In recent years exports from France have increased to EU nations as well as to Asia and Africa, while trade with the Middle East, the United States, Switzerland and Turkey has fallen. France are the world’s largest producer of agricultural products and services and have been a member of the World Trade Organisation since 1995. The top products exported annually by France include planes and helicopters ($50 billion), packaged medicines ($27 billion), cars ($22 billion) and vehicle parts ($16 billion). Main trading partners include Germany ($82 billion), Belgium-Luxembourg ($50 billion) the United States ($40 billion) and the United Kingdom ($39 billion).

Chart Showing GDP Growth Compared to rest of world

Trade finance is a revolving facility which lenders offer – it enables businesses to purchase products and can help ease the pressure from working capital issues.

Generally, an export finance bank will fund up to 100% of the cost of the products, including charges (e.g. insurance costs).

Trade finance offers upsides over more traditional bank finance for example bridging mortgages or loans. Trade finance provides quick funding without affecting existing relationships with banks.

How does it work?
If you’re a business importing or exporting goods around the world, then a trade finance facility would assist your company to fund this through offering a letter of credit (LC) or some form of cash advance.

I’m looking to import from France, how can Trade Finance Global help, and how does it work?
If you’re looking to import inventory from other countries, you may require import finance, which is an agreement between yourself (the importer) and the foreign exporter. A non-bank lender will act as the intermediary, paying the foreign exporter on your behalf until you get the products and have then sold them to your buyer. Repaying the financier then occurs over an agreed period of time.