Posts Tagged ‘trade barrier’

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Reaching Out to U.S. Businesses to Do Business in Russia

June 10, 2013

Joe Wereszynski is an International Trade Specialist in the International Trade Administration’s Office of Russia, Ukraine and Eurasia. 

DAS Murray, Jim Ross CEO of Ross Laboratories, and Karen Taylor Seattle USEAC look at Ross Lab’s innovative marine technology while discussing market access opportunities.

Jim Ross of Ross Laboratories (center) demonstrates  some of Ross Labs’ marine technology for Karen Taylor of the Seattle Export Assistance Center and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Europe Matt Murray during a discussion of market access opportunities.

As we discussed last week, we at the International Trade Administration’s (ITA) Office of Russia, Ukraine and Eurasia have been working hard to tell American businesses about doing business in Russia. Since last year, we’ve held a series of webinars, visits and consultations to help businesses understand our new trade relationship.

We will also participate in this month’s International Economic Forum in St. Petersburg. This forum will have participants from around the world and one of the key focuses will be the importance of capitalizing on new opportunities.

We see the Russian market as a new opportunity for many businesses and are working hard to make sure our trade relationship stays on the right path and American businesses understand how to navigate it.

“Standards and conformity assessment barriers are the number one trade barrier by volume around the world,” says Deputy Assistant Secretary for Europe and Eurasia Matthew Murray. “We see clear value to getting ahead of these issues, identifying problems early, and making sure U.S. exporters are aware of the rights and resources at their disposal.”

Our team has given presentations on our evolving trade relationship with Russia, and how ITA can help businesses overcome trade barriers and do business with Russia.

One such presentation was in late September, on the margins of the 2012 Russian-America Pacific Partnership (RAPP) forum held in Tacoma, Washington. Mr. Murray spoke in a series of events and held one-on-one meetings with companies across the state.

Washington plays a vital state role in conducting foreign trade; it’s the 7th-largest state export volume and was the 5th largest state exporter to Russia. The state’s increase in exports to Russia from $247 million in 2010 to $445 million in 2011 directly supported over 1,400 American jobs.

During 2012 and 2013, our office helped to organize additional roundtable events with U.S. companies on the benefits of Russia’s WTO membership in eight cities including New York, Moscow and Boston. In June 2012 hosted a webinar that reached over 100 participates across the United States.

We continue to listen. If you want to learn how to do business in Russia, please contact your nearest Export Assistance Center for assistance. We look forward to helping American business sell their goods and services in Russia, taking advantage of our new trade agreement.

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March Madness and ITA’s Trade Agreements Compliance Program

March 25, 2013

Steve Williams is the Operations Team Lead with the International Trade Administration’s Trade Compliance Center 

So far in this year’s NCAA Tournament, we’ve International Trade Administration emblemseen several underdogs knock out the proverbial Goliath. As a small business owner, you might feel at times like an underdog. Just like Wichita State, La Salle and Florida Gulf Coast, who have to compete against schools with bigger budgets and more highly touted recruits, small businesses can feel at a disadvantage when they compete overseas against companies who have a home-court advantage. It might seem intimidating, but just like these teams in the Sweet 16, you can come out on top with the right strategy.

If your company’s export goals are ever impeded by a foreign government-imposed trade barrier, you can call on the International Trade Administration’s Trade Agreements Compliance (TAC) Program to come into the game.  The TAC Program works to help remove the trade barriers you face. Since the inception of the National Export Initiative (NEI) in 2010, the Program has initiated 735 market access and compliance cases in 104 countries, successfully removing 293 specific non-tariff barriers (in 80 countries) affecting a broad range of industries.

As a recent example, the International Trade Administration (ITA) helped Johnson Outdoors, a sporting goods manufacturer based in Wisconsin, regain ownership of its trademark in Russia. A Johnson Outdoors competitor registered the Johnson Outdoors’ trademark with Russia’s patent office and then attempted to sue Johnson Outdoors for alleged violation of the trademark. ITA spoke with Russian officials about proper protection of IPR. This resulted in the Russian company dropping its suit against Johnson Outdoors and relinquishing its trademark, allowing Johnson Outdoors to maintain $100 million in annual revenue.

Our program works by assembling a small team of experts from our 400 specialists, experts both in the country and the trade agreement relevant to your specific issue.  We can assist in helping to remove or reduce discriminatory or unnecessary trade restrictive barriers related to customs, rules of origin, government procurement, investment, services or standards testing, licensing, certification requirements, or even issues related to intellectual property rights. Best of all, our services are completely free of charge!

The next time you need some help with a foreign government trade barrier, contact us and we’ll be in your court.

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