The CEO of ABGF, Mr. Marcelo Franco, is taking part of the Berne Union/Prague Club Spring Meetings, during the week of the 11th to 15th of May. This year, the meetings are happening in Florence, Italy, where there will be several rounds of presentations, lectures and debates on the export credit insurance and guarantees industry.

The Berne Union was founded in 1934 by private and state export credit insurers from France, Italy, Spain and the UK. Its first meeting was in Berne, Switzerland – which is where the name Berne Union came from.

The main objectives of the BU are aimed at facilitating cross-border trade by supporting international acceptance of sound principles in export credits and foreign investment. Besides that, the BU provides a forum for professional exchanges amongst its members.

The Berne Union Prague Club

The Berne Union established the Prague Club in 1993. The Prague Club aims to support new and maturing export credit agencies and insurers setting up and developing export credit and investment insurance schemes. Nowadays, there are 79 member companies from around the world as members of the Berne Union and the Prague Club.

In 2013, members of the BU collectively insured US$ 1.9 trillion of exports and foreign direct investment – more than 10 % of international trade, and indemnified US$ 4.5 billion to exporters and investors, protecting them from losses suffered due to buyer defaults in all regions of the world.