Posts Tagged ‘Poland’

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President’s Export Council to Participate in Administration’s First Ever Fact-Finding Mission

September 11, 2014

Stefan M. Selig is the Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade.

Stefan M. Selig

Stefan M. Selig

Yesterday, Secretary Pritzker and I announced that we will lead a high-level delegation on an economic fact-finding trip to Poland and Turkey later this month. I am excited to participate in the first PEC fact-finding mission for the Obama administration.

That delegation — members of the President’s Export Council (PEC) — is the principal advisory committee on international trade to the president. It includes both public officials and private sector leaders.

The private sector leadership that will participate during the trip represent many of the most successful and important companies doing business globally today. That includes the PEC vice chair, Ursula Burns, Chairman and CEO of Xerox Corporation.

CEOs and senior executives from Lockheed Martin, Marriott International, Archer Daniels Midland, Boeing, Dow Chemical, eBay, IBM, and Pfizer, among others, will also participate in the fact-finding mission.

With Poland as the sixth largest economy in the EU, and Turkey tripling its GDP per capita since 2002, the trade and investment opportunities are plenty and promising, particularly as they relate to economic growth for American businesses.

After exploring potential opportunities in these countries, the PEC will report its findings to President Obama later this year. This trip is also an occasion for both the administration and American businesses to expand its presence in the field of commercial diplomacy. Working together as partners, we are deepening U.S. economic ties and continue to strengthen our presence on the global stage.

In fact, one of the reasons I am excited to lead ITA at this moment in time, is because I believe we have a significant role in shaping international economic priorities.

We can drive commercial diplomacy to new heights.

From our Doing Business in Africa campaign, which helps facilitate business deals that result in trade-based development for the continent and jobs for the United States, to our Look South Initiative, which is designed to increase trade and investment with our neighbors to the south, or trade missions that promote clean, renewable energy throughout the world, the linkages between our trade and our diplomatic priorities is clearer than ever.

For more information about the PEC, its members, or history, visit http://trade.gov/pec. Stay tuned for our report to the president.

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Doing Our Part to Help Strengthen the U.S.-Poland Relationship

June 7, 2012

Adam S. Wilczewski serves as the Chief of Staff of the International Trade Administration.

In May 2011, President Obama called for a U.S.-Poland Economic Summit to bolster a stronger economic relationship with one of Europe’s fastest growing economies…Poland.

This Central European country— an important commercial partner for the United States—was the only one to grow economically during the Great Recession. And, this has benefited the United States. In 2011, U.S.-Poland bilateral trade was $7.5 billion, an increase of $1.5 billion (or 25 percent) from the previous year; in addition, U.S. exports in 2011 accounted for $3.1 billion, and it’s an important partner for U.S. investment.

Jay Burgess (second from right) recieves the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland with Adam Wilczewski (left), Vice Minister of State for the Ministry of the Economy Ilona Antoniszyn-Klik, and Under Secretary Francisco Sánchez.

Jay Burgess (second from right) recieves the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland with Adam Wilczewski (left), Vice Minister of State for the Ministry of the Economy Ilona Antoniszyn-Klik, and Under Secretary Francisco Sánchez.

While this economic activity provides for a strong foundation for continued growth, more must be done. This is why in June 2012, the Department of Commerce will answer the President’s call for action, and host the first-ever U.S.-Poland Business Summit. Over the last year, the International Trade Administration (ITA)  has been hard at work to prepare for this historic summit.

Specifically, this work would not have come so far without the efforts of Jay Burgess, Director for the Central & Eastern Europe Division in the Market Access & Compliance division of ITA. In fact, Jay actively has worked to develop and strengthen U.S.–Polish economic and commercial ties for the past 30 years. He’s worked on significant Departmental programs that helped Poland emerge as a European economic power in the post-Communist era. In particular, Jay’s efforts included helping to create, establish, and implement the U.S.-Poland Economic and Commercial Dialogue (ECD) in 2002. Both governments regard the ECD as central to the close bilateral relationship between our two countries, and it will be continued at the Summit in June.

Personally, I want to thank Jay for his service. This year, he was particularly helpful to me in my endeavors to help increase exports to and investment from Poland. As a lead-up to the Summit this summer, ITA led the first-ever Education Trade Mission to Poland to promote increased collaboration and student exchange among U.S. and Polish universities. In addition, I attended an event in Chicago in May focused on enhancing U.S.-Polish collaboration in small business initiatives with Polish-American Chambers of Commerce from across the country. Jay’s guidance was critical, and he has become someone I am proud to call a colleague and friend.

The growing relationship between the U.S. and Poland can be exemplified by the honor that was given to Jay Burgess last night. Because of his years of support and leadership, the Polish Government elected to award Jay Burgess the prestigious Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland. The order, which comes with the rank of Officer’s Cross, is awarded to foreigners or Polish residents abroad who have rendered great service to relations between Poland and other countries and who have made outstanding contributions to international cooperation.

Poland’s Ambassador to the United States, Robert Kupiecki, and the Polish Under Secretary of State for the Ministry of the Economy, Ilona Antoniszyn-Klik, presented the award to Mr. Burgess at an event held in his honor at the Ambassador’s residence in Washington, D.C. Our boss, Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade, Francisco Sánchez, was present and praised Jay for his service and his leadership at the Department of Commerce.

Jay’s work has certainly strengthened economic and commercial ties between the two nations, and I think I speak for all us here at ITA when I say ‘thank you – and keep up the great work!’

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Civil Nuclear Trade Mission – Poland

July 19, 2010

Francisco J. Sánchez is the Undersecretary of Commerce for International Trade

I have spent the last few days in Warsaw, Poland, on the first stop of a Civil Nuclear Trade Mission.  Traveling with me are other member of the Department of Commerce, as well as team leads from the Department of State and the Department of Energy.  The impressive government team represents this Administration’s commitment not only to nuclear energy, but to working together as an inter-agency unit to fulfill the goals of the National Export Initiative.  We also have the pleasure of the company of nine of America’s top companies in the nuclear energy sector, as well as representation from our academic community.  Together we represent the leadership, skills, support, and partnership to help this region of the world meet their nuclear energy goals.  And our strong ally and friend Poland is the perfect place to start – here’s to old friendships and new partnerships!

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80 U.S. Companies Test the European Market in Poland

April 23, 2009

Rochelle J. Lipsitz is the Acting Assistant Secretary for Trade Promotion and the Director General of the U. S. and Foreign Commercial Service.

I am writing to you live from Warsaw, Poland, here with 80 U.S. companies at our third Annual Trade Winds Forum.

Did you know this year is the U.S.’s 90th year of diplomatic relations with Poland? It’s amazing to consider how far Poland has come since the years of Woodrow Wilson. Today, Poland’s economy is one of the best performers in Europe and, despite the global economic crisis, it is still growing at about 1% per annum, while many countries are still struggling. In addition to having a stable government and about $15 billion of U.S. investment, it serves as an anchor market for U.S. companies trying to sell to Central and Eastern Europe – which is why the U.S. Commercial Service and our clients are here.

Acting Assistant Secretary for Trade Promotion and Director General of the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service Rochelle J. Lipsitz (left) with representatives from U.S. company Taking the Waters, a spa treatment company, at the Trade Winds Forum in Warsaw, Poland.

Acting Assistant Secretary for Trade Promotion and Director General of the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service Rochelle J. Lipsitz (left) with representatives from U.S. company Taking the Waters, a spa treatment company, at the Trade Winds Forum in Warsaw, Poland. (U.S. Department of Commerce Photo)

Eighty U.S. companies have joined us to participate in more than 800 individual meetings with our Senior Commercial Officers from 28 U.S. Embassies across Europe who are giving them an individual assessment of sales opportunities in countries from Portugal to Kazakhstan. During the three meetings I have been able to observe so far, clients and Officers discussed market potential and how to find business partners. They compared notes on trade shows and discussed logistics. And, a lot of discussion focused on how to get paid – especially in our current credit crunch. Throughout these back-to-back, 20-minute counseling sessions – which looked a lot like speed dating – the company representatives were able to learn how their products would fare in various countries and the steps they should take to successfully enter the market. The room was just buzzing with energy! The goal is that the U.S. companies will walk away from these two days with a strategy for selling throughout Europe.

We don’t only want them to take home a strategy though, but business too. So we’ve also arranged nearly 400 meetings for the U.S. companies with Polish buyers and potential partners. Nearly 40% of the companies attending the Trade Winds Forum are repeat attendees who were at last year’s program in Istanbul, Turkey. Firms from that event reported dozens of export sales as a result of their meetings, and we look forward to the same great results this year.

When the event is done, the U.S. Commercial Service will have arranged nearly 1,200 meetings for these U.S. companies to help them increase their international sales! Why do we do this, you ask? Because increasing international sales stimulates our economy by creating higher-paying jobs at home.

I look forward to writing again about how the U.S. Commercial Service is helping U.S. companies sell overseas…. Maybe next time you’ll be here too!

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