Embassy of the United States Paris, France

Brand USA Pavilion at IFTM Top Resa 2012 Paris, September 18-21, 2012 28 Exhibitors Travel trade fair organized by the Commercial Service of the American Embassy, Visit USA Committee, and Brand USA.(FCS Photo)

With a GDP of $2.7 trillion, France is the world’s fifth-largest economy. France is the second-largest trading nation in Western Europe (after Germany). France ran a $70 billion trade deficit in goods (Customs basis, f.o.b.) in the first 11 months of 2011. Total trade in goods for the first 11 months of 2011 amounted to $1.183 trillion, over 42% of GDP, 59% of which was with the other EU-27 countries.

In 2010, U.S.-France trade in goods and services totaled $97 billion. U.S. industrial chemicals, aircraft and engines, electronic components, telecommunications, computer software, computers and peripherals, analytical and scientific instrumentation, medical instruments and supplies, and broadcasting equipment are particularly attractive to French importers. Principal French exports to the United States are aircraft and engines, beverages, electrical equipment, chemicals, cosmetics, and luxury products. France is the eighth-largest trading partner of the United States. 

The U.S. Commercial Service in France promotes economic prosperity, enhances job creation, and strengthens national security through a global network of the best international trade professionals in the world.

It promotes and protects U.S. commercial interests abroad and delivers customized solutions to ensure that U.S. businesses compete and win in the global marketplace.

BRAND USA Unveils “Discover America”

On March 4, 2012, President Obama signed legislation into law the United States' first national travel promotion program, the U.S. Travel Promotion Act, part of the President’s initiative to increase travel to the United States. This federal legislation established BRAND USA, a public-private partnership between the travel industry and the U.S. government dedicated to increasing international visitation to the U.S.  BRAND USA’s recently launched website, “Discover America”, offers in-depth coverage of the 50 states, five U.S. territories, and 50+ individual city destinations, as well as hundreds of useful links.
More information at www.discoveramerica.com

SelectUSA

SelectUSA was established by Executive Order of the President and is housed within the U.S. Department of Commerce.  SelectUSA is a U.S. government-wide effort to encourage, facilitate, and accelerate business investment in the United States by both domestic and foreign firms—a major engine of economic growth and job creation
SelectUSA provides enhanced coordination to existing resources and functions within the U.S. Department of Commerce and across all federal departments and agencies with operations relevant to business investment.  It works in partnership with state, regional, and local economic development organizations to promote and facilitate overall U.S. business attraction and retention. SelectUSA works on behalf of the United States and exercises strict geographic neutrality.
More information at http://selectusa.commerce.gov/

National Export Initiative

The White House has released a report to the President on the National Export Initiative (NEI). The report outlines ways the U.S. government can expand efforts to help U.S. businesses win more foreign government contracts, find buyers worldwide, participate in more trade missions and trade shows, receive more export financing, and learn new ways to sell products and services overseas.  A central focus of the plan is to provide additional assistance to small and medium-sized businesses, which are major drivers of new job creation.
More information at: http://export.gov/nei/

Caption: Inauguration of the USA Pavilion. Lt. Gen. Rhett A. Hernandez, Heidi Shyu, Acting Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology, LTG Theodore Stroup (ret) of AUSA , Ambassador Charles H. Rivkin and Colonel W. Collier Slade, ODC