LUNCHEON ADDRESS ON PRESIDENT’S ECONOMIC PLAN

Ms. Maria Cino, Assistant Secretary and Director General of the U.S. Foreign and Commercial Service with the U.S. Department of Commerce, will speak at a luncheon program at the World Trade Center’s Plimsoll Club in New Orleans on Wednesday, February 12. The subject of her talk is "The President’s Economic Plan and What It Means for International Trade."

In May of 2001, Ms. Cino was appointed by President Bush to serve as the Assistant Secretary and Director General of the United States and Foreign Commercial Service at the United States Department of Commerce. The U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service is the key export promotion agency of the federal government with a worldwide network of 1,700 employees charged with the mission to help small and medium sized American businesses export to markets worldwide.

Maria Cino’s career in coordinating and managing public policy and political projects spans over 20 years. Most recently, Ms. Cino served as the Deputy Chairman for Political and Congressional Relations at the Republican National Committee (RNC) in Washington, D.C. In this role, Ms. Cino managed a $250 million grassroots media, mail and get-out-the-vote effort in all 50 states. To register for the luncheon, call the WTC at (504) 529-1601, ext. 222 or click here.

GLOBAL MEDICAL MARKET REPORTS

U.S. Foreign Commercial staff recently prepared medical market briefs for over 20 countries. To request copies, e-mail Jo Daugherty of the New Orleans U.S. Export Assistance Center at: jo.daugherty@mail.doc.gov. Due to the volume of reports, they will be sent as an e-mail attachment. Countries include: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.

HOW TO OBTAIN APOSTILLES REQUIRED BY MEXICO

An "Apostille" is often required by Mexican authorities or financial institutions as the means of verifying the authenticity of international documents. Since Apostilles are not used within the U.S., many Americans are not familiar with them. An Apostille is a certificate issued by a state government, generally by the Secretary of State, to authenticate documents signed by a government official or Notary Public of the same state. Examples of U.S. certificates that might require an Apostille for acceptance in Mexico are court-issued documents, death certificates, birth certificates, marriage licenses, and patent and trademark documents. Documents that are not issued directly by a state or county may require notarization before applying for an Apostille. Such documents might include business contracts or agreements, powers of attorney, and minutes of meetings. For more information, contact the Louisiana Secretary of State by phone (225) 925-4704 or e-mail: commercial@sec.state.la.us.

U.S.-CHILE CONCLUDE FREE TRADE AGREEMENT

On December 11, the United States and Chile reached agreement on the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) designed to strip away barriers and facilitate trade and investment between both countries. U.S. Trade Representative Robert B. Zoellick and Chilean Foreign Minister Soledad Alvear said they expect to sign the Agreement and submit it to their Congresses for approval this year.

Key provisions of the U.S.-Chile FTA include:

• Over 85% of bilateral trade in consumer and industrial products tariff-free immediately; most remaining tariffs eliminated within four years.

• Nearly three-quarters of U.S. and Chilean farm goods tariff-free within four years; all tariffs and quotas phased out within 12 years.

• U.S. firms gain new access to fast-growing Chilean services market.

• State of the art protections and non-discriminatory treatment provided for digital products such as U.S. software, music, text and videos.

• Provides a secure, legal framework for U.S. investors in Chile.

• U.S. firms guaranteed fair and transparent process to sell goods and services to Chilean government entities, including airports and seaports.

• Cooperative projects to protect wildlife, reduce environmental hazards and promote internationally recognized labor rights.

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

BANK ONE NAMED TOP 10 LENDER BY EX-IM BANK

Bank One has been named one of the top 10 lenders by the Export-Import Bank of the United States for fiscal year 2002. Bank One was ranked number six in this listing and was the only bank active in Louisiana ranked among the bank’s top 10 loan producers.

In 2002, Bank One completed 22 working capital transactions with Ex-Im Bank for loans totaling more than $44 million. Bank One is one of the few financial institutions in the country that maintain a dedicated, full-time staff for delivering the Export-Import Bank’s Working Capital Export Loan Program, said Bill Cummins, First Vice President of international banking for Bank One in New Orleans.

This is the fourth consecutive year that Bank One has been among the Ex-Im Bank’s top 10 producers, Cummins said. He also noted that 35% of Bank One’s total dollar volume under the Ex-Im Bank’s Working Capital Loan Program during 2002 came from Louisiana companies.

The Bank One Business Export Loan was developed in partnership with the Ex-Im Bank to help U.S. companies fund and expand their international sales. Ex-Im Bank provides a 90 percent U.S. governmental guarantee for principal and accrued interest on all loans and letters of credit using this export program.

STUDY USA

The STUDY USA Asian Tour kicks off on February 18 and will include ten events in eight countries. This is an excellent venue for American schools to reach thousands of potential international students through seminars, exhibitions, trade events, media resources, and having your school listed on the STUDY USA website. The cost varies depending on the country or countries you choose to include in the tour. Call the U.S. Export Assistance Center in New Orleans at (504) 589-6546 for more info, or visit/register at www.susa.gov.

The tour schedule is as follows:

• February 18-19: Mumbai, India

• February 21-22: Delhi, India

• February 24-25: Chennai, India

• February 27: Singapore

• March 1-2: Bangkok, Thailand

• March 4: Manila, Philippines

• March 6-7: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

• March 9-10: Jakarta, Indonesia

• March 30-31: Seoul, Korea

• April 5: Tokyo-Ikebukuro, Japan

LUNCHEON PROGRAM ON CUBA

The World Affairs Council of New Orleans is holding a luncheon program on Wednesday, March 12 on "Cuba After Castro: 44 Years Later." The featured speaker is Irving Louis Horowitz, Distinguished Professor of Sociology and Political Science at Rutgers University. The program will be held at the Plimsoll Club of the World Trade Center in New Orleans. The event is co-sponsored by the WTC and the University of New Orleans’ Metropolitan College. Please call the World Affairs Council’s office at (504) 523-2201 to register.

DONNA FRAICHE ELECTED WTC PRESIDENT

The Board of Directors of the World Trade Center of New Orleans has elected Donna Fraiche as President of the WTC for 2003. Ms. Fraiche is a Partner of the Locke Liddell and Sapp law firm. Other WTC officers elected for 2003 are: President-elect, Charles Teamer, Chairman, Board of Directors, Dryades Savings Bank; Vice Presidents - Leon R. Fulton, Chairman, Fulton, Johnson, Newman, & Pittman Insurance Agency; J. Dwight LeBlanc, Partner, Chaffe McCall Phillips Toler & Sarpy, LLP; and Charles W. Nelson, President, Waldemar S. Nelson & Co.; Treasurer, Constance C. Willems, McGlinchey Law Firm; Secretary, Ronnie Kole; Chairman of the Board, Jean C. Felts, Principal, Jean Felts & Company; and Richard Allen and Eugene Schreiber, Managing Directors.

New directors elected to the WTC Board are: Conrad Appel, II, President, Construction South; Lawrence L. Boudreaux, III, President, Fidelity Homestead Association; Michael Bruno, Partner, Bruno & Tervalon; Allen B. Colley, President, Dupuy Storage & Forwarding Company; Arnold Fielkow, Executive Vice President, New Orleans Saints; Arnie Frankel, Manager, AEP Southwestern Electric Power; Roy Gonzalez, Vice President, Biehl & Company; David Guidry, President, Guico Machine Works; Walter J. Leger, Jr., Partner, Leger & Mestayer; Gregory Rusovich, President, Transoceanic Shipping Company; Fred Siegel, President, The Siegel Group; and Robert W. Vorhoff, Director of Corporate Planning, Laitram Corporation.

HEALTHCARE TRADE MISSION TO SCANDINAVIA IN MARCH

On March 17-21, join the U.S. Department of Commerce Healthcare Technologies Trade Delegation to Copenhagen, Denmark and Stockholm, Sweden (with an optional stop in Oslo, Norway) and meet with prospective distributors, agents, and strategic alliance partners. Targeted sectors include telemedicine, medical supplies, diagnostics, and healthcare services.

• Denmark’s import medical market is estimated at $375 million. Publicly owned hospitals and government subsidized healthcare are being privatized, and export opportunities are increasing. Telemedicine is one of the fastest growing trends in the Danish healthcare market.

• Sweden, one of the most advanced medical equipment markets in the world, imports an estimated $850 million in medical equipment and technology. Like Denmark, the demand for telemedicine continues to grow in Sweden.

• Norway’s healthcare system is government funded, but private clinics are gaining greater acceptance due to the tedious wait for public healthcare services. Both public and private healthcare providers use state of the art equipment and demand new technologies.

Commercial Service industry experts in each country will bring the highest quality business contacts from the healthcare industry to meet with you during your mission. You will receive an individual itinerary of pre-screened, targeted appointments; market briefings; business networking receptions; and support/follow-up assistance when you return.

Register soon as space is limited. Call the U.S. Export Assistance Center in New Orleans at (504) 589-6546 or in Shreveport at (318) 676-3064 for more information.

U.S. COMMERCE LAUNCHES SPANISH WEBSITE

The U.S. Department of Commerce has a new website to inform the Hispanic community of changes in the economy, upcoming trade development missions, high tech issues, and trade opportunities. The site includes information about minority development, export assistance, grant opportunities, contracting, and career opportunities. Visit the site at www.commerce.gov/indes_spanish.htm.

PUBLIC NOTICE OF FOREIGN TRADE ZONE APPLICANT

The Port of South Louisiana and Vicksburg-Jackson Foreign Trade Zone, Inc. has applied to the U.S. Commerce Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) Board for special purpose FTZ sub-zone status for the oil terminal facilities of Ergon St. James, Inc. in St. James, Louisiana. A copy of the application is available for public inspection at the U.S. Export Assistance Center in New Orleans. Call (504) 589-6546 for more information. To learn more about Foreign Trade Zones, log on to http://ia.ita.doc.gov/ftzpage.

CASPIAN BASIN ENERGY CONFERENCE A SUCCESS

On January 9 the U.S. Department of Commerce, the Department of State, and other organizations sponsored a Caspian Basin Energy Conference at the World Trade Center in New Orleans. Over 150 representatives of the oil and oil service industries from locations such as Houston and Tulsa to Denmark and Turkey attended the all-day Conference.

The morning panel, "Business Development Opportunities in Major Caspian Energy Projects" featured presentations by BP, Chevron Texaco, and Parker Drilling. The afternoon session included a panel on "Doing Business Successfully in the Caspian Basin" with presentations by Transoceanic Shipping, Caspian Wireline Services, McDermott International, and TEST Automation and Controls. The final panel, "Getting Started in the Caspian Region: Resources and Services for U.S. Business Development," featured presentations by the Louisiana Department of Economic Development, as well as the Commercial AttachŽs in Baku and Almaty.

The keynote luncheon speakers were Amb. Steven Mann, Caspian Basin Energy Diplomacy; Hon. Ross Wilson, U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan; and Hon. Larry C. Napper, U.S. Ambassador to Kazakhstan. A special guest at the conference, H.E. Hafiz Mir Jaslal Pashayev, Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the U.S., also delivered remarks at the luncheon.

Following the afternoon panels, conference participants met one-on-one with representatives from BP, the Export-Import Bank, the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), and the Louisiana Department of Economic Development. The conference concluded with a Networking Jazz Reception in the Plimsoll Club.

LITC OFFERS FREE TRADE COUNSELING

The Louisiana International Trade Center is part of the Small Business Development Center, a nationwide network of more than a thousand centers in all fifty states and territories that are dedicated to assisting small and medium sized companies. The LITC helps business people in the state of Louisiana interested in exporting and importing. Counseling services are provided FREE of charge to their clients. Counseling sessions are provided by international marketing experts, bankers, freight forwarders, customs brokers, attorneys and Internet developers. To set an appointment call (504) 568-8222. For more information on the program and seminars visit our web site: www.uno.edu/~litc.

2003 TRADE DIRECTORY AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE

The 2003 edition of the Louisiana International Trade Directory, the official import-export directory of Louisiana published by the World Trade Center is now available. The Directory contains over 1,700 detailed listings of Louisiana exporters, importers, trade services, and organizations. Prices are $40 for the binder ($25 for WTC members) and $100 for the CD Rom ($80 for WTC members). To order, call the WTC at (504) 529-1601, ext. 222 or visit the WTC website at www. wtcno.org to purchase the Directory online.

FOOD AND BEVERAGE EXPORT REGULATIONS

Exporting food and beverages from the United States can be more complicated than exporting other products due to requirements imposed by governments internationally. Several U.S. government agencies issue certificates and other documentation that is often necessary for exporting food and beverages. These agencies provide companies with assistance in filling out the appropriate paperwork and determining the shipping requirements for specific products and destinations. For details, call the U.S. Export Assistance Center in New Orleans at (504) 589-6546.

SMALL FIRMS CAN COMPETE IN CHINA MARKETS

It is often assumed that only large firms can successfully do business in China. In fact, many small and medium-sized firms are also doing business in China with great success.

There is an excellent nine-page article in the January/February 2003 issue of The China Business Review, entitled "The Small Fry Take on China". Learning from the experiences of others can help small businesses new to China avoid costly mistakes. Material includes "Keys to Business Success in China". View the piece online at: http://www.chinabusinessreview.com/0301/gallant.html, or call the New Orleans U.S. Export Assistance Center at (504) 589-6546 for a copy.

The article was authored by Rosemary Gallant, a Commercial Officer in the Middletown (CT) U.S. Export Assistance Center. Ms. Gallant has worked for eleven years for the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service in Shanghai, Hong Kong, and the American Institute in Taiwan. She joined the China Office of the Commerce Department in 1988. The China Business Review is published bimonthly by the US-China Business Council, which has offices in Beijing, Shanghai, and Washington D. C.