Export Promotion Services will recruit and organize a U.S. delegation to Europartenariat Apeldoorn 1998, which will be led by Deputy Assistant Secretary for EPS Mary Fran Kirchner. The event will be held June 11-12, 1998 in Apeldoorn, The Netherlands. Europartenariat is a European Commission initiative to encourage small- and medium-sized firms to form alliances and business networks. Europartenariat receives U.S. Department of Commerce support as part of the Trans-Atlantic Business Dialogue Small Business Initiative Program (TASBI). The Europartenariat is a special program hosted by the European Union, in which American firms can participate. In addition, the Commercial Service will be offering a wide range of services for US participants to increase the overall value of the trade mission, including Matchmaker appointments focusing on 12 product and service categories.
The Europartenariat partnering convention is broader than an export promotion event in that it provides opportunities for U.S. participants to discuss a variety of business cooperation proposals with their counterparts from 82 countries. More than 400 Dutch firms will be represented, as well as about 2,000 visiting firms from the Middle East, Asia, Latin America, as well as Europe and the Newly Independent States. The fee for the event will be $1,400 per company.
The Dutch economy continues to be one of the strongest in Europe, and is heading for sustained growth in 1998. Fueled predominantly by strong domestic demand and by an improvement in the Dutch competitive position in export markets, the economy grew a solid 2.7 percent in 1996: and real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth was 3 percent (year on year) in the first quarter of 1997. This underscores expectations for continued strong growth performance in 1997 and 1998. An official Dutch Government forecast predicts GDP growth of 3.25 percent in 1997, accelerating to 3.75 percent in 1998.
Nearly 40 percent of US exports to Europe flow through The Netherlands. Moreover, more than 1600 US companies have set up operations in The Netherlands, and US direct investment totals over $37 billion. The Netherlands is the principal gateway for American firms, with over half (57 percent) of all European Distribution Centers (EDCs) of American companies located in the country. The Netherlands hosts more American EDCs than the rest of Europe combined. Belgium has the next largest concentration. Of the 955 EDCs of international corporations located in Europe, 535 (56 percent) are located in The Netherlands.
Best prospects for US exports to The Netherlands include: computer software, hardware and services; telecommunications equipment and services; aircraft parts and supplies; medical equipment and supplies; electronic components; automotive parts and service equipment; and pollution control equipment.
The goal of this mission is to support the Trans-Atlantic Business Dialogue Small Business Initiative by giving U.S. participants first-hand market information and providing access to potential business partners in Northern Europe and the broader European and world markets.
The first stage of the event will consist of 3 days of Matchmaker meetings to be provided through the Commercial Service offices in Germany, France, Luxembourg, Belgium and The Netherlands, and in full cooperation with the eight Chambers of Commerce from the Saar-Lor-Lux Region of Europe. These three days of Matchmaker meetings will provide the U.S. companies with targeted appointments with agents, distributors and end-users from five different markets. The Matchmaker meetings will be arranged by CS Bonn, CS Brussels, CS Strasbourg and CS Amsterdam/The Hague and will be hosted by the Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce and CS Amsterdam. Participants will spend 2 days in Luxembourg and 1 day in Amsterdam.
Participants will then spend two days in Apeldoorn, The Netherlands, which is in the Gelderland region of The Netherlands. The companies will attend Europartenariat Apeldoorn as a part of the U.S. delegation to the event. Based on criteria that the companies establish, matchmaking with Europartenariat host companies will be done electronically prior to the event. The Europartenariat organizers will furnish each American company with an appointment schedule at the event. In addition, meetings will be scheduled for U.S. participants with companies from the other 82 visiting delegations throughout the event. Appointments will be scheduled for each participant on an hourly basis and participants can expect to meet with 12-18 business contacts.
The Matchmaker participants will arrive in Luxembourg on June 7, 1998. Two days of pre- screened matchmaker meetings with agents and distributors from Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany and France will be held on June 8-9, 1998. Companies will then travel to Amsterdam, The Netherlands, the evening of June 9, 1998. Companies will have one full day of pre-screened matchmaker meetings with Dutch agents and distributors on June 10, 1998.
All participants will travel from Amsterdam by bus on the evening of June 10 to Apeldoorn. Two days of pre-arranged meetings with companies seeking partnerships and strategic alliances will be held June 11-12, 1998 in Apeldoorn. Additional meetings will be scheduled during the two days with other visiting delegations, as desired.
Export Promotion Services has principal recruitment responsibility for the event. The Appalachian Regional Commission and the National Association of Manufacturers are also assisting with the event and will conduct fax recruitment campaigns. Event promotion will include, but not be limited to, the following sources: the Export Assistance Centers and their teams; Showcase Europe posts; relevant trade associations; past matchmaker and Commerce trade mission participants; various in-house and purchased industry lists. Europartenariat will also be listed in the Federal Register and on the Matchmaker Internet web site.
Recruitment will commence January 5 and will close on April 14, eight weeks prior to the start of the event.
Any partisan political activities of an applicant, including political contributions, will be entirely irrelevant to the selection process.
Derek Parks, U.S. National Counselor, Europartenariat Apeldoorn 1998
Room 2012
US Department of Commerce
14th and Constitution Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20230
T. 202-482-0287
F. 202-482-0178
E-mail: Dparks@doc.gov
Internet: www.ita.doc.gov/exportmatch