MITC
Trade Bulletin
The Maine International Trade
Center's Biweekly Electronic News Service.
Tuesday,
February 11, 2003
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MITC MINI-MISSIONS CeBIT 2003 Maine Seafood Mission to Europe TRADE ALERTS China Business Exploration Mission MITC to launch “Maine Products” program TRADE EVENTS Network 2003 Trends in Information and Communications Technology Global Matchmaking Reception at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) show Grant program open for applications TRADE SHOWS USDA Promotes Exports in Canada Canadian Food & Beverage
Show
AFIA AGRO de las Americas AAHAR 2003 SIAL Montreal 2003 New Language Classes offered U.S. and Southern African
Nations Plan FTA Negotiations
USEFUL WEBSITES |
Visa
Options & Labor Solutions: creative recruiting solutions for
manufacturers and service providers
will be hosted by the Maine International Trade Center. This
seminar teaches employers of foreign nationals how business immigration
regulations and nonimmigrant visa categories can bring foreign-born
workers onboard and maintain their lawful status.
Topics to be covered include Visas H-2, H-3, H-1B and L-1 among
others.
The seminar the sixth, in the Citizens
Bank International Trade Education Series, will be held on February
13, 2003 from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm at the Maine International Trade Center
on 511 Congress Street.
Cost is $30.00 for members and $60.00 for non-members of the
Maine International Trade Center and free to all Maine state
legislators.
For more information contact Catherine G. Macri at macri@mitc.com
or (207) 541-7455 or see our website at www.mitc.com.
The
Accidental Exporter: a primer on how to handle international
opportunities and challenges will be hosted by the
Lincoln County Economic Development Office, Maine International Trade
Center and Coastal Enterprises, Inc. will be held February 25, 2003,
from 2:00 P.M. to 4:00 PM at the Lincoln County Economic Development
Center on 35 Water Street in Wiscasset, Maine.
For more information or directions contact Paul Harrison at
882-7552 or pjh@ceimaine.org. This
workshop is provided free of charge. Intercultural
Aspects of Doing Business in Europe
hosted by The Maine International Trade Center will explore the
intercultural aspects of trading between the U.S. and Germany.
This program will be held on March 3rd from 5:00 pm to 6:30 pm at
the Maine International Trade Center on 511 Congress Street.
This seminar is free and open to the public, registration is
necessary.
For more information or to register contact Catherine G. Macri at macri@mitc.com
or (207) 541-7455 or see our website at www.mitc.com Food
Export to Mexico Program Features Mexican Seafood Buyers:
A delegation of seven Mexican seafood buyers is arriving for the Boston
Seafood Show the week of March 10th and will be hosted by the
Maine International Trade Center.
These buyers include both retail and foodservice distributors and
top retailers. On March 14th from 10:00-12:00 MITC will hold
a program on Food Export to Mexico
featuring the Food and Agricultural Attaché with the Foreign
Agricultural Service in Mexico City. Subsequent to the presentation,
there will be a Special Seafood Panel where buyers from the incoming
delegation will explain buying trends on the Mexican seafood market and
how they source product.
A question and answer period will follow where Maine companies
can express their interests and inquiries. For more information on this
program and the incoming delegation, please contact Janine Bisaillon-Cary
at 541-7412 or e-mail jbcary@mitc.com.
Maine
Seafood Mission to Europe.
The week of May 5-9, MITC will bring four companies to the
European Seafood Show “ESE” in Brussels.
With over 900 companies from 100 different countries, the ESE is
the foremost seafood show in Europe. The mission includes matchmaking
meetings, exhibit space at a Maine booth and a special seafood buyer’s
dinner. Participating companies represent some of Maine’s most
important seafood products including lobster, scallops, monkfish, squid
and groundfish. This mission is sure to produce results for Maine’s
growing seafood export industry. Contact Janine Bisaillon-Cary at jbcary@mitc.com Futurallia
2003, May
21-23, 2003 in Quebec City. The Maine International Trade Center
is recruiting for Futurallia 2003, one of the world’s preeminent
matchmaking events for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). 800
companies from around the world are expected to attend the 2003 event in
Quebec. Targeted industry
sectors include most types of manufacturing, wood processing and
building materials, environmental and information technologies; food and
agriculture; and healthcare. This
is an excellent opportunity for Maine firms to develop export markets
and to learn about the international marketplace. See the Futurallia
website (www.futurallia-online.com).
Cost is $500 for MITC members, which includes 12 business matches,
hotel accommodations, meals, on-site translation services, and access to
the Futurallia website. MITC
nonmembers pay US$600. For more information or to register, contact Wade
Merritt at the Bangor office at (207) 990-3161, or by e-mail at merritt@mitc.com.
See News article: http://www.bangornews.com/editorialnews/article.cfm?ID=235944
MITC
to launch “Maine Products” program with Maine
Maritime Academy, June 2003: This program is designed to showcase food
and consumer goods from Maine on the tsv State of Maine’s voyage to Nova Scotia, Turkey and Belgium.
MITC will be coordinating receptions in ports and inviting
potential buyers to tour Maine Maritime’s ship and the “Made in
Maine” products.
This will be a rare opportunity for Maine’s small and medium
sized businesses to get worldwide exposure at minimal cost.
Contact Janine Bisaillon-Cary at jbcary@mitc.com.
Trade Events
Trends
in Information and Communications Technology Seminar,
March 6, Vienna. This one-day seminar will present speech and data
convergence products and services to Austrian CIOs and IT managers.
Each participating U.S. firm will be able to give a 30 minutes
presentation. Participation
cost is $2500. For more
information, contact Ingeborg Doblinger, U.S. Department of
Commerce/Vienna, at 43-1-31339-2120 or ingeborg.doblinger@mail.doc.gov Global
Matchmaking Reception at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB)
show, Las Vegas, April 6, 2003, organized by the
Department of Commerce. Countries represented at the 2002 Reception
included Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, Korea, and the
UK. U.S. companies are
invited to display their products and literature at the reception.
For more information, contact Dan Bjerk, U.S. Dapertment of
Commerce. E-mail: Dan.Bjerk@mail.doc.gov
or See: http://www.socaldec.com/NAB03/. Grant
program open for applications
until March 1, 2003. The Special American Business
Internship Training Program (SABIT) is pleased to announce that
applications for its 2003 funding round are available for download at www.mac.doc.gov/sabit.
Over
$1.5 million in grants will be awarded.
Any U.S. organization is eligible.
SABIT is a U.S. Department of Commerce initiative offering
competitive grants to cover a portion of the costs of hosting Eurasian
managers and scientists for three to six months of professional training
in U.S. business, research, and technology development practices.
Organizations can apply to host trainees from Armenia, Azerbaijan,
Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan,
Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan. Visit www.mac.doc.gov/sabit
to download an application.
Trade Shows Canadian/International
Food & Beverage Show,
February 16, 17 and
18, 2003 at the International Centre, 6900 Airport Road, Toronto,
Ontario. This annual
showcase is dedicated exclusively to suppliers of food and beverage
products for the hospitality industry. Over 700 exhibits attracting over 12,000 qualified
attendees, giving them an opportunity to visit international, national,
and local suppliers of specialty, niche, and commodity products.
For further information contact the Canadian Restaurant and
Foodservices Association, 316 Bloor Street West, Toronto, Ontario M5S
1W5, Tel: 416-923-8416, Fax: 416-923-6164 or visit www.fbshow.com AFIA
AGRO de las Americas is
being held March 6-8, 2003 Expo Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico provides
an outstanding opportunity for U.S. suppliers to the grain, chicken,
pork, beef, dairy, feed and aquaculture sectors.
In 2003 NAFTA tariffs on meat products are being eliminated.
U.S. meat companies will be able to sell finished products to
Mexico. AFIA AGRO de las Americas is the largest international
exhibition for the feed/livestock and agricultural industries. For more information see: www.afia-agro.com
SIAL
Montreal 2003,
April
2-4, 2003 in Montreal, Canada is a World-Class gathering of food and
beverage professionals featuring over 850 exhibitors from 50 countries
and 15,000 attendees. Best Prospects:
Fresh and processed fruits and vegetables, breakfast cereals,
fish and seafood products, snack foods, bakery products, mixes and
dough, processed beef and pork products, wine and beer, sauces and
condiments, and bottled water and soft drinks.
Excellent opportunity exists for organic, Kosher and Asian Foods.
Contact: Teresina
Chin, USDA Washington, Tel: 202-720-9423. See:
http://www.sialmontreal.com/en/welcome.ch2
Comdex IT France 2003, April 1-3, Paris. Europe's third largest IT event after CeBIT and SMAU. The show is expected to have 1500 exhibitors and 120,000 trade professionals and will feature the entire computer and peripheral industry. There is a U.S. Pavilion with prices ranging from $2500-$5600. For more information, see: http://exportit.ita.doc.gov ==> Regional Pages ==> Europe ==> Upcoming Trade Events. Contact: Jon_Boyens@ita.doc.gov. HOFEX
2003,
May 6-9, 2003 Hong Kong, the 10th Asian
International Exhibition of Food & Drink
for American food exporters, manufacturers, and distributors.
Hong Kong is the 8th largest export market for the US
agricultural products and the 5th largest export market from
the US high -value food products. CeBIT
Australia, May 15-18, 2003 is one of Australia's premier
trade events in the IT and telecommunications sector.
It is a trade only show and attracts good levels of attendees.
The U.S. Department of Commerce will be recruiting a product literature
center for inclusion in the US pavilion at the show.
We will represent US companies in this PLC, and promote these
companies to Australian importers and distributors in the sector.
For more information, e-mail Duncan Archibald, U.S. Department of
Commerce/Sydney at duncan.archibald@mail.doc.gov. FHC
2003 Shanghai, September 16-19. Food & Hotel China
2003. The 11th International Exhibition for food, drinks,
hospitality, foodservice, bakery and retail business in China. There
will be a US Pavilion with cost of US$3,690 per booth.
For more information contact Robert Chang, Email: comtours@aol.com
China
Seafood Exposition, 27-29 August in Shanghai, China.
China Seafood-Gateway to the world's largest Seafood marketplace. China
Seafood is for the seafood supplier, processor, or distributor with
customers in China. Co-located with CHINAFOOD, the annual platform for
the Chinese retail industry. Organized by the China National Food
Industry Association. For more information contact Pauline Chee, Email: pcdivcom@singnet.com.sg
tRADE missions
Health Care
Technologies Matchmaker:
March 17-21, 2003, Copenhagen, Denmark; Stockholm, Sweden; Oslo,
Norway. This Matchmaker
will go to Sweden, Denmark, and Norway.
It will involve health care and medical companies.
There will be a special focus on the tele-health sector, which is
experiencing strong growth in these markets. Contact: Bill Kutson, Tel:
202-482-2839 or E-mail: William.Kutson@mail.doc.gov Medical Device
Trade Mission,
Mar. 23 - April 3, 2003 Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore. This trade mission will have both policy and commercial
components to assist U.S. Medical device firms seeking to enhance their
presence in the region. The
mission will focus on the medical/dental device and clinical laboratory
equipment sectors. A
limited number of firms from health care services as well as
pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries also could participate.
Companies are encouraged to participate in all four countries,
but participants have the option of selecting stops from the itinerary. Contact: Bill Kutson, Tel: 202-482-2839 or E-mail: William.Kutson@mail.doc.gov
Monroe
concluded, "We are growing in an economy that is not, we are
competitive, and improving every year mostly due to a diverse economic
mix on our waterfront". Portland is New England's largest tonnage
seaport and second largest fishing port; the second largest oil port on
the U.S. East Coast and the largest foreign inbound transit tonnage port
in the United States. Target
Technology Incubator at the University of Maine is sponsoring thirteen
seminars of the NEW Lunch and Learn topics.
The seminars will be offered through May 29th and includes
such topics as Negotiating
Licensing Agreements and Contracts; Building Your Management Team and
Hiring for Growth; Accessing Capital for Growth; and Patent Searching
and Patent
Protection. The schedule is posted at Target’s
website: www.targetincubator.com.
For more information contact Debbie Neuman, Director, Target Technology
Incubator, Email: dneuman@maine.edu
New
Language Classes offered:
The Penobscot School, Rockland¹s center for language learning
and international exchange, is offering 29 classes in eight foreign
languages. Foreign teachers from Mexico, France, and, Italy, will
continue their weekly courses in Spanish, French and Italian, as well as
their weekend language immersions which run through mid-June. Four
levels of German, Advanced Beginning Japanese, as well as Beginning
Japanese, and three levels of Russian will be introduced in the
semester. Also, Swedish for Advanced Beginners.
The 2003 immersion program at the School starts with Italian for
Travelers. This is a workshop held on two consecutive Saturdays
(February 22 and March1). The workshop will focus on essential phrases
for those planning a trip to Italy. The class will be led by Ginevra
Geraci and the tuition fee is $150 for both Saturdays. For more
information, See: www.languagelearning.org. President
Announces Modification of NAFTA Rules of Origin
On January 17, President Bush announced the modification of the North
American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) rules of origin on seven items.
Rules of origin governing petroleum, alcoholic beverages, pearl jewelry,
photocopiers, headphones with microphones, chassis fitted with engines
and esters of glycerol will be liberalized in an effort to increase
trade and ease administrative burdens. The modification is the third of
the NAFTA rules of origin regime and first substantive modification.
View
text of White House proclamation
U.S.,
Moroccan Ministers Launch Free Trade Negotiations
On January 21, U.S. and Moroccan ministers launched negotiations on a
free trade agreement which the parties hope to conclude by the end of
the year. USTR said a free trade agreement would bolster Morocco's
economic reform program and initiative to remove barriers to foreign
investment. View
the report U.S.-Chile
Free Trade Agreement Will Consolidate Reforms
according to DUSTR for the Americas Regina Vargo, the newly completed
U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement (FTA) represents a U.S. partnership with
Chile "that extends beyond the agreement itself, and lends great
momentum" to ongoing negotiations toward a Free Trade Area of the
Americas aimed at establishing a hemisphere-wide free-trade zone. Vargo
described the FTA with Chile as possibly "the most trade-liberating
agreement" that the U.S. has negotiated with any of its trade
partners. View
the text of the USIS Washington File report U.S.
Eliminates Tariffs on Afghan Products USITC
Reports on Andean Trade Preferences Act,
Biotech Food Products U.S.
and Southern African Nations Plan FTA Negotiations on
January 10, the U.S and five southern African nations (Botswana,
Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa and Swaziland) agreed on a roadmap for
negotiating the U.S.痴 first
free trade agreement (FTA) in sub-Saharan Africa. USTR Robert Zoellick
also announced that the U.S. would provide an initial US$2 million for
new trade capacity building initiatives related to the FTA. Discussions
regarding the FTA will occur in February, with officials meeting to plan
the negotiating process and develop an effective negotiating framework. View
text of USTR press release
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Richard Coyle, President
Janine Bisaillon-Cary, Vice
President
