The representatives of the Ministry of Commerce and Export Development, the Ministry of Agriculture, Tunisian Customs, the Centre for the Promotion of Exports, the Agency for the Promotion of industry and innovation, the Professional Association of Banks and Financial Institutions, COTUNACE (export insurance), the EEN (Europe Enterprise Network) consortium in Tunisia, as well as representatives of the private sector and the Delegation of the European Union, contributed to the dialogue.

The participants confirmed that the concept of a platform, whose "frontend" is structured around the needs of SMEs while allowing service providers to offer their services in a flexible way ("backend"), may contribute lifting some existing obstacles. This platform offering also a mapping of existing support services, it will help identify areas where more needs to be done.

The dialogue informed by the experts of the Program highlighted the need to work on the ecosystem of exporters as a whole by consolidating electronic payment procedures, developing electronic signature, better framing cybersecurity, and increasing the digital culture of Tunisian SMEs.

This workshop will be followed, over the next few weeks, by technical workshops on the mapping of export support instruments for Tunisian SMEs, foreign trade finance and export insurance, as well as access to in international markets’ data.