Things to know about exporting products to Europe

Things to know about exporting products to Europe

Exporting your business’ products can lead to many new opportunities. If you do want to export your products it’s important to confirm there is a market for your product, outline the strategy in your business plan and ensure you have the resources to export successfully. If you’ve ticked those boxes and want to move forward with exporting to Europe here’s some information and resources to help.

There are 44 countries in Europe, including (along with links to some Austrade market profiles) France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Ukraine, Poland, United Kingdom, Belgium, Netherlands, Romania, and more. Australia is currently working on an Australian-EU free trade agreement that will hopefully improve market access for Australian exports.

To start with, before you begin exporting and selling products in Europe don’t overlook the importance of researching and understanding the European value added tax system (VAT). The Australian Trade and Investment Commission has some VAT information to help.

It’s also important to take a look through the resources and information available at Austrade and when you select the market you’re considering in Europe, you’ll be able to drill down on the information available and uncover helpful details on their regulations, tariffs and VAT for that particular country.

The ATIC website has useful information on the UK export market, including important information on tariffs and regulations.

While running your checks and sourcing information don’t forget to check on the Australian requirements for exporting from Australia. The requirements are set by Australian Border Force (ABF), and includes prohibited goods and documentation, such as an Export Declaration.

 

Europe export pallets

The pallet used for export to Europe is a standard European 1200×800 pallet, as defined by EPAL (European Pallet Association). This pallet size is the most widely used across the world.

All shipping pallets used for exporting to the EU need to meet ISMP-15 standards. This involves heat treating the export pallets in a kiln to kill all the pests/contaminants and ensure the pallets are certified to ISMP-15 standards. 

If the pallets you use don’t meet the required specifications, your goods may get held up in quarantine, which could cost you time and money.