SEMINAR ON INTERNATIONAL COMMERCIAL MEDIATION

The World Trade Center and other organizations will sponsor a luncheon seminar on "The ABCs of International Commercial Mediation" on Tuesday, June 8 from 11:45 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. at the WTC. The seminar will be conducted by Daniel Q. Posin, Professor of Law at Tulane Law School, and has been approved for two hours of Continuing Legal Education credit.

Mediation is a flexible and powerful tool that is well-designed for the resolution of international business disputes—between buyers and sellers, exporters and importers, manufacturers and distributors, shippers and carriers, investors and their joint venture partners, and other parties to all types of international commercial transactions. The value of mediation lies in its avoidance of some of the hazards of litigation or arbitration: costs, risk of a poor result, delay, and personal stress. Perhaps the greatest benefit is that the parties never get a result they have not agreed to; instead, they are fully empowered as to the process and the result.

The purpose of this seminar is to explain the commercial mediation process and the basic elements and tactics involved, and to overlay it with the additional complex issues—and the ultimate benefits—that international business mediation presents. To register for the program, call the WTC at (504) 529-1601, ext. 222 or click here.

INTERNATIONAL MIXER SET FOR JUNE 9 AT WTC

The World Trade Center of New Orleans, in conjunction with other local international trade and transportation organizations, will host an "International Mixer" on Wednesday, June 9 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Plimsoll Club in commemoration of World Trade Centers Association Day. The event will be celebrated along with the WTC’s partners in over 90 countries worldwide. The members of the Consular Corps will be special honored guests at the event.

The Mixer offers valuable networking with the members and staff of the following organizations: Air Cargo Association, Board of Trade, Council for International Visitors, French-American Chamber, Greater New Orleans Inc, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, International Freight Forwarders & Customs Brokers Association, Louisiana Economic Development, Mississippi Valley Trade & Transportation Council, Port of New Orleans, Propeller Club, Steamship Association, Traffic & Transportation Club, and the World Trade Club.

The cost of the event is $20 and includes hors d’oeuvres, one drink ticket, free parking, door prizes, music by the Joe Simon Trio, and great networking! (A cash bar will be available for additional refreshments.) Please RSVP by calling 529-1601 ext. 220, or click here.

INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL MEDICINE PROGRAM

The World Trade Center and other organizations will sponsor a luncheon program on "International Travel Medicine: What You or Your Employees Need to Know Before Going Abroad" on Tuesday, June 22 from 12:00 Noon to 1:45 p.m. in the WTC’s Plimsoll Club. The program will be conducted by Dr. Susan McLellan, Associate Professor at TulaneUniversity School of Medicine.

The purpose of this program is to review some of the basic health considerations for international travel and to demonstrate how appropriate pre-travel preparation can reduce the risk of both minor interruptions and major tragedy while overseas, whether for business or pleasure.

Dr. McLellan earned her undergraduate degree from Princeton University, a Masters in Public Health from the University of California School of Public Health in Berkeley, and an M.D. from Tulane School of Medicine. She is currently an Associate Professor of Medicine with the Infectious Diseases Section at Tulane’s School of Medicine. To register for the June 22 luncheon, call the WTC at (504) 529-1601, ext. 222, or click here.

U.S STATE DEPARTMENT’S REPORT ON TERRORISM

The annual "Patterns of Global Terrorism 2003" report, released in April by the U.S. Secretary of State and the Coordinator for Counter-Terrorism, is available on the Internet for review/downloading at: http://www.state.gov/s/ct/rls/pgtrpt/2003/

WORLD TRADE CLUB INAUGURAL BANQUET ON JUNE 26

The World Trade Club of Greater New Orleans’ 60th Inaugural Banquet will be held on Saturday, June 26 at the Loews New Orleans Hotel, starting with cocktails at 7:30 p.m. Gregory R. Rusovich, President and CEO of Transoceanic Shipping Company, will receive the Club’s 2004 Honorary Life Member Award. Music for the evening will be provided by Sol Brasil. For information or to register, contact Colleen Mulhern at colleen@wtcgno.org or call (504) 779-5671.

WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL ANNUAL DINNER ON JUNE 10

The World Affairs Council of New Orleans’s 60th Annual Dinner will be held on Thursday, June 10 at the Renaissance Arts Hotel, starting with cocktails at 6:00 p.m. The guest speaker will be Amb. Philip C. Wilcox, Jr., who will discuss "Israel and Palestine: Is Peace Possible?" To register for the dinner, call (504) 523-2201 or send an e-mail to wacno@bellsouth.net by June 7.

Amb Wilcox is the President of the Foundation for Middle East Peace, a Washington, D.C.-based foundation devoted to fostering peace between Israelis and Palestinians. He previously served as Chief-of-Mission in Jerusalem before retiring from the U.S. Foreign Service in 1997 after 31 years of service. His other Foreign Service postings included Laos, Indonesia, and Bangladesh. At the Department of State, he served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Middle Eastern Affairs , Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Intelligence and Research, and Coordinator for Counter-Terrorism.

NEW EXPORT CONTROLS FOR SYRIA AND LIBYA

SYRIA: On May 11, President Bush banned all U.S. exports to Syria except for food and medicine, ordering sanctions after long-standing complaints that Syria was supporting terrorism and undermining U.S. efforts in Iraq. The new official posting on the website of the Office of Foreign Asset Controls (OFAC), under U.S. Treasury: http://www.treas.gov/offices/eotffc/ofac/sanctions/t11syria.pdf.

LIBYA: On April 29, OFAC transferred licensing jurisdiction for the export of items subject to the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to the Bureau of Industry and Security. OFAC continues to maintain certain financial restrictions, including blocking the assets of named persons. For details on these issues, visit the OFAC website at http://www.treas.gov/offices/eotffc/ofac/, or call toll-free to 1-800-540-6322.

LA summary of the Bureau of Industry and Security’s new licensing requirements and policies for Libya follows:

• Items subject to EAR but not listed on the Commerce Control List (CCL) are generally not subject to a license requirement except as defined in the end-user and end-use controls set forth in Part 744 of the EAR.

• Items controlled by the multilateral export control regimes (i.e., items controlled for national security, missile technology, chemical and biological weapons, and nuclear nonproliferation reasons on the CCL) require a license to Libya, as do items controlled for crime control and regional stability reasons.

• Libya remains on the list of designated state sponsors of terrorism. As a result, most items controlled for anti-terrorism reasons will continue to require a license for export or re-export to Libya.

• Certain categories of items controlled for reasons not included on the Country Chart in Part 738 of the EAR (e.g., encryption, short supply, Chemical Weapons, Computers and Significant Items) also require a license for export or re-export to Libya.

FOREIGN ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

U.S. citizens planning a trip abroad should peruse the "Foreign Entry Requirements" section of the U.S. State Department’s website at: http://travel.state.gov/foreignentryreqs.html. The site lists visitor entry regulations for each country. For example, many countries require visitors to have an onward/return ticket before being permitted to enter the country. Some countries mandate a certificate of yellow fever vaccination, or proof that a traveler tested negative for AIDS. The site also has Passport and Visa guidelines, travel brochures, and other material useful to American citizens traveling outside of the United States.

DEFENSE TRADE CONTROLS

The U.S. Department of State has responsibility for the control of the permanent and temporary export and temporary import of defense articles and services, as outlined under the Arms Export Control Act and International Traffic in Arms Regulations. As part of its control measures, the State Department’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC) implemented an electronic licensing system, D-Trade, which can receive, review, and adjudicate defense export authorization requests. Submissions are made via an encrypted Internet site. Users are provided software that enables them to complete the forms and attach supporting documents in softcopy. Users can track their license applications shortly after submission by either DDTC-assigned license numbers or industry-generated transaction numbers. License applications are electronically forwarded to appropriate offices for review. Visit www.pmdtc.org for more information on D-Trade, or go directly to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations section at: www.pmdtc.org/itar_index.htm.

LAGRANGE TO BE HONORED AT HISPANIC CHAMBER GALA

Gary LaGrange, President and CEO of the Port of New Orleans, will be honored at the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Louisiana’s Gala Event on Saturday, June 19 at the Marriott Hotel starting at 8:00 p.m. Mr. LaGrange will receive the Sanchez to Sanchez to Smith Award that recognizes individuals who have contributed significantly to free trade between the U.S. and Latin America. The award is presented annually to a single individual per country, as well as the designated regions of the United States of the members of Latin Chambers of Commerce and Industry. For information on the June 19 Gala, contact HCCL at (504) 885-4262 or info@hccl.biz.

LOUISIANA FIRM RECEIVES EX-IM BANK AWARD

On April 29, J. Maxime Roy, Inc. of Lafayette received the 2004 Regional Broker of the Year Award from the Export-Import Bank (Ex-Im) of the United States at a presentation in Washington, D.C. The broker has worked with Ex-Im since 1995 to help nearly 75 small and medium-sized firms in Louisiana and other Southern states export goods and services worldwide.

J. Maxim Roy (www.jmaximeroy.com) helped companies obtain Ex-Im’s (www.exim.gov) multi-buyer and medium-term export credit insurance, as well as the Bank’s working capital guarantees. Companies assisted by J. Maxim Roy have exported agricultural products, oil field equipment and services, engineering services, industrial and construction equipment, textiles, and other goods and services to markets throughout the world.

FRANCHISING IN THE RUSSIAN FAR EAST

There is growing government and private support for small and medium-size enterprise development in the Russian Far East, including franchise businesses. The best franchise prospects are:

• Fast Food/Restaurants/Cafes/Ice Cream Parlors
• Single-Brand, Stylish Clothing Boutiques
• Brand Name Footwear Stores
• Beauty and Perfume Shops

A good way for U.S. franchisers to meet potential business partners is to attend trade shows in Russia, or by having the Commercial Service set up business appointments in the local area via its Gold Key Service. For research on the Russian Market, visit the Business Information Service for the Newly Independent States website at www.busnis.doc.gov, or log on to the BuyUSA website at www.BuyUSA.gov/russia/en.

KEEPING SHIPPER’S EXPORT DEC INFO CONFIDENTIAL

Recent news articles claim that a foreign government has been requesting a copy of the Shipper’s Export Declaration (SED) for exports entering the country from the U.S. However, under provisions of the U.S. Foreign Trade Statistics Regulations, information on the SED may not be disclosed to anyone except the U.S. Principal Party in Interest or their agent, and only when such a copy is needed to comply with U.S. official legal and regulatory export control requirements. Therefore, U.S. firms should not provide a copy of the SED or Automated Export System record to other governments. Providing such information would be contrary to the U.S. Census Bureau/Foreign Trade Division’s commitment to maintain confidentiality of information filed with them.

Questions or concerns on this matter should be directed to Mr. Jerome Greenwell of the Census Bureau’s Regulations/Outreach/Education Branch at (301) 763-2238. Visit www.census.gov/foreign-trade/regulations/ for details on the Foreign Trade Division.

SUCCESSFUL WORLD TRADE MONTH IN MAY

As a result of Louisiana’s outstanding support of World Trade Week (proclaimed each year by the President of the United States), numerous trade-related activities were held throughout the state during May 2004. The New Orleans U.S. Export Assistance Center extends its appreciation to the many sponsors of these events, including: Louisiana Economic Development, Louisiana District Export Council, Mississippi Development Authority, Mobile Chamber of Commerce, New Orleans U.S. Export Assistance Center, Port of New Orleans, U.S. Commercial Service, Shreveport U.S. Export Assistance Center, University of West Florida-Small Business Development Center, Port of New Orleans, World Trade Center of New Orleans, and World Trade Club of Greater New Orleans.

INDUSTRY MARKET REPORTS

Following is a list of U.S. Commercial Service industry reports. For the entire report(s), call the U.S. Export Assistance Center in New Orleans at (504) 589-6546, or in Shreveport at (318) 676-3064.

Belgium: Used Passenger Cars - Opportunity and Challenges

Brazil: Container Terminal Expansion in Brazil

Brazil: Toys, Parties and Christmas Fair South America

Brazil: Houseware and Gift Fair 2004

China: Demands for Electronics Manufacturing Equipment Surge in China

China: Real Estate Market in Shanghai City

Dominican Republic: Exoneration of Import Tax to Pharmaceutical Products

Dominican Republic: Incorporation of Foreign Firms in the Dominican Republic

Finland: The Finnish Safety and Security Market

Israel: Procurement Officers at Major Defense Industries

Mexico: The Market for Passenger Buses

Portugal: 2004, Year of Private Management of Health

Turkey: Firm Seeks Books, Novels and Children’s Books

Turkey: Firm Seeks Naturally Produced Dog and Cat Food

EXPO 2004 IN HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA AUGUST 15-17

A special trade show entitled "Expo 2004" will be held at the World Trade and Convention Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia on August 15-17, immediately following the World Acadian Congress.

2004 marks the 400th anniversary of "Acadie" in Nova Scotia, the birthplace of the French presence of North America. Expo Acadie 2004 will focus on business development, partnership building, and the expansion of export markets for Acadian products and services. Key sectors will include: gastronomy, tourism, professional services, technology and the new economy, Acadian and native arts and crafts.

Entrepreneurs from France, Belgium, Louisiana, New England, and Texas will join their counterparts from the Atlantic Provinces and other Canadian regions. The show will feature business matchmaking sessions and industrial visits, gourmet food tasting and entertainment, a consumer trade fair for the general public, workshops, a research and development innovation pavilion, and an interactive website. Registration is $175 with a booth, or $125 without. For details, contact the International Center of Lafayette at (337) 291-5474.

BRAZIL OIL AND GAS EXPO IN RIO DE JANEIRO

The International Center of Lafayette is once again organizing a Louisiana Pavilion at the Rio Oil and Gas Expo on October 4-7 in conjunction with Louisiana Economic Development. This is the largest energy industry show in Latin America, with over 800 exhibitors and 35,000 visitors.

Participation in the Louisiana Pavilion will cost $3,000 per company. The registration fee covers: booth space (10 companies will share a 100 square meter pavilion); interpretation services; a briefing with the U.S. Department of Commerce office in Rio; a social function to promote the Louisiana delegation with key business executives and government officials; refreshments in the booth; group rates at the Royalty Barra Hotel; and daily transportation to and from the hotel and Expo. Each company will be provided a locked countertop with electrical outlets for laptops, two bar stools and a five-minute looped presentation on two plasma screens. The conference-meeting room and storage area will be shared by all participants. Space is limited to the first 10 companies. For more information and a registration packet, contact the International Center at (337) 291-5474.