The Wallonia Export-Investment Agency has a worldwide network of 92 Economic and Commercial Advisors (ECAs). Strategically placed across the 5 continents, they cover more than 120 countries, one third of which are located inside the European Union and two thirds in more distant countries. One of the Agency's objectives is to help companies diversify their exports, both from a sectoral and geographical point of view.
On the one hand, the ECAs are responsible for representing the economic interests of the Walloon Region within their area of jurisdiction, while on the other hand, they also provide concrete assistance to Walloon companies exporting abroad.
Their role as facilitators and relays is therefore a multi-faceted one:
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Economic representation of Wallonia abroad
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Information
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Monitoring and advising on foreign markets
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Help with prospecting
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Providing commercial support in the field
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Searching for partners
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Promoting Wallonia abroad
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Guidance for foreign investors
Meetings with the ECAs can take place during their return to Belgium (at the annual business days or, if they do not return to Belgium, in the form of virtual meetings – virtual business days). They can also be consulted in-country, after an appointment has been made and the meeting has been well-prepared in advance.
As part of the prospecting process, they can, on request, draw up lists of buyers (individual importers and prospects) or distributors (in order to establish a structured commercial network). Other than this, they also prepare comprehensive studies to enable the applicant company to better understand the potential and difficulties of the target market. Finally, they organise personalised schedules of meetings in the context of collective or individual economic missions (multi-sectoral, etc.) and are able to offer logistical assistance.
In that way, this global network highlights Wallonia's technological excellence to the business community worldwide.
As representatives of Wallonia abroad, the ECAs also play an important role in promoting Wallonia internationally, whether by conducting communication campaigns in the specialist press or by means of their professional contacts, including on social networks. In that regard, they are tasked with developing the network of ambassadors of the Wallonia.be brand in their respective zone and with leading that local network by holding networking events. That network will consist of Walloons or non-Belgians from all sectors of activity who have in common a link with Wallonia that they desire to make known in their country of origin or expatriation.