SelectUSA Monthly Update

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Monthly Update

FDI in Focus:

FDI in Focus aims to share with our readers interesting points about foreign direct investment (FDI) in the United States through highlighting the latest trends and bringing a wide variety of global players and industry sectors into focus.

Belgium  

The United States and Belgium have a longstanding, close, and stable bilateral trade and investment relationship across diverse industry sectors.

As of 2011, the total value of Belgian investment into the U.S. is estimated at $53.1 billion  growing by four times since 2007.  Belgium is the 10th largest investor into the United States, and Belgian firms rank 10th in terms of the number of U.S. workers employed, supporting 150,000 jobs. Belgian FDI is most prominently found in the retailing and chemicals sectors, though there are also well-known firms in the life sciences, transportation and IT sectors. Some well known Belgian firms with a large presence in the United States include UCB, producers of Zyrtec, and Sarens Group, a heavy lifting and engineering transport firm perhaps most notable for the recent contract to manage the delivery of the Space Shuttle Endeavour from Los Angeles International Airport to the California Science Center.

As of 2011, the total value of U.S. direct investment into Belgium was $52.8 billion, ranking Belgium as the 15th largest destination for U.S. investment abroad. In 2010 U.S. companies employed over 130,000 workers in Belgium. Well-known U.S. firms with significant operations in Belgium include Caterpillar and Johnson & Johnson.

Two upcoming events will present an opportunity to deepen the investment relationship between the United States and Belgium:

On April 15, 2013, from 9am-2pm an investment promotion seminar is scheduled at the U.S. Ambassador’s residence in Brussels (located next to the U.S. Embassy), followed by a walking lunch.  Belgian companies will hear about how to invest the US market, and can then meet with U.S. economic development organizations (EDOs) during the walking lunch.  Each EDO will have a meeting table, and will be featured in on-line and printed promotional materials.  For more information, please contact Aribatu Idirisu (Aribatu.Idirisu@trade.gov).

On June 2-9, 2013, HRH Prince Philippe will lead a Belgian Economic trade mission to San Francisco, San Diego, and Los Angeles; more information to follow.

Upcoming Outreach

SelectUSA conducts targeted outreach throughout the United States and around the world.  Some upcoming activities include: 

- On February 7, 2013, SelectUSA will speak at the 34th Annual Immigration Law Update in Florida. At the conference, SelectUSA will address the American Immigration Law Association - South Florida Chapter’s 650 immigration attorney members about foreign direct investment trends and SelectUSA services to promote business investment in the United States.

- On February 12, 2013 SelectUSA will present at the Washington Economic Development Association’s Winter Conference in Olympia, Washington. The conference will bring together economic developers, businesses, ports, government and others committed to enhancing Washington State’s economic development.

- On February 14, 2013, U.S. Commercial Service Canada (CS Canada) and SelectUSA will lead U.S. Trade and Investment activities at the Canadian International Auto Show (CIAS). CIAS is Canada’s auto event of the year, and CS Canada will assist participating U.S. Economic Development Organizations through providing  industry briefings, scheduling one-on-one business appointments, providing access to CIAS Official Opening Ceremony and activities (industry/media day, not for the public), and attendance at the USCS Networking Reception and CIAS Gala Reception. To participate, or to obtain further information and updates, please contact Stefan Popescu at Stefan.Popescu@trade.gov.

- On February 14, 2013, SelectUSA will participate in an investment event organized by the U.S. Commercial Service Calgary hosted by United States’ Consul General in Vancouver, Canada. The event will feature discussion about expanding inbound U.S. investment.  Participants will include current and potential Canadian investors.

- On March 19, 2013, SelectUSA will participate in the Niobrara Infrastructure Development Summit in Denver, Colorado. The Summit will convene companies and economic development professionals to discuss opportunities and investment positioning. SelectUSA will discuss services and assistance it can provide to investors and communities.

- On April 8-12, 2013, for the third consecutive year, U.S. Commercial Service Germany and SelectUSA will organize the USA Investment Center at the world’s largest industrial technology show, the Hannover Fair. The USA Investment Center is a joint pavilion of SelectUSA and participating economic development organizations from U.S. states, cities and regions. To participate, or to obtain further information and updates, please contact Ed Fantasia (Ed.Fantasia@trade.gov) or Kelly Smith-Glover (Kelly.Smith-Glover@trade.gov).

- On April 15-18, 2013, the U.S. Commercial Service Belgium and SelectUSA will organize a Europe Road show for U.S. economic development organizations. The road show will travel to Brussels, Belgium; Eindhoven and Rotterdam, Netherlands; and Copenhagen, Denmark. At each stop EDOs will meet potential investors, industry associations and other trade and investment organizations. To participate, or to obtain further information and updates, please contact Aribatu Idirisu (Aribatu.Idirisu@trade.gov).

Recent SelectUSA outreach has included: 

- On January 14-17, 2013, Executive Director Steve Olson delivered the keynote address on “Investment from Abroad” as a part of the Inbound Capital seminar at the Alliance of Merger & Acquisition Advisors (AM&AA) Winter Conference in Miami, FL.

- On January 28, Deputy Executive Director Aaron Brickman spoke at the IEDC Leadership Summit in Orlando, Florida.  The event facilitated the sharing of best practices among economic development professionals in the United States, and aimed to aid in learning how to identify and frame the new skills and needs of economic development practitioners working regionally.

- On January 29, 2013, the U.S. Commercial Service of the U.S. Embassy in France, in collaboration with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Paris (CCIP), hosted a conference titled “Succeed in America & Go Global: How Your Business Can Thrive in the United States.”  Executive Director Steve Olson presented on the attractiveness of the U.S. market and availability of government assistance for investors. The event targeted companies interested in expansion and investment in the United States. A host of other topics were touched upon, from the current legal, fiscal, and business environment in the United States, to testimonials from companies currently conducting business in U.S. market.

Reports of Note:

- The Vale Columbia Center on Sustainable International Investment has released a new report titled, Inward FDI in the United States and its policy context by Lucyna Kornecki.  The report highlights recent inbound FDI trends in the United States, and argues for effective government policies designed to address the financial crisis as a means of promoting increased FDI flows.

- The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States released the Annual Report to Congress for 2011. From 2009 to 2011, there were 269 notices filed that were covered transactions.  Thirty-seven percent of those transactions resulted in an investigation, though none resulted in a Presidential decision.

- In January, the Peterson Institute for International Economics published The World Needs a Multilateral Investment Agreement.  In this policy brief, Anders Åslund proposes a multilateral investment agreement, given the dramatic increase in FDI globally. He argues that a comprehensive agreement should offer protection and regulation of FDI, be universally applicable, facilitate the standardization of FDI protection, and regulate controversial or insufficiently regulated aspects of FDI.

In This Issue

  • Upcoming Outreach
  • Recent Activities
  • FDI in Focus
  • Reports of Note
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About SelectUSA

SelectUSA is the U.S. Government-wide initiative to attract, retain and grow business investment in the United States.  Established by Executive Order of the President and housed in the U.S. & Foreign Commercial Service (Commercial Service) within the International Trade Administration at the U.S. Department of Commerce, SelectUSA coordinates existing resources and functions within Commerce and across all federal departments and agencies with operations that touch on business investment issues. SelectUSA works in partnership with state, regional, and local economic development organizations to facilitate overall U.S. business attraction and retention.  SelectUSA works on behalf of the entire nation and exercises strict geographic neutrality.

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SelectUSA Ombudsman Program

SelectUSA’s ombudsman program is already active and working towards successful resolutions of problems across the federal government, addressing investor concerns and issues involving federal agencies. If a U.S. or foreign investor has a federal-level issue that is jeopardizing an investment in the United States, please contact SelectUSA at 202-482-6800 or by email at info@selectusa.gov.

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