Whether this outward investment, so visible on the Internet, will be as effective as the in-house variety remains to be seen.

The magazine has a circulation of 20,000 UK companies trading across borders, predominantly involved in export, import, outward investment and inward investment.

As of December 2010 the UK had the third-largest stock of both inward and outward foreign direct investment.

Can the combination of both inward and outward investment be made complementary to rather than a substitute for domestic investment?

But outward investment from the UK into other member states will be de-restricted in terms of the domestic legislation of those member states.

And barriers would be placed in the way of outward investment flows too, for example restricting access to emerging markets.

Firstly, the report identifies the benefits that outward investments bring, both for the European Union and the countries which receive FDI.

Most nations favour actively attracting inward foreign investment, and would only support outward foreign investment passively.

The People's Republic of China, however, attaches importance to both inward and outward foreign investment.

"The outward investment is expected to reach a record high of about $500 million this year," Mr.