Buyer’s credit granted through the importer’s bank

Buyer's credit granted through the importer's bank ("Credit") is meant for financing purchases of Polish investment goods and services carried under export contracts concluded by Polish exporters with foreign parties. Credit is granted to a BGK approved foreign bank ("Borrower"), which in turn grants a direct credit to the importer (i.e. buyer of Polish goods/services, "Importer"). Credit is insured by the Korporacja Ubezpieczeń Kredytów Eksportowych S.A. (Export Credit Insurance Corporation, „KUKE")

Key benefits for the Importer:

• obtaining medium- and long-term financing for purchase of investment goods and services,
• more favorable terms of credit in comparison to instruments offered by local banks,
• reduction of performance risk - credit disbursements are made against presentation of documents accepted by the Importer,
• possibility of obtaining funding of KUKE insurance premium,
• deferral of contractual payments.

Basic terms:

• Repayment period - depends on the Importer's country and industry - from 2 up to 12 years.
• The Credit may finance up to 85% of the value of exported goods/services. Not less than 15% of the value of exported goods/services must constitute the Importer's own share and should be paid directly to the exporter ("Exporter") in cash as an advance payment, before commencement of contract.
• The Credit is drawn after partial or complete fulfillment of contractual obligations by the Exporter. A disbursement is made to exporter's account, to debit of the Credit account, against presentation of commercial documents compliant with conditions of the export contract and the Credit agreement by the exporter. Disbursement is effected within 5 banking days from the date of presentation of the documents in BGK.
• The Credit is repaid in equal installments and in equal periods of time, monthly, quarterly or semi-annually. The first installment is payable no later than 6 months from the date of the fulfillment of contract by the Exporter.

Cost of Credit:

• interest (payable by the Borrower, that is the Importer's bank) based on:
• fixed (during the whole period of financing) interest rate, namely the CIRR (Commercial Interest Reference Rate) rate (info available only in Polish) or
• floating rate EURIBOR/LIBOR increased by a margin covering the liquidity risk of BGK

• administration fee - currently equal to 0,5% per annum (payable by the Borrower),
• KUKE insurance premium - payable by the Borrower, calculated by KUKE individually for each Credit (payable by the Borrower)
• legal costs - cost of a legal opinion confirming effectiveness of the concluded Credit agreement and/or the costs of providing and monitoring of potential collaterals (covered by the Borrower).

Scheme of financing:

1. Conclusion of a commercial contract between the Exporter and the Importer.
2. Conclusion of an agreement between BGK and the Exporter („Agreement with the Exporter") which advises the Exporter of the terms of utilization of Credit, disbursement procedure and which defines principles of cooperation during period of disbursements and repayment of Credit.
3. Conclusion of the Credit agreement between BGK and the Importer's bank (as the Borrower).
4. Conclusion of the relevant credit agreement between the Importer's bank and the Importer.
5. Issuance of insurance cover by KUKE (upon submission of an application from BGK).
6. Shipment of goods or performance of services by the Exporter as stated in the export contract.
7. Submission of commercial documents required in the „Agreement with the Exporter" and in the Credit agreement, confirming that the export has been effected by the Exporter to BGK.
8. BGK makes a disbursement of the Credit, making a direct payment to the Exporter and simultaneously debiting Credit account with amount of the disbursement. In turn, the Importer is debited with the disbursed amount pursuant to the relevant credit agreement concluded between the Borrower (the Importer's bank) and the Importer.
9. The Borrower repays the Credit in installments, according to schedule prepared by BGK - the Importer repays the credit to the Importer's bank. Irrespective of that, the Borrower (the Importer's Bank) repays the Credit to BGK.

How to obtain financing
1. An inquiry about the possibility of granting the Credit may be made by the Exporter, Importer and a potential Borrower (Importer's bank). Following information should be enclosed in the inquiry:

• Exporter's name,
• Importer's name, country and legal status,
• name of the Importer's bank (for BGK to evaluate the bank as a potential borrower),
• object of the export contract,
• value of the export contract,
• amount of the advance payment to be paid by the Importer, specifying mode of payment,
• amount of requested Credit,
• period of deliveries/performance of services,
• expected period of repayment, frequency of repayments.
  

2. After analyzing the inquiry and upon receipt of a response from KUKE about possibility of providing insurance cover for the Credit, BGK responds to the inquiry. If granting of the Credit is possible, BGK submits an initial offer with the costs of the Credit.
3. In case of a positive assessment of the Importer carried out by the Importer's Bank in regard to possibility of granting a relevant credit to the Importer (on-lending of the Credit to the Importer), the Importer's bank (as the future Borrower) submits a formal credit application. The following documents should be enclosed in the application:

• copy of the banking license, confirmed by a notary public,
• copy of the bank charter, confirmed by a notary public,
• audited balances and profit and loss accounts of 3 recent years (annual reports),
• current list of shareholders.
  

4. Upon receipt of a positive credit decision, BGK provides the Borrower with a draft of the Credit agreement, negotiates its formulation and concludes the Credit agreement with the Borrower.
5. Simultaneously, BGK concludes the „Agreement with the Exporter". The aim of the Agreement is to inform the Exporter about terms of utilization of Credit, disbursement procedure and to define principles of mutual cooperation during period of disbursements and repayment of Credit.
6. Generally, the Credit may be utilized provided that BGK has received the KUKE insurance policy, a positive legal opinion, the Borrower's document confirming the terms of the Credit agreement, the payment from the Borrower of the insurance premium and the first part of the administration fee, as well as, confirmation from the Exporter about the receipt of the advance payment from the Importer.
7. After fulfillment of conditions of the first utilization of the Credit and after delivery of goods or performance of services, the Exporter presents to BGK commercial documents confirming that export has been effected. If the documents are compliant with the export contract and the Credit agreement, BGK makes a disbursement of the Credit within 5 business days counting from submission of documents and debits the Credit account held in BGK. Next, BGK sends the commercial documents to the Borrower, which are then dispatched to the Importer.

The product of Poland
Principles of recognition of exported products and services as the "Product of Poland" are defined in the order of the Minister of Economy of 6th August 2001 (Polish Journal of Laws of 2001, No. 101, Item 1097) which indicates the maximum percentage share of the foreign content in exported final product, allowing product to be categorized as the "Product of Poland ".
In general, foreign content may not exceed 50% of the value of exported product or service, exceptions are defined in the Order.

Contact:
Foreign Trade Support Department
tel. +48 22 599 81 64, +48 22 596 59 50, +48 22 596 58 05
fax. +48 22 522 91 28
e-mail: dwhz@bgk.com.pl
Al. Jerozolimskie 7, 00-955 Warszawa