Luxembourg Export Credit Agency

What Luxembourg Export Credit Agency does

Office du Ducroire (ODL) is Luxembourg's official public Export Credit Agency, established in 1961 and reorganized under the law of December 4, 2019. It operates as an établissement public under the oversight of the Luxembourg Ministry of Finance, with insurance operations in non-OECD markets generally guaranteed by the Luxembourg State. ODL offers two core product lines: a portfolio of six insurance products — Export Credit Insurance (covering short-term, medium/long-term, buyer credit, supplier credit, and contract guarantee risk), Foreign Investment Insurance, Prefinancing Insurance, Guarantee Commitment Insurance (up to 50% of bank guarantee lines), Bank Credit Insurance (up to 50% of credit lines), and Top-Up Policy for amounts above private insurer limits — and a financial support programme providing grants (under European De Minimis rules, capped at €300,000 per company over a rolling three-year period, plus a separate €10,000/year YMC scheme) for international promotion costs including trade fairs, marketing, market studies, IP protection, and overseas prospecting entities.

ODL's technology footprint is minimal by design; the institution is a policy body providing government-backed insurance instruments rather than a software or technology company. Revenue is generated through risk-assessed insurance premiums whose pricing depends on policy type, payment terms, debtor financial standing, and country risk classification (under OECD methodology). Distribution is exclusively domestic Luxembourg — direct to all sizes of exporting companies and to banks — through account managers (specialized by ESG & International Affairs, Financial Support & Marketing, and Financial Support & Insurance), the mandatory MyGuichet.lu government portal for grant applications, and the COPEL committee for export promotion governance. Customer segments are explicitly diversified across SMEs, international groups, startups/micro-companies, and Luxembourg banks, with no individual customer concentration disclosed.

Name

Luxembourg Export Credit Agency

Legal name

Office du Ducroire

Website

https://odl.lu/en/homepage/

Company type

Private

Founded year

1961

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Luxembourg's public Export Credit Agency, established 1961, providing government-backed export credit insurance and De Minimis-compliant financial support grants to Luxembourg exporters and banks, with non-OECD operations guaranteed by the Luxembourg State.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Export Credit Insurance & Financial Aid

NAICS

International Affairs (92812)

SIC

Surety Insurance (6351), International Affairs (9721)

akta.pro primary industry

Export Credit Agencies (ECAs) & Official Export Finance (FSABAKAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Financial Regulation, AML/CFT & Tax Transparency Cooperation (BPADANAL)

Keywords

• Export credit insurance
• Foreign investment insurance
• Bank credit insurance
• Guarantee commitment insurance
• Export promotion grants

Headquarters

HQ city

Luxembourg

HQ country

Luxembourg

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Export Credit Insurance Premiums: ODL charges insurance premiums to Luxembourg exporting companies and banks for coverage against political, commercial, and force majeure risks of non-payment, cancellation, and non-reimbursement. Premiums depend on the policy type, payment terms, customer financial risk assessment, and country risk. The insurance solutions mainly apply to non-OECD markets and operations are generally guaranteed by the Luxembourg State.
2. Financial Aid / Grants (De Minimis): ODL provides financial aid to Luxembourg exporters through partial contributions to international promotion costs, regulated by European De Minimis rules. Maximum amount is €300,000 per single company over a rolling three-year period. Aid covers eligible costs such as graphic design, translation, trade fair participation, international marketing, market studies, intellectual property protection, and prospecting entity establishment. A separate YMC (Young and/or Micro-Companies) scheme offers up to €10,000 annually.
3. Foreign Investment Insurance Premiums: Covers investors against political risk in host countries including expropriation, war, transfer restrictions, and breach of contract. The insurance normally covers capital value and may be extended to investment income and further investments.
4. Bank Credit Insurance & Guarantee Commitment Insurance: Covers banks that grant credit lines to Luxembourg exporting companies, enabling them to reduce risk by covering up to 50% of loan portions against non-reimbursement risk. Also covers bank guarantees (advance payment bonds, performance bonds) up to 50% of guarantee lines to facilitate their granting.
5. Top-Up Insurance Premiums: One-off, case-by-case coverage for amounts above the limits granted by private credit insurers, enabling Luxembourg exporters to have full coverage against non-payment risks that private credit insurers do not or only partially cover.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Office du Ducroire (ODL) is Luxembourg's public Export Credit Agency, providing government-backed insurance solutions covering political, commercial, and force majeure risks for export contracts, foreign investments, prefinancing, bank guarantees, and bank credit lines. It also delivers regulated financial aid (de minimis grants) to Luxembourg exporting companies for international promotion costs including trade fairs, marketing, market studies, intellectual property protection, and prospecting entity establishment outside the EU/EFTA.

Product overview

Office du Ducroire (ODL) is Luxembourg's public Export Credit Agency established in 1961, offering two main categories of services: insurance products and financial support programs. The insurance portfolio comprises six core products: Export Credit Insurance (covering short-term, medium-and long-term, buyer credits, supplier credits, and contract guarantees), Foreign Investment Insurance, Prefinancing Insurance, Guarantee Commitment Insurance, Bank Credit Insurance, and Top-Up Policy. The financial support division provides grants for international promotion through the COPEL committee, with schemes including General Scheme (up to €300,000 over 3 years) and YMC Scheme for young/micro-companies (up to €10,000/year). Support categories cover graphic design, translation, trade fair participation, international marketing, market studies, consulting, certifications, intellectual property protection, and prospecting entity establishment outside EU/EFTA.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Export Credit Insurance Government-backed insurance covering Luxembourg companies against the risk of cancellation or non-payment of export contracts due to political, force majeure, or commercial reasons (insolvency or debtor default). Covers both pre-delivery (cancellation) and post-delivery (non-payment) risks, available in short-term, special cash transactions, medium-and long-term, buyer credit, supplier credit, and contract guarantee variants.
• Foreign Investment Insurance
• Prefinancing Insurance
• Guarantee Commitment Insurance
• Bank Credit Insurance
• Top-Up Policy
• General Scheme Financial Aid
• YMC Scheme (Young and/or Micro-Companies)

Quantifiable outcome

• Financial support up to €300,000 per company over 3-year period under De Minimis Regulation
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Allianz Trade (formerly Euler Hermes)minorOthersListed as an external link on ODL's partner resources page. Allianz Trade is a major credit insurance provider that ODL references as part of the broader credit insurance ecosystem.
• OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerODL operates under the OECD Arrangement on Officially Supported Export Credits and complies with OECD Recommendations on Common Approaches, Bribery, and Sustainable Lending Practices. The OECD establishes minimum premium rates and country risk classification methodologies that ODL follows. ESG procedure adopted in April 2022 in cooperation with client base and aligned with OECD guidelines.
• INDR (Institut National pour le Développement Durable et la Responsabilité Sociale des Enterprises)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerINDR promotes CSR and corporate social responsibility in Luxembourg, offering full support to companies. INDR awarded ODL the ESR (Entreprise Socialement Responsable) Label for three years. INDR undertakes normative role, distributes knowledge on CSR, and collaborates with main sustainable development players. ODL supports INDR's mission and objectives.
• World Bank GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferenced as an external link and partner. ODL benchmarks environmental and social performance against World Bank safeguard policies in its ESG procedure. Also supports the Joint World Bank-IMF Debt Sustainability Framework for Low Income Countries.
• International Finance Corporation (IFC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferenced as an external link and partner. ODL benchmarks project environmental and social performance against IFC's eight performance standards as part of its ESG due diligence process.
• Luxembourg Ministry of FinancecoreOthersODL is a public institution under government oversight. The Ministry of Finance appoints the Chairman and members of ODL's Board of Directors for 5-year terms. Arsène JACOBY serves as Chairman representing the Ministry of Finance. Claude WIRION from the private sector chairs the Audit and Budget Committee with Arsène JACOBY as Ministry of Finance representative.
• Luxembourg Ministry of Foreign AffairscoreOthersThe Ministry of Foreign Affairs appoints Board members (Angèle DA CRUZ, Max FISCHBACH) and co-chairs the COPEL committee with Max FISCHBACH as Chairman and Benjamin BOSCH as member. ODL's mission includes supporting Luxembourg exporters' international development through diplomatic channels.
• Luxembourg Ministry of the EconomycoreOthersThe Ministry of the Economy appoints a Board member (Gilles SCHOLTUS) and is a key government stakeholder in ODL's export promotion mission.
• Chamber of Commerce of the Grand Duchy of LuxembourgminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorListed as a linked partner. The Chamber of Commerce is a key reference and referral channel for Luxembourg businesses seeking ODL's services, providing visibility and cross-promotion of export support programs.
• MIGA (Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as an external link. MIGA is part of the World Bank Group and provides political risk insurance and guarantees. ODL references multilateral guarantee agencies as part of the broader export credit ecosystem.
• European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as an external link. ODL uses EBRD safeguard policies and guidelines as reference in its ESG procedure for environmental and social due diligence.
• Asian Development BankminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as an external link and reference organization for export credit and development finance best practices.
• LuxDevelopmentminorOthersListed as a linked partner. LuxDevelopment is Luxembourg's development cooperation agency, referenced as part of the broader development and export ecosystem.
• IPIL (Institut de la Propriete Intellectuelle Luxembourg)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerReferenced for intellectual property protection services. ODL encourages companies to consult IPIL for trademark, design, model registration, and patent applications covered under ODL's financial support for IP protection.
• Insurance Commissioner (Commissariat aux Assurances)coreOthersThe Insurance Commissioner (Yves BAUSTERT) is a member of ODL's Board of Directors, providing regulatory oversight of ODL's insurance operations.
• House of Sustainability LuxembourgminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a linked resource. The House of Sustainability provides information on sustainability legal frameworks and financial aid available to finance sustainable investment projects. ODL refers companies to this resource.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Coface: Second-largest global trade credit insurer offering export credit insurance, foreign investment insurance, and surety bonds. Directly comparable to ODL's core insurance products across similar buyer and country risk underwriting.
• Atradius: Major European-headquartered trade credit insurer providing export credit insurance and debt collection. Offers the same suite of political and commercial risk products to exporters, serving as a direct competitor and peer in ODL's category.
• EKN (Sweden's ECA): Swedish Export Credit Agency providing state-backed export credit insurance and guarantees. Comparable to ODL as a small advanced-economy ECA with similar product mix operating under OECD Common Approaches.
• Allianz Trade (formerly Euler Hermes): World's largest trade credit insurer, explicitly referenced in ODL's partner resources. Operates the same export credit insurance category — political, commercial, and force majeure coverage — and is simultaneously a competitor in the top-up space and a peer in the global trade credit insurance ecosystem.
• UK Export Finance (UKEF): UK's official Export Credit Agency operating under an explicit government mandate. Structurally identical to ODL — sovereign-backed export credit insurance, foreign investment insurance, and bank guarantee support — making it the closest public-sector ECA peer.
• SERV (Swiss Export Risk Insurance): Switzerland's official export credit insurer offering political and commercial risk coverage for Swiss exporters. Direct mandate and product comparison to ODL's export credit insurance, also operating under OECD framework.
• SACE: Italy's official Export Credit Agency, member of the OECD Arrangement, providing the same suite of political and commercial risk insurance products. Closely comparable in mandate, product range, and state-backed operating model.
• MIGA (Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency): World Bank Group political risk insurance agency offering guarantees against expropriation, war, and transfer restrictions — directly mirroring ODL's foreign investment insurance product. Multilateral peer for cross-border investment risk underwriting.
• Credendo (formerly Euler Hermes Belgium): Belgium's official Export Credit Agency offering export credit insurance and political risk coverage. Comparable in scale and mandate to ODL, and a fellow small European market ECA operating under OECD Common Approaches.

Broad incumbents

• Bpifrance: France's public investment bank providing export finance, credit insurance, and business development support. Broader portfolio than ODL but directly comparable in the export credit insurance category (via Bpifrance Assurance Export).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses6 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments2 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Luxembourg Export Credit Agency