The Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB) and Germany’s Import Promotion Desk (IPD) will formalize their longstanding collaboration through a Cooperation Agreement, expanding support to Sri Lanka’s digital products and services sector alongside natural ingredients and processed foods.
Since 2019, EDB and IPD have partnered to strengthen Sri Lanka’s export competitiveness, particularly in natural ingredients. Their joint initiatives have enabled small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to meet European Union (EU) market requirements, improve compliance, and establish valuable buyer connections.
During the visit to Colombo from 8–12 September 2025, IPD Head Dr. Julia Bellinghausen met with EDB Chairman & CEO Mr. Mangala Wijesinghe and senior officials to review achievements and discuss future priorities. She also held discussions with Mrs. Sarah Hasselbarth, Deputy Head of Mission of the German Embassy in Sri Lanka, focusing on SME development and strengthening EDB’s advisory role in export promotion.
Accompanying Dr. Bellinghausen was Mr. Stefan Schutze Tobar, Expert Sourcing & Sector Lead – Digital Products and Services at IPD Germany, who visited Sri Lankan IT service providers to assess their export potential and identify companies suitable for inclusion in IPD’s matchmaking programme, which links IT service SMEs with European buyers.
“This partnership has already delivered concrete market linkages and institutional know-how. The expansion into digital products and services will enable Sri Lankan SMEs to access new opportunities in Europe, while building on our success in natural ingredients,” said Mr. Mangala Wijesinghe, Chairman & CEO of EDB.
“Sri Lanka has dynamic SMEs and promising export potential. Through this cooperation, we aim to provide long-term, sustainable market access opportunities for Sri Lankan companies in Europe, while also strengthening EDB’s role as a key export promotion agency,” noted Dr. Julia Bellinghausen, Head of IPD.
Over the past five years, the partnership has produced tangible results. Sri Lankan exporters of essential oils, spices, coconut-based products and processed foods have been introduced to leading European buyers through sourcing missions and trade fairs such as Biofach and Anuga. Training workshops and coaching programmes have prepared exporters to meet sustainability standards, buyer expectations and regulatory requirements. Special initiatives to support women-led businesses have enabled female entrepreneurs to enter European markets, while train-the-trainer programmes have enhanced the capacity of EDB officers to provide advisory services across the country.
The new Cooperation Agreement will provide a structured framework to scale up these efforts by extending IPD’s advisory and matchmaking services to digital products and services sector, while continuing support for natural ingredients and processed foods. It will also strengthen SME capacity through tailored coaching on EU market entry strategies, sustainability and export documentation, and enhance EDB’s institutional expertise with collaborative training aligned to European market regulations. In addition, the agreement will facilitate curated B2B matchmaking sessions, sourcing missions and greater participation in leading international trade fairs.
The partnership underscores the growing role of digital products and services as a driver of export growth for Sri Lanka while reinforcing the country’s traditional strengths in natural ingredients and processed foods.
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