The International Affairs division of the Chamber of Commerce is here to support Luxembourg companies with their plans to grow internationally.  This includes tailor-made guidance to target new markets, leveraging available market intelligence and networking opportunities to find new partners.

The Markets team is organised geographically with a local market expert for each region. The team works closely with the worldwide network of Luxembourg Trade & Investment Offices (LTIOs) to ensure you receive optimal support wherever you are looking to expand.

Find out who is who and how we can help.  Scroll down for contact details of the team members or fill out the Contact us form.

1. Look for alternative partners (suppliers, transport, distributors, etc.) with the support of the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) and its online database of business opportunities. Available in French.
2. Learn about cultural differences, if you deal with emerging countries, using the tools offered by the free Cube in platform developed in close collaboration with Hofstede Insights which held its last annual conference at the Chamber of Commerce.
3. When prospecting outside the European Union, look into existing Free Trade Agreements and Customs Unions that can remarkably facilitate the flow of goods and services you intend to sell abroad. The list of existing EU trade agreements can be found here.
4. Going international can be very enriching but also has its costs : make sure to grow your international business proactively but gradually, whilst focusing on your strategic markets. Balance between expanding mindfully and putting resources in the right places.
5. Study local customs and memorise key phrases in native language – Just the effort of trying often makes a positive impression. However, always hire a professional interpreter for business meetings and try to brief her/him as much as possible upfront so they know your intentions and can best prepare for your meetings.
6. Adapt your offer to the market. “Copying and pasting” your offer is not necessarily the best thing to do when you want to develop abroad. A product or service that has worked well in Luxembourg will not have the same success in another country, and even less on another continent. Big brands have understood this and are making adjustments. You will therefore have to pay particular attention to local culture and consumer habits.
7. Target key customers to gain legitimacy. It is rather difficult to find partners when you are small and unknown. Building legitimacy is one of the key issues for SMEs and often it involves winning key customers in the target market. Rather than seeing the market as a geographic location, focus on these key customers first.
8. Learn from mistakes (and successes). Develop an incremental approach, step by step, learn from successes and failures to orient yourself towards a more systematic decision-making process.