Succeeding in Europe
The EU constitutes approximately 7% of the world's population, with 28 member nations and a plethora of ethnicities and consumer tastes; it is one of the most diverse markets.
Video transcript
[Funky electronic music slowly fades in.]
[The video opens with an aerial view of a European city with a canal running through it.]
[Cut to a shot of a busy European street with cars and pedestrians. The title of the video fades in over the image.]
Text on screen: Canadian Agri-Food Trade Commissioners
Julie Ferguson-Ceniti: There's lots of different things that you need to do...
[The first titles flies away to reveal the second title.]
...as an exporter in order to be successful in Europe.
Text on screen: Succeeding in Europe
[Fade to black.]
[Fade up from black.]
[Another aerial shot of a European city with a canal running through it.]
[Cut to a hyperlapse shot of a European city with cars moving quickly down the street. A title appears on top of the image.]
Text on screen: Know The Market
Europe has a lot of cultural variations. German preferences will be different from Spanish, will be different from Italian...
[Cut to a shot of Julie Ferguson-Ceniti standing against a white background. She is speaking slightly off camera.]
...and different from Portuguese.
[Cut to a low angle shot of an office tower. We can see the reflection of the moving clouds in the reflection of the windows.]
[Cut to a different shot of an office tower. This one has a row of country flags in front of it.]
[Cut to a close up shot of test tubes with barcodes. A title appears over the image.]
Text on screen: Know The Regulations
Nora Gr�tters: New labelling regulation has just come into force.
[Cut to a shot of Nora Gr�tters standing against a white background. She is speaking slightly off camera.]
Text on screen: Nora Gr�tters, Trade Commissioner, Germany
Some of the requirements are detailed allergen labelling, nutrition labelling for fish and seafood, the species name, the country of origin...
[Cut to a shot of a fisherman pulling a lobster trap back on board his boat.]
...and many more regulations you will have to know.
[Cut to a close up shot of the lobsters that the fisherman caught in his trap.]
Julie: And it'll be different for various products. Fish and seafood will have slightly different requirements...
[Cut to a close up shot of wine bottles moving down a conveyor system. A title appears over the image.]
Text of screen: Get Your Certificates in Order
...than wine or other products.
[Cut to a close up shot of the label on the hard hat of a CFIA inspector.]
CFIA has to inspect your product...
[Cut back to a shot of Julie standing against a white background.]
Text on screen: Julie Ferguson-Ceniti, Trade Commissioner, Belgium
...and you need a certificate to go with it. So you have to make sure that your certificates are properly filled out...
[Cut to a shot of large amounts of cargo being loaded into the belly of a cargo plane.]
...and that they accompany your shipment.
[Cut to a shot of a large ship docked at a shipping yard.]
Once your products get into the E.U....
[Cut to an aerial shot of a large rail yard filled with train cars. A title appears over the image.]
Text on screen: Plan Your Shipping Smartly
...they can go across the borders fairly easily.
[Cut to a shot of a large ship being loaded with containers at a shipping yard.]
But you want to choose a port that's got a lot of experience in dealing with the type of product...
[Cut back to a shot of Julie standing against a white background.]
...that you're sending over so that you don't have delays at the border.
[Cut to a shot of workers packing goods for shipment.]
Nora: Choose the right freight forwarder.
[Cut back to a shot of Nora standing against a white background.]
He would also be able to provide you information on which documentation is required...
[Cut to a shot of men working inside a warehouse.]
...to export to the country...
[Cut to a close shot of a man taking inventory of the goods on a shelf in the warehouse.]
...and to guarantee a smooth custom clearance.
[Cut back to a shot of Nora standing against a white background. A title appears next to Nora.]
Text on screen: Be Prepared
Prepare for the market.
[Cut to a shot of two men discussing business inside a warehouse.]
...have information on your product right at hand...
[Cut back to a shot of Nora standing against a white background.]
...have your price calculated, and all the details a European buyer would need to know.
[Cut to a time lapse shot of a busy shipping yard.]
Julie: When you're sending your product, it's really important that you pay attention to what the exchange rate is like. And your pricing.
[Cut to a shot of fresh fish being sold in a small market.]
So have you really thought about your end price? Once your product gets here, and once you've paid for transportation and storage.
[Cut to a shot of a plane landing on a large runway at sunset.]
[Cut back to Julie standing against a white background. A title appears next to Julie.]
Text on screen: Build Your Relationships
European buyers don't tend to be short-term buyers. They tend to like to develop a long-term relationship. So it's important. Come to the market. Visit people.
[Cut to a shot of the Canada Pavillion at an overseas show.]
Meet with your buyers regularly.
[Cut to a shot of show attendees trying some food samples at the Canada Pavillion.]
[Cut to a higher angle shot of the Canada Pavillion to show how many people are at the booth.]
Have a conversation with them and be responsive...
[Cut back to Julie standing against a white background.]
...and make sure that you're delivering the product that they're looking for.
[The screen goes white. Red words begin to appear on the screen.]
Text on screen: Know The Market
Text on screen: Know The Regulations
Text on screen: Get Your Certificates in Order
Text on screen: Plan Your Shipping Smartly
Text on screen: Be Prepared
Text on screen: Build Your Relationships
[Cut to a shot of a busy European city. A title appears over the image.]
Text on screen: Contact Us Today
[The title flies away to reveal the second title.]
Text on screen: tradecommissioner.gc.ca
[Cut to the animated Canada wordmark on a white background.]
Text on screen: Canada, Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food (2015).
[Funky piano music fades out.]
[Fade to black.]
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