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Advice, structuring, direct financing, and coverage. Export Finance Solutions, the agency’s new product, offers a wide range of services.
As recently reported by a press release from the National Bank, Belgium’s exports have shown a mixed performance in recent months. The main issue lies with deliveries outside the European Union, which fell by just over 9% between October and December 2025. Over the entire year, a quarter of the decline in Belgian exports can be attributed to the U.S. market, according to our colleagues at L’Echo.
Disruption
It is impossible not to see this as a direct or indirect consequence of the instability caused by U.S. tariff measures. “With Trump, we are witnessing the militarization of economic relations. Even if its impact on global flows is less significant than expected, it is highly disruptive and creates uncertainty for exporters worldwide,” emphasizes Nabil Jijakli, Deputy CEO of CREDENDO, who also points out the harmful effects of the U.S. agency for international development, USAID, losing its budget. Beyond that, the continuous decline of the dollar naturally penalizes European exporters’ revenues to the United States.
Thus, Nabil Jijakli continues, even though global indicators show some resilience in international trade, the number of information requests sent to CREDENDO by companies has increased significantly in recent months. However, fluctuations in tariffs and exchange rates are not risks covered by insurers, he reminds. Commercial banks, on the other hand, provide various protection mechanisms.
New Service for SMEs
In today’s turbulent geopolitical context—from Ukraine to the Middle East, the South China Sea, Sub-Saharan Africa, and South America—CREDENDO’s launch of Export Finance Solutions comes at a particularly opportune moment. This new service aims to support exporters through an “all-inclusive package” for financing their export contracts. “The banking landscape in Belgium has changed considerably in recent years. Some players have withdrawn from export financing. In addition, we received feedback from the field that many SMEs, largely due to compliance requirements, were increasingly struggling—especially for smaller amounts—to find the right solution at a reasonable cost. We certainly don’t aim to compete with banks, but we wanted to fill this gap in the available offering,” explains the Deputy CEO.
Top-Tier Advisory
Designed especially for SMEs, the service initially provides tailor-made advice. The credit insurer supports the entrepreneur in identifying the most suitable structure to secure financing and manage political and commercial risks. “We help them respond to questions that may arise during their financing rounds. We advise, for example, on optimizing loan durations or on guarantees a client can provide—tasks usually handled by banks for larger deals,” adds Nabil Jijakli.
CREDENDO then participates in the very structuring of the deal. To optimize transactions and identify the best banking financing options, it leverages its extensive international network of financial partners.
Tailored to Market Needs
Where needed, the agency can also provide the necessary resources through direct financing solutions such as forfaiting and buyer credit. “We have raised our thresholds, now up to €25 million. Loan durations have also been adapted to market needs. But even more importantly for SMEs, we can support transactions starting from €100,000,” Nabil Jijakli emphasizes. Additionally, the credit insurer can cover a contract up to 95–98%.
Finally, even before entering the first negotiations, it is wise to understand the various risks associated with the target market or client. Beyond country ratings and sector studies, CREDENDO offers any SME the opportunity to obtain a free credit assessment of three foreign debtors. So, it is never too early to reach out to them.
“Many small and medium-sized businesses (…) were finding it increasingly difficult to find a suitable solution at a reasonable cost. We certainly don’t want to compete with banks, but we wanted to fill this gap in the available market” — Nabil Jijakli, Deputy CEO of CREDENDO
To round out your export strategy, consider tapping into government procurement markets as well
