The budget for Export Market Development Grants (EMDG) Scheme will see a $50 million increase as well as changing eligibility requirements if legislation introduced into parliament on 6 March 2014 by Trade and Investment Minister, Andrew Robb, is approved.

The proposed changes include:

• Increasing the number of grants available from 7 to 8.
• Decreasing the threshold expenditure from $20,000 to $15,000.   Previously any company with less than $20,000 in eligible expenditure during the financial year was ineligible.
• Altering the grant calculation for expenditure slightly by reducing the “user pays” amount from $10,000 to $5,000.

These are all positive changes that will help Australian exporters.

Click here for access to the complete Ministers release.