Berne Union

Latest Articles

Publications

30/05/2021

May BUlletin: In search of claims

Where is the avalanche of claims and insolvencies expected to emerge from COVID-19? The picture so far is uneven across geographies, sectors and business lines....

Publications

28/05/2021

Business Confidence Index Q2.21 Published

BCI Q2. Update continues the trend established through the end of 2020 and while risk appetite remains high, insurers continue preparing for rising claims in th...

Outreach

25/05/2021

CSM Workshop: Cooperation for Climate Impact starting 7th June

We are delighted to share a finalised agenda for the workshop and invite all practitioners involved in trade, development and climate finance to register their ...

Member News

21/05/2021

New agency Export Finance Norway superseding GIEK from 1 July

Export Finance Norway will handle all officially supported export credits consisting of export credit guarantees from GIEK and export credit loans from Export C...

Member News

06/05/2021

EXIM Thailand Appoints New President

EXIM Thailand would like to announce the appointment of Dr. Rak Vorrakitpokatorn as President, effective from April 1, 2021

Publications

27/04/2021

April BUlletin: A cross-roads for Africa's post-COVID recovery?

Which approaches can best build upon the opportunities presented by growing intra-regional trade, and investment in sustainable infrastructure?

Member News

15/04/2021

Signe Rähesoo appointed CEO of AS KredEx Krediidikindlustus

The Supervisory Board of AS KredEx Krediidikindlustus has appointed Signe Rähesoo, who has long-term experience in the financial sector, as the Chairman of the ...

Publications

23/03/2021

March BUlletin: Navigating the brave new world of trade

How can we maintain supply of finance, in the face of growing demand and irregular patterns of risk?

Secretariat Update

17/03/2021

Didem Bayseferogullari joins the Berne Union as Committee Manager responsible for the ECA Committee

Didem joined the Berne Union Secretariat in March 2021 with the primary responsibility for managing the ECA Committee.

Publications

25/02/2021

Business Confidence Index Q1.21 Published

A new quarterly report tracking perceived demand, risk appetite, and claims in the export credit insurance industry

Press Release

25/02/2021

Insurers are carefully balancing their risk appetite against a backdrop of uncertainty, increasing demand and anticipated rise in claims

Results from the Q1 2021 Berne Union Business Confidence Survey indicate that demand for export credit insurance continues to increase through the first quarter...

Member News

05/02/2021

James C. Cruse Authorized as Acting EXIM First Vice President and Vice Chairman

EXIM Senior Vice President of Policy Analysis and International Relations James C. Cruse Authorized as Acting EXIM First Vice President and Vice Chairman, Term ...

Publications

02/02/2021

How credit insurance supports the real economy

The Berne Union has published an informational report illustrating the purpose, function and effective impact of credit insurance delivering economic developmen...

Publications

27/11/2020

Berne Union 2020 Yearbook Published

We mark the year of ‘COVID’ and coalescence of mega trends in trade, risk, sustainability, public policy and technology with an examination of the disruption an...

Outreach

12/11/2020

What does the post-COVID landscape for finance of trade and economic development look like?

The Berne Union's Capacity Sharing Marketplace brings together ECAs, DFIs, MDBs and private sector finance/insurance to explore how the marketplace is adjusting

Secretariat Update

09/11/2020

Jonathan Skovbro Steenberg joins the Secretariat as Economic Research Analyst

Jonathan joined the Secretariat in November 2020 with the primary responsibility to produce research-based industry output for members and other stakeholders. H...

Press Release

23/10/2020

Credit insurers prepare for increases in COVID-related claims in early 2021 during AGM Stocktake

Oct 2020 Press Release: AGM Industry Stocktake / SACE's Michal Ron Elected President / New Structure for Berne Union Committees

Member News

23/10/2020

Appointment of New Elected Officials including Michal Ron (SACE) as President

Members of the Berne Union voted to appoint new elected officials, including Michal Ron (SACE) as the new President and Christina Westholm-Schroder (SOVEREIGN) ...

Secretariat Update

23/10/2020

New Commitee Structure better aligns the Berne Union with market reality

Members of the Berne Union have voted to adjust the structure of its Committees to better facilitate the de facto engagement between members, reflective of unde...

Job Vacancy

18/09/2020

Job Vacancy: Commitee Manager / Associate Director (investment and mlt credit insurance focus)

A position has opened to join the Secretariat Team as Committee Manager / Associate Director with a focus on investment insurance, PRI and export credit - apply...

Secretariat Update

17/09/2020

Aman Union Industry Awards - call for nominations

the AU is accepting submissions from all industry professionals for an award recognising an exceptional piece of research. Submission deadline is 31st October

Press Release

15/09/2020

2020 H1 Data: No increase in claims paid but contraction in new commitments

September 2020 Press Release presents a preliminary report on the business activity of Berne Union Members in the first half of 2020 and indicates that the expe...

Publications

11/09/2020

Just Published 2019 Industry Data Review provides a valuable pre-COVID benchmark

Berne Union Members provided USD 2.4 tn of cover in direct support of export credit and foreign investments in 2019, and paid out USD 6.2 bn - download the repo...

Job Vacancy

23/06/2020

Job Vacancy: Economic Research Analyst

Applications are invited for the position of Economic Research Analyst with the Berne Union Secretariat, based in London

Member News

23/06/2020

Berne Union Insurers join World Bank to help small businesses in poorer nations

AXA XL and Liberty are among a group of 6 private insurers joining the scheme will provide up to $5bn in loans to help enterprises hit by coronavirus

Secretariat Update

05/06/2020

Webinar: Sovereign Debt and Default in Africa

Webinar panel discussion reviewing the economic outlook for Africa, debt sustainability and how investors can prepare for an mitigate emerging risks

Secretariat Update

12/05/2020

Spring Webinars: Global Economic Challenges and the Industry Response to COVID-19

This week the Berne Union is hosting a series of webinars for Members, addressing the impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on trade, the economy, and the future of o...

Publications

21/04/2020

Robust response to the COVID-19 pandemic from the export credit insurance industry

All sides of the market have acted swiftly in response to the crisis, introducing measures to combat the negative economic impact of the pandemic by supporting ...

Secretariat Update

18/04/2020

Joint industry letter to European Policymakers to highlight the value of credit insurance facilitating bank lending

The Berne Union has co-signed a letter to European policymakers, along with 5 other trade finance and insurance associations, highlighting the complementary fun...

Member News

27/02/2020

Job Advertisement: EXPORT Egypt CEO

Export Egypt is seeking applicants to fill the position of CEO for the new Egyptian ECA

Outreach

11/02/2020

IfTI Global Symposium 2020: Fostering Economic Development in a World of Change

Berne Union President Beatriz Reguero will present the welcome address to a cross-industry gathering of public and private institutions at the 2020 IfTI Global ...

Member News

07/02/2020

COFACE SA: Agreement to acquire GIEK Kredittforsikring

COFACE SA announces that it has signed an agreement with the Norwegian ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries regarding the acquisition of GIEK Kredittforsik...

Member News

24/01/2020

Leaders of the 'RCG' (Asian ECAs) Address Development of the Energy Sector through Cooperative Initiatives

11th annual CEO Meeting of the Asian Export Credit Agencies took place on 14-16 January, hosted by NEXI in Tokyo

Member News

16/01/2020

Chubb takes stake in ATI to boost African trade

Chubb is first global property and casualty insurer to invest in Africa's leading multilateral political risk and credit insurance agency

Publications

09/01/2020

January BUlletin: Mega Trends and Trade

Exploring the macro forces impacting trade, 2019 H1 Industry Data Snapshot + Analysis of the Economic Outlook for 2020

Publications

04/11/2019

Berne Union Yearbook 2019

On the 85th anniversary of the Berne Union, our yearbook collects insights and analysis from industry leaders on the state of the export credit and investment i...

Press Release

23/10/2019

PRESS RELEASE: A Challenging environment for trade in the first half of 2019

Insurers reported a declining volume of new commitments alongside a 21% increase in claims paid, citing uncertainty fuelled by increasingly negative trade polic...

MC Announcement

04/10/2019

New Vice President Elected

Christina Westholm-Schröder, Senior Vice President & Chief Underwriter, at Sovereign Risk Insurance has been elected as the new Vice President of the Berne Unio...

Publications

17/09/2019

September BUlletin: Trade in Flux

Latest edition of the Berne Union newsletter with perspectives on international trade, finance and investment from the export credit and political risk insuranc...

Outreach

29/08/2019

Berne Union to Host Capacity Sharing Marketplace in India

This will be a joint workshop for export credit and development institutions, focusing on innovation in Climate Finance, Blended Finance and Infrastructure

Publications

31/07/2019

July BUlletin Released

This edition examines how current trends may influence the future of our industry over the coming decade - featuring the winning essay from the Berne Union's "E...

Secretariat Update

30/07/2019

BU Education Scholarship Awarded to Shelley Schad, AXA XL

The scholarship provides for a fee waiver to join the October 2019 intake of Offenburg University’s Postgraduate course in Finance, Risk and Insurance

Secretariat Update

13/06/2019

Distance Learning in Finance, Risk and Insurance

The Berne Union has Partnered with Offenburg University to provide special access for members undertaking its PG Certificate in Finance, Risk and Insurance

Outreach

05/06/2019

Central Bank of Egypt looking for potential Business Advisors

Central Bank of Egypt request

Outreach

24/05/2019

May BUlletin Released

Addressing the evolving role of international financial institutions in generating sufficient risk capital for development projects and in particular investment...

Member News

23/05/2019

The Berne Union response to the European Banking Authority (EBA)

European Banking Authority (EBA) publishes a consultation paper

Member News

21/05/2019

Increasing MLT outward reinsurance from ECAs placed with the private market

An increasing amount of ECA exposure is being reinsured by the private insurance market, reflecting both the increasing capacity and appetite of private insurer...

Secretariat Update

15/05/2019

RFP: Consultant Report on Best Practice, Role, Structure and Operations of State-Funded ECAs

Commissioned by the German Governmental Development Agency and European Commission, with respect to expansion of Greek export base capacity and skills

Secretariat Update

14/05/2019

RFP: Legal Advisory Services in relation to the establishment of an Egyptian ECA

Central Bank of Egypt is seeking Legal Advisory Services to assist in the establishment of an Egyptian export credit agency. Interested persons should submit an...

Secretariat Update

09/05/2019

Claims and Recoveries Specialist Meeting

Over 120 delegates are gathered in Istanbul for the 2019 Claims and Recoveries Specialist Meeting

Member News

09/05/2019

Welcome to Etihad Credit Insurance

Etihad Credit Insurance has joined the Berne Union as an Observer and participant in the Prague Club Committee

Secretariat Update

09/05/2019

Berne Union Presents at Second Belt and Road Forum in Beijing

Secretary General Vinco David addressed delegates on the role of export credit insurance in the international economic ecosystem

Outreach

23/04/2019

Consulting Opportunity: Operationalisation of Co-Guarantee Platform with AfDB

The African Development Bank is seeking expressions of interest from senior consultants to develop a business plan for operationalisation of its co-guarantee pl...

Press Release

11/04/2019

PRESS RELEASE: Record USD 2.5 trillion of trade and investment supported by Berne Union insurers in 2018

This amounts to the equivalent of 13% of total world cross-border trade

Outreach

11/04/2019

Documents for Export Credit Direct Lending Knowledge Exchange

All documents for the meeting on 8th April are now available online

Secretariat Update

07/04/2019

Spring Meeting Kicks off Tomorrow!

Members of the Berne Union are gathered in Singapore for the 2019 Spring Meeting, which begins on Monday

Press Release

27/03/2019

PRESS RELEASE: 2019 State of the Industry Survey

Respondents foresee growth in insured trade for 2019, countered by a significant deterioration of the risk environment, and the possibility of a recession coupl...

Outreach

08/03/2019

Interview with Secretary General

Vinco David discusses developments in regulation, sustainability and the Berne Union's engagement with banks, development institutions and eximbanks

Job Vacancy

01/02/2019

Job Vacancy: Committee Support Manager / Associate Director

Applications are invited for the position of Committee Support Manager / Associate Director. The role is based in London, as part of the Secretariat ...