwest of Sweden and due south of Norway and is bordered by the German state (and former possession) Schleswig-Holstein to the south, on Denmark’s only border, 68 km (42 miles) long. Doing business in Denmark is very similar to doing business in the UK. If your product or service is successful in the UK, there is a good chance you will be successful in Denmark.

Egypt The Arab Republic of Egypt has a stragteic geographical location in the heart of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.  Egypt is a lower-middle income country.  Its fast-growing, young population, diverse and expanding economy, and its strategic location make it an ideal global business hub.  At nearly 30 million, Egypt’s labour pool is the largest in the region, consisting of a well-trained, highly-educated and competitive workforce in a variety of sectors.

Germany Germany had a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of more than USD$3.85 trillion in 2015 (USD $39,717 GDP per capita). This makes it the largest economy in Europe and the fourth strongest economy in the world. Its consistently strong economic performance offers long-term growth potential for UK businesses. Its GNI per capita was USD $43,443 PPP in 2015.

Hong Kong & Macau The Chinese Special Administrative Regions (SARs) of Hong Kong and Macau consist of over 230 islands on either side of the Pearl River Delta in South China, and are surrounded by the Chinese province of Guangdong to the north and the South China Sea to the west, south and east.  The People’s Republic of China (PRC) is responsible for Hong Kong’s foreign affairs and defence.   Hong Kong is an exceptionally competitive financial and business hub.  It is the world’s eighth-largest trading economy and one of Asia’s leading financial and business centres.    The economy of Macau SAR is reliant on casino gaming and tourism.

India India is a very large country made up of 29 different states and 7 union territories. The market varies widely across its many different regions and states, and it is a market which requires a lot of patience and long-term strategy to be successful.

Indonesia Indonesia is a large and geographically diverse country that has abundant resources such as nickel, gold, coffee and other forest and marine resources. As part of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) free trade zone, Indonesia’s strategic geographic position allows easy onward access to other Southeast Asian countries plus China, Japan and Australia for UK companies looking to expand in the region. 

Italy Italy is located in southern Europe from the Alps in the north and jutting south into the Mediterranean Sea. South of the Alps is the large plain of the River Po, draining eastwards into the Adriatic Sea. South of this valley, and running the length of the country to the southern tip are the Apennine Mountains. In addition to the mainland, Italy includes the Mediterranean islands of Sicily to the south and Sardinia to the west. Italy has a highly diversified economy and can offer opportunities in many sectors.

Jordan Jordan (officially The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan) is an Arab kingdom in West Asia, on the East Bank of the Jordan River.  The country has a strageic position at the lear of the Levant.  It is politically stable, with an open business environment, with the region attracting more than £1 billion worth of UK export.  Jordan is a raplidy developing country with an untapped potential.  Due to regional instability over the past decade, Jordan has become an attractive home base for business int he Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.  Limited in natural resources, Jordan depends on its educated population, its political stability and its integration with the world and regional markets.

Kazakhstan Kazakhstan is the 9th largest country in the world, (the largest land-locked) and is located in central Asia, it is also one of the most sparsely populated with an estimated population of around 17.6 million. The main UK exports are oil and gas, education, financial and business services, healthcare and medical equipment, architecture and design services, as well as mining.

Kenya Kenya is the 6th largest economy in Sub-Saharan Africa and home to 44 million people. It is the regional hub for trade and finance in Eastern Africa and the natural entry point to the region. The country has a market-based economy with a liberalised foreign trade policy. There are positive prospects of economic growth predicted despite the challenging global environment from 5.9% in 2016, 6% has been forecast for 2017 with the prospect of 6.1% by 2018, according to the World Bank. Kenya has emerged as one of Africa’s key growth centres and is poised to become one of the fastest growing economies in East Africa, supported by lower energy costs and investment in infrastructure, agriculture and manufacturing.

Kuwait Strategically situated at the northwest corner of the Arabian (Persian) Gulf, the State of Kuwait is a small, stable and prosperous country in what is sometimes a difficult neighbourhood.   Kuwait’s economy is built almost entirely on oil production and the revenue from the investment of its oil profits overseas.  This makes Kuwait a very wealthy country and allows the government to offer many benefits to its citizens.

Malaysia Malaysia is a multi-ethnic, multicultural and multilingual society. It is a relatively open, newly industrialised market economy and is ranked highly in the World Bank’s “2017 Ease of Doing Business” survey (23rd out of 190 countries). Malaysia is one of Southeast Asia’s most successful economies and one of the Department of International Trade’s (DIT) high growth markets.

Mauritius Located off the southeast coast of Africa, the mountainous and volcanic island of Mauritius has a population of 1.3million inhabitants.  Since its independence in 1968, Mauritius has undergone through various stages of economic transformation, transitioning from a sugar-based economy to a diversified and innovative economic model.  Today, Mauritius is a middle-income economy pursuing a liberal and open economic policy and welcomes foreign investment in nearly all sectors of the economy.

Mexico Mexico is the world’s 15th largest economy, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). World Bank analysts and Goldman Sachs predict that its economy could be the world’s 5th largest by 2050. Mexico has a stable democracy and the country has considerable growth potential, with many advantages including a large, young workforce, a privileged geographical position for trade, and stable macroeconomic indicators. With a population of around 122 million, it is the largest Spanish-speaking country in the world and the second most-populous country in Latin America after Brazil.

Mongolia Stretching over 2,390 km from west to east and 1,260 km from north to south, Mongolia is a landlocked country situated in east-central Asia between China and Russia, and is more than six times the size of the UK – about the combined size of west and central Europe.  Since 1991, Mongolia has transformed into a vibrant parliamentary democracy, with rule of law and a free, lively media, three times the level of GDP per capita and vast agricultural and mineral resources including major deposits of coa., gold, copper, iron ore and uranium.  Mongolia’s GDP growth rate increased from 1.2% in 2016 to 5.3% in 2017 and 6.9%in 2018. 

Nigeria Nigeria has very similar business and legal practices to the UK, and while there are several ethnic tribes and dialects, Yoruba, Igbo and Hausa being three of the major groups, English is still the generally-spoken language.

Norway Norway is a wealthy, open and mixed economy which is primarily service and manufacturing-based. English is very widely spoken and the UK holds a strong economic relationship with Norway and currently stands as the fourth-largest source of Norway’s imports. Doing business in Norway is similar to doing business in the UK and if your product or service e is successful in the UK, it is likely to be successful in Norway.

Oman  The Sultanate of Oman is the third-largest state in the Arabian Peninsula, and is a founding member of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).  It is a stable, and relatively prosperous, business-freindly country in what is sometimes a difficult, but strategically important, region.   Whilst Oman’s key economic priority investment is still in the oil and gas secotr, its main econimic goals are set out in the long-term strategy – Oman 2020: Vision for Oman’s Econmony (Vision 2020).  Oman is now one of the UK’s largest export markets in the GCC.

Pakistan Even for the seasoned exporter, Pakistan is not the easiest proposition due to the procedures that need to be followed, but with the right preparation and the assistance of UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) teams throughout UK and in Pakistan both those experienced in overseas trade and those who are not, can successfully do business in Pakistan. You may be an exporter looking to sell directly to Pakistani customers or through an agent or distributor in the market. Alternatively, you may be planning to set up a representative office, joint venture or other form of permanent presence in Pakistan.

Panama Panama has a solid foundation of economic and political stability. Panama grew at 8.4% in 2013 – the second-fastest growth rate in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Poland Poland has enjoyed uninterrupted growth since 1992. Key growth drivers include corporate investment, private consumption and exports, with a historic trade surplus. Longer term, Poland has catch-up growth potential remaining to developed economies. According to PwC, the economy if forecast to grow around 3% per annum until 2030 and 2.5% per annum until 2050.

Qatar Qatar is a small independent sovereign state in the Middle East and is one of the six members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).  It is a relatively small country, but one of the richest in the world with a very high gross domestic product (GDP) per head.  This affluent market with its growing population offers opportunities for UK businesses across a wide range of sectors.  It has significant oil and gas reserves, and energy production per head dwarfs the other Gulf countries.   As oil prices can and do fluctuate, the government is using the revenue generated to diversify its economy.

Romania Romaina is located in south east Europe at the strategic crossroads of the European Union (EU), the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and the Middle East. With 19.46 million inhabitants, the country is the seventh most populous EU member state, and its capital and largest city, Bucharest, is the sixth largest city in the EU.

Singapore Singapore is a small but wealthy city-state, occupying a strategically vital location at the southernmost tip of Peninsular Malaysia, where major sea lanes between east and west converge. Singapore’s historic role as an entrepot and trans-shipment centre for the region has traditioanlly created opportunities across a broad spectrum of sectors. This globally-connected, multi-cultural and cosmopolitan city-state offers a conductive business environment, especially to creative and knowledge-driven businesses.

South Africa South Africa is the most sophisticated and developed economy in Africa and has some high-class companies in finance, real estate and business services, manufacturing, and wholesale and retail trade. South Africa is the ‘gateway to Africa’ for investors due to its comparative sophistication, ease of doing business, continental expertise and ability to act as a base for critical services (e.g. auditing) for doing business on the rest of the continent.

Spain Spain remains an important market and business partner for the UK. It is our 8th largest export market (9th for goods), with bilateral trade of goods and services amounting to over £40 billion annually.

Switzerland The Swiss economy has weathered the economic storm in Europe well over the past years, despite continued upward pressure on the Swiss Franc.  Switzerland’s economy benefits from a highly-skilled labour force, a stable political environment, liquid and sophisticated financial markets, low taxes, strong domestic purchasing power, a well-developed infrastructure, a stable macroeconomic environment and a strong service sector.  Switzerland is a diverse and mature economy with opportunities in all Sectors.

Taiwan Taiwan is a stable, vibrant democracy with a free press and independent judiciary, and there is a large British business presence in Taiwan. One of Asia’s “Four Tigers”, along with South Korea, Singapore and Hong Kong, Taiwan has transformed itself through decades of hard work into a well-industrialised and mature capitalist economy. From being an underdeveloped, agriculture-based island, Taiwan has grown to be a dynamic world-class leader in technology. 

Thailand Located in south-east Asia and just 15 degrees north of the equator, Thailand, covering an area of nearly 514,000 sq. km (200,000 sq. miles), is almost equal in size to Spain. It is bordered by Myanmar (Burma), Cambodia, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Laos) and Malaysia, and comprises of almost 2,500 km of coastline on the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman sea. 

Turkey Turkey is a large, rapidly developing country with a domestic consumer market of 80 million people.  Over the last decade Turkey has been aligning its regulations in anticipation of eventual EU membership, and its existing Customs Union with the EU currnetly offers significant opportunities for UK companies across a broad range of sectors.

UAE The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a country located in the Arabian Gulf, bordered by Saudi Arabia and Oman. Because it is located in the centre of the Gulf countries, Indian Sub-Continent, Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and Africa, the UAE enjoys a strategic position that allows it to present unlimited opportunities across a wide range of sectors. In fact, as this guide will indicate, the UAE is now a hotbed of innovation brimming with new ideas. Being a hub for new ideas is a reclamation of a long tradition of Arab thinking and research.

Ukraine The UK is the fourth largest investor in Ukraine, after Cyprus, Netherlands and Russia (as of 2017).   There are over 150 well-established UK Companies in Ukraine, with many more brands present.  Major UK companies in the market include BP, Shell, GSK, AstraZeneca, BAT, Imperial Tobacco, Mott MacDonald, Crown Agents, Next and Marks & Spencer.  Ukraine has significant economic potential as a result of its strategic location connecting Europe, Russia and Asian makets, a well-educated labour force, its large domestic market, and access to a variety of resources, including some of Europe’s best agricultural land, significant coal and some oil and gas reserves.

Uruguay Uruguay is a small country in the southeast of South America, slighly larger than England.   Uruguay is a stable country.  It has strong instituions and performs well on all major transparency and ease-of-doing-business indices.  In the past ten years Uruguay’s economy has become more resilient and its exports more diversified.   In 2017 the trade balance of goods and services between the UK and Uruguay resulted in a UK trade surplus of £64 million.

Vietnam Overseas investors in Vietnam remain committed to the country and it is not difficult to see why. With the third largest population in South East Asia, after Indonesia and the Philippines, and more than half of the population below the age of 30, Vietnam is a youthful and vibrant country with a developing culture of entrepreneurship, technological awareness and openness to new ideas. With literacy rates over 90%, the workforce is vast and well-educated. Employment costs are lower than in neighbouring countries and living standards are rising. Vietnam has made a remarkable recovery over the last few decades. 

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