Invitation to attend the Scottish E-Commerce Trade Commission Roundtable
What is it?
The Institute of Export have convened the UK’s first ever E-Commerce Trade Commission (ECT-C). The new ECT-C was launched in June and will work on solutions to encourage small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) to trade internationally online. The creation of this Commission follows a recommendation in a 2022 report by the Social Market Foundation which found that encouraging SMEs to begin their e-commerce exporting journey could kick-start 70,000 more UK small businesses to start exporting and boost the economy by £9.3bn. Further information on the ECT-C can be found at their LinkedIn page.
Why is it needed?
The Commission is chaired by the Institute of Export & International Trade (IOE&IT) with further contributions from several e-Commerce platforms including Amazon, Alibaba, eBay, Google, Shopify etc. Amongst other bodies contributing to the Commission are the FSB, ICAEW and Association of Courier and Express Services. The Department for Business & Trade (DBT) will also sit on the Commission to aid a smooth flow of feedback and ideas directly to government policymakers.
When is it?
As part of the Commission’s initial groundwork to gather the experiences of SMEs engaged in e-Commerce, the Commission will be holding a roundtable consultation event for Scottish companies on Tuesday the 23rd January 2024 at Scottish Enterprise’s offices located at Apex 199, Haymarket Terrace, Edinburgh EH12 5HD. The roundtable will start at approx. 12pm and conclude by 3pm. The aim of the session is to identify barriers to e-commerce exporting and offers SMEs the chance to voice their concerns and offer suggestions over how to improve engagement with e-Commerce providers and increase our sales potential using online sales platforms as well as our own shopping tools.
How can I get involved?
This is a great opportunity for you to get involved in the creation of new initiatives to stimulate trade and streamline the attendant business processes. If you would like to attend, please express your interest.