WASHINGTON, November 23, 2002—A trade mission of representatives from 18 Appalachian companies under the sponsorship of the Appalachian Regional Commission will visit Mexico December 2–6, 2002. The mission is designed to promote Appalachia's diverse economy and secure new opportunities for increased exports to the United States' second-largest trading partner. During the course of their visit, company representatives will attend a seminar marking the tenth anniversary of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), hold one-on-one meetings with potential Mexican business partners, and see firsthand how goods move through the busiest border crossing in North America.

The members of the trade mission are from eight Appalachian states and represent companies doing business in sectors including industrial machinery, fire equipment, church furnishings, biotechnology, and container systems. The U.S. Department of Commerce, along with the respective state trade offices, will facilitate business contacts in Mexico City, Monterrey, and Nuevo Laredo.

The NAFTA seminar will feature a variety of practical workshops on topics including financing trade, marketing in Mexico through the Internet, and dealing with customs issues. Mexican President Vicente Fox and Secretary of Economy Luis Ernesto Derbez are to deliver speeches celebrating a new era of trade opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises. The seminar will give U.S. business participants not only a better understanding of how to succeed in Mexico, but also access to valuable Mexican commercial and government contacts.

For more information about the trade mission, contact Chad Miller at chadm@vt.edu or David Hughes at dhughes@arc.gov.