ABSTRACT
Many countries assist their exporters with facilities which furnish statistical data and general market studies. Access to detailed economic intelligence is, however, restricted and care is taken to avoid leakages to unauthorised persons. The UK's Department of Trade gathers computerised export intelligence from the commercial staff of 200 embassies and makes this information available to interested parties. Many governments subsidise export missions travelling to foreign markets and quite a few also support the traffic in the opposite direction. In a number of states, including Australia and Austria, companies receive subsidies for expenditure on research-and-development that is aimed at export markets. The prestigious privilege of being allowed to travel abroad, while lesser mortals were debarred, was in the immediate post-war years accorded on a priority basis to those furthering exports. France has an incentive scheme which encourages exporters to hold inventories in foreign warehouses without having any fixed purchasing contracts.
