Archive for the ‘APEC’ Category

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The Department of Commerce and FedEx Partner on the Global Buyers Initiative

November 22, 2011

Matt Kennedy is the Director of Strategic Partnerships in the U.S. Commercial Service, International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce

This past week at the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting, I had the honor of being  present as Secretary Bryson and COO and President, International of FedEx Express, Mr. Michael Ducker partnered in marking the commencement of the Global Buyers Initiative – a new program that aims to help expand U.S. exports abroad and create jobs here at home.

An expansion of our ever-valuable partnership with FedEx, the program will work to identify foreign importers who, while already adept in importation, may not be sourcing from U.S. companies and could benefit from doing so.  With the help of our domestic and international teams, we will reach out to these companies, work to connect them with U.S. suppliers, and extend to them the broad resources of the Commercial Service.

To advance the goals of the President’s National Export Initiative, we in the Commercial Service have been working to develop innovative, effective, and efficient ways to help U.S. companies expand their exports abroad.  With a current program, the New Market Exporter Initiative, we are focusing on supply.  With partners FedEx, the National Association of Manufacturers, the United States Postal Service, and UPS, we are working to identify U.S. companies that export their goods and services abroad, but to only one or two countries.  With much of the know-how already there, these companies—with the guidance and resources of the Commercial Service—are entering new markets and expanding their business.  The Global Buyers Initiative represents a ramping up of these efforts and an expansion of the strategy to the demand side: the international companies that are potential importers.

And while the strategy may be new, the goal is the same: expand exports, create jobs.  We are especially excited about the power of our new program to impact small businesses here at home.  By connecting with importers abroad, the Global Buyers Initiative will expand small firms’ reach into these key foreign markets and, in doing so, help grow this vital sector of our economy.   

We are excited to roll out the program this year in Canada, France, and Korea, focusing on NEI-priority markets, and have plans to expand it to Australia, Colombia, Japan, Mexico, Panama, and Singapore in the near future.  We are confident that with the help of this new initiative and the continuing hard work of our domestic and international teams and partners, American exports will be increased and American jobs will be created.

If you’re in the market for American-made products and want to participate in the Global Buyers Initiative you can reach us at partners@trade.gov.

(The email address in the final paragraph of this post was updated on November 7, 2012.)

Posted in APEC, Exporting, Small Business | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

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Expanding the Wine Trade in the Asia-Pacific Region

September 29, 2011

Jamie Ferman is an international trade specialist focusing on the consumer goods industry.

I have always loved my job.  Since 1999, I have worked in the Office of Consumer Goods in the Manufacturing and Services division of the International Trade Administration and have covered numerous industries, with a primary focus on toys.  But in January, I was asked to take on a special project for the U.S. host year of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) to organize and implement the first meeting of the APEC Wine Regulatory Forum (WRF).  Last week in San Francisco, it all came together as one of the projects of the third Senior Officials Meeting.

Grapes in the Concannon Vineyard

Grapes in the Concannon Vineyard

With 110 wine regulators and industry representatives from 18 APEC economies, we discussed the sharing of best practices on wine certification, laboratory testing, and labeling.  We had 30 speakers from 13 different economies, with a major focus on encouraging economies to get involved with the international organizations that focus on wine, especially World Wine Trade Group, an informal group of government and industry representatives including the United States, Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, Georgia, New Zealand and South Africa which works to facilitate wine trade. 

APEC delegates tour the grape crusher at Concannan Vineyard

APEC delegates tour the grape crusher at Concannan Vineyard

In the past decade, wine trade in the 21-nation APEC region has grown significantly, accounting for 26 percent of all global trade in 2010, up from 21.8 percent in 2000.  More than one-fifth of APEC members’ global wine trade is conducted within the region, which has tripled to $3.6 billion in value over the last decade.

Given the importance of wine trade to some of our cosponsoring economies, Australia, Chile, New Zealand, and Peru, it is not surprising that our event drew some big names, like our key-note speaker, former World Trade Organization (WTO) Director-General and current New Zealand Ambassador to the U.S. Michael Moore.  In his remarks, Ambassador Moore noted that the APEC  wine trade, while quickly growing in significance, is burdened by different and sometimes conflicting regulatory requirements which are estimated to cost APEC economies and businesses approximately $1 billion USD per year.  Ambassador Moore also explained how New Zealand developed its wine industry from being small and domestically focused, to becoming a major international player by opening the market to imports and streamlining the regulations.

And yes, we did sample some of the best wine in California.  At the close of the first day, the event’s private-sector cosponsor, the Wine Institute, hosted a reception at the historic Ferry Terminal overlooking San Francisco Bay which featured wines from the Napa Valley Vintners Association.  After a regulators-only breakfast on the second day, we boarded a bus for the Livermore Valley and held our remaining sessions at the Concannon Vineyard and Winery. 

After agreeing in the Outcomes Statement to meet again to discuss critical issues like streamlining paper certifications for wine, which were documented and presented at the meeting by our U.S. regulatory partner, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax Trade Bureau (TTB), we went on a tour and tasting of the Concannon wines.  The grapes were still about two weeks away from harvest, so we sampled them right off the vine.  We ended the day by a tour of the TTB wine testing lab in Walnut Creek, CA where scientists in white lab coats gave us a glimpse of the hard science behind their regulatory mandate. 

All in all, this assignment was one of the best I have had during my time at Commerce. I am especially thankful for the chance to work with Tom LaFaille, Director of International Trade Policy at the Wine Institute and to the great U.S. government APEC team led by Julia Doherty, from the U.S. Trade Representative and Jennifer Stradtman from the International Trade Administration.  

*****

The presentations and other key documents from the WRF including the Outcomes Statement are available on the Wine Institute’s website.

APEC was established in 1989 in response to the growing interdependence of Asia-Pacific economies and the advent of regional economic blocs in other parts of the world.  It fosters growth and prosperity by facilitating economic cooperation and expanding trade and investment throughout the region.  APEC’s member economies today account for 55% of global gross domestic product, 61% of all U.S. export goods and 44% of world trade, and comprise a market of 2.7 billion consumers.

Posted in APEC, Chile, International Trade Administration, Manufacturing and Services | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments »

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Promoting Green Growth in APEC by Removing Barriers to Trade in Clean Energy Technologies

September 19, 2011

Ryan Mulholland is an International Trade Specialist within the International Trade Administration. His focus is renewable energy and energy efficiency.

In the decades ahead, millions of people will migrate from rural communities to the burgeoning urban centers of the Asia-Pacific. The new urban dwellers will demand electricity to help start business, power modern amenities, and promote a rising standard of living.

Already the 21 economies of APEC account for 40 percent of the world’s population and more than half (54%) of the world’s gross domestic product. The APEC economies account for an even larger share of the world’s energy consumption (60%), yet based on the region’s future growth the region will likely increase its proportion of the global energy demand in the coming decades and will likely be disproportionately affected by the adverse effects of climate change.

While daunting, the challenges presented by these facts represent an opportunity for the Asia-Pacific region. Working together, the 21 APEC economies could utilize their abundance of renewable energy potential and existing manufacturing capacity to become a leader in clean energy trade – particularly solar energy.

To help facilitate trade in solar energy technologies, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and  International Trade Administration, with funding from U.S. AID and Underwriters Laboratories (UL) and the support of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and Intertek and the U.S. Department of Energy, hosted an APEC Conference on Facilitating Trade in Solar Technologies through Standards and Conformity Assessment.

The conference was part of APEC’s Senior Official’s Meeting in San Francisco and will be followed by a more specific conference in Chinese Taipei focused on performance and durability of solar photovoltaics. The results of the APEC Solar Technologies Survey were presented at this conference by Underwriters Laboratories, who led the organization of a survey completed by 15 of the 21 economies.  The survey laid out the regulatory landscape and other voluntary and mandatory measures being implemented for solar technologies in the APEC Region.

As Matthew McGuire, director of Commerce’s Office of Business Liaison noted during the conference, “rather than developing our solar industries separately, we must collaborate. These technologies are too important to our collective futures to not work together.”

The APEC accounts for nearly 90 percent of the world’s solar manufacturing capacity for photovoltaic cells and modules. The APEC region enjoys some of the best solar locations in the world. But much more can be done. Rather than developing solar industries separately with trade barriers erected to keep foreign products out, the APEC economies can capitalize on their existing advantages and become an example to the rest of the world.

Use of international standards, for example, could be adopted and aligned in the Asian Pacific. Greater acceptance of third-party certification among APEC economies is also a goal. These types of changes could facilitate trade and help to reduce the unnecessary costs associated with manufacturing products to different standards for different markets.

The San Francisco conference sought to address a simple truth: without quality performance standards, consumers of solar energy products must bet on unfamiliar technologies without knowing if they will work as promised. When a consumer’s initial exposure to solar energy is so important, the lack of performance standards can lead to the proliferation of illusory bargains where cheap products hide their high maintenance costs and short product life and ultimately could taint any future use of solar energy.

Several private sector participants took part in the conference, including Eric Hafter from Sharp Solar Energy Solutions and Keith Williams from Underwriters Laboratories. Schneider Electric, Dupont Photovoltaic Solutions, Western Renewables Group, Intertek, and Satcon Technology Corporation also took part in the conference.

Posted in APEC, Exporting, Green and Sustainable, Standards | Tagged , , | 7 Comments »

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Sustainable Manufacturing is Big Business for one Small Business in Bozeman

May 19, 2011

Tim Truman is a Supervisory Public Affairs Specialist currently covering the APEC Senior Officials Meetings and other events in Big Sky, Montana.

This week we’ve been talking a lot about small business, competitiveness, supply chain issues, and growing a green business here in Big Sky, Montana with the 21 economies of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, or APEC. One business here in Bozeman stands out above the others.

Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade Francisco J. Sanchez speaks at the West Paw Design event.

Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade Francisco J. Sanchez speaks at the West Paw Design event.

West Paw Design is a Bozeman, Montana-based manufacturer of high-quality beds, toys and apparel for dogs and cats. The people behind the company are proud to offer eco-friendly pet products that are made in the USA. Beginning with certified organic cat nip in 1996, West Paw Design has continually added healthy, safe and eco-friendly materials to its growing mix of pet products. By using fill made from reclaimed plastic bottles for its stuffed beds and toys, the company has diverted more than 5 million plastic bottles from landfills to date. In addition to the recycled, recyclable and organic materials that go into many products, West Paw Design is driven by a responsibility to make environmentally sound choices when it comes to its manufacturing facility and processes used each day.

Not just eco-friendly and environmentally conscious but also profitable and competitive as well. West Paw Design exports to 25 countries and their products are available in 3,000 pet specialty retail outlets and online at www.westpawdesign.com

Today Commerce Secretary Gary Locke visited West Paw Design along with many representatives from the APEC Small and Medium Enterprise Working Group to see how West Paw Design has made use of many government and local resources to achieve the success in becoming a regional leader in the field of sustainable manufacturing.

West Paw Design is a prime example of how small manufacturing companies can take advantage of local, state and federal resources offered at minimal cost to help them become sustainable, competitive and profitable. They currently employ 41 people and profits have grown more than 10  percent in the past year while employment grew 17 percent.

Just a few of the resources that West Paw Design has used include an SBA 504 loan to expand its building. The expansion project supported 29 local jobs and generated over $2.5 million in total economic benefit to the community. Additionally, when looking to expand into new export markets, West Paw Design made use of the U.S. Commercial Service’s network of products and experts to learn about managing risk, foreign duty rates and VAT charges.

This event is an opportunity for participating companies and policy makers to learn about the types of resources APEC economies have developed to help small and medium enterprises implement sustainable business practices.

Posted in APEC, Competitiveness, Exporting, Green and Sustainable, International Trade Administration, Manufacturing, Manufacturing Council, Small Business | 10 Comments »

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Ethics as a Competitive Advantage for APEC SMEs in the Global Supply Chain

May 17, 2011

Anita Ramasastry is a Senior Advisor to the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Market Access and Compliance who focuses on anti-corruption in trade.

On Saturday May 14, more than 100 participants from the public and private sector – participated in an interactive seminar focused on the why small and medium-size enterprises, or SMEs  in the Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) region can gain a competitive advantage through demonstrating a commitment to transparent, ethical business practices .   SMEs account for approximately 99% of businesses within the  21 economies of the APEC region and account for between 30 to 60% of GDP in individual economies.

Senior ethics and compliance officers from leading multinational corporations,  Warner Bros Entertainment, Best Buy, Boeing, ITT and Sealed Air, spoke about the risks they encounter with respect to corruption, bribery and conflicts of interest when doing business in global markets.   The panel described the changing legal landscape  internationally and the need for companies to comply with anti-bribery laws that prohibit illegal conduct wherever they do business. These laws include the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and also the new UK Bribery Act., among others.

The panel explained  SMEs often serve many roles, acting as distributors, agents, suppliers, consultants, and service providers in their global supply chains,.  These experts noted  that their companies abide by high ethical standards and look for ethical business partners when operating in overseas locations.  They will often engage in due diligence to determine if an SME will be a trustworthy agent or partner. Each of the panelists noted that SMEs could gain a competitive advantage by demonstrating strong ethical practices and also transparency with respect to their operations and potential conflicts of interest.

They also noted that if a country was too risky and there were too many problems , they could go elsewhere.  Shelley Presser, a  Senior Vice President and Deputy General Counsel for Warner Bros noted that a film could be shot anywhere in the world.  He noted, for example that you could recreate any scene or landmark almost anywhere in the world.  

The workshop concluded with a discussion of a series of hypothetical dilemmas that multinationals encounter overseas.  What happens, for example, if a company’s local supplier wants to hire his or her brother-in-law for a contract?  What should companies do if an agent tells them that a government official has requested a trip to visit a plant as part of awarding a government contract?  What kinds of gifts is it okay to give to officials or business partners in other countries?  What happens if a customs officer asks for an extra payment to clear goods through a port?   Through an interactive discussion, SMEs learned about the types of activities that raise concern for multinationals, and also about the need to be proactive about alerting larger companies when problems arise. The takeaway:  SMEs  that take ethics seriously, will gain benefits, including the ability to associate with respected multinational companies

Posted in APEC, Competitiveness, Small Business | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments »

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Improving Small Business Competitiveness in APEC through Sustainable Business Practices

May 16, 2011

Kelsey Scheich is the APEC Affairs Coordinator in Market Access and Compliance at the International Trade Administration.

This weekend in Big Sky, Montana, the APEC Small and Medium Enterprise Working Group hosted a seminar on Improving SME Competitiveness through Sustainable Business Practices.  This seminar supports the APEC Strategic Plan of Raising Awareness of Sustainable Business Practices.

This half-day participatory seminar included panel sessions that sought to address and discuss issues relevant to SME sustainability, including views from the SMEs, policymakers, and financial and multilateral development institutions.  The goal of this seminar was to discuss and identify practical actions APEC can take to support material improvement in SME competitiveness through sustainable business practices.  The seminar’s co-organizers were the Wharton School’s Lauder Institute at the University of Pennsylvania, an organization that has extensive experience in research and educational programs in APEC economies, and Banca Civica, a Spanish bank with a unique approach that supports SME sustainability. 

During the session, presenters highlighted the results of the APEC Survey of private sector companies, which indicated that pursuing sustainability practices is often driven by customer demand and can lead to increased efficiencies and profitability. A number of challenges were identified  including the need for financial products that support sustainability and the difficulty in pursuading shareholders of the value that sustainability brings to the company.

This session also addressed sustainability from the perspective of small business owners. Pannelists noted that it is a myth that sustainability and profitability are mutually exclusive, but the challenge lies in balancing the two. Many participants indicated that sustainability is often rooted in core personal or family values that compel them to act, lead them to work with like-minded companies, and serve as inspiration to customers, fellow SMEs and even large corporations. As one small business owner in the audience noted, “do good things and other will follow.”

Posted in APEC, Competitiveness, International Trade Administration, Small Business | 6 Comments »

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Growing Your Small Green Business and APEC

May 15, 2011

Jane Siegel is an International Trade Specialist at the International Trade Administration who is focused on green building and sustainability issues.

More than 130 participants, both from public and private sector, from 14 Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, or APEC economies will learn ways that small and medium-sized companies can implement best practices and make use of resources to become more green and sustainable during a seminar in Big Sky this weekend.

The seminar, consisting of three panels, will bring together business and government expertise focused on “How to Grow Your Small Green Business in APEC Economies.”  The three panels are designed to cover all of the important issues a small or medium-sized businesses working in the energy efficiency, renewable energy, or traditional environmental sectors seeking to export or grow the international side of their work needs to come to grips with as they move forward.

The Functional Panel deals with finance, regulatory and trade promotion.  To grow, smaller companies need to understand finance tools and strategies, the regulatory issues such as standards and the regulatory capacities of the countries in which they are interested.  The Regional Panel will assemble small companies, which have experienced success and challenges in China, Mexico, Canada, Philippines, Brunei and other APEC economies and share those stories with the audience.  Finally, the Sectoral Panel will provide information from companies working in solar energy, wastewater treatment, green building products, and design and engineering.  This seminar will have a practical orientation.

The companies participating in the day’s events will come away with a better understanding of the tools they need to implement to find success in exporting and growing their green businesses. The relationships and opportunities that result from this event will help to build a stronger community within the APEC region and lead to a more robust green community globally.

Posted in APEC, Competitiveness, Green and Sustainable, International Trade Administration | 8 Comments »

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Themes and Priorities for APEC in 2011

May 15, 2011

Mrs Brenda J Fisher is the Senior APEC Affairs Coordinator and has been working in International Trade Administration’s Market Access and Compliance unit for 28 years, of which the last 12 years have been focused on coordinating the US Dept of Commerce’s engagement in APEC

As APEC host in 2011, the United States will prioritize moving forward on concrete initiatives that build a “seamless regional economy” by achieving outcomes in specific priority areas:  (1) strengthening regional economic integration and expanding trade; (2) promoting green growth; and (3) expanding regulatory cooperation and advancing regulatory convergence.

As directed by Leaders, in 2011, APEC should seek to strengthen economic integration by working to define, shape, and address the next generation trade and investment issues that should be included in 21st century trade agreements in the region, including a Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific.  This could include working to eliminate non-tariff barriers to trade and prevent new barriers from emerging, agreeing to adopt policies and regulations that foster innovation and promote the use of information and communication technologies, and advancing structural reform objectives in APEC economies.  Leaders also directed APEC to continue to work to make it cheaper, easier, and faster for businesses, particularly small and medium-sized businesses, to trade in the region, including by taking steps to improve supply chain performance.

To promote green growth and help our economies make a successful transition to a clean energy future, APEC’s work to address barriers to trade in environmental goods could be accelerated, and work to remove tariffs and address non-tariff measures related to advanced technology demonstration products, such as vehicles, and to remanufactured and recycled goods could be advanced.  APEC will also consider how it could contribute to developing a work plan to eliminate fossil fuel subsidies and a strategy to combat trade in illegal forestry products.

Also this year, APEC will explore ways to expand regulatory cooperation and promote regulatory convergence.  Addressing barriers related to technical regulations, standards and conformity assessment requirements is essential to lowering the costs of doing business and strengthening regional economic integration.  We should seek agreement on regulatory processes, including updated good regulatory practices, and on substantive standards, particularly related to emerging technologies and regulatory issues.

Stay tuned for more posts covering topics such as “How to Grow Your Small Green Business” seminar hosted this weekend, seminars on business ethics, sustainable business practices and sustainable supply chains.

Posted in APEC, Competitiveness, Green and Sustainable | 2 Comments »

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Talking About APEC and Big Trade in Big Sky

May 15, 2011

Mrs Brenda J Fisher is the Senior APEC Affairs Coordinator and has been working in the International Trade Administration’s Market Access and Compliance unit for 28 years, of which the last 12 years have been focused on coordinating the US Dept of Commerce’s engagement in APEC

This weekend I am writing to you from the beautiful venue of Big Sky, Montana where the second Senior Officials Meeting for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, or APEC is taking place. Additionally, the Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Ministerial Meetings are being held her as well.

What is APEC?

The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum was established in 1989 to take advantage of the growing interdependence among Asia-Pacific economies, to facilitate economic growth for all participants, and to enhance a sense of community.  It aims to improve regional trade and economic performance and linkages for the prosperity of the people in the region.  APEC aims to create greater prosperity for the people of the region by facilitating balanced, inclusive, sustainable, innovative and secure economic growth and by accelerating regional economic integration.

APEC has grown to become one of the world’s most important regional groupings.  Its 21 member economies are home to more than 2.7 billion people and represent approximately 54 percent of world real GDP and 44 percent of world trade.  APEC is the most economically dynamic region in the world.  Since APEC’s inception, members have experienced average annual GDP growth of 3.6 percent, versus 2.9 percent growth in non-APEC economies (on a purchasing power parity basis).

APEC is a unique forum, operating on the basis of open dialogue and respect for the views of all participants. In APEC, all economies have an equal say and decision-making is reached by consensus. There are no binding commitments, compliance is achieved through discussion, and mutual support in the form of economic and technical cooperation.

APEC has helped to reduce tariffs and other barriers to trade across the Asia-Pacific region.  Business transaction costs were reduced by 10 percent between 2002 and 2010.  APEC has worked to create an environment to ensure the safe and efficient movement of goods, services and people across borders through policy decisions and capacity building.  During this period, APEC member economies have grown, and developing economies in particular have experienced substantial increases in GDP and standards of living.

The forum constantly adapts to allow members to deal with important new challenges to the region’s economic well-being.  This includes combating corruption, planning for pandemics and natural disasters, countering terrorism, addressing climate change and implementing structural policy reform.

Priorities for APEC USA 2011

In 2007, the United States volunteered to host the four major sets of APEC meetings in 2011:  in March in Washington, DC, in May in Big Sky, Montana, in September in San Francisco, and in November in Honolulu.   In Montana, APEC’s Trade Ministers and APEC’s Small and Medium Enterprise Ministers will meet separately (on May 19-20 and May 21, respectively) and also come together for the first time in a joint session on May 20.  A “Women in the Economy” Summit and joint Energy and Transportation Ministers meeting will be held in September.  APEC Trade Ministers will meet again in November, as will APEC’s Finance Ministers, immediately prior to the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Honolulu.

Posted in APEC, Competitiveness, Green and Sustainable, International Trade Administration, Manufacturing, Manufacturing Council, Market Access and Compliance | 1 Comment »

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Marking Milestones in Social Media

December 9, 2010

Valeisha Butterfield is the Deputy Director of Public Affairs for the International Trade Administration

Today we mark a milestone in our social media channels with more than 1,000 followers on twitter/trade.gov, nearly 100 entries and 500 comments on our blog, blog.trade.gov and more than 1,000 fans on our face book page facebook.com/TradeGov. The conversations we’ve had in these areas are key to ensuring all of our customers are kept abreast of the amount of activity, requests for input and issues of importance to them and us.

Some of the more lively discussions we’ve had on the blog include our call for ideas for President Obama’s National Export Initiative, last year’s Green Build Road Show that took readers virtually to five cities in two weeks eventually reporting directly from the ground in Phoenix, AZ at the Green Build Conference and Expo, and the conversation on relief efforts and opportunities to help rebuild Haiti.

Moving forward, we will be keeping you up to date on the developments in the Korea-US Trade Agreement, the upcoming APEC meetings hosted by the United States in 2011 and some innovative videos that will teach you how to make international sales without leaving the U.S. We enjoy being in touch with our clients, customers, stakeholders, and international buyers in many ways and if you have suggestions on how we can be more innovative and interactive, we’d love to hear your suggestions.

Posted in APEC, Green and Sustainable, Korea-US Trade, National Export Initiative | Tagged , , , , | 10 Comments »

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