Chapters
Introduction
Once your company has been set up, you want to develop your activities, by diversifying them, extending the means of distribution of products or services, prospecting new markets or seizing the opportunities opened up by digitalisation. This section gives you an overview of the opportunities for developing your business internationally.
Discover all our services, activities and contact persons on the Go International Gateway.
I want to conquer new markets
In an increasingly globalised economy, the conquest of new markets and the search for reliable partners are among the main challenges in the life of a company.
Exports, as well as imports, are opportunities to develop a company's activity and turnover. Promoting economic and commercial relations with foreign countries and assisting companies in developing exports of their products and in connecting with potential partners for local, regional and international expansion projects are among the services offered by the Chamber of Commerce to facilitate access to new markets.
This support is aimed both at companies taking their first steps in exporting and at more experienced companies that are prospecting for new markets or seeking new investors. The promotion of the Luxembourg economy and international prospecting - supported by the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Defence, Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade, the Chamber of Commerce and the national innovation agency Luxinnovation - are grouped together on a single platform Luxembourg Trade and Invest.
The Chamber of Commerce is more specifically in charge of advising and supporting Luxembourg companies in their entry or growth on foreign markets.
The Chamber of Commerce's support for internationalisation takes the form of a worldwide network and the organisation of numerous activities such as economic missions, accompanied visits or the provision of collective stands at trade fairs abroad, information sessions on all aspects of international trade or the hosting of foreign delegations in Luxembourg. A new range of fully digital services now completes the Chamber's offer: personalised consultations by videoconference, webinars, online B2B platforms, etc.
All these activities aim to stimulate the development of economic and commercial relations between Luxembourg and foreign companies.
The Chamber of Commerce, through its International Affairs team, actively supports Luxembourg companies in their entry or expansion on foreign markets. This support takes the form of the organisation of :
- Trade missions
- International trade fairs (with national pavilions or accompanied visits)
- International networking events (EEN brokerage events)
- Conferences, seminars, round tables, workshops
- Pre-arranged individual business-to-business meetings (B2B)
- Activities organised by the Enterprise Europe Network-Luxembourg (EEN)
- Activities organised by the Business Clubs in Belgium, France, Germany and United Kingdom.
For more information and registration, see our calendar of activities.
I want to secure my commercial transactions
Any company involved in an export operation must justify the origin of the exported product by producing a certificate of origin to accompany the goods. In Luxembourg, the House of Entrepreneurship of the Chamber of Commerce is responsible for authenticating certificates of origin for the benefit of companies. Today, the Community certificate of origin is the common model used for all EU Member States.
Since 2012, companies can apply for a Community certificate of origin also via the Internet by registering on Digichambers, a platform that allows companies to remotely manage their application for the issue of certificates of origin.
When a company temporarily exports goods, they remain the property of the sender. As they are therefore intended to return in the same condition to the country of departure, the company will not have to pay customs duties and taxes in the countries of temporary admission. The ATA carnet (for temporary admission) works like a real passport for goods to simplify customs operations and reduce costs.
Finally, if a company wishes to secure its transactions via Internet/Intranet, it can apply for a LuxTrust product. These digital certificates make it possible to verify the identity of a person or a company in the context of an electronic transaction. They have a limited validity period but can be renewed when they expire.
Through its House of Entrepreneurship, the Chamber of Commerce offers export assistance by securing the traceability of trade.
Contact us by e-mail at formalities@houseofentrepreneurship.lu or by phone at +352 42 39 39 880.
I want to promote my products with the Made in Luxembourg label
Properly positioning and differentiating one's goods and services vis-à-vis local and international customers is essential to stand out from one's competitors.
To promote Luxembourg products abroad, the Made in Luxembourg label - created by the Chamber of Commerce, the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs and the Chamber of Trades - was designed as an additional promotional tool for Luxembourg companies that want to distinguish their products and services, in particular by emphasising their Luxembourg origin. Companies wishing to obtain the label can apply online. Their skills, expertise and know-how are enhanced while promoting their brand image and quality to their customers.
Selling products online is also an important part of this. The Chamber of Commerce supports companies in their e-marketing efforts through its House of Entrepreneurship and through its participation in the www.letzshop.lu platform.
I am looking for an international business partner
In order to allow companies to continue their search for partners on a European and international scale in a difficult context, the Chamber of Commerce offers you, via the Business Partnership Opportunity Database, to consult a list of cooperation proposals from foreign companies free of charge. This electronic exchange platform is set up and fed daily by the European Commission's Enterprise Europe Network. To use it, all you have to do is create a user profile for your company on the platform, listing the business or technology offers and/or requests that interest you. Once your profile is registered, a member of the Enterprise Europe Network-Luxembourg International Affairs team will contact you to ensure a personalised follow-up with your company.
Contact us by e-mail at een-pod@cc.lu or by phone at +352 42 39 39 333 / +352 42 39 39 377.
I want to participate in European public tenders
The Chamber of Commerce, through its Enterprise Europe Network - Luxembourg, offers interested companies a digital monitoring service on European public procurement.
Corresponding as closely as possible to your company's activity profile, this digital monitoring service allows you to have easy and regular access to calls for tenders from the EU and the Greater Region by receiving electronic alerts of contract notices on which you can position yourself. Thus, through a personalised management of your company profile, you will receive only the relevant tenders that concern you and will no longer waste your precious time looking for these specific calls for tender for your sector of activity. At the same time, this service will allow you to keep an eye on your competitors.
The "Greater Region" subscription provides you three times a week with a list of invitations to tender published in the newspapers and databases of the Greater Region (BE/DE/FR/LU). This includes calls for tenders for smaller amounts that are not published at European level.
The "Europe" subscription allows you to receive "tailor-made" tender notices electronically on a daily basis. The relevance and selection of these notices is based on previously defined search criteria. The documents sent out also include notices of past contracts with the contact details of the company that won the contract and that could be a good contact for your company for a possible collaboration.
You can find more information on the Watch Service in the following documents:
Contact us by e-mail at een-veille@cc.lu or by phone at +352 42 39 39 333.
Who can help me ?
- International Affaires team of the Chamber of Commerce
Do you have an interest in a particular geographical region? Would you like to talk to an advisor from the International Affairs team about opportunities to develop your business internationally? Book a meeting with our team on the Go International Gateway. Our advisors will help you develop your business abroad. To receive additional information and regular updates on the activities of the Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce, please register by e-mail at international@cc.lu to be added to our mailing list and subscribe to our newsletter, which is published once a week. We also invite you to follow us on the social media channels Twitter Luxembourg Trade and Invest and LinkedIn Luxembourg Trade Invest.
- Network of commercial and economic representations of the Chamber of Commerce
The Grand Duchy's main trading partners are its three direct neighbours, Germany, France and Belgium. In order to intensify and further cultivate the excellent relations with these three countries, the Chamber of Commerce has opened permanent representative offices in Berlin, Brussels, London, Paris and Marseille. These offices are complemented by bilateral Business Clubs in Belgium, France and Germany, which offer a privileged meeting place for entrepreneurs wishing to intensify the exchange dynamic between Luxembourg and the host country.
- Enterprise Europe Network (EEN)
L’Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) is the largest European network dedicated to the internationalisation and innovation of SMEs. Thanks to the integration of the Enterprise Europe Network Luxembourg into the Chamber of Commerce, companies have access to a network of experts present in more than 60 countries providing companies with information, advice on EU matters and development assistance throughout their internationalisation and innovation projects. The particularity of EEN is to provide SMEs, SMIs and VSEs with a local European service. Contact us by e-mail at een@cc.lu or by phone at +352 42 39 39 333.
- Office du Ducroire
The Chamber of Commerce cooperates with the Office du Ducroire (ODL) to support Luxembourg companies in their export efforts by offering them partial reimbursement of costs related to promotion, training or participation in fairs. In addition, the ODL offers insurance solutions against the risks of companies linked to international transactions and investments abroad (insurance).
- House of Entrepreneurship
As a national platform the House of Entrepreneurship bringing together all the stakeholders involved in the value chain of business creation in Luxembourg, the House of Entrepreneurship offers a range of services to businesses throughout their life cycle (business creation, development and transmission, digitalisation, financing and connecting). Make an appointment in one of our 3 branches.
- The network of Belgian-Luxembourg chambers of commerce abroad
With 33 chambers worldwide, the network of accredited Belgian and Belgo-Luxembourg Chambers of Commerce abroad is one of the largest networks of bilateral Chambers of Commerce in the world. The main objective of the Belgian-Luxembourg Chambers of Commerce is to defend the interests of Belgian and Luxembourg companies operating abroad in order to support their international trade and economic development. For more information, visit the website of the federation of Belgian-Luxembourg chambers abroad.
- Bilateral chambers of commerce / bilateral business clubs in Luxembourg and abroad
The Chamber of Commerce of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg has established an accreditation programme for bilateral chambers of commerce / bilateral business clubs in Luxembourg or abroad (CCBL) which promotes the development and consolidation of a professional and homogeneous network. An accredited CCBL can benefit from a recognised status as a partner of the Chamber of Commerce and from advantages such as access to a subsidy system.