Regions

Select a region to see it on the globe.

Close commercial ties with Europe, and a base for reaching further into Africa.

Market entry friction by zone

A qualitative overview of what a company typically faces when entering each zone, and where a trusted third party helps most.

Market entry friction by zone (qualitative)
Zone	Regulatory barriers	Importance of local network	Negotiation pace	Value of a trusted third party
Europe	Harmonised rules across the EU single market, but demanding product compliance and labelling.	Moderate. Formal supplier qualification matters more than personal relationships.	Structured and procurement-driven, with formal approval steps.	Moderate. Credibility with a first buyer and knowledge of country differences.
Gulf and Middle East	Varies by state: licensing routes, agency rules and local-content expectations differ.	High. Relationships and in-person meetings carry weight.	Relationship-first, with decisions that can take time.	High. Access to the right decision-maker and a check on local partners.
North Africa	Moderate. Customs and product approvals apply, with trade ties to the EU.	High. Local distributors and specifiers shape access.	Steady, with French-language and Arabic-language business practice.	High. Partner selection and alignment of expectations.
Sub-Saharan Africa	Fragmented. Regional frameworks exist, but customs, standards and payments differ by country.	High. Reliable local partners are the main access route.	Variable, with payment security often settled early.	High. Counterpart checks and structuring of first transactions.

Qualitative assessment by CCE based on public frameworks. It is not a statistical index and varies by country, sector and product.

Business introductions between Europe, the Middle East and Africa, by service, sector and market.