Last week eBay Australia released the Opportunity Economy Report. Shared with key politicians in Canberra and beyond, the report measures optimism levels in the industry, attitudes towards emerging technologies, deep dives into perceived barriers to growth, export behaviors and, perhaps most importantly, a variety of Australian small and medium business (SMB) case studies.  Key findings include:

Throughout 2016 eBay has participated in key trade missions, panels and meetings in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region regarding free trade and the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP).  These events and meetings have taken place in Australia, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia and New Zealand, five of the twelve countries in the TPP. The focus has been on the importance of small businesses exporting beyond their borders. Also of focus has been raising awareness about the critical nature of a multilateral free trade agreement such as the TPP in supporting trade in APAC.

Pictured from left to right are Kimberly Wotherspoon, Head of Online Sales & Marketing for Lumbermart (eBay Canada’s Exporter of the Year for 2015), Raj Grewal, Member of Parliament Brampton East and Member of the Standing Committee on Finance, and Andrea Stairs, Managing Director of eBay Canada

eBay’s Nikolaus Lindner presents representatives from the city of Diepholz with their winner’s certificate.

Hanne Melin, Director of Global Public Policy, eBay Public Policy Lab

This week Caitlin Brosseau, eBay Senior Manager Government Relations, participated in an event hosted by the Progressive Policy Institute (PPI) to highlight how modernized trade agreements can encourage exporting by small US businesses like those on eBay.  

Tabrez Ahmad, Head of eBay GR India, accepts the award on behalf of Latif Nathani, VP and Head of eBay India.