Today, the Australian Government released the findings of its Operational Review into the Export Market Development Grants (EMDG), delivering on the Government's election commitment to ensure the grants program is working effectively and efficiently.
Immediate improvements to the program have already been made and have been incorporated into the guidelines for Round 3 of EMDG, released today ahead of applications opening on 15 March.
The Operational Review consulted broadly with key stakeholders and impacted businesses and found that program is highly valued among exporters.
However, the review also made it clear that the decision by the previous government to run the final round of the old EMDG reimbursement scheme at the same time of the first round of the reformed EMDG program caused confusion and uncertainty for applicants.
Following the Operational Review, Austrade has made immediate improvements to EMDG for Round 3, including reducing the term of grant agreements, improving communication, and clarifying the definition of "strategic shift" for Tier 3.
The Government is committed to continually improving EMDG, the most comprehensive and generous program of its kind globally. Austrade will undertake further stakeholder consultation ahead of Round 4 in 2024, in order to consider further EMDG improvements to help balance interest in the program and ensure it continues to support Australian businesses to grow and expand.
Round 3 of the EMDG program opens AEST 9am on Wednesday 15 March and closes AEST 4pm on Friday 14 April 2023. The updated EMDG guidelines and supporting documents are now available so that applicants can prepare to apply ahead of the EMDG online portal opening to applications.
