Relief package for Export Credit Guarantees
Efficient measures to strengthen German foreign trade
Relief package adopted for foreign trade promotion instruments
Cutting red tape is a key priority for the German federal government. In recent months, it has launched a large number of initiatives to reduce bureaucracy, in particular measures to speed up approval procedures and the 4th Bureaucracy Reduction Act.
Along these lines, the German federal government has also adopted a relief package for the guarantee instruments used for foreign trade promotion. This relief package aims to simplify and accelerate the application and decision-making processes for German federal government export credit and investment guarantees.
The measures adopted will streamline the procedure along the entire process chain – from the application for a guarantee down to the conclusion of the compensation procedure (recourse).
“Strengthening German foreign trade is crucial for our economic future. We are strengthening German companies in the global competitive environment by specifically reducing the level of bureaucracy affecting the foreign trade promotion guarantee instruments. Our aim is to dismantle bureaucratic obstacles and make it easier for companies to enter new markets.”
Dr Franziska Brantner, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (photo credit: Florian Freundt)
Focus on SMEs
Bureaucracy is a particularly heavy burden for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The large number of regulations, forms and approval procedures can lead to a considerable expenditure of time and money, which places a heavy strain on the resources of SMEs. That is why we are streamlining the process, from applications through to recourse, and thereby providing significant relief for SMEs.
The German federal government has agreed a total of 20 relief measures for the guarantee instruments. These will be implemented successively over the course of this year, and their effectiveness will be continuously reviewed. Overall, the large number of simplifications is intended to lead to measurable relief and accelerated processes.
What measures does the relief package contain?
Accelerated application procedures
The decision-making powers of mandataries, the Small Interministerial Committee for Export Credit Guarantees and the Interministerial Committee for Export Credit Guarantees have been reorganised. The extended powers of mandataries and the Small Interministerial Committee mean that more cover decisions are shifted to low-threshold decision-making bodies. The more frequent meetings of these bodies lead to a faster procedure and enable quicker coverage decisions.
- Decisions by mandataries in accordance with instructions from the federal government: Transactions up to seven million euros (previously five million euros)
- Decisions by the Small Interministerial Committee (KLIMA): Transactions in the range of seven to 15 million euros (previously five to ten million euros)
- Decisions by the Interministerial Committee (IMC): Transactions of 15 million euros or more (previously ten million euros)
More efficient application reviews
In future, there will no longer be any systematic special checks in the application process, but only in justified exceptional cases, e.g. in exceptional political or economic situations.
Greater digitalisation
The number of original documents required in the application process will be further reduced.
Expanded digital supplier and buyer credit cover (click&cover)
With immediate effect, individual transactions in country categories 1-5 can be covered for up to seven million euros (previously five million euros) without any additional administrative effort. In country categories 6 and 7, the maximum order value is 3.5 million euros (previously 2.5 million euros).
Thanks to the upgrading of Hermes Cover click&cover, larger orders can now also be applied for simply, quickly and digitally. This means less complexity and faster cover decisions. This strengthens the small-ticket business and improves the situation of small and medium-sized companies in particular in international competition.
Simplified terms and conditions
Banks can more easily prove that they meet the conditions for payments under federally subsidised loans. And in the case of the Wholeturnover Policy (APG) – a guarantee instrument used mainly by SMEs – the eligibility requirements are now less complex.
Simplification of the offsetting provisions for Wholeturnover Policy (APG)
Following compensation from the federal government, the customer is obliged to continue to collect the federally covered claim. A new procedure is intended to relieve the customer in the case of the Wholeturnover Policy (APG). The plan is to exempt the customer from the recourse obligation under certain conditions. This simplification will benefit small and medium-sized companies in particular.
Increased efficiency using artificial intelligence
Using AI will speed up workflows along the entire process chain (application processing, review, decision, compensation).
Introducing the bureaucracy review
In future, every product or process adaptation will be reviewed to identify any potential additional costs for export credit guarantee customers.
Edna Schöne, Executive Board member at Euler Hermes AG, on the relief package (DE)
Listen to Edna Schöne (Executive Board member at Euler Hermes AG) talking about the new relief package for foreign trade promotion instruments, its importance for export credit guarantees and the advantages the relief package offers SMEs in particular.
