Press release

New webinars to boost support for SMEs during coronavirus

The Department for International Trade is hosting a series of coronavirus (COVID-19) webinars, free for SMEs across the UK.

New support for SMEs during coronavirus (COVID-19) has today been launched in the form of nearly 100 expert-led webinars

The webinars will offer practical advice to SMEs and focus on issues businesses trading internationally are facing.

Many webinars will be hosted by an International Trade Adviser and include question and answer sessions, while others will feature guest speakers from business and industry.

Topics covered will range from managing distribution of supply chains and the movement of goods, to support for selling online overseas.

Secretary of State for International Trade, Liz Truss said:

Maintaining trade is essential if the UK is to overcome the unprecedented economic challenge posed by Coronavirus.

In these uncertain times, SMEs doing business internationally need as much information as possible on how to adapt and continue to carry out their day-to-day business.

These sessions provide an essential service to help address the concerns we have heard from businesses across the country over the last few weeks.

My department is here to support all businesses trading internationally, using the UK’s clout on the world stage to reduce barriers and lower tariffs to helps small firms and through providing advice from our extensive teams across the UK and around the globe.

As of 1 May the department has hosted 15 webinars with more than 1,000 attendees. Speakers scheduled this month include International Trade Advisers, the Federation of Small Businesses and the Freight Transport Association (FTA).

Business can register via great.gov.uk where all recorded webinars are hosted. DIT is also working with partners to take the usual schedule of events online.

There is also a significant programme of webinars from other government departments, including HM Revenue and Customs and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. The webinars are listed in additional government resources to support your business during coronavirus disruptions.

Published 4 May 2020