There are eight eligible expense categories prescribed in the EMDG legislation.
1. Export market representatives & consultants expenses for maintaining a permanent marketing office within foreign markets and the cost of engaging a consultant to undertake export market research or marketing activities
2. Marketing travel whether overseas or within Australia for the specific purpose of promoting exports
3. Communication costs for the use of telephone, fax, e-mail, and internet access for marketing purposes
4. Free samples (familiarisations for tourism) given on a free of charge basis to overseas residents for promotional purposes
5. Trade fairs, seminars & in-store promotions costs incurred in participation in international trade fairs, seminars, in-store promotions, and similar activities
6. Literature & advertising such as brochures, CD’s, videos, advertising, and website development
7. Overseas buyers certain costs incurred in bringing potential buyers as a way of promotion up to a limit of $7,500 per buyer per visit (max $45,000 per year)
8. Patents & trademarks costs in granting, registering, or extending rights internationally concerning intellectual property (max $50,000 per year)
Rules apply which require certain levels of export sales income to be generated after the second grant year. Grants are available continuously for up to 8 years. EMDG claims can be submitted to Austrade for assessment from 1 July to 30 November – the claim includes details of all eligible marketing expenses and export income generated within the claim year – 1 July to 30 June. First-time applicants can aggregate costs over two years but only for the first claim made (eg, 2012/13 & 2013/14).
First-time applicants are required to satisfy grant entry requirements, which include providing financial statements and some information that explains your business and your product or service.
To qualify for an EMDG grant, your business must have promoted your product for export and your product must be one of the following: a good made in Australia; a good made outside Australia where Australia will derive a significant net benefit from its sale overseas; a tourism service (including accommodation, passenger transport or tours); a conference or event held in Australia; an intellectual property right that mainly resulted from work done in Australia; a trademark that was owned, assigned, or first used in Australia, know-how that mainly resulted from work done in Australia.
More information can be found on the Austrade website, http://www.austrade.gov.au/Export/Export-Grants.
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