FREDERICK STARR TO SPEAK ON AFGHANISTAN

Dr. S. Frederick Starr, former President of Oberlin College and Vice President of Tulane University, will speak at a lecture on Thursday, October 11 at 6:00 p.m. at the Omni Royal Orleans Hotel in New Orleans on "Afghanistan’s People, Politics, and Religion: A Rubik’s Cube with No Solution?" The lecture is jointly sponsored by The Historic New Orleans Collection and the Omni Royal Orleans. The entrance fee of $25 per person to be paid at the door will benefit the American Red Cross. Dr. Starr is founder and chairman of the Central Asia-Caucasus Institute at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and acting director of the University of Central Asia, a new private university being established by three presidents of the region and His Highness the Aga Khan. Dr. Starr recently completed a strategic review of the entire Central Asian region for the Joint Chiefs of Staff. For additional information, call the Historic New Orleans Collection at (504) 523-4662.

OCT. 19 BRAZIL-LOUISIANA BUSINESS SEMINAR

The Brazilian Embassy in Washington and the Brazil-U.S. Business Council are the principal sponsors of a morning seminar and luncheon program to be held in New Orleans on Friday, October 19 on the "Outlook for Brazil-Louisiana Business." The program will take place from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the World Trade Center. The event is aimed at raising the profile of Brazil-U.S bilateral trade and investment opportunities in key U.S. states with strong business ties to Brazil. As the world’s 8th largest economy and the 12th largest market for U.S. products and services, Brazil is a top priority for U.S. businesses seeking to expand internationally.

The Brazilian Ambassador to the U.S., Rubens Barbosa, and Louisiana Congressman William Jefferson are the keynote luncheon speakers. At 10:00 a.m., a panel of Louisiana executives will discuss their companies’ experiences. They include Bruce Foods Area Manager for Brazil Gus Malespin; Tidewater Inc. Executive Vice President Dean Taylor; M.G. Maher and Co. Vice President David Schulingkamp; Robinson Lumber Company President Ivens Robinson; and Transoceanic Shipping Company Senior Vice President Thomas Griffin.

Representatives from multinational corporations operating in Brazil will hold a second panel at 11:00 a.m. They include Luis Dardes, Senior Manager of the Brazilian Tax Desk at Ernst and Young; Michel Perez, First Vice President, Bank One International; Jorge Fernandez, Latin America Director for Delta Air Lines; and Sergio Sobral, Managing Partner of the Brazilian law firm Castro, Barros, Sobral, Vidigal, y Gomes.

To register for the October 19 luncheon, call the WTC at (504) 529-1601, ext. 271, or register online by clicking  here.

BEAUJOLAIS NOUVEAU GALA ON NOVEMBER 15

The French-American Chamber of Commerce, Louisiana chapter will host the official event in Louisiana celebrating the arrival of the first Beaujolais Nouveau 2001 at the Windsor Court Hotel New Orleans on Thursday, November 15, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Le Beaujolais Nouveau Gala 2001 will feature a selection of the best Beaujolais Nouveaux 2001 while Windsor Court Chef James Overbaugh and Executive sous-Chef Philippe Pinon will delight guests with foie gras, saucisson en brioche with lentil Bourguignone, rabbit terrine, and other "classics." A French-inspired Silent Auction will feature an array of exotic trips and stays at five-star Orient Express Hotels worldwide including Tahiti/Bora Bora, Macu Picchu in Peru, Nice and Carcassone, France, and the French Caribbean island of St. Martin. Proceeds from the auction will benefit the French-American Chamber of Commerce and WRBH Reading Radio. The grand prize will be a trip for two aboard the Orient Express Train London-Paris-Venice with transatlantic business class tickets, compliments of Delta Air Lines.

Tickets are $70 per person. To purchase tickets, call the Windsor Court Hotel at (504) 962-4915. For more information, call the French-American Chamber of Commerce at (504) 561-0070 or visit the gala web site at www.faccla.com/festival.htm.

TRAVELING ABROAD

The U.S. Government frequently receives inquiries on the safety of traveling to various areas of the world. Whether you are traveling abroad for business or pleasure, it is advisable that you visit the U.S. State Department Bureau of Consular Affairs website at www.travel.state.gov before embarking on your trip. Click onto "Travel Warnings and Consular Information Sheets" for the latest State Department advice.

LOUISIANA TRADE EVENTS

Oct. 8 -Export and Import seminars by the Louisiana International Trade Center-SBDC, at the World Trade Center, in New Orleans, 3:45 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. Seminar topics include Export/Import Strategies and Market Research, Pricing, Terms, Quotations and Customs Entry Procedures, International Banking, Financing, Transportation, and Documentation. Call (504) 568-8222.

Oct. 9 -Gary LaGrange, the new Executive Director of the Port of New Orleans, will speak at a luncheon meeting at the Norwegian-American Chamber of Commerce at the Fairmont Hotel at 12:00 noon. Call (504) 244-5955.

Oct. 19 -Morning seminar and luncheon program on the "Outlook for Brazil-Louisiana Business," featuring Brazilian Ambassador to the U.S. Rubens Barbosa and Louisiana Congressman William Jefferson. Preceding their luncheon addresses will be two panels on doing business in Brazil. Call the WTC at (504) 529-1601, ext. 271.

GRUPO TACA UPGRADES AIRCRAFT, OFFERS INCENTIVES

Effective November 5, Grupo TACA plans to upgrade its passenger aircraft from a Boeing 737 to an Airbus 320. The current aircraft assigned to the New Orleans market can accommodate 111 passengers. With the new Airbus aircraft (A320), TACA will increase seat capacity by 35% to 150 passengers per flight.

The cargo configuration interior of the A320 has many advantages since more cargo can be accommodated. According to TACA officials, during a low passenger season the A320 can handle between 5,000 to 7,000 kilos of cargo per flight while during high season about 4,000 kilos of cargo per flight.

Grupo TACA maintains five flights a week from New Orleans to San Pedro Sula, Honduras with connections to San Jose, San Salvador and Guatemala City. Grupo TACA has an extensive route network in Central and South America which allows for easy onward connections. For more information, call TACA Cargo at (504) 468-5222 or (504) 468-5244.

In an effort to stimulate the passenger market and encourage travelers to visit Central America, for a limited time only Grupo TACA has introduced several promotions and incentives including award tickets to travel agents, discounts on excess luggage, upgrades to Business Class and discounted Internet fares. For more information, please visit Grupo TACA’s web site at www.taca.com or call TACA reservations at (1) (800) 535-8780.

USEFUL WEBSITES

• Federation of International Trade Association—www.fita.org/emc.html—contains an index of web resources, and an annotated and indexed searchable database of more than 2,500 world trade web resources;

• Office of Foreign Asset Control—www.treas.gov/ofac—prohibited countries and specially-designated nationals;

• Bureau of Export Administration—www.bxa.doc.gov—export regulations, anti-boycott information, and the export denial list;

• U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service—www.ita.doc.gov—exporting and importing regulations, and licenses;

• U.S. Customs Service—www.customs.ustreas.gov—importing/exporting procedures, traveler information;

• U.S. State Department—www.state.gov—country background notes and travel advisories;

• White House—www.whitehouse.gov—current news and policies, major speeches;

For more international trade links, visit the WTC’s website at www.wtcno.org/links.

NEW WEBCAST: CENTRAL EUROPE’S FAST TRACK WEST

Six more countries are poised to enter the European Union in the next few years, adding almost 65 million consumers to what is already America’s largest and richest trading partner. Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic are rapidly making the economic, business, and political changes required for EU membership. With changes taking effect and transforming the business environments quickly, it is time to find out what new opportunities exist for American exporters. The new webcast is available at www.globalspeak.com. For export assistance, call the New Orleans U.S. Export Assistance Center at (504) 589-6546, or the Shreveport U.S.E.A.C. at (318) 676-3064.

EXPORT ADVICE FOR MINORITY AND WOMEN-OWNED FIRMS

Since 1998, the All-American Small Business Exporters Association (AASBEA) has provided products and services to facilitate the participation of minority, women-owned, and other firms in global and e-commerce marketplaces. AASBEA has been retained by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), and by Howard University to study minority, and women exporters. The Association’s products and services include:

• Export Answer Desk
• AASBEA Consulting Services
• AASBEA Alerts (Hot Topics—for example: Africa Trade Summit)
• AASBEA Books ("Conversations with Women Who Export; Exporting/Importing and E-Commerce").

AASBEA provides its services free of charge. For more information, call the New Orleans U.S. Export Assistance Center at (504) 589-6546, or log on to www.aasbea.com to become a member.

TRADE PROMOTION AUTHORITY

U.S. Trade Promotion Authority, known as TPA or "fast track," is an agreement between Congress and the President on how market-opening trade negotiations will be conducted and agreements approved. TPA has been a vital key to U.S. trade policy since it was first granted in 1974, and since then Congress has granted trade-negotiating authority to all past five presidents. Of 130 preferential trade and investments agreements in the world today, the United States is a member of only two.

Under TPA, the Executive Branch must meet with Congress regularly and request advice from advisory committees and the public during trade negotiations. In return, Congress agrees not to amend legislation implementing trade agreements, voting up or down on these agreements. This relationship ensures that United States trade negotiators will close agreements that have both the support of Congress and the American public. In addition, the negotiating authority allows for the United States and cooperating countries to expedite agreements more efficiently.

This trade authority expired in 1994; reinstating it will authorize the President to negotiate future agreements and help restore U.S. leadership in international trade policy. This will enable the U.S. to complete negotiations on free trade agreements with Chile and Singapore and help build momentum in support of the Free Trade Area of the Americas, as well as a new round of global trade negotiations.

Trade Promotion Authority will open new markets worldwide to American goods and services. That, in turn, will boost the local economies in all 50 states; provide job security for millions of Americans whose work depends on exports; and encourage entrepreneurship and small businesses—the backbone of U.S. exporting.

TPA is critical for removing remaining barriers to exports of goods and services from Louisiana, Arkansas, and Mississippi. In 2000, Louisiana sold more than $3.9 billion worth of exports to more than 150 foreign markets. Arkansas’ export sales from merchandise for the year 2000 totaled $2.07 billion, up 13.1% from 1999, and Arkansas exported globally to 134 foreign destinations. Mississippi’s export sales jumped to $1.78 billion in 2000 compared to $803 million in 1993. The markets with potential growth include chemical, metal, and information technology.

(The information above was edited by New Orleans U.S. Export Assistance Center Intern Ginger Kent from reports listed on the Trade Promotion Authority website. Log on to the Internet at www.tpa.gov to view the reports in their entirety.)

INDUSTRY MARKET REPORTS

Below is a list of various U.S. Commercial Service Industry Market Insight Reports. For the entire report(s), call the New Orleans U.S. Export Assistance Center at (504) 589-6546.

• Argentina - Import Duties on Capital and Consumer Goods - Update (Import duties down; tariff rates up. Includes brief review of MERCOSUR tariffs and import taxes)
• Bahrain - Major Upcoming Commercial Projects (oil exploration, gas pipeline from Qatar, Bahrain Petroleum Company’s modernization plan)
• Canada - Skateboarding (sporting goods industry)
• Canada - A Step-by-Step Guide to Doing Business in Canada
• China - Foreign Purchase of Small and Medium-Sized Chinese Enterprises Allowed
• Denmark - Commercial Opportunities in Clothing and Textiles Industry
• Denmark - Foodtech Scandinavia Fair, Opportunities for U.S. Companies in the Food Technology Industry
• Egypt - Future of Oil and Gas Sector
• Greece - Cultural Projects for 2004 Olympic Games Mean Business Opportunities for U.S. Companies
• Greece - Major Energy Investment in Northern Greece: Opportunities for U.S. Firms
• Greece - Sport Development Program Presents Major Opportunities for U.S. Firms
• India - Foreign Firms Must File Return of Income (new ruling)
• India - Import License Fee for Individual Drugs Increased (validity period increased)
• India - Importers Call for Practical Approach to Non-Trade Barriers
• India - Indian Oil Seeks Hedging for Crude Imports
• Jamaica - Drugs and Pharmaceuticals (Medical Sundries) -- Trade Lead
• Malaysia - Sourcing for Medical Products (Stroke Related) -- Trade Lead
• Mexico - New Dialing Instructions, effective 11/17/2001
• Mexico - Updated Harmonized Codes for Medical Equipment and Import Duties Applicable to NAFTA and Non-NAFTA Products, and the NAFTA Import Duty Reduction Schedule
• Mexico - Medical Devices Registration with the Secretariat of Health
• Mexico - Modifications on Labeling of Beauty Products
• Mexico - Standards on Products Imported into Mexico
• Mexico - Standards for Medical Equipment Imported into Mexico
• Mongolia - American Wines Sought by Importer
• Peru - Opportunity for Suppliers of Agricultural Machinery and Irrigation Equipment
• United Kingdom - Veterinary Medicine Marketing Regulations
• Vietnam - Clean Up of Haiphong Port
• Vietnam - New Rules on Oil and Gas Bidding and Contract Tenders
• Vietnam - Oil Spill in Vung Tau

TRADE MISSION TO TURKEY

On November 5-8, the Commercial Service/U.S. Department of Commerce is organizing a trade mission to Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir in Turkey. The agenda includes meetings in Instabul with members of the Turkish corporate community and one-on-one matchmaking appointments. In Ankara, participants will attend a business conference featuring high-level Turkish government and private sector leaders with a focus on the agribusiness, construction, defense, energy, information technology, mining, and textiles sectors. The conference will be co-hosted by the American Turkish Council (ATC) and the Turkish-U.S. Business Council (TUSBC). The speakers will discuss trade and investment oportunities for U.S. companies. The agenda in Izmir includes a visit to the Aegean Free Trade Zone and business meetings with the Turkish and American corporate community in Izmir. For details, call the New Orleans Export Assistance Center at (504) 589-6546.

BRUNCH AROUND THE WORLD

The Council for International Visitors of Greater New Orleans (CIV) is holding a "Brunch Around the World" from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Christovich at 5531 St. Charles Avenue on Sunday, October 14. Tickets are available at $40 per person by calling (504) 539-9432. Over two dozen local restaurateurs are donating ethnic dishes for the event. A silent auction and raffle will also be held. Entertainment will be international music performed by Gilles Marschall. The proceeds benefit the Council for International Visitors (CIV), a nonprofit organization committed to international exchange and cultural awareness. CIV staff and volunteers arrange professional appointments and cultural excursions for nearly 400 international visitors sent to New Orleans annually by the U.S. Department of State. For additional information about the CIV, call (504) 589-9432.

INCOTERMS OVERVIEW

International traders use a widely agreed-upon shorthand type of terminology called INCOTERMS to define the basis for the sale.

Once the buyer and seller agree on one of these terms, it will clarify: (1) where in the journey the seller releases the goods to the buyer; (2) what charges and documentation are the seller’s responsibility prior to that point; and (3) what charges and documentation are the buyer’s responsibility after that point.

An INCOTERM is always paired with a location and is meaningless without it. For instance, FCA Memphis is quite a different price from DAF Laredo, but the same goods may pass through both points en route to a customer in Mexico.

Here are the available choices (as per INCOTERMS 2000):

Any Mode of Transport, including Multimodal:

• EXW - Ex Works (+ named place)
• FCA - Free Carrier (+ named place)
• CPT - Carriage Paid To (+ named place of delivery)
• CIP - Carriage and Insurance Paid to (+ named delivery place)
• DAF - Delivered at Frontier (+ named place along border)
• DDU - Delivered Duty Unpaid (+ named place of delivery)
• DDP - Delivered Duty Paid (+ named place of delivery)

Sea and Inland Waterway Transport Only:

• FAS - Free Along Side (+ named port of shipment)
• FOB - Free on Board (+ named port of shipment)
• CFR - Cost and Freight (+ named destination port)
• CIF - Cost, Insurance and Freight (+ named destination port)
• DES - Delivered Ex Ship (+ named destination port)
• DEQ - Delivered Ex Quay (+ named destination port)

The International Chamber of Commerce released the first version of INCOTERMS in 1936. Periodic revisions have been necessary due to innovations such as intermodal containers, blended rail/sea cargo rates, roll on/roll off vehicles, and electronic data interchange. The latest version is INCOTERMS 2000. Certain INCOTERMS in widespread usage tend to persist despite the revision process. If you see a term that you do not recognize, such as C&F Guayaquil, your trading partner may simply be using an earlier version of INCOTERMS. He might speak of a price that is CIF Mexico City Airport, although the current modern term is CIP Mexico City Airport.

Here are a few thumbnail examples from the U.S. exporter’s perspective:

• EXW New Orleans means, "Here are the goods; come and get them." Any export permits are the buyer’s concern; seller does not even have to load the truck.

• FCA New Orleans shows where goods properly cleared for export will be turned over to the main carrier for shipment abroad. Whatever means of conveyance picks up the goods from seller’s place of business, exporter pays any cost of loading it aboard. If main carrier does not provide cargo pickup services free to the exporter, he pays cost of inland delivery to that carrier’s terminal in New Orleans. Overseas buyer is liable for transportation and insurance expenses once main carrier receives the cargo. (If railroad in New Orleans issues a Maersk bill of lading, accepting cargo destined for shipment by Maersk Lines out of a California port, exporter has documented FCA compliance.)

• CPT Istanbul means the vendor’s price includes freight all the way there, but insurance is up to the buyer. Seller has no stake in insuring anything past the point where he turns the cargo over to the export carrier.

• CIP Lisbon means vendor’s price includes freight and insurance all the way to Lisbon. Once it comes over the ship’s side or down the plane’s ramp at the other end, the buyer takes full possession.

• DAF Laredo means vendor’s goods, properly cleared for export, will be at border point ready to cross over to the other side. Vendor will bear all costs and risks of moving goods across the border and beyond.

• DDU Mendoza means that transport of the goods all the way inland to Mendoza is paid for by the seller, although the city is not the place of entry. Getting the goods through Argentine customs in Buenos Aires is the buyer’s responsibility and at the buyer’s expense.

• DDP Madrid means the exporter’s delivered price includes customs duties and surcharges in the country of destination. Exporter also bears the risk that his goods may be rejected by customs for whatever reason (diseased fruit, inadequate product labeling, banned ingredient, lower-than-expected quota, etc.).

• FAS New Orleans means the price includes delivery to a point alongside the vessel, whereupon ownership of the cargo passes to the buyer. Any export permits are the buyer’s concern. (Documentary evidence of FAS compliance is a clean dock receipt, with no shortages or damage apparent.)

• FOB vessel Houston means the vendor undertakes to get the cargo that is properly cleared for export loaded onto the outbound vessel. (Documentary evidence of FOB compliance is a clean on-board bill of lading.)

• CFR Guayaquil means the vendor’s price includes ocean freight all the way there, but the insurance is up to the buyer. Exporter has no stake in insuring anything past the point where he turns the cargo over to the export carrier. (Documentary evidence of CFR compliance is a clean on-board bill of lading showing freight prepaid to the destination port.)

• CIF Yokohama means the vendor’s price includes freight and insurance all the way there. Once the cargo passes the ship’s rail at the destination port, it belongs to the buyer. (Documentary evidence of CIF compliance is a marine insurance certificate plus a clean on-board bill of lading, showing freight prepaid to the destination port.)

• DES Hong Kong means the buyer will take ownership of the goods while they are still on board the vessel in the destination port, before unloading.

• DEQ Rotterdam obliges the vendor to get the export cargo offloaded onto the quay or wharf at the other end before passing ownership to the buyer. Since goods are normally liable for import duties as soon as they touch the wharf, DEQ Rotterdam duty unpaid is a modification that relieves the seller of responsibility for getting the goods through customs.

Normally it is in the exporter’s interest to insure any portion of the cargo movement for which he could be held liable under the INCOTERM. However, the CIF and CIP terms are the only ones that assure the buyer that the exporter has obtained insurance.

For more information about INCOTERMS, log on to the International Chamber of Commerce’s website at www.incoterms.org.

(This article was edited from original material provided by Clif Gaston, Senior Trade Specialist at the New Orleans U.S. Export Assistance Center. Mr. Gaston can be contacted at (504) 589-6548; e-mail: clif.gaston@mail.doc.gov. For export counseling assistance in the North Louisiana area, contact the Shreveport U.S. Export Assistance Center at (318) 676-3064; e-mail: patricia.holt@mail.doc.gov.)

BREAKBULK CONFERENCE IN NEW ORLEANS

The Journal of Commerce Group is holding its 12th Annual Breakbulk Transportation Conference and Exhibition once again in New Orleans from September 30 to October 2 at the Marriott Hotel. The featured speakers include: David Phelps, President of the American Institute for International Steel; Jerry Hingle, Director of International Marketing, Southern Forest Products Association; Thomas Griffin, Senior Vice President, Transoceanic Shipping Co; Ken Mayeux, President, Gulfship Maritime, Inc.; Bertram Rickmers, Chairman, Rickmers Reederei Line; and Eric Hansen, Vice President, Cooper/T. Smith. For details and to register online, visit www.joc.com/jocinformation/ jocon.shtml or call (800) 223-0243, ext. 7154.

GERMAN FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM SEEKING CANDIDATES

As the countries of the world become more interdependent, the Robert Bosch Foundation offers an excellent opportunity to gain an in-depth knowledge of a different political, economic, and cultural environment. Each year the Robert Bosch Foundation in Stuttgart, Germany gives 20 young American professionals the chance to work in full-time internships in Germany. During the nine-month program, Bosch Foundation Fellows work in Germany in branches of the federal government, the federal parliament headquarters of private corporations and in other high-level internships relating to their interests and experience.

The internships are supplemented by a variety of seminars in Berlin, Paris, Brussels, and Poland with top-level elected officials as well as leading representatives from industry and academia. Candidates for the Robert Bosch Foundation Fellowship Program are competitively chosen from the fields of business administration, economics, journalism, and mass communication, law, political science and public affairs. If needed, German language training will be provided. Since 1984, over 250 Americans have been provided with this unique opportunity. Most of those selected to participate in this program are very likely to become leaders in their professional fields in the future and commit themselves to the long-term stabilization and growth of German-American relations.

Applications must be received by October 15, 2001 for the program beginning in September 2002. For further information, contact CDS International, Mr. Martin Block, 871 United Nations Plaza, New York, NY, 10017, call (212) 497-3518 or e-mail bosch@cdsintl.org. The web address is www.csdintl.org/ rbfpintro.html.

EXPORT AMERICA MAGAZINE PROVIDES USEFUL TRADE INFO

Export America, the monthly magazine from the International Trade Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce, has all the information a small or medium-sized business needs in order to export profitably in the new global business environment. Each issue is full of information about international trade opportunities, trade events, success stories of top exporters, export statistics, and advice that can give your company a competitive edge in the international marketplace. Check out Export America’s website at exportamerica.doc.gov. Recent articles featured:

• Doing business in Africa,
• Following proper business etiquette abroad,
• Registering a trademark overseas,
• Finding reliable logistics companies, and
• Locating market opportunities in Latin America.

You will find the format and information indispensable for growing your business overseas. Subscribing is quick and easy with Export America online forms or you may subscribe by fax, phone or mail through the Superintendent of Documents. Annual subscriptions are $55. Call toll free (866) 512-1800, visit http://bookstore.gpo.gov or exportamerica.doc.gov to subscribe. Act now to receive the September issue, devoted to Trade Promotion Authority and how it will benefit American business in international trade.

NEW LAKE CHARLES PETROCHEMICAL DIRECTORY

The 2001-2002 Lake Charles Petrochemical Directory is now available through the World Trade Center of New Orleans. The directory, produced by Homesite Co., provides contacts and addresses, detailed maps of plant locations, product information, and plant history for petrochemical companies in the Lake Charles region. The expanded directory also includes other Louisiana plants not covered in Homesite’s Lower Mississippi river Directory, which is also available through the WTC.

The cost of the 2001 Lake Charles Petrochemical Directory is $35 for World Trade Center members and $45 for non-members. To purchase the directory, or for additional information on the WTC’s other reference materials, call (504) 529-1601, ext. 271, or visit the WTC online store by clicking here.

The World Trade Center also carries satellite maps of Mississippi River industries from the Gulf of Mexico to Baton Rouge, as well as the 2000 Directory of Petrochemical Industries along the Lower Mississippi River. Both the satellite maps and the 200 Petrochemical Industries Directory are available in hardcopy or CD-ROM format.