EU Gateway program looks at Japanese opportunities

“Despite the global economic context, the demand for green technologies is high, especially in the Asian markets. Through the EU Gateway program, Romanian companies can take advantage of this opportunity,” said Alexandru Bernea, Business Analyst within Deloitte Consultanta, and coordinator of this stage of the program.
The EU Gateway Program has been initiated by the European Commission and aims at helping EU-based companies to enter specific high-tech and design markets. Deloitte practices in the EU, Korea and Japan offer support and coaching for candidates from the application stage until the end of the business mission week. The program spans over six yearly cycles of Business Missions, until 2014.
The application process has two stages. First, companies need to fill in a form expressing interest, their eligibility thus being evaluated by Deloitte professionals. If they comply with the program’s criteria, they go to the second phase, filling in an application form. The entire process takes place online, on www.eu-gateway.eu, with no financial effort from the applicant. Interested companies benefit from Deloitte assistance throughout the whole application process, as well as during the stages following selection into the program.
Companies eligible for the program must be based in the European Union and exist on the market for at least five years. Selection criteria also include being fully or majority-owned by European Union capital, and having sufficient turnover and employees so as to guarantee the market entry in Japan and / or Korea. Companies must also prove track record in international business cooperation, and have a solid business strategy for entering the two Asian markets. In addition, their key decision makers must be English fluent speakers.