Annual working meeting for planning for 2024 of SIPPO with partner organizations from the country and representatives of the Embassy of Switzerland and Swisscontact

On November 15, 2023, SIPPO's 2024 Annual Planning Working Meeting was held with partner organizations from the country and representatives of the Embassy of Switzerland and Swiss contact. The textile cluster as a long-term partner of SIPPO was part of this meeting, at which the executive director presented the realized activities between TTZ and SIPPO in 2023, and the following activities that will be implemented between the two parties were discussed. At the event, a Memorandum of Cooperation was signed between the Textile Cluster and Swiss contact as the implementing organization of the Swiss Import Promotion Program SIPPO. The aim of the cooperation between Swiss contact/SIPPO and TTZ-TK is to improve the Textile Cluster's export promotion services to export-oriented textile companies and to provide these companies with improved market access, with a strong focus on the Swiss and European target markets. , but also other important export markets.

In the area of capacity development, Swisscontact/SIPPO provides and facilitates a range of support services to be implemented in close cooperation with TTZ-TK in order to:

• Strengthening of market access activities (such as market intelligence, market orientation mission, participation in fairs and commercial missions).

• Institutional strengthening (such as development and positioning of an export promotion strategy, management of export promotion services, knowledge exchange and networks).

• Furthermore, digitization and sustainability in the provision of export promotion services as important cross-sectoral elements to be considered and supported.

• Given the strengthening of export promotion networks, which both parties consider to provide added value for the exporting country, the Textile Cluster and Swiss contact/SIPPO seek to improve cooperation with other relevant players active in export promotion.


Within this collaboration SIPPO will provide and facilitate the following services through its country team and/or international/national experts: Capacity development of TTZ-TK in order to strengthen its export promotion capabilities to provide tailored services to the needs of its members/companies, such as: Improvement of TTZ-TK export promotion services: Market intelligence (market research, market information, market analysis training) Market oriented mission (preparation, implementation, monitoring) Participation in fairs (preparation, implementation, monitoring) Commercial mission (preparation, implementation, monitoring) Development and positioning of an export promotion strategy (needs assessment, strategy, network) Export Promotion Services Management (EPS planning and execution, MRM and KPI, CRM)DWQ Knowledge exchange and networks (E-learning, knowledge content, knowledge networks) Sustainability, digitization and strengthening of export promotion networks as important transversal topics to be considered in every activity Branding and communication: SIPPO will mention TTZ-TK as a joint activities partner in any publication and display the TTZ-TK logo accordingly. Without the written consent of TTZ-TK, SIPPO guarantees non-disclosure of TTZ-TK and the data of its members/companies to third parties. Within this cooperation TTZ-TK will provide the following services through its staff and/or international/national experts: As a means of improving access to export markets, it will demonstrate a high commitment to promoting sustainable business practices as an integral part of TTZ-TK's export promotion service to its members. TTZ-TK will contribute its knowledge to the elaboration of the GPST (in process) and will participate and invite its members to trainings related to relevant (inter)national regulatory frameworks and voluntary sustainability standards in order to comply with the minimum requirements for sustainability for improved market access. TTZ-TK will set sustainability goals in annual work plans and monitor the progress of those commitments. To allocate the necessary human resources to ensure the implementation of the agreed activities with SIPPO and that it is put in the description of their jobs; TTZ-TK to link its website with the website of SIPPO Macedonia; Access TPA regularly for e-learning modules (including manuals, templates, etc.) as well as other trade tools to gain significant export promotion knowledge and market intelligence (eg, Global Trade Helpdesk, Sustainability Map, etc.) .). To ensure contacts with the country's exporters and local experts; To ensure timely budgeting in the part of co-financing for the implementation of the activities agreed in the annual work plan; Provide biennial measurement and submission to Swisscontact/SIPPO of SIPPO performance indicator data as defined in country logframes by the end of June and end of December each year to enable the completion of the SIPPO progress report. Branding and Communication: TTZ-TK will mention SIPPO as a program funded by the Swiss Government in any publication and display the SIPPO logo in joint activities.