Trade Finance
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BPO Boost Can Help UK Corporates Seize CEE Potential


UK corporates are increasingly looking outside the UK and Western Europe for growth – with the Central and Eastern European (CEE) region attracting particular attention. However, higher counterparty risk and local-market complexities present barriers to tapping the region’s potential. David Vials, Head of Corporate Coverage for UK and Ireland at UniCredit, explains how moving from traditional trade finance instruments to digital tools such as the Bank Payment Obligation (BPO) can help mitigate these risks, while local market expertise will enable them to navigate the complexities of the territory. 

UK exports to the CEE region are currently worth around GBP 16bn and have doubled over the past decade. Yet there remains considerable untapped potential for UK corporates looking for regional opportunities that strike a balance between growth, risk and cost efficiency. The CEE region, which has over 100 million consumers and a combined GDP of over GBP 1tr, is one such market. 

Indeed, UK Trade & Investment is targeting a doubling of CEE trade to GBP 30bn by 2020, and it’s easy to see why. For one, growth rates in the region have consistently outpaced the rest of Europe – Slovakia, for example, averaged 3.6% GDP growth in the decade to 2016 compared with an EU average of 0.8%. The region also has a more competitive cost base than established EU markets and a level of growth sustainability equalling that of the emerging markets – an attractive mix. Low public debt levels and GBP 170bn of EU funding to boost investment in infrastructure, energy and innovation between 2014 and 2020 further strengthen its appeal.