The Steamship Association of Louisiana’s Mississippi River Guide 2001 Edition is now available at the World Trade Center of New Orleans. This overview of the Lower Mississippi River port complex, from the Gulf of Mexico to the head of deep-draft navigation in the Port of Baton Rouge, depicts facilities, anchorages, barge fleets and more. The guide features 22 detailed color maps and indices of anchorages, deep draft ports, and docks and facilities. The cost is $22.50 ($20.00 for World Trade Center members). To purchase the Mississippi River Guide, call the WTC at (504) 529-1601.

The Government of France will honor Ronnie Kole by conferring on him the rank of Chevalier in the Order of Arts and Letters at a special luncheon program on Thursday, July 12 in the Plimsoll Club. The luncheon, which will feature a French theme, is sponsored by the WTC, the French-American Chamber of Commerce, and other organizations. Mr. Kole will be honored for the music he has written and recorded about the wines and hotels of France. He has performed selections from his Music of the Vines Volumes I and II with the Taipei Philharmonic Orchestra in Taiwan and the Ural Philharmonic Orchestra in Russia. Mr. Kole has performed over 100 times in France at jazz festivals, wine festivals, and private concerts.

The Order of Arts and Letters, into which Mr. Kole will be officially inducted by French Consul General Bernard Maizeret, was created in 1957 in recognition of distinguished artists and writers. Past recipients of the award include Julia Childs and Quincy Jones. To register for the July 12 luncheon, call the WTC at (504) 529-1601, ext. 271 or register here.

The World Trade Center and other organizations are sponsoring a luncheon program at 12:00 Noon on Thursday, July 19 in the Plimsoll Club on "Military Awareness" describing the role and economic impact of the military branches in the New Orleans area. The speakers will be Rear Admiral John P. McLaughlin, Commander, Naval Air Reserve Force, United States Naval Reserve; Brigadier General Jon A. Gallinette, Deputy Commander, MARFORRES, U.S. Marine Corps; Brigadier General Brod Veillion, Assistant Adjutant General-Air for Louisiana National Guard; Colonel Henry A. Moak, Chief of Staff, 377^th Theatre Support Command, U.S. Army Reserve; Colonel Timothy W. Wroten, Commander, 926^th Logistics Group, U.S. Air Force; and Lieutenant Commander Andrew Norris, Personnel Action Team Leader, Marine Safety Office, U.S. Coast Guard. To register for the July 19 luncheon, call the WTC at (504) 529-1601, ext. 271, or register here.

!!!POSTPONED - NO FUTURE DATE DETERMINED!!!

Carlos Brezina, Senior Information Officer of the Inter-American Development Bank, will be the featured speaker at a luncheon in the Plimsoll Club on "The Economic and Business Outlook for South America" on Friday, July 27.

Mr. Brezina is a spokesman for the Inter-American Development Bank on international financial affairs, the Latin American economic and the IDB’s activities. He has been a financial reporter with United Press International in New York and Washington, D.C. In Argentina, he was the Executive Editor of the business magazine Competencia, and an editor and editorial writer for other publishing houses and the newspaper Clarin. He mostly wrote on international finance and trade.

From 1974 to 1990, Mr. Brezina was a lecturer with the Latin American Studies program at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut, where he taught on comparative economic and political development. Mr. Brezina, a native of Prague, is a citizen of Argentina. He holds a degree in Sociology from the National University of Buenos Aires, and a M.A. in Sociology and a M.Phil. in Political Science, both from Yale University.

Passenger traffic at the New Orleans International Airport set a new passenger volume record with 9,874,257 passengers served during 2000, an increase of 430,000 passengers over the prior year. Mayor Marc H. Morial said that the Airport is growing rapidly and will easily exceed the 10 million mark in 2001 and could reach 10.4 million. "Our Airport grew at a rate of 4.6 percent in 2000, compared to the national airport growth rate of 3.1 percent," stated Mayor Morial. "This growth rate reflects the strength of the Metro New Orleans and Gulf South economies," he added.

July 9 -"Import/Export Strategies and Market Research" seminar in New Orleans at the World Trade Center from 3:45 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. Call the Louisiana International Trade Center (LITC) at (504) 568-8222.

July 10 -"Pricing, Terms, Quotations and Customs Entry Procedures" seminar in New Orleans at the WTC from 3:45 p.m. to 8:15 p.m.. Call the LITC at (504) 568-8222.

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

July 12 -Special luncheon program at which the French Government will honor Ronnie Kole, at the World Trade Center of New Orleans (WTC) at 12:00 noon in the Plimsoll Club. For details, call the WTC at (504) 529-1601, ext. 271 or 222.

July 19 -Special luncheon program on "The Impact of the Military Branches in New Orleans" at the WTC in New Orleans at 12:00 noon in the Plimsoll Club. For details, call the WTC at (504) 529-1601, ext. 271 or 222.

July 27 -Luncheon program on the "Economic & Business Outlook for South America," at the WTC featuring Carlos Brezina, Inter-American Development Bank, at 12:00 noon in the Plimsoll Club. For details, call the WTC at (504) 529-1601, ext. 271 or 222.

August 6 -"Import/Export Strategies and Market Research" seminar in New Orleans at the WTC from 3:45 p.m. to 8:15 p.m.. Call the LITC at (504) 568-8222 for fees and information.

August 8 -"Pricing, Terms, Quotations and Customs Entry Procedures" seminar in New Orleans at the WTC from 3:45 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. Call the LITC at (504) 568-8222 for fees and information.

August 13 -"International Banking, Financing, Transportation, and Documentation" seminar in New Orleans at the WTC from 3:45 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. Call the LITC at (504) 568-8222 for fees and information.

JULY 3-7 LA. TRADE & TOURISM MISSION TO NICARAGUA
PARTICIPATING COMPANIES AND ORGANIZATIONS

Louisiana Department of Economic Development
(Principal Mission Sponsor)

The White House has nominated Los Angeles attorney Robert C. Bonner to be Commissioner of the U.S. Customs Service. Bonner, 59, served as administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration from 1990 to 1993. He was most recently a partner in the Los Angeles office of the Gibson, Dunn, and Crutcher law firm. He specialized in litigating business and white collar crime matters, civil cases, internal corporate investigations, and corporate compliance programs. In 1989, President George H.W. Bush nominated Bonner to be a U.S. district judge in Los Angeles. Prior to that, Bonner was a U.S. attorney in the same federal district. Bonner is a graduate of Trinity University in San Antonio and Georgetown University Law Center.

The WTC videotapes many of its luncheon briefings and seminars held at the World Trade Center and offers these videotapes for sale: $10 for WTC members and $20 for non-members (tax included). The videos can be especially useful to businessmen and women who are unable to attend the "live" presentations at the WTC or see them broadcast on Channels 6 and 76, Cox’s higher education access channels.

Prepared texts of recent speeches are available on the WTC website and include "The Global Outlook on Air Cargo" by Don Laurvick, Vice President International Business Development, United Parcel Service (May 24, 2001); "Into Africa: Opportunities for Louisiana Businesses" by U.S. Congressman William J. Jefferson (May 11, 2001); and "Doing Business with Nicaragua" by Hon. Oliver P. Garza, U.S. Ambassador to Nicaragua (March 20, 2001).

The Belizean Producers Convention and Exhibition (BelPro ConEx) is the Belizean Trade Show where only locally produced goods and services are displayed. This annual event is organized by the Belize Business Bureau. At BelPro ConEx 2000, 51 Belizean companies participated in the exhibition. Areas of participation included agriculture, professional services, arts and crafts, forestry products and manufacturing.

BelPro ConEx 2001 will be held July 20-22 at the Best Western Belize Biltmore Plaza Hotel, one of Belize’s premier hotels. One-on-one meetings will be organized with visitors and local producers, as well as with relevant personnel from the various government ministries affiliated with the promotion of trade, investment, agriculture, tourism and industry.

All commercial shipments to Saudi Arabia now require electronic submission of the Export Information Sheets (EIS) form through a new automated system. The new EIS system is available on the Internet free of charge for the use of all U.S. exporters or their authorized agents.

For more information on the new EIS system, log on to the Saudi Commercial Office website at www.saudicommercialoffice.com and select the EIS option at the left of the screen.

The Commission of European Communities has adopted emergency measures requiring the treatment and marking of all new and used coniferous (e.g. pine, spruce, fir) non-manufactured wood packing material (NMWP) originating in the United States, Canada, China, or Japan beginning October 1, 2001. The measure is to prevent the introduction of the pinewood nematode, a microscopic eelworm causing extensive mortality in pine in Japan and China.

Work is currently underway in the U.S. to set up a program to meet the measures adopted by the European Union. The United States has chosen to use the heat treated or kiln-dried mitigation option to eliminate this pest on NMWP. The American Lumber Standard Committee (ALSC), at the request of USDA’s Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), has agreed to develop and oversee America’s program. The program will require on-site inspections of NMWP manufacturing facilities to verify compliance. ALSC accredited inspection agencies will handle the on-site inspections.

NMWP’s draft policy and draft enforcement regulations are available for review at www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq/swp.

"Import/Export: How to Get Started in International Trade" by Carl A. Nelson, (340 pages, paperback $18.65) is a useful book for Louisiana companies to learn about foreign trading.

This expanded and updated edition covers every aspect of importing and exporting, including the Euro and the World Trade Organization, NAFTA, tricks of using Letters of Credit, new product standards, and how to navigate the business worlds of China and Africa. The new material also shows how to tap into the E-commerce phenomenon, giving a complete overview of this new global market opportunity, how to set up a successful homepage, and tips to filling orders and getting paid over the Internet.

The 1999 top five markets for U.S. exports of used passenger vehicles were Japan, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, and the United Kingdom—totaling $423 million. During the same period, Mexico, Canada, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait were the strongest markets for U. S. exports of remanufactured automotive parts. The top five markets in 1999 for used clothing from the U.S. were Mexico, Canada, Japan, Benin, Chile, and Haiti—totaling $101 million. Most inquiries for used equipment were from the Latin America region, especially Central America.*

While there are markets for used goods, be aware that import restrictions may vary by product and country of destination. For example,

• In the case of equipment, Argentina requires that used goods be accompanied by a certificate authenticated by the commercial office of the Argentine Embassy or Consulate in the export country, as proof of refurbishment.

• The People’s Republic of China bans the import of all used machinery and electric products;

• Mexico requires import licenses for used clothes;

• South Africa bans the import of worn clothing except for humanitarian donation;

• Peru stipulates that used passenger vehicles be no more than five years old and commercial vehicles be no more than eight years old;

• Brazil and Thailand ban the import of used vehicles altogether;

• Most South American countries and ASEAN member countries ban remanufactured automobile parts.

• Several U.S. Department of Commerce industry offices have compiled summary reports of global import requirements. These reports provide country specific information and are accessible via the Internet home pages of various offices, including:

• Used Equipment: ‘Worldwide Used Machinery Import Regulations" (www.ita.doc.gov/td/machinery/ reports/ reports.html);

• Used Vehicles and Remanufactured Parts: "Report on Vehicle Import Requirements" and "Report on Remanufactured Parts Import Requirements" (www.ita.doc.gov/td/auto/impreq.html).

U.S. Commerce’s Trade Information Center posts documents on global import restrictions at www.tradeinfo.doc.gov. Look under the section titled "Country Information".

For further assistance, call the New Orleans U.S. Export Assistance Center at (504) 589-6546 or the Shreveport U.S. Export Assistance Center at (318) 676-3064.

*Refer to the Census Bureau website at www.census.gov/foreign-trade/www/statistics.html. Note: Used equipment and remanufactured automotive parts are grouped under the same Schedule B numbers as their new counterparts, making it difficult to obtain isolated statistics for used products. However, according to U.S. Department of Commerce officials, the volume of used goods exported from the U.S. is significant. Schedule B numbers for used clothing and used vehicles are grouped separately from new items.

Due to Louisiana’s overwhelming support of world trade month (proclaimed each year by the President of the U.S. as world trade "week"), trade-related activities were held statewide during the entire month of May, 2001.

The New Orleans U.S. Export Assistance Center extends its appreciation to the many sponsors of these events; among them are:

Air Cargo Association; Bank One; Board of Trade; Congressman William Jefferson; Consular Corps of New Orleans; Corporate Council of Africa; Le Centre International de Lafayette; Louisiana Department of Economic Development; Louisiana District Export Council; Louisiana International Trade Center - SBDC; MetroVision Economic Development Partnership; New Orleans Mayor’s Office of International Relations & Trade Development; North Louisiana District Export Council; Port of New Orleans; Propeller Club of the U.S.; Shreveport U.S. Export Assistance Center; Southeastern University; Southern United States Trade Association; Southern University; Steamship Association of Louisiana; The New Orleans Regional Chamber of Commerce; University of New Orleans; United Parcel Service; and the World Trade Center of New Orleans.

New Orleans attorney Lawrence B. Fabacher and Gulfport attorney Michael Prestia advise that the L-1 non-immigrant visa is available to managers or specialized knowledge employees of a foreign company which wishes to open a new office in the U.S. This is a predictable and relatively expeditious classification of great utility for foreign businesses, foreign executives, and their families. The L-1 classification is designated specifically to facilitate corporate entities which do business in other countries and want to expand to the U.S.

Executives or managers can remain in the U.S. initially for three years and may obtain extensions for a maximum of seven years. A specialized knowledge employee can remain in the U.S. initially for three years and may obtain extensions for a maximum of five years. At the end of the one-year maximum period, the L-1 visa holder must return to his/her home country for a period of one year before returning to the U.S. The spouse and unmarried children under 21 of the alien classified as L-1 will receive L-2 classification. Under this classification, the spouse and children are not authorized to work. If an individual comes to the U.S. as an L-1 manager, that person may immigrate ultimately without having to show that there is no qualified U.S. worker to do the job in question. That exemption does not apply to specialized knowledge L-1’s.

The law requires that the L-1 petition be filed by the company at the INS Service Center in the jurisdiction where the alien will work. Generally, these petitions are adjudicated within 30-60 days.

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

• Argentina - Oil Boom Despite Economic Stagnation
• Argentina - Convertibility to Include Euro
• Argentina - Textile and Apparel Duties Extended
• Brazil - Sporting Boat Industry
• Canada - British Columbia’s Burgeoning Biotech Industry
• Canada - New Treatment Facility for Vancouver’s Water Supply
• China - Policies on Municipal Solid Waste & Wastewater
• China - Ethylene Expansion Projects
• China - Beijing Wastewater Treatment in 2000
• China - Fertilizer Market in 2001
• China - New Requirement for City Water Supply and Wastewater Treatment
• Ghana - Inland Valleys Rice Development Project
• Hong Kong - Dept. Store Seeks Cosmetics, Gifts & Lifestyle-Related Products
• Israel - Cranes for Yovel Port
• Israel - Four Major Desalination Plants
• Kazakhstan - Commercial Service Will Feature U.S. Firms at International Mining Showcase and Conference.
• Korea - U.S. Catalog Show at International Financial Expo
• Mexico - New COGEN Power Plant-SYNTEX
• Mexico - Major Projects - Port of Vera Cruz
• Mexico - Fruit Juice Market
• Mexico - Expo Comm Mexico 2002
• Mexico - The Largest Supermarkets
• Mexico - Dairy Products
• Mexico - Processed Fruits and Vegetables Market
• Mexico - Bakery Products
• Mexico - Overview of the Services Market
• Mexico - Clouds Over Baja California’s Maquiladoras
• Mexico - Sinaloa: New Fruit Processing Plant
• Norway - Oil and Gas Industry Update, June 2001
• Turkey - Coast Guard Will Buy Emergency Rescue Boats
• UAE - Opportunity for Setting up a Tire Recycling Plant
• UK - List of American Attorneys in the United Kingdom
• Uzbekistan - International Tourism Fair-2001
• Uzbekistan - Shares of Four Oil & Gas Co. Are for Sale

At its Annual Dinner, the Foreign Relations Association of New Orleans (FRA), a member of the World Affairs Councils of America, elected the following new board members and officers: Dorothy Duval Nelson, President; Dr. David Clinton, Vice President; Edmund DeJarnette III, Secretary; and Peggy Armstrong, Treasurer. New board members are: Dr. Guenter Bischof, the University of New Orleans; Juan M. Csillagi, Hibernia National Bank; William H. Hines, Jones Walker; Steven C. Jaeger, the Port of New Orleans; V.W. Peperone, Entergy; and Natalie N. Rideau of the World Trade Center.

Join the World Trade Center for an exciting fall excursion to Spain November 2-10. The tour begins in Madrid, where the group will stay at the five-star Palace Hotel located in the heart of the city, just opposite the Prado and Thyssen Bornemisza museums. Highlights include curator tours of these world-class art collections and the Royal Palace. Special excursions have also been arranged to the palaces of La Granja de San Ildefonso, Aranjuez, and San Lorenzo de Escorial.

In Barcelona, the group will stay at the five-star Claris Hotel. Highlights will include visits to the Eixample District, the Block of Discord, Antoni Gaudi’s Sagrada Famillia Basilica and Parc Guell. Also included will be an excursion to the ancient Roman city of Girona to see the cathedral and the brightly painted houses on the Riu Onyar then on to Figueres to visit the bizarre museum of native surrealist, Salvador Dali.

This customized tour package is $2,839 per person double occupancy ($1089 single supplement) plus $973 airfare on Delta. The land cost includes five-star hotel accommodations, breakfast, tours, flight from Madrid to Barcelona, three receptions, a classical guitar concert, farewell dinner, and all transfers and taxes. Reservations are on a first-come, first serve basis with $400 deposit. Deadline for sign-up is July 13. For more information, call WTC Membership Director Natalie Rideau at (504) 529-1601, ext. 226.

Le Centre International and its advisory board, the International Trade Development Group, have presented their 2001 International Achievement Award to Warren A. Perrin of Lafayette as the "individual who has significantly enhanced Acadiana’s international reputation." The award was presented at a special dinner held at the Lafayette Hilton to honor Mr. Perrin.

Mr. Perrin, a well-known attorney in Lafayette, has for many years been active internationally as a champion of human rights, a defender of Louisiana’s rich French cultural heritage, and a tireless diplomat who has done much to promote Louisiana throughout the globe. Among his many accomplishments, Mr. Perrin has served as President of the Council for the Development of French in Louisiana (CODOFIL) since 1994. In 1990, Mr. Perrin established the Acadian Heritage & Culture Foundation, which operates the Acadian Museum. In 1996, he launched an initiative which led to the official twinning between the Acadian Museum of Louisiana and the Musee Falaise-Acadie-Quebec of France to help strengthen cultural and economic ties.

It was Mr. Perrin who proposed the plan, later adopted by the state as FrancoF�te ‘99, to invite the entire Francophone world to Louisiana to celebrate the State’s Tricentennial. He was a featured speaker at the 1994 World Acadian Reunion (attended by 400,000 Acadians) in New Brunswick, Canada, and helped propose that Louisiana host the Second World Acadian Reunion in 1999 as part of FrancoF�te ‘99. In 1997, he represented the state of Louisiana at the World Francophone Summit in Hanoi, Vietnam and headed the Louisiana delegation to the World Francophone Summit in New Brunswick, Canada in 1999.

In 1990 Mr. Perrin also led a Louisiana delegation to Coast Rica and represented the U.S. at the World Human Rights Conference in France in 1993. Subsequently, he founded the annual Human Rights Conference held in Lafayette in conjunction with Festival International de Louisiane each April. Mr. Perrin was awarded the National Order of Merit by the French government and received an honorary Doctorate of Laws degree from the Universite Sainte-Anne in Nova Scotia, Canada. As for his future plans, Mr. Perrin is already deeply involved in the planning of the celebrations to commemorate the bicentennial Louisiana Purchase in 2003.