New insights into best practices in trade

Trade Academy Trade Promotion, autumn 2024 in Stockholm

Fifteen people from Ukraine, Georgia and Armenia have completed the one-month Trade Academy Trade Promotion training in the autumn of 2024. The training was completed both online and on-site in Stockholm. The participants’ visit to Stockholm included seminars, lectures and study visits to Swedish companies, all with a focus on trade and the importance of trade for development. A selection of the participants share their impressions and experiences from the training.

The way Swedish institutions work with trade is inspiring

Diana Sarumova is Executive Director for the European Business Association in Armenia. She was very impressed by the way Sweden works with trade and will use her knowledge both with companies and governmental institutions in Armenia.

Diana Sarumova

What is your overall impression of the Trade Academy Trade Promotion?

Armenian exporters and producers have a lack of information about the EU market. For me, being here together with other chambers and business associations will help me get more information that I can spread among our members to support their ability to work more actively with the EU market.

What are your key takeaways?

The key insight is how to gain access to global markets and how to transfer this information and raise awareness of this among our members.

How will what you learned change the way you work?

I have been very inspired by how you work in Sweden, with trade, and how your government is organised when it comes to questions of trade. Also, the importance of not only exporting but also importing is something that I will bring with me. We are also planning to invite the National Board of Trade to Armenia to help us more with these questions.

I have learned that sustainability is a key factor to be able to trade

Roko Kezherashvili works as an advisor at Enterprise Georgia, and after attending Trade Academy Trade Promotion, he gained many new insights.

Roko Kezherashvili

What is your overall impression of the Trade Academy Trade Promotion?

The impression is very good, because we shared our experiences with participants from other countries in our region. We also had a lot of interesting insights and experiences from Swedish organisations and authorities.

What are your key takeaways?

The key takeaways are the matters of sustainability. In my own country, Georgia, there is a lack of knowledge about sustainability, both among public enterprises and private enterprises. For our small and medium-sized enterprises, sustainability seems abstract, so it is very important for us to gain knowledge about this from Sweden.

How will what you learned change the way you work?

What we have learned about trade and trade-related topics was very insightful. The practical examples and the topics are things that I can initiate in my agency when I get back. This is why I think this course was one of the most successful I have attended.

The course gave me a lot of useful information about the single market

Anna Liubyma from the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry points out the importance of creating a large network.

Anna Liubyma

What is your overall impression of the Trade Academy Trade Promotion?

I am very amazed and impressed. It is quite intensive and a lot of useful information. Ukraine has gained official status to access the EU, and for us it is essential to know all the requirements and procedures for companies to enter the single market.

What are your key takeaways?

There are three points:

- the concrete steps we should follow to entering the single market

- the ongoing processes related to markets and how they evaluate, and also the changes in legislation

- drinking more coffee with important persons to create a network is very important.

How will what you learned change the way you work?

I will use more resources to provide consulting services for companies in Ukraine.

The course gave me practical advice and lots of energy

Oleg Mikerin works for the Entrepreneurship and Export Promotion Office in Ukraine. He says that he is energized and will take the practical knowledge he gained with him to share with his colleagues.

Oleg Mikerin

What is your overall impression of the Trade Academy Trade Promotion?

This course has been very useful, as we now have the knowledge to help Ukrainian companies enter the international markets and especially to integrate Ukrainian companies in the EU single market. Other important knowledge is about sustainability and circular economy, which we can transfer to Ukrainian companies.

What are your key takeaways?

The main takeaway is the practical steps that a company needs to do in order to successfully export to an international market.

How will what you learned change the way you work?

Apart from the practical advice, I have been energized and are even more motivated to share my knowledge with all Ukrainian entrepreneurs so that they become even more competitive on the global market.