This week, U.S. Commerce Secretary John Bryson visited Paris, France for the first leg of a European trip to reaffirm the United States’ commitment to lowering trade barriers and encouraging European businesses to invest in the U.S. In France, Bryson is meeting with several key members of the U.S. and French business communities, as well as with a minister in the new French government. These meetings focused on increasing French investment in the United States, supporting U.S. companies with operations in France, and learning about the new government’s economic policy plans.

On Monday, Secretary Bryson met with the leadership and key members of the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in France to discuss investment and trade issues facing U.S. industry and to support U.S. company operations and interests in France. He also met with the leadership and key members of MEDEF, a major French business association, to highlight the attractiveness of the investment climate in the United States and learn about the successes, concerns and problems of current and potential investors. Bryson also took the opportunity to introduce French investors to SelectUSA, the first coordinated effort by the U.S. government to attract new business investments to America.The Secretary later met with the head of the French export agency, UBI France, and the CEOs of three French small businesses that are entering the U.S. market.
On Tuesday, Secretary Bryson met with Arnaud Montebourg, the new French Minister for Industrial Renewal, who is committed to industrial policy and job creation. They discussed the planned economic policies of the new Hollande administration, the importance of U.S. investors to France’s economy and employment, U.S.-EU Cooperation, and the Obama administration policies to support American manufacturing. In addition, he met with U.S. pharmaceutical companies with operations in France to discuss the investment and trade issues facing that sector.
 
Departing France today, Secretary Bryson will spend the rest of the week in Germany, with stops in Dusseldorf and Berlin. He will meet with business and government leaders to discuss opportunities to strengthen the commercial relationship between the United States and Europe, including efforts to support President Obama’s National Export Initiative (NEI) goal of doubling U.S. exports by the end of 2014, and attracting business investment in the U.S. to create jobs.