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Eligible enterprises

The following enterprises qualify for assistance on condition that they are operating and trading for more than one financial year:

• South African manufacturers of products including SMME, HDI and other owned businesses who are registered with the South African Revenue Services (SARS)
• South African Export Trading Houses (ETH)representing at least three (3) SMME or HDI-owned businesses
• South African Commission Agents representing at least three (3) SMME or HDI-owned businesses
• South African Export Councils, Industry Associations and Joint Action Groups representing at least five (5) South African entities
• Entities/divisions/subsidiaries forming part of a group, joint venture or partnership will qualify for EMIA assistance at the absolute discretion of the Senior Manager: EMIA. Please see definition of related parties.
• Entities that are outsourcing their manufacturing process will only qualify on submission of:
  • Formal outsourcing agreement(s) between the company and the manufacturer(s), or
  • Other proof substantiating that the entity is the legal owner of the product/design or patent
• Financial assistance to services industries is limited to thedti's priority services sectors as outlined below:
  • Capital equipment services
  • Consulting engineering services
  • Civil engineering contractors
  • Pre-qualified tourism services
  • Pre-qualified ICT services
  • Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) services.

Qualifying criteria

The Department of Trade and Industry expects applicants to meet the following qualifying criteria:

• Export readiness of applicant
• Export/production performance of the applicant
• Export/marketing competence of person visiting the foreign country (for foreign exhibitions)
• Potential available/accessible production/export product capacity
• Extent of export marketing planning
• Type of product for export and local sales performance
• Level of labour absorption, location and technological requirements
• Industry in which the venture operates or is planned
• Membership of an Export Council (not compulsory, but preferable)
• Submission of general and specific qualifying documentation and adherence to general and specific criteria as stipulated per each EMIA offering and specific criteria as stipulated for the National Pavilion offering.
• EMIA schemes are mutually exclusive and benefits may only be applied for in respect of one EMIA offering at a time. In addition to the existing rule, it should be noted that EMIA funding cannot be applied for a Trade Mission to visit an international exhibition where thedti already funds a National Pavilion.
• Firms applying to participate on a National Pavilion at a defence, or security equipment related exhibition are required to give details of the products which they plan to exhibit to the National Pavilion Unit before approval for EMIA assistance. The reasons being that thedti is required by law to ensure that the products may be exported and allowed to be exhibited in the country where the exhibition will take place. Failure to comply would result in the immediate disqualification of the firm's participation.

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