Exhibition subsidies are part of the international market development funds for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). They are a preferential policy implemented by the state for small and medium-sized enterprises, aiming to encourage more small and medium-sized enterprises to actively participate in exhibitions abroad and expand international markets. Next, let’s take a look at the application process for overseas exhibition subsidies and how to apply for subsidies for overseas exhibitions.
The state provides subsidies for overseas exhibitions, allowing enterprises to enjoy a certain amount of financial subsidies when they go abroad to participate in exhibitions. It mainly supports holding or participating in overseas exhibitions, international market promotion, exploring emerging markets and overseas bidding.
1. Application conditions for exhibition subsidies
1. Enterprises with corporate legal person status, import and export rights or foreign economic cooperation qualifications, and whose customs statistical export volume in the previous year was less than US$65 million (Note: some provinces and cities require less than US$65 million, and some provinces and cities require less than US$45 million. The specific details shall be subject to the notification documents of the local commerce bureau).
2. Enterprises that have not committed any illegal acts in foreign economic and trade business management, financial and taxation management, foreign exchange management, and customs management in the past two years.
3. Enterprises that have professionals to develop international markets and have clear work arrangements and plans for developing international markets.
4. Register and publicize on the SME International Market Development Fund Application Website.
Note: Simply put, the company needs to have the right to import and export, and the company must declare the export amount independently for 0-65 million US dollars. Some regions require the company to declare the export amount independently in the previous year.
II. Limits on the amount of exhibition subsidies
In general, the proportion of exhibition subsidies shall not exceed 50% of the amount required for supporting projects in principle. However, for small and medium-sized enterprises in western regions and market development activities that are given priority support, the support ratio can be appropriately increased to 70%.
3. Application time for exhibition subsidies
First half of the year project: July 20th – August 20th of this year.
Second half of the year project: December 10 of this year – January 20 of next year.
During the above period, enterprises that have obtained the application qualifications will fill out the funding application on the “Foreign Economic and Trade Development Special Funds Network Management System” website for projects that have been implemented and completed in the first half of the year (January 1st to June 30th) and the second half of the year (July 1st to December 31st).
IV. Guide to exhibition application steps
step 1:
For enterprises applying for exhibition subsidies for the first time, they need to apply for the SME International Market Development Fund online at:
Special reminder: A. If you have already obtained the foreign trade operator registration or import and export qualification, you do not need to submit written materials for the time being. If you have not yet done so, you must go to the local Commerce Committee to handle it. B. After registering and filling in the information, you can generally check your company’s qualification announcement three days after submission; if you still cannot find the qualification announcement, please contact the capital management department of the Commerce Bureau (Foreign Trade Bureau) in your city and submit the relevant company application materials for company qualification review.
Step 2: Click “Register Online”
After successfully filling in the information according to the prompts, a 4-page registration form will be automatically generated. After printing the form (in duplicate) and affixing the official seal, submit it together with the copies of the industrial and commercial business license, organization code certificate, tax registration certificate, and foreign trade operator qualification certificate (in duplicate) and the following materials to the local foreign trade and economic cooperation department for approval.
Step 3: After on-site filing, an influential login name and password will be given, as well as something similar to a U-shield. These things are usually handed over to the finance department by the company for safekeeping, because all subsequent subsidy funds, subsidy application materials submitted, and subsidy issuance work are all completed through this system.
Step 4: After approval, the company does not need to register again and can participate in exhibitions in the future.
V. Materials Required for Application for Exhibition Subsidy
Take the “Application for Funding of Overseas Exhibition (Enterprise) Project” as an example:
After completing the project fund disbursement application form online, each applicant should print out the “Enterprise Registration Form”, “Project Plan Application Form” and “Fund Disbursement Application Form” and affix the official seal, and submit them together with the following relevant written materials to the local foreign trade and economic cooperation department, including:
1. A copy of the legal voucher of the actual expenses incurred by the project (if the invoice is in a foreign language, a translated copy should be attached and stamped with the financial seal of the applicant);
2. Booth confirmation letter (if not approved by booth only);
3. Copy of bank payment voucher (with financial seal of the applicant);
4. A copy of the exhibitor’s overseas mission approval document; if applying for a private visa, a copy of the exhibitor’s passport (including visa page) and air ticket must also be provided.
5. The exhibitor’s fee notification or booth fee settlement details;
6. If the enterprise participates in overseas exhibitions independently, it is also necessary to provide copies of the relevant documents signed with the exhibitor for the booth;
7. Work photos during the exhibition.
Please bind the above paper materials into volumes according to the project. If you cannot provide clear copies, please have the municipal foreign trade and economic cooperation bureau confirm the originals and stamp them with a confirmation stamp.