REVISED SHIPPER’S EXPORT DECLARATION FORM

A new version of the paper Shipper’s Export Declaration (SED) is now in effect. The old form may be used until April 1, 2001. To download the new SED, and to review the guidelines, visit the U.S. Census Bureau’s website at www.census.gov/foreign-trade/regulations/forms/index.html

SHOWCASE USA HIGHLIGHTS LOUISIANA FIRMS IN CANADA

The International Trade Division of the Louisiana Department of Economic Development, representing 14 Louisiana companies, participated in Showcase USA recently in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Quebec City, Quebec.

This table-top catalog show is a cooperative effort with the Council of American States in Canada and the U.S. Commercial Service. Eleven states were involved. The two remaining locations in this four-city package are Calgary and Winnipeg, January 22 and 24, 2001.

A substantial number of Canadian companies and business interests are invited to examine and review the catalogs on display. Those indicating specific interest are noted and the information is made available to the Louisiana companies. Catalogs are distributed to those in attendance, including facilitators at the local level of government, trade organizations, and private entrepreneurs.

Louisiana companies involved include Ace Bayou Corporation; Agrico Sales, Inc.; A.P.I. Outdoors; Applied Realtime Systems, Inc.; Artcrete, Inc.; Catahoula Manufacturing, Inc.; Crucial Inc.; Giacona Container Company, Inc.; Golfballs.com; Kreamer Sports; Louisiana Fish Fry Products; Ruelco Companies, Inc.; Touch of Bayou, Inc.; and Vita Rx.

Companies interested in the final two markets should contact Gilbert "Whitey" Lagasse at (504) 529-1601, ext. 230.

U.S. AMBASSADOR TO BOLIVIA TO SPEAK AT DEC. 7 DINNER

The U.S. Ambassador to Bolivia, the Hon. V. Manuel Rocha, will be the speaker at a special dinner to be held at the Plimsoll Club of the World Trade Center in New Orleans on Thursday, December 7 starting at 7:00 p.m. (cocktail reception at 6:30 p.m.). The subject of Amb. Rocha’s presentation will be "Doing Business in Bolivia."

Amb. Rocha was sworn in as U.S. Ambassador to Bolivia on July 14, 2000. From October 1997 until this appointment, he served as Charge d’Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina. From July to October 1997, he was Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy.

Amb. Rocha also has served as Deputy Principal Officer of the U.S. Interests Sector in Havana, Cuba, as well as the Director for Inter-American Affairs at the National Security Council in Washington D.C. from 1991 until 1994. Amb. Rocha was the Deputy Chief of Mission for the U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Prior to that, he was Deputy Political Counselor for the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City.

Amb. Rocha began his career as a desk officer for Honduras with the Department of State in 1981. In 1983, he was appointed as a Political Officer for the U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo. He went on to serve as a Watch Officer in the Operations Center of the Department and as a Consul for Political and Economic Affairs for the U.S. Consulate General in Florence. In 1987, he was appointed Politico-Military Officer for the U.S. Embassy in Tegucigalpa.

Amb. Rocha graduated cum laude from Yale University in 1973, received his Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Harvard University in 1976, and a Master’s Degree in International Relations from Georgetown University in 1978. To register for the December 7 dinner, call the WTC at (504) 529-1601, ext. 222 or click here.

CARNETS NOW ACCEPTED IN RUSSIA AND THE BALTICS

ATA Carnets are now accepted in Russia, the Baltics, and over 75 other countries throughout Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, and South Pacific. Carnets eliminate the deposit of duties and taxes, and the purchase of a temporary import bond when bringing commercial samples, professional equipment, and tradeshow items into a country. Valid for up to one year, Carnets may be used for multiple trips. For more information, contact Carnet Headquarters by phone (212) 354-4480; online at www.uscib.org; or call the U.S. Export Assistance Center at (504) 589-6546.

EU PACKAGING AND RECYCLING REGULATIONS

The U.S. Department of Commerce Trade Information Center can assist companies on European Union packaging and recycling requirements. Call the TIC at (800) USA-Trad(e), or log on to www.tradeinfo.doc.gov for more information.

LOUISIANA TRADE EVENTS

Dec. 6 -"Pricing, Terms, Quotations and Customs Entry Procedures" seminar from 3:45 p.m. to 8:15 p.m at the WTC in New Orleans. Call the Louisiana International Trade Center at (504) 568-8222 for details.

Dec. 7 -Dinner program on "Doing Business in Bolivia" at the WTC’s Plimsoll Club in New Orleans featuring the Hon. V. Manuel Rocha, U.S. Ambassador to Bolivia. Call the WTC at (504) 529-1601, ext. 222 or 271, or click here.

Dec. 11 -"International Banking, Financing, Transportation, and Documentation" seminar from 3:45 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. at the WTC in New Orleans. Call the Louisiana International Trade Center at (504) 568-8222 for details.

UPCOMING EXPORT TRADE EVENTS ABROAD

Listed below are various U.S. Commercial Service trade events. Call the U.S. Export Assistance Center in New Orleans at (504) 589-6546 for details:

• Vakantiebuers Travel/Tourism Promotion - Utrecht, Germany; Jan. 9-14, 2001

• CHIBI - Giftware/Handicrafts/Costume Jewelry - Milan, Italy; Jan. 18-21

• Fitur Tourism Trade Fair - Madrid, Spain; Jan. 27-Feb. 3

• ITB Berlin - Travel/Tourism - Berlin, Germany; Feb. 3-7

• Expo Comm Venezuela - Telecommunications/Info Tech - Caracas, Venezuela; Feb. 6-9

• Expo Comm Mexico - Telecommunications Equipment - Mexico City; Feb. 6-9

• Woodmach China - Wood/Furniture/Hand Tools - Shanghai, China; Feb. 20-23

• BIT - Tourism - Milan, Italy; Feb. 21-25

• IDEX - Defense - Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; Mar. 13-23

• RepCom Brazil - All products - Sao Paulo, Brazil; Mar. 13-15

• Tau Expo - Environmental Technologies - Milan, Italy; Mar. 14-17

• Manutention - Machine Tools/Metalworking - Paris, France; Mar. 20-23

• Visit USA - Travel/Tourism - Sao Paulo, Brazil; Mar. 26-27

• International Dental Show - Medical - Cologne, Germany; Mar. 27-31

• Americana - Environmental Technology - Montreal, Canada; Mar. 28-30

BREAKFAST SEMINAR ON IMPACT OF ELECTRONIC SIGNATURES

The Internet Coalition, a New Orleans-based organization focused on raising the level of Internet awareness in the Greater New Orleans area, will hold a breakfast panel discussion on "Digital Signatures...Are You Ready?" from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, December 13th at the World Trade Center’s Plimsoll Club in New Orleans. Panelists will address the impact of the new electronic signature law on business. Panelists include: David Boneno of the Louisiana Banker’s Commission; Norman Morris of Louisiana Realtors; Steven Sabludowsky, Attorney-at-Law; and Thomas F. Wade of the Louisiana Senate. Participants will learn the answers to the following questions and more: What are electronic signatures? How will they impact your industry? What technologies are hot? What are your legal rights? The program is sponsored by UPS Professional Services. The admission cost is $20, which includes breakfast, all seminar materials, and free validated parking at the WTC garage. To register call (504) 394-9366 or e-mail rsvp@internetcoalition.org.

HOST FAMILIES NEEDED FOR ARGENTINE STUDENTS

The Foreign Relations Association of New Orleans (FRA) has conducted an annual exchange program with Argentine high school students since 1963. In 2001, the Argentine students (ten girls and five boys, ages 16-18) will need host families in New Orleans from January 19 to 21 and January 28 through February 10 (from January 22 to 27 they will be in Baton Rouge). While in New Orleans, the students will be occupied from morning until evening with tours, excursions, and specially planned activities. Host families provide the students with a room, breakfast, and general oversight.

While host families receive no monetary compensation, they often have had their own children in the program or are interested in participating in the future. In addition, the host families meet some great young people and learn about Argentine culture. The ideal host family has children within the same general age group, thus providing opportunities for joint extracurricular activities and contacts with American students.

If you are interested in possibly serving as a host family for one of the Argentine students arriving in January, please call FRA President, Dottie Nelson at (504) 523-2201 to learn more about this unique and meaningful opportunity.

U.S. COMMERCIAL SERVICE NEW PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

Listed below are six new products and services available from the U.S. Commercial Service. Call the U.S. Export Assistance Center at (504) 589-6546 for details on pricing, delivery times, and specific countries that offer each service.

Flexible Market Research: FMR provides U.S. firms with customized information on overseas markets and, where available, replaces the Customized Market Analysis. FMR answers questions such as the overall marketability of a product/service, market trends/size, customary distribution/promotion practices, market entry requirements, regulations, product standards and registration, key competitors, and potential agents/distributors/strategic partners. U.S. companies have the flexibility to design their own questions or choose from a core menu of standardized questions. FMR is a pilot service offered in 18 countries worldwide.

Platinum Key Service: Through the PKS, U.S. businesses can attain comprehensive, customized support on a range of issues on which the company needs longer-term, sustained assistance. The service is tailored to the client’s needs through a mutually agreed upon scope of work. The service can include a range of issues including, but not limited to, identifying markets, launching products, developing major project opportunities and providing government tender support, helping to reduce market access barriers, and assistance on regulatory or technical standards matters. Ongoing service is available for six months, one year, or a specified timeframe based on the mutually agreed-upon scope of work.

Showtime is a service designed to help U.S. companies identify additional high-potential markets for their products while attending major Trade Shows. The worldwide launch of Showtime builds upon the program’s tremendous success in Europe. Showtime allows clients to leverage their participation at a major trade event by meeting with CS sector specialists from various countries to receive one-on-one counseling sessions on exporting to these markets.

International Partner Search: IPS assists U.S. firms in obtaining interested and qualified overseas partners for their services or products and, where offered, replaces the Agent Distributor Service. The IPS promotes U.S. exports by helping U.S. firms gain effective representation abroad. In each target market, the post conducts a personalized search to select the most promising prospects for the U.S. firm. The post initially screens the possible agents, distributors, joint venture partners, manufacturer’s partners, franchisees, licensees or strategic alliance partners, then directly contacts the top prospects to review the U.S. firm’s products or services marketing objectives.

Enhanced International Company Profile: The Enhanced ICP helps U.S. companies evaluate potential business partners by providing a detailed report on overseas companies which, where feasible, were visited by a CS Commercial Specialist or Commercial Officer. Where offered, this service replaces the International Company Profile. Using the Enhanced ICP, clients can request answers to detailed questions about overseas companies on a variety of issues and receive expert advice from our commercial specialists about the relative strength of the firm in its market and its reliability, among other things.

Reverse Services: Traditionally the Commercial Service assisted U.S. companies to export by arranging for the U.S. seller to travel to the overseas buyer. With Reverse Services, the overseas buyer will travel to the U.S. seller.

INDUSTRY MARKET INSIGHT REPORTS

Below is a list of U.S. Commercial Service Industry Market Insight Reports. For the entire report(s), call the U.S. Export Assistance Center in New Orleans at (504) 589-6546.

Canada - Biotechnology Grows in Atlantic Provinces.

Jamaica - Market Opportunity for Glass Containers.

Ukraine - Fuel Purchase for Thermal Power Generating Company.

United Arab Emirates - Overview of the Medical Industry.

United Arab Emirates - Fast Food Franchising Opportunities.

NEW LEGISLATION ON ANTI-DUMPING DUTIES

President Clinton signed into law on October 28 the U.S. Agriculture Department’s appropriations bill, which included an amendment by Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W. Va) that allows U.S. manufacturers to receive revenues collected in anti-dumping or countervailing duty cases.

Until now, when the Customs Service collected anti-dumping and countervailing duties, the funds were included in the Treasury ledger as general revenue. The new law, however, allows any such revenue collected to be distributed among the companies that filed the complaints. The idea of distributing revenue from anti-dumping cases to domestic companies has been around for several decades, but h as never made any serious progress in Congress until this year.

Critics maintain that this legislation will give domestic companies an incentive to file more anti-dumping complaints because of the prospect of financial gain. They also warn that it might increase the number of companies that are willing to support such complaints. Under current law, a company that files an anti-dumping complaint must get the support of manufacturers representing at least 50% of the domestic production of the product. The financial incentive could potentially make this a much easier threshold to achieve.

For additional information, contact Lawrence K. Marino, World Trade Center Manager for Government and Transportation Affairs by phone at (504) 529-1601, ext. 262

FSC CONTROVERSY CONTINUES AS PRESIDENT SIGNS NEW BILL

President Clinton signed the FSC Repeal and Extraterritorial Exclusion Act of 2000 (HR 4986) on November 15, replacing the U.S. Foreign Sales Corporation (FSC) tax exemption that was judged to be an illegal export subsidy by the World Trade Organization earlier this year. The European Union (EU), however, which filed the complaint against the FSC provision, has pushed ahead with its request to the WTO for permission to impose over $4 billion in trade sanctions on U.S. products, the largest claim ever made for trade sanctions in a case before the organization.

While it maintains that the new law does not comply with WTO rules, the EU has committed to wait for a final WTO ruling, not expected before June of 2001, before acting in order to avoid an unnecessary escalation of the dispute. The FSC program allowed thousands of U.S. exporters to cut income taxes by channeling exports through offshore shell companies. The EU successfully argued before the WTO that this provision violated the organization’s rules by applying solely to exports. The WTO agreed with this position and required the United States to come into compliance with its rules against export subsidies or face sanctions by the EU. The new U.S. legislation attempts to address the EU complaint by broadening the program to exempt most income earned overseas from U.S. taxes.

U.S. AND SINGAPORE TO BEGIN NEGOTIATIONS FOR FTA

On the final day of the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Brunei on November 16, President Clinton and Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong of Singapore announced that negotiations would soon begin on a free trade agreement (FTA) between the United States and Singapore.

This agreement will eliminate tariffs on all goods over time, cover almost all service sectors, protect intellectual property rights, and be modeled on the recently signed U.S.-Jordan Free Trade Agreement, especially regarding provisions on labor and the environment. The previous agreement with jordan marked the first time that labor and environmental standards have been included as part of the main text of such an agreement. The free trade agreement with Singapore will be only the fifth such agreement entered into by the United States (after Israel, Canada, Mexico, and Jordan), and the first with an Asian country.

Singapore is the U.S.’s largest trading partner in Southeast Asia, with two-way trade totaling $34 billion in 1999. It is also the tenth largest importer of U.S. goods, totalling $16 billion in 1999. Singapore is also a large market for Louisiana products, taking $117 million in imports from the state in 1999.