PROMOTING TRADE AND INVESTMENT BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND AFRICA

Tunis, Tunisia  February 6, 2020

Prosper Africa, a U.S. government initiative to increase trade and investment between the United States and Africa, will launch in Tunisia with a conference sponsored by the Embassy of the United States of America and the American Chamber of Commerce of Tunisia. The event will take place at the Laico Conference Center in Tunis on February 6, 2020.  This conference will feature prominent speakers from the private sector, as well as presentations on U.S. government resources available to help U.S. and African businesses close deals. 

Participants will have the opportunity to conduct business-to-business (B2B) meetings with companies from the United States and across Africa that are interested in new partnerships.  The Prosper Africa conference will bring the full range of U.S. government resources together in one place and give U.S. and African companies the chance to connect with new buyers, suppliers, and investors.  As such, the event will accomplish our goal of harnessing the power of private enterprise to drive African and American prosperity and create jobs in Tunisia.

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  March 8-11, 2020

Gold Key Service for Chemical Sector in Brazil

U.S. Commercial Service (USCS) Brazil is offering Gold Key Service for Chemical Sector companies in Sao Paulo during the biennial Brazilian Congress of Chemicals and Petrochemical Distributors - EBDQUIM - attended by Brazil's largest chemical distributors. In the past 27 years, Brazilian chemical imports have increased by more than 1,100%.

For more information, please contact your local U.S. Commercial Service office, or the Chemical Specialist for Brazil: Renato.Sabaine@trade.gov

May 31- June 5, 2020

The Caribbean region as a whole represents a market of about 27 million people who collectively imported over $21 billion of U.S. goods in 2018. As a result, the region is the 3rd largest export market for U.S. manufactured goods in Latin America behind only Mexico and Brazil. 

The 2020 Trade Americas:  Business Opportunities in the Caribbean Conference and Trade Mission offers U.S. companies the opportunity to explore fourteen markets in the Caribbean Region: The Bahamas, Barbados and Eastern Caribbean, Dominican Republic, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago.

Questions? Lesa.Forbes@trade.gov or Delia.Valdivia@trade.gov

SAVE THE DATE:  PACK EXPO,             Nov 8-12, 2020 at McCormick Place, Chicago     U.S. Commercial Service is excited to announce that we will collaborate with The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies for PACK EXPO in 2020.   PACK EXPO International focuses on the latest developments in packaging machinery, materials, packages and containers, and components.  We will be recruiting to bring foreign buyer delegations to this show.  More to come, so mark your calendars for Pack Expo in Chicago!

U.S.A. Pavilion at Expo Manufactura 2020

February 11- February 13, 2020

Join the U.S.A. Pavilion at Expo Manufactura 2020, February 11-13.  Expo Manufactura 2020 is the largest manufacturing show in Northern Mexico where manufacturers and buyers converge to showcase technologies and solutions for automation and robotics; steel and plastics processing, inspection, design, additive manufacturing and medical devices manufacturing. The show hosts a U.S.A. Pavilion bringing over 50 U.S. exhibitors every year. Stop by booth #1232 and learn how the USCS can help your business grow in Mexico.

To reserve your booth, email Ed.Park@tarsus.mx

A free commercial briefing for US exhibitors at the show on Exporting to Mexico with USMCA, on Feb. 12.

For Pavilion Services or briefing details email: Mario.Vidana@trade.gov

Learn More

TRADEWINDS Mission & Business Forum

The 12th edition of Trade Winds, the largest annual U.S. Government-led trade mission, is headed to Hong Kong and the Indo-Pacific region (Korea, Japan, Vietnam and Thailand) in April of 2020!  The Indo-Pacific region continues to be great growth potential for U.S. exporters, in 2018 U.S. exports were $724.1 billion, up 4.6% from 2017.  If you’re not already exporting to this region or want to increase your market share, Trade Winds is the perfect vehicle for you to do so. 

Meet with potential distributors and rep

JEC World 2020

March 3 - March 5, 2020

New for U.S. exhibitors at JEC World 2020, Paris!  The U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Commercial Service invites U.S. exhibitors at JEC World 2020 to participate in our free Pre-Show Virtual GlobalChat program.

Pre-Show Virtual GlobalChat is a time-saving program to help make the most of your time at JEC 2020 to target the right markets for your company in advance of the show!  Speak  with U.S. Embassy, U.S. Commercial Service experts from France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and Turkey (List subject to change) in a 45 minute conference call* in advance of the show.

Deadline: February 12^th or till the schedule is full. Space is limited on a first-come, first-served basis. 

Interested or need more information? Contact Deborah.Dirr@trade.gov

 * Please note that GlobalChat/ShowTime is designed for U.S. manufacturing and service providers in the composites sector.

Reserve Your Spot

USA Fair 2020, May 31 - April 2, will showcase American manufacturers, suppliers and service providers in multi sectors with exhibition, B2B and conference opportunities in the largest and most dynamic market on the African Continent.  This three days of exhibition at the Eko Convention Center, Victoria Island, Lago, Nigeria is only for U.S. businesses.

For more details on additional value added services, please email Benedicta.Nkwoh@trade.gov or Ambrose.Thomas@trade.gov.

Webinars

*Feb. 20, What does Brexit hold for U.S. Companies in 2020?  The Brexit process has been lengthy and confusing.  Find out what you really need to know to continue doing business considering the UK’s decision to leave the EU. In addition to a market overview, topics to be addressed include travel and immigration, cross-border trade (U.S.- UK and UK – EU), and updates on potential changes to UK regulation. What are the key dates?  How can you keep up to date with developments?  Cost $25.

*March 25, Export Distributor Agreements Webinar  Want to improve your international distribution by having better agreements with your international partners? Join a webinar featuring an attorney who will share tips on creating excellent export distributor agreements. Also, hear from an experienced exporter for their first-hand perspectives on how they use high quality distributor agreements to better manage their international partnerships.Cost: $75. Register Here

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Export Mechanics Webinar Series II – in collaboration with The NCBFAA Educational Institute (NCBFAA) (Cost: $25 each)

• Feb. 18, Drop Shipments & Routed Transactions
• Mar. 10, Cultural Sensitivity Program
• Apr. 14, ACE Export Reports for Compliance

Caribbean Webinar Series

• Feb 13 - Haiti  
• Mar 12 - Jamaica 
• Mar 26 - Suriname 
• Apr 9 - Trinidad & Tobago 

News for Exporter

The United States, Mexico, and Canada have reached and signed an agreement to modernize the 25-year-old NAFTA into a 21st century, high-standard agreement. The new United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) will support mutually beneficial trade leading to freer markets, fairer trade, and robust economic growth in North America.

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U.S. Trade Representative has posted Phase One Agreement and Fact Sheets to the Economic And Trade Agreement Between The United States Of America And The People’s Republic Of China

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Department of Commerce Investigating Domestic, Production of Certain Products in 2019-2020 MTB Cycle  The Department of Commerce (Commerce) is currently investigating potential domestic production in the 2019-2020 Miscellaneous Tariff Bill (MTB) cycle. U.S. importers submitted 3,535 petitions requesting temporary tariff reductions or suspensions on products they import into the United States. Commerce is tasked with determining whether domestic production of the product subject to an MTB petition exists and, if so, whether a producer objects to that petition. Commerce’s findings will be published in a report from the Secretary in mid-April.  U.S. manufacturers may review the petitions submitted at the website of the U.S. International Trade Commission. If a company believes it is a producer of an identical, like, or competing product to one for which a petition was submitted, that company may be eligible to object to the petition. Interested companies can learn more at Commerce’s MTB website or by contacting its MTB email address (CommerceMTBs@trade.gov). Commerce will accept objections from U.S. producers until March 20, 2020. Interested companies are also encouraged to file a public objection through the U.S. International Trade Commission’s public comment period, which runs from January 10 – February 24, 2020. Public comments may be submitted at the U.S. ITC website noted above.

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Trade Associations and Non-Profits, Note that in mid-February 2020, the U.S. Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration (ITA), to publish a notice to submit applications for the Market Development Cooperator Program (MDCP) 2020 competition. Proposals for MDCP 2020 funding are due April 13, 2020.  Visit ITA’s MDCP website, for more info on eligibility with examples of past projects and join one of the upcoming informational conference call. 

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HOST AN INDUSTRY ROUNDTABLE

The U.S. Department of Commerce Advanced Manufacturing team is hosting round tables to capture data on the value of digital services attached to industrial machinery. Data will establish a baseline methodology that estimates the value digital services provide to manufacturing and how manufacturers leverage them. 

If  interested in hosting a round table discussion, please contact jaron.bass@trade.gov.

Learn mechanisms for obtaining IP protection in overseas markets at STOPfakes.gov Roadshow   2020 Schedule

Other Events:

You will find our Commercial Service colleagues at the following events:

April 1-2, 2020 – GR-EX Global Robot Expo, Madrid, Spain, CS Contact:  Carmen.Ribera@trade.gov

April 2, 2020 - U.S. Mexico Supply Chain Summit held, El Paso – Contact:  Robert.Queen@trade.gov