Mission Description
U.S. Commercial Service (CS) Italy, in cooperation with the International Trade Administration's Safety and Security Team, is planning, promoting, and recruiting a trade mission that will travel to Genoa, Italy, March 10-12, 2004. The trade mission will focus on U.S. companies specializing in security systems and communications software. Our target number of participants is 10-15 U.S. companies. The mission will be co-hosted by the Genoa Port Authority. The objective of the mission is to expose participating companies to opportunities resulting from several new U.S. and international port security initiatives.
Commercial Setting
The Western European market for security products and systems is the largest market worldwide, accounting for 37 percent of the world market, with Italy holding a 12 percent share. Total sales of security equipment in Italy in 2001 totaled $1.9 billion. The Italian market is forecast to expand 8.4 percent per annum through 2006, an acceleration from the 1992-2001 average pace. Italy's major trading partners in this industry include the United States, Germany, the U.K., and France. Italian end-users consider the U.S. security equipment industry to be the world leader in the global marketplace. U.S. producers have a competitive advantage in Italy because U.S. technology is considered advanced and sophisticated.
In particular, new information exchange and security requirements of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and upcoming international security standards have created opportunities for U.S. security firms in the port security sector in Italy, as major ports must upgrade existing systems. This will include, among many other items, container, cargo and baggage screening equipment; non-intrusive inspection technology; access control and identification systems; and communication software for data integration.
The mission is intended to tap immediate opportunities in Italian ports. Meetings will be scheduled with individuals from both the public sector (e.g., port authorities and customs officials) and private business (e.g., shipping agents, marine terminal operators, local security system companies) from all over Italy. Follow-on Gold Key meetings may be set up in other Italian cities with other end-users, depending on participants' wishes.
Mission Goals
The mission's goals are to introduce U.S. exporters of security systems to potential Italian business partners, including public and private end-users and potential agents, distributors, and licensees.
Mission Scenario
A welcome reception is planned for Mission participants on the day of their arrival. Participants will receive a market briefing the following day, which will include an overview of the economic and political environment of the country, as well as a more detailed analysis of the market for security systems.
The Port Security Trade Mission will include an overview of the port security scenario by the DHS and also a Genoa Port Authority representative. One-on-one business meetings will follow on both days with potential Italian end-users. Companies wishing to participate in follow-on Gold Keys in other Italian cities will receive CS Italy support in organizing such business meetings.
Mission Timetable
The mission will arrive in Genoa, Italy, on March 10, 2004. A two-day program has been developed and will include welcome reception, commercial and economic briefing, briefing by DHS and Genoa Port Authority officials, and one-on-one business meetings. Mission participants will depart Italy March 13, 2004*.
*Follow-on Gold Keys in Italy will be organized for those participants interested during the week of March 15, 2004.
Recruitment for the mission begins immediately and will conclude by February 13, 2004. Applications received after that date will be considered only if space and scheduling constraints permit.
Criteria for Participant Selection
Application for participation in the mission is open to U.S. security systems and software companies who are interested in doing business in the Italian market, up to a maximum of 15 companies. The mission will focus on recruitment of small to medium sized enterprises. Other selection criteria include:
- Relevance of a company's business line to providing Security Technology Solutions.
- Potential of a U.S. company to do business in the mission market.
- Timeliness of signed application and participation agreement by company. This includes a participation fee of $2,015 for the mission to Genoa, Italy, with additional charges for eventual gold key services with a fee of $700 for a one-day Gold Key.
- Adequate information on the company's goods or services that it wishes to promote in mission markets.
Recruitment will be conducted in an open and public manner, including publication in the Federal Register, posting on the Internet (www.ita.doc.gov/doctm), phone, fax, and e-mail contact. Trade Specialists from the Safety and Security Team throughout the United States will promote the mission locally.
Participating companies' products and/or services must be 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 percent 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.
Contact Information
Overseas Post &
Recruitment Lead:Karen Ware
Senior Commercial Officer
U.S. Commercial Service Italy
Via Vittorio Veneto 119/A
00187 Rome, Italy
Tel: 011-39-06 4674 2382/2202
Fax: 011-39-06 4674 2113
E-mail: Karen.Ware@mail.doc.govU.S. Contact:
Dennis McClure
U.S. Department of Commerce/US&FCS
14th & Constitution Ave., NW, Rm. 3122
Washington, DC 20230
Tel: (202) 482-3347
Fax: (202) 482-3159
E-mail: Dennis.McClure@mail.doc.gov