DER Global

Market Strategy

The Quiet Buyers: Why UK Exporters Keep Missing the German-Speaking Mittelstand

British exporters talk endlessly about Berlin's startup scene and Brussels' rulebook, yet some of the most reliable buyers in Europe are family-owned firms in southern Germany, Austria and Switzerland. They are hard to find, slower to persuade and loyal once won. That is precisely why they matter.

Nov 7, 2026

Trade Policy

The Margin Eaters: Five TCA Frictions UK Exporters Can No Longer Afford

The 2026 stocktake of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement will be judged in London and Brussels by political deliverables. For mid-market exporters, it will be judged by paperwork, veterinary bills and the cost of a customs agent. Here are five frictions worth campaigning on — and what to tell trade bodies and MPs before the negotiating brackets close.

Nov 7, 2026