There was a deficit of £8.2bn on goods, partly offset by an estimated surplus of £5.6bn on services.

The value of UK exports decreased by 1.3% between March and April. The value of imports decreased by 2.7% over the same period.

The narrowing of the deficit in April is mainly due to the UK’s trade in goods with the EU, with imports from the EU falling by around £1.3bn, the ONS said.

The Institute of Supply Management's manufacturing activity index fell in May to its lowest since June 2009.

Markit's May purchasing managers' index rose, but the increase was too small to point to a sector revival.

The closely-watched reports dampened sentiment on Wall Street, with shares barely up in mid-morning trading.

Banks and building societies participating in the Funding for Lending Scheme (FLS) shrunk net lending by £300m in the first quarter of the year, although the pace of lending decline eased from three months earlier.

European Commissioner for the Environment Janez Potočnik said: "The new study demonstrates that good business, job creation and environmental protection can go together and generate widespread benefits. This suggests that Europe has a strong niche in the green business, a niche which can promote competitive, resource-efficient and sustainable growth."

The EU's Eco-innovation funding focuses on five main sectors: material recycling; water; sustainable building products; green business; the food and drink sector (pure energy efficiency investments are not covered).

More than 240 projects funded by the eco-innovation scheme are already underway. The projects have been developed primarily by small businesses with innovative concepts needing early stage capital to realise their growth potential.

The eco-innovation projects which have received funding cover a wide range of sectors and activities from omega 3 fatty acid production from algae, to pollution-free leather production.

An analysis of the performance of the EU funded projects also reveal substantial 'green' benefits in the areas of water saving (170 million m3), equivalent to the annual water consumption of an EU city of 350.000 people. The reduced greenhouse gas emissions (11.6 mt when including CO2 emissions reduced by energy savings), equal those from the annual electricity use of 1.7m EU homes, and the 609.000 tonnes of reduced waste make up for the annual waste generation of an EU city of 125.000 people.

Converted into cash terms, the value of these environmental savings is put at more than EUR 800 million in 5 years.

In May the European Commission launched a new call to select a further 45 eco-innovation projects with novel environmental solutions who will benefit from an investment budget of EUR 31.5 million.

Background

Eco-Innovation is funded via the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP) and has a budget of approximately EUR 200 million for the period 2008 to 2013. It supports technologically-proven solutions (products, processes, technologies) that help make better use of Europe's natural resources. Eco-Innovation is a green strand of the CIP and contributes to the Eco-Innovation Action Plan (EcoAP). The programme is managed by the Executive Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation (EACI).

Links

Executive summary to the Report: “Analysing and reporting the results achieved by the CIP Eco-innovation market replication projects” commissioned by the Executive Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation (EACI) on behalf of DG Environment. Undertaken by ICF GHK.

CIP eco-innovation initiative.

Follow us on Twitter: @EU_ecoinno

Project examples:

• Optimising technology to re-use old bricks: REBRICK;
• Producing leather shoes that are free from harmful chemicals: TiLeather project;
• Using CO2 to harness a natural source of Omega-3: Phobior project;
• A new technique for carpet manufacturing: EuroC2C Carpetchain Project.

Next steps:
Following the vote by the European Parliament’s Legal Affairs Committee the draft Directive will now be discussed by Justice Ministers meeting in the Justice Council on 6 June 2013. Work will then continue under the Lithuanian Presidency of the EU.

Background

If a small business or consumer needs to recover a cross-border debt, the current situation in the 27 Member States is legally complicated, time consuming and expensive. Around 1 million small businesses face problems with cross-border debts and up to €600 million a year in debt is unnecessarily written off because businesses find it too daunting to pursue expensive, confusing lawsuits in foreign countries.

Typical problems range from differences in national law to the costs of hiring an additional lawyer and translating documents. Individuals face similar difficulties when seeking to get their money back from a rogue trader or maintenance defaulter in another EU country. The European Commission proposal for a Europe-wide preservation order therefore aims to ease the recovery of cross-border debts for both citizens and businesses.

These seminars will provide Welsh businesses with a unique opportunity to find out about business opportunities in these markets, speak to experts and learn how the Welsh Government can assist you in developing your international trade.

Export Week is a week of high-profile events in every corner of the UK promoting exporting to businesses. A series of seminars and event will be held to offer unique and informed advice on how to go about doing business almost anywhere in the world, especially the fast-growing markets of the Far East that are the defining characteristic of business in the 21^st century.

The global economic centre of gravity has shifted towards high-growth markets such as Brazil, Russia, India and China, and others such as Colombia, Indonesia, and Qatar. Increasing numbers of UK companies are prospering by exporting to these markets. With so many millions of potential new customers, low-cost communications, and improving infrastructure many more, smaller UK companies are amongst those making journeys to Rio or Riyadh, Moscow or Mexico City - and sealing deals for what they have to offer. The time to act is now.

At UK Trade & Investment we know that expansion into high-growth markets can be easier said than done. We manage a range of support for exporters, whether first-time or experienced, large or small, to ensure lasting success overseas and at home. We also know that one of the biggest investments any company can make is in their time. The expertise and advice we’re making available to business across the UK throughout High Growth Markets week can help put UK businesses on a fast track to success.

Events in Wales:

China - Unbreakable Business Opportunities

May 13, 2013

Discover the opportunities for your business in China, in this free Welsh Export Week event....more

Spread your Business Wings in Turkey

May 14, 2013

Discover the opportunities for your business in Turkey, in this free Welsh Export Week event....more

Qatar - An Oasis of Business Opportunity

May 15, 2013

Discover the opportunities for your business in Qatar, in this free Welsh Export Week event....more

Mexico and Brazil - Building Business Opportunities in Latin America

May 16, 2013

Discover the opportunities for your business in Mexico and Brazil, in this free Welsh Export Week event....more

Spice up your Business in India

May 17, 2013

Discover the opportunities for your business in India, in this free Welsh Export Week event....more

As regards fees, the Commission is proposing a principle of "one-class-per-fee" that will apply both for Community trade mark applications and for national trade mark applications. This will enable any business – particularly SMEs – to apply for trade mark protection according to their actual business needs, at a cost that covers those individual needs only. Under the current system, the fee for registering a trade mark allows for the registration of up to three product classes. Under the revised system, a trade mark can be registered for only one product class. So at EU level, businesses will pay substantially less when they seek to obtain protection for one class of product only.

Internal Market and Services Commissioner Michel Barnier said: "Trade marks were the EU’s first success in intellectual property rights. The harmonisation of Member States' laws in 1989 and the creation of the Community trade mark in 1994 paved the way for other tools for intellectual property protection, such as design protection and the unitary patent. Today, 20 years later, I am very proud to announce that our trade mark system has stood the test of time. There is no need for a major overhaul: the foundations of our system remain perfectly valid. What we are aiming for is a well-targeted modernisation to make trade mark protection easier, cheaper, and more effective."

In order to foster innovation and growth by making trade mark systems in Europe more accessible and efficient for businesses, the proposed revision would:

• Streamline and harmonise registration procedures, including at Member State level, taking the Community trade mark system as a benchmark;

• Modernise the existing provisions and increase legal certainty by amending outdated provisions, removing ambiguities, clarifying trade mark rights in terms of their scope and limitations and incorporating extensive case law of the Court of Justice;

• Improve the means to fight against counterfeit goods in transit through the EU’s territory; and

• Facilitate cooperation between the Member States’ offices and the EU trade mark agency – the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market (OHIM) - in order to promote convergence of their practices and the development of common tools.

The proposed package contains three initiatives:

• Recast of the 1989 Directive (now codified as 2008/95/EC) approximating the laws of the Member States relating to trade marks;

• Revision of the 1994 Regulation (now codified as 207/2009/EC) on the Community trade mark; and

• Revision of the 1995 Commission Regulation (2869/95) on the fees payable to OHIM.

The recast of the Directive and revision of the Community Trade mark Regulation are legislative proposals to be adopted by the European Parliament and the Council under the codecision procedure. The proposed revision of the Fees Regulation will follow a different procedure. It will be adopted by the Commission as an implementing act and therefore requires prior endorsement by the competent Committee on OHIM fees. The first meeting of the Committee will take place before the summer with the aim of adopting the amended Fees Regulation before the end of the year.

These findings reinforce the need for Welsh SMEs to look beyond Wales and the UK for future growth by identifying new markets for their goods and services. 

With new countries such as India and Canada recently joining the 50+ member countries of Enterprise Europe Network, Welsh businesses have access to thousands of company profiles through the network’s powerful business search software.  SMEs can use this database to identify potential overseas commercial partners to help them exploit new markets.

To view the full results of 2013 South Wales Chamber of Commerce Quarterly Economic Survey, Click Here

A survey in Denmark by the Danish Consumer Council found that only between two to four percent of polled passengers entitled to financial compensation had received any money.  Tax exemptions from energy taxation and VAT saves the industry around €30 billion annually.

In other new rules, stranded passengers, even under so-called "extraordinary circumstances" such as the 2010 Eyjafjallajokull volcanic eruption in Iceland, will only have the right to a maximum three nights lodging. Exemptions to this rule are disabled people, unaccompanied children and pregnant women. Under current rules, air carriers must provide refreshments, meals and accommodation for an indefinite period of time.

• Harmonisation of period for payment by public authorities to businesses: Public authorities will have to pay for the goods and services that they procure within 30 days or, in very exceptional circumstances, within 60 days.
• Contractual freedom in businesses commercial transactions: Enterprises will have to pay their invoices within 60 days, unless they expressly agree otherwise and if it is not grossly unfair.
• Enterprises will automatically be entitled to claim interest for late payment and will also be able to obtain a minimum fixed amount of €40 as a compensation for recovery costs. They can claim compensation for all remaining reasonable recovery costs.
• The statutory Interest rate for late payment will be increased to at least 8 percentage points above the European Central Bank’s reference. Public authorities are not allowed to fix an interest rate for late payment below.

Member States may continue to maintain or to bring into force laws and regulations which are more favourable to the creditor than the provisions of the new Directive.

For the deal to pass, EU lawmakers, the  Member States and the European Commission must reach an agreement.The European parliament is expected to formallyvote on the budget in June or July, following negotiations with Member States.

The EU’s 27 Member States agreed on a tight budget deal in February.

The European Commission will support a Europe-wide electromobility initiative, Green eMotion, worth €41.8 million, in partnership with forty-two partners from industry, utilities, electric car manufacturers, municipalities, universities and technology and research institutions. The aim of the initiative is to exchange and develop know-how and experience in selected regions within Europe as well as facilitate the market roll-out of electric vehicles in Europe. The Commission will make €24.2 million available to finance part of the initiative's activities

Further information: http://www.greenemotion-project.eu/

• to offer the business angel communities across Europe the opportunity to benefit from a strong coordinated voice to represent them to the European institutions,

• to support the development of a favourable fiscal, regulatory and policy environment for the growth of the business angel market across Europe,

• to encourage and enable the growth of national federations and trade associations across Europe,

• to promote professional and ethical standards and best practice among the business angel community including the exchange of experience,

• to be the resource of knowledge, experience and intelligence on the European angel market,

• to encourage the growth of cross-border investment at European and international level,

• to act as the key interface with the global angel community level.

“It is an exciting time for angel investing in Europe and BAE is going to be the hub for it. We want to make our ecosystem more and more effective and professional while keeping the spontaneity and adrenaline that is innate in investing in start ups. We want to make sure that angel investing stays high on the political agenda. Finally we want each country to have its own National Association as only 10 EU countries have one today” says Philippe Gluntz, President of France Angels, who has been elected as President of BAE.

More  information : http://www.innovationamerica.us/index.php/innovation-daily/27047-promoting-and-fostering-the-business-angel-in-europeinformation

http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/newsroom/cf/itemdetail.cfm?item_id=6062&lang=en&tpa_id=0&title=New%2DFP7%2D4th%2Dcall%2Dbrochure%2D%22Eye%2Don%2DSpace%22%2Donline

Grants of up to £25,000 are available for small companies (based anywhere in the UK) that are developing their own games or other forms of interactive digital content.

The grants can be used to develop prototypes of original intellectual property (IP), allowing companies to go on to seek further funding or investment to launch their product. As part of the programme's offering, studio space, equipment, and software will be available for companies to use while prototypes are being developed at Abertay University.

Games projects and other forms of interactive digital content, such as e-learning, visualisation, interactive exhibits, online film/broadcast media, or middleware can be supported.

Grants can be used for a range of expenditure identified within the project budget, primarily:

    * costs for a selected number of the applicant's development team;
    * part-time employment costs of a proportion of students or graduates selected as part of the student placement element; and
    * additional costs, such as a contractor to fill a gap in the team.

The closing date for receipt of applications to this round is 14 December 2011.

http://prototypefund.abertay.ac.uk/funding/