4. Information for Bangladeshi Companies

Bangladeshi investors looking for trade and investment opportunities in the Netherlands are kindly advised to contact the Bangladeshi Export Promotion Bureau (www.epb.gov.bd), the Bangladeshi embassy in The Hague, the Centre for the Promotion of Imports from Developing Countries (CBI/ www.cbi.nl) or the Dutch Bangla Chamber of Commerce and Industries (DBCCI) for further assistance.

The Netherlands embassy in Dhaka has limited time and scope to directly assist Bangladeshi companies that want to do business with or in the Netherlands.

The CBI (Centre for the Promotion of Imports from Developing Countries) offers services to exporters and business support organizations (BSOs) in selected developing countries, including Bangladesh. The website of the CBI provides:

• EU market information (various tools to keep exporters and BSO’s in step with the latest developments on the EU markets);

• Company matching (on-line facility that links CBI-audited and assisted exporters in developing countries to reliable importing companies from the EU / the facility is exclusive for companies which are included in the database);

• Export development (assisting entrepreneurs in developing countries in entering and succeeding on the EU market and/or consolidating or expanding their existing market share;

• Training (e.g. export marketing and management, trade promotion);

• BSO development (several institutional support modules tailored to the specific needs of selected organisations, countries and sectors).

DBCCI (dbcci@dbn-bd.net) is a bilateral chamber with formal and constitutional approval of the Government of Bangladesh. Currently DBCCI has approximately 70 member companies registered. The main objectives of DBCCI are to service businessmen interested in bilateral trade and investment between Bangladesh and the Netherlands by (i) disseminating knowledge and information, (ii) organizing business delegation visits in both countries, (iii) promoting Bangladeshi products in the Netherlands and vice versa, (iv) helping in business disputes between companies from Bangladesh and the Netherlands, (v) organizing workshops, seminars etc to expand trade links between the two countries, and (vi) strengthening trade links between the two countries.

Other useful web addresses for doing business in the Netherlands

www.minez.nl

The website of the Ministry of Economic Affairs provides information for entrepreneurs looking for trade and investment in The Netherlands (i.e. information on taxes, licenses and permits). Moreover, on this site you will find web links to the agencies of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, such as the statistical bureau (CBS) which offers statistical data on various themes (i.e. trade and industry off the Netherlands, economic data etc.).

www.hollandtrade.com

The website ‘hollandtrade’ provides information on all levels of the Dutch economy. You will find descriptions of new products, key facts and figures, upcoming events and general information about the Dutch and their ways.

www.evd.nl

The website of the EVD (agency for international business cooperation) provides all kind of information on the Dutch market.

http://export-help.cec.eu.int

This website of the European Commission (EC) is an information resource for exporters from developing countries. The so-called ‘expanding exports helpdesk’ provides information on EU preferential import regimes for developing countries, detailed trade data for the EU and its individual member states, including the Netherlands and other authorities and organisations involved in trade operations and promotion.