Export Promotion Services Matchmaker Trade Delegation Program will lead a Healthcare Technologies Matchmaker Trade Delegation to Madrid, Spain and Milan, Italy, February 28-March 3, 2000. The Matchmaker will target the healthcare technologies industries, including medical and dental equipment and supplies; pharmaceuticals; and healthcare services sectors. The focus of the delegation will be to match participating U.S. companies with qualified agents, distributors, representatives, licensees, and joint venture partners in these markets.

Healthcare Technologies has been targeted by the Commercial Service as a key ShowCase Europe industrial sector. The emphasis on this sector in Europe is strong and the two country markets chosen for this Matchmaker exhibit promising opportunities for U.S. healthcare technologies SMEs.

The Italian healthcare products and medical equipment market reached $2.8 billion in 1998 and is projected to grow 5-8 percent over the next several years. Imports account for 70 percent of the total market. In the Italian medical market the United States has an established reputation as a leader in advanced innovative technology and holds a substantial portion of the import market.

Spain's growth prospects for medical equipment and supplies are the best for all of the European Union (EU). The United States is in a good position to benefit from this expected growth as it enjoys an excellent reputation for quality and innovation in medical/hospital products. The United States is the number one exporter to Spain of medical equipment and supplies with 25 percent of the import market. The import market represents 70 percent of the total market, which was estimated at $2 billion in 1997 and is projected to grow 5 percent annually over the next five years.

The Healthcare Technologies Matchmaker's goal is to gain first-hand market information and provide access to key government officials and potential business partners for new-to-market or new-to-export, small to mid-sized U.S. healthcare technologies firms desiring to enter the Italian and Spanish markets.

The Matchmaker will begin in Madrid, Spain and then travel to Milan, Italy. At each stop, the Commercial Service will provide an extensive market briefing highlighting opportunities in the healthcare industry, schedule one-on-one appointments with potential business partners for each participant, and arrange hospitality events to introduce participants to key business, industry, and government officials.

Mission participants will arrive in the Madrid, Spain on Sunday, February 27th. The Spanish portion of the mission with be held on February 28th -29th. The mission will then travel to Milan on March 1^st. Meetings in Milan will be held March 2nd and 3^rd. The mission will conclude on March 3rd.

Matchmaker promotion will include but not be limited to the following venues: the USEACs and Teams; relevant trade publications; relevant trade associations; past Matchmaker and Commerce trade mission participants; various in-house and purchased industry lists, and the Federal Register.

Recruitment will begin on or about September 7th, and will close on January 7th. Participation is open to 15 qualified U.S. SMEs. The participation fee will be between $2,800-$3,000 for the two stop Matchmaker.

• Relevance of the company's business line to mission goals
• Potential for business in the selected markets
• Timeliness of the company's completed application and payment of the mission participation fee
• Provision of adequate information on the company's products and/or services and communication of the company's primary objectives to facilitate appropriate matching with potential business partners
• Certification that the company's products and/or services are manufactured or produced in the United States or if manufactured/produced outside of the United States, the product/service must be marketed under the name of a U.S. firm and have U.S. content representing at least 51% of the value of the finished good or service.

Any partisan political activities of an applicant, including political contributions, will be entirely irrelevant to the selection process.

Yvonne Jackson, Project Manager

Matchmaker Trade Delegations Program

U.S. Department of Commerce, Room 2012

Washington, D.C. 20230

Tel: (202) 482-2675

Fax: (202) 482-0178