Trade mission to EXPO

Is your company active in the water, sustainable energy or circular economy sectors? And do you want to do business with and establish contacts in the United Arab Emirates (UAE)? Then take part in this trade mission to Abu Dhabi and Dubai from 21 to 24 March.

The mission is the perfect opportunity to deepen and broaden your network in the region. In addition, you can explore new business opportunities in the UAE and the Gulf region and enhance existing ones.

This mission is led by a minister of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management (to be determined and confirmed). Prime Minister Mark Rutte is in line with part of the mission programme. Ingrid Thijssen, chairman of VNO-NCW, is business mission leader.

Note : This trade mission is subject to a COVID-19 clause .

Dutch participation Expo 2020 Dubai (EXPO)

From October 2021, the Netherlands will participate in Expo 2020 Dubai, the first world exhibition in the Gulf region. Under the motto 'Uniting water, energy and food', our country will present itself for 6 months in a unique pavilion on the EXPO site. This mission coincides with the Water Week at the EXPO.

Read more about the Dutch participation in Expo 2020 Dubai on the website of Dutch Dubai .

For whom?

Participation is open to Dutch companies and knowledge institutions that are active in the following sectors:

Water

• Urban water management (urban resilience), water management in the built environment
• Integrated water management in water-scarce areas
• Water connections
• Smart water management, sustainable water treatment

Renewable energy

• Solar energy
• marine energy
• Converting waste to energy (waste to energy)
• Hydrogen
• Energy efficiency

Circular economy

• Circularity in the urban environment
• Circular plastics
• waste management

Help seize your business opportunities

During this trade mission:

• we help you to map out your opportunities in the United Arab Emirates.
• we support you in following up on existing or previously established contacts. This could be, for example, contacts you made last November during the previous trade mission to the UAE and EXPO.
• Moreover, the presence of ministers gives you a unique opportunity to establish and expand contacts at a high level.
• you can use the option to sign contracts or a letter of intent in the presence of the ministers.
• In particular, we also invite female entrepreneurs to participate.

Why participate?

The UAE is an important trading partner of the Netherlands in the Gulf region. More than 350 Dutch companies are active in the UAE. They often use the country as a base for the rest of the Gulf region, Africa and South Asia.

The UAE has undergone tremendous economic development since the 1970s and has become a modern economy. Today, the UAE is an important economic, financial and logistics hub for the region.

There are plenty of opportunities for Dutch companies and knowledge institutions in the field of water, sustainable energy and the circular economy. Moreover, these opportunities can contribute to a sustainable and liveable urban environment in the UAE. Expo 2020 Dubai is also an event where the whole world comes together. This gives you the opportunity to map out opportunities and make contacts wider than the UAE. Will you travel with us to further explore these opportunities?

Did you miss the October 31 - November 4 mission? Then look at a short impression .

 

Preliminary program

The program has both joint and sector-specific components. Sector-specific parts can take place simultaneously. In that case, we ask participants to make a choice in advance.

The program basically consists of the following parts:

• Informative seminars
• Sector-specific company visits
• Networking events
• Trade reception / trade dinner
• Visit to the EXPO
• Individual matchmaking

The thematic water program and the Dutch Circular Day planned for the January mission are part of this mission programme.

The program components take place at various locations, both on the EXPO site and in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. This is subject to the condition that it is possible to travel between the different Emirates in accordance with the corona measures in force at that time.

Cost and participation

Cost

Participation costs € 950 per organization. The service package includes:

• participation in the collective program components;
• individual matchmaking (tailor-made network conversations);
• trade reception / trade dinner;
• networking events;
• visit to Expo 2020, insofar as included in the mission programme;
• local support by the organization;
• local transport (linked to the collective mission program).

Travel and accommodation costs are for your own account and risk. We will inform you as soon as possible about your trip and stay.

Participation

• Sign up . This is possible until February 10 at the latest.
• A maximum number of 50 participants applies to this trade mission.
• Only 1 person per organization can participate in the mission program.
• If we extend the registration date and you register after February 10, we cannot guarantee your participation in individual matchmaking.

Participation in this mission is only open to Dutch companies and knowledge institutions that fit within the above-mentioned structure and substantive focus of this trade mission. Registration and the automatic confirmation of receipt therefore do not mean that you are automatically admitted to the trade mission. If the maximum number of participants is exceeded, selection will be made based on agreement with the substantive focus and time of registration. You will receive a final confirmation of your participation after the registration period has closed.

COVID-19 clause

The COVID-19 clause : should the travel advice change in the period up to departure, the organization reserves the right to cancel the trade mission. Of course, no participant costs will be charged.

Note: Vaccination and PCR testing may be necessary for participation in program components

Individual Emirates have different rules regarding COVID-19. Vaccination is required for entry to trade fairs, events and public spaces in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. EXPO is only accessible with vaccination or a negative PCR test of up to 48 hours of age. For other events and visits, access is possible with vaccination and/or a negative PCR test of a maximum of 48-96 hours old (depending on the then applicable requirements of the interlocutor or the company/location to be visited). Each participant must be willing to undergo PCR testing and you are advised to be fully vaccinated.

The local measures are subject to change and are closely monitored by the Dutch representation in the UAE. You will be informed before your departure about the measures and conditions that apply at that time.

Knowing more?

Do you have any questions about this mission? Please contact:

Hanneke Bogaerts, Project manager missions
E: hanneke.bogaerts@rvo.nl

Margriet Veenstra, Project Manager Missions
E: margriet.veenstra@rvo.nl

Organization

The Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) organizes this mission in close collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, the consulate-general in Dubai, the embassy in Abu Dhabi and involved public and private partners, including VNO- NCW/SME Netherlands.

Corporate Social Responsibility

The government expects all Dutch companies to undertake international corporate social responsibility (ICSR), for example by complying with the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. This sets out the CSR standards for internationally active entrepreneurs. Read information about ICSR and specific information about corporate responsibility in the Gulf States .

Compliance with these OECD guidelines is one of the prerequisites for participating in this mission. In order to be able to assess whether your company or organization meets these conditions, we ask you to complete a CSR self-scan with your application.