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London 21:18, 16 May 2012
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Last updated at 12:43 (UK time) 1 Nov 2011

FAQs

Woman officer worker answering a telephone. © Getty Images

I own a company in Greece and wish to export products to the UK. Can you provide assistance?

The Commercial Department of the British Embassy handles issues pertaining to British exports only. For issues related to Greek exports towards the UK, please contact the Commercial Department of the Greek Embassy in London (commercial@greekembassy.org.uk) or the British Hellenic Chamber of Commerce (info@bhcc.gr).

I own a company in Greece and wish to import products from the UK. Can you provide assistance?

Yes. The Commercial Department of the British Embassy is part of the British Government organisation UK Trade & Investment. If you are interested in a specific product or service from the UK we will post a relevant announcement on the UKTI website. Registered companies in the UK will be alerted to this opportunity, and we will bring you into contact with them for further discussions. Please fill in the attached questionnaire with information on your company, and send it via email to trade.athens@fco.gov.uk.

I am thinking of setting up a company in the UK. Is there any guidance available?

For guidance on establishing a company in Britain, please click on the following links:

I am thinking of setting up a company in Greece. Is there any guidance available?

For guidance on establishing a company in Greece, please click on the following links:

  • British Hellenic Chamber of Commerce: Establishing a Company in Greece (SA)
    (http://www.bhcc.gr/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=211&Itemid=490&lang=en - - please copy this link and paste it into your browser address bar)
  • British Hellenic Chamber of Commerce: Establishing a Company in Greece (LTD)
    (http://www.bhcc.gr/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=212&Itemid=491&lang=en - - please copy this link and paste it into your browser address bar)
  • Grant Thornton: Doing Business in Greece
  • Invest in Greece Agency: Doing Business in Greece

Please note that the Government authority responsible for company registrations is the General Secretariat of Commerce (Email: gge@gge.gr, tel: +30 210 3893000, 210 3816241 to 252)

Where can I find a telephone number of a company in Britain?

The Trade Development Section of the British Embassy does not have telephone listings of UK companies. We suggest you try the following options:

  • Perform an internet search for the company’s official website through a British search engine or portal, (e.g. www.google.co.uk, www.bing.co.uk, www.yahoo.co.uk etc.) using the full name of the company. If you find it, go to the section called “contact us” which usually contains the telephone numbers.

  • If you can not find the official website of the company, or if the site does not have a telephone number, perform a new internet search using the name of the company plus the word “telephone”. It may come up in other sites (e.g. business directories)

  • You can also try searching on the business directory www.kompass.com or on the Yellow Pages site www.yell.co.uk

How can I find out if a British limited (ltd) company really exists?

You can perform a web-check on Companies House, the Executive Agency of the Department for Business Innovation & Skills, where all limited companies in England, Wales and Scotland are registered. Please note that only limited companies are registered, not businesses. Also, please note that Companies House does not have any powers to verify or validate the information submitted by a company when it registers, so its existence on the list must not be interpreted as trustworthiness.

I am a consumer and I’m having problems with a British trader. What can I do?

You can seek further advice and support from the British branch of the European Consumer Centre. The Greek branch of the European Consumer Centre is currently being set up and cannot provide assistance or information.

I am a consumer and I want to purchase something from the UK over the internet. Do you have any advice?

We suggest you visit the British website of the European Consumer Centre, and use Howard the Shopping Assistant. Howard can help you:

  • Avoid fraudulent and unserious web traders
  • Find the serious web traders and get good advice on shopping online
  • Know your rights when shopping online in Europe

I have a company in Greece and I am having problems doing business with a British company. What can I do?

The Greek Embassy in London is responsible for protecting the interests of Greek individuals and businesses in the UK. You can contact them for further information and support. You should also consider seeking legal advice.

I think I have been dealing with a fraudulent company in the UK. What can I do?

If you think a British company is involved in scams or is conducting fraudulent activity, you should first seek legal advice to protect your interests. You may also visit the Companies Investigation Branch (CIB) website which is part of the regulatory arm of the Department of Business Innovation & Skills. You may be able to report the company to this authority. You can also visit the website of Action Fraud for more information.

I would like to move to the UK and find a job, how can I find more information?

Detailed information on working in the UK is available on the British Government website Directgov. Through Directgov you can also click on the link to Jobcentre Plus, if you would like information on how to search for a job. There are many UK websites for job searching, which you can find through internet search engines.

Please be aware that various employment scams have been reported, where jobseekers have received offers for highly paid positions, and been asked to send money as a “guarantee”. Do not send personal information or money to any company or organisation without first confirming that it is legitimate. Keep in mind that sometimes these scams refer to major, well known companies - this does not mean it is safe to proceed. For more information please visit Action Fraud, the UK’s national fraud reporting centre.

I have received a fantastic job offer by a UK company, but they have asked me to send money beforehand. Is this normal procedure?

No. It might be an employment scam so do not send any money or personal information (e.g. passport number, bank details etc) before you make sure the company is legitimate. For more information please visit Action Fraud, the UK’s national fraud reporting centre.

I received an email informing me that I won the lottery. Is it valid?

Probably not. There are many scams which often start with unsolicited mail sent by post, over the phone or via e-mail, and they are all designed to enable criminals to make money at your expense. Scams by e-mail or letter may tell you that you are entitled to money (often through a lottery prize), or that you are the unexpected beneficiary of a will, or seek your help in moving money out of another country, or they may offer you shares or investments. Do not make any payments or send any personal information to the senders. Please visit the website of the Home Office for further information, or Google some of the details from the email or letter (i.e. name of lottery company). You will probably find many sites referring to it as a scam. You can also visit the website of the National Lottery which has pages referring to such scams.

I have a Greek business and would like to find out about opportunities relating to the London 2012 Olympics. Where can I find more information?

CompeteFor, https://www.competefor.com/business/login.jsp, is a free service that enables businesses to compete for contract opportunities linked to the London 2012 Games. With a particular focus on supply chain opportunities, CompeteFor acts as a brokerage service, matching buyers with potential suppliers. Any business can register on CompeteFor. It's easy, free of charge, and only needs to be done once to access thousands of contract opportunities.

I am interested in importing clothes and accessories from the UK, where can I get more information?

UK Fashion Exports helps UK companies to increase their export potential at the same time as assisting buyers and agents to purchase from quality UK suppliers. Members range from the largest UK retailer to the smallest designer. The organisation’s free service to buyers and agents includes:
  • Unrivalled free sourcing service
  • Help and advice on dealing with UK suppliers
  • Programme arranging for your trips to the UK to meet UK suppliers
  • Showroom facilities for meetings with members
Please also see the second question.

Is there a particular area in London where one can find clothes wholesalers?

Yes. There are three main areas in London where clothing wholesalers (and manufacturers) can be found:                                 

1.  The area near Aldgate East underground (metro) station in the East End of London: Commercial Street, Commercial Road, Whitechapel High Street, Fashion Street etc. (mostly cheaper items and imports)

2.  The area near Finsbury Park underground station in North London: Fonthill Road (southern end), Wells Terrace, Goodwin Street etc.

3. The area just north of Oxford Circus underground station in the West End of London.  Main streets are: Great Portland Street, Great Titchfield Street, Eastcastle Street, Mortimer Street and Margaret Street.

(This area used to be full of fashion showrooms.  There are not nearly so many these days but there are still some to be found here)

My question is not included in the above

If you cannot find the answer you are looking for, please write to us at trade.athens@fco.gov.uk