Located on our Web site,
please find the new Partner State CA @ CeBIT 2009
brochure that is being sent to thousands of CA
companies. California is the partner for CeBIT 2009 -
showcasing California companies at the world's largest
digital new media and ICT event scheduled for March of
next year in Hanover, Germany.
Exports
Jump at L.A., Long Beach Ports but Imports Falter Forget scrap paper, plastics, scrap metal and
the bounty of agricultural harvests. Until this year, the
biggest U.S. contribution to the international supply chain
were vast mountains of empty cargo containers outbound on
ships to China, where they were quickly refilled with the
imports on which American consumers have come to
depend. Los Angeles Times,
September 2, 2008
Honduran
Melon Company to resume U.S. exports Honduran officials say the United States has
lifted a more than five-month ban on cantaloupe imports from
one of the country's biggest melon farmers. Miami Herald, September 2, 2008
Europeans
meet on crisis in Georgia President Nicolas Sarkozy of France, the
chairman of the meeting , said he was ready to return to
Moscow and Tbilisi to try to resolve the conflict, which has
shaken European governments as they scramble to respond to the
biggest crisis they have faced in their relationship with
Russia since the end of the Cold War. International Herald Tribune, September 1,
2008
Made
in the shade At the recent launch
of SeaShell Awnings USA at its new Carlsbad headquarters,
president and CEO Brett Hanley unveiled what he called a “new
product in the awning market,” a sustainable, self-retracting
shade. San Diego Union Tribune,
August 31, 2008
California
Coalition For Free Trade The
CalChamber Council for International Trade (CIT) is urging
members of the business community to join (click
here to download membership form) its coalition working to
secure congressional approval of the free trade agreements
(FTAs) with Colombia, Panama and South Korea. Companies or
associations that join the California Coalition for Free Trade
will be included on the rapidly growing list of FTA
supporters. There is no cost to join the coalition, which will
keep members apprised of its activities and how to be
supportive of the FTAs. For more information on the FTAs or to
join the coalition, visit www.calchamber.com/international
U.S.-Colombian Trade
Promotion Agreement A bilateral TPA that will
lower tariffs and foster increased trade between both
countries. This agreement is a critical element of a possible
U.S.-Andean Free Trade Agreement and of the U.S. strategy to
liberalize trade through bilateral, regional and multilateral
initiatives. CalChamber position: Support Status:
Pending Congressional Action Act now! Click here to send
a letter to your representative
U.S.-Panama
Free Trade Agreement A bilateral FTA that will
lower tariffs and foster increased trade between both
countries. A U.S.-Panama Free Trade Agreement is a critical
element of the U.S. strategy to liberalize trade through
multilateral, regional and bilateral initiatives. The
agreement will also increase momentum toward lowering trade
barriers and set a positive example for other small economies
in the Western Hemisphere. CalChamber position: Support
Status: Pending Congressional Action Click here for additional
information
U.S.-Korea Free Trade
Agreement A bilateral FTA which will lower tariffs
and foster increased trade between both countries and is a
critical element of the U.S. strategy to liberalize trade
through multilateral, regional and bilateral initiatives.
CalChamber position: Support Status: Pending
Congressional Action Click here for additional
information
California
*The following bills are
related to international trade and have been introduced in the
California State Legislature in the 2007-2008 Legislative
Session. Any CalChamber position is noted on the CalChamber
Legislative website.
AB 1394 (Krekorian) Counterfeit:
Trademarks Improves protections of trademark
owner rights and consumer health and safety by strengthening
California laws against trafficking of fake products such as
auto parts, prescription drugs, and children's toys. STATUS:
To Enrollment
Intellectual
Property Rights Working Group Consists of
CalChamber members who are interested in being involved with
CalChamber policy development and advocacy efforts in the area
of intellectual property rights (IPR) and want to keep
apprised of pending state legislation or policy issues having
an impact on IPR. Staff
Contact: Kyla Christoffersen
SB 974 (Lowenthal) Tax on Freight
Movement This bill would require the Ports of
Los Angeles, Long Beach, and Oakland to collect a user fee on
the owner of container cargo moving through the Port of Los
Angeles, the Port of Long Beach, or the Port of Oakland at a
rate of $30 per twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU). STATUS: To
Enrollment
CalChamber Policy Advocate Jason
Schmelzer comments on SB 974 (Lowenthal; D-Long Beach), which
imposes a tax on imports and exports that come through the
three major ports in the state and the immediate impact that
it would have on an already-down economy.
Your one-stop shop for
products that answer California and federal labor law and HR
questions, alleviate confusion, save you time and money, so
you can get back to business. Click on the logo to view our
catalog.
Free
ENewsletters Receive free
eNewsletters to help keep you up to date on the laws impacting
you and your business. Click on the images below to view
samples. To subscribe to any of the newsletters below, visit
this link.
Note: The Council
for International Trade Update provides a glimpse of current
events for selected topics. Some newspapers listed require the
viewer to register for free in order to view the entire
article. After some time, most papers file older stories in
their archive section. Access to those stories may require
that you pay to view them.
This e-mail is being
sent to members of the CalChamber Council for International
Trade; CalChamber members with international interests;
local, binational and American chambers of
commerce abroad; the consular corps; California
congressional delegation, selected U.S. and California
government officials; and representatives of business and
trade associations.
If you would like
to be added to the subscriber list for this free e-newsletter,
please
e-mail us.
To unsubscribe from Trade
Update, please
e-mail us.