ITC MAKES FIRST AGOA TEXTILE DETERMINATIONS

The U.S. International Trade Commission today announced its determinations in connection with its investigation Commercial Availability of Fabric and Yarns in AGOA Countries, Inv. No. AGOA-07-001. The determinations are the first that the Commission has made under amendments to the African Growth and Opportunity Act that the President signed into law in December 2006.

The Commission's determinations relate only to denim fabric and estimate the amount of regional African denim fabric that will be available during the 12-month period beginning October 1, 2007, for use in less developed beneficiary sub-Saharan African countries in the production of denim apparel receiving U.S. duty free treatment. The Commission reported its determinations to the President and the U.S. Trade Representative.

All six Commissioners found that the subject denim fabric will be available in commercial quantities during the upcoming 12-month period. Chairman Daniel R. Pearson, Vice Chairman Shara L. Aranoff, and Commissioners Deanna Tanner Okun, Charlotte R. Lane, and Irving A. Williamson found that the amount available will be 21,303,613 square meter equivalents (smes). Commissioner Dean A. Pinkert determined that the subject denim fabric will be available in commercial quantities within a range from 21,303,613 smes to 25,017,171 smes during the 12-month period.

The Commission's determinations are made in the context of a statutory provision that allows apparel made in less developed beneficiary sub-Saharan African countries from third country fabric to enter the United States duty free.

The statute requires the Commission to make a determination in response to a petition, and if the determination is affirmative, the Commission must make an additional determination in each subsequent year through 2012 as to the amount available in the next year. The statute also requires the Commission to determine, after each year for which it determines the fabric to be available, how much of the available fabric was actually used in apparel receiving U.S. duty-free treatment.

In the case of denim, no petition was filed. Instead, an investigation was initiated after Congress deemed denim fabric to be available in abundant supply in the amount of 30 million smes during October 1, 2006-September 30, 2007. The Commission's determinations here are with respect to availability and the amount available during the next year (the year that begins on October 1, 2007).

In coming months the Commission will be required to determine how much of the 30 million smes of denim deemed to be available during the 12- month period ended September 30, 2007, was used in the production of denim apparel receiving U.S. duty-free treatment. Any unused amounts will be added to the amount the Commission just determined will be available during the year beginning on October 1, 2007. The statute also sets forth circumstances when the President may or must remove duty free treatment if regional fabric is available in commercial quantities to make the apparel, but is not used for such production.

The Commission's public report, Commercial Availability of Fabric and Yarns in AGOA Countries (Inv. No. AGOA-07-001, USITC Publication 3950, September 2007) will contain the views of the Commission and information developed during the investigation.

The report will be available by September 30, 2007, and will be posted on the ITC web site

Copies can be obtained by calling 202-205-2000 or from the Office of the Secretary, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20436. Requests may also be made by fax to 202-205-2104.

Export-Import Bank Seminar

The Export-Import Bank's Operation and Credit Administration
Divisions seminar on Wednesday October 17, 2007. The seminar
will cover both new and exciting details on how to work with
PEFCO to improve or increase your yield on Ex-Im Bank
guaranteed loans.

The one day course is specifically designed for credit officers,
loan officers, compliance officers and other finance officials who
wish to expand or improve their medium-term guarantee
program and help to make it more profitable.

Attend this seminar and you will learn about: - The Electronic
Compliance Program- The Exporter's Certificate and foreign
content procedures and policies- Disbursement procedures for
both long-term and medium loans and guarantees.

Some past seminar attendee comments about this seminar
include:

“A strong seminar! Knowledgeable speakers, clear and
concise learning materials.”

“Excellent program, very practical and focused for our
lending needs.”

“Very thorough, well organized and applicable for our
clients' needs.”

The contact information for you to register is listed below.

If you are unable to attend this particular session, visit
their site for a complete list of seminars.

For more details of what you will hear from Ex-Im Bank's
trade specialists and from other government agency
representatives Click Here -->> Export-Import Seminars

WHEN
Wednesday, October 17, 2007 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Eastern Time Zone

WHERE
Export-Import Bank - Headquarters
811 Vermont Ave NW
Room 1143
Washington, DC 20571

Ron Coble
Coble International Business To Business Portal

Using Google In Your Import Export Business

I am by no means an expert on using Google, but I know for
a fact many people do not realize how many "advanced" search
techniques Google has that can be "very" beneficial to you
in your business and in performing your due diligence on
either an importer or an exporter you are considering doing
business with.

You probably use Google all the time to search the Internet,
but Google can also be used to search through the a website
for something or "someone" you are trying to find.

Using the following technique in the Google search box:
[search term] site:[website address]. Example: type in
Pennsylvania site:nbc.com will return all the instances of
Pennsylvania on the NBC website - also, you are not limited
to one search term.

By setting off words by a comma like this -
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, actors site:nbc.com - you can
search for multiple terms at the same time.

Don't be afraid to use the "Advanced Search" link that is
located to the right of the Search button in Google, it
can be one of your best friends when performing research on
the web.

Google is probably one of the best resources for both
exporters and importers to use when performing due diligence
on potential buyers and sellers they are considering doing
business with - use advanced search features like placing
a persons name withing quotation marks to narrow the number
of results you will find as opposed to just putting their
name or the name of their business in the search box without
the opening and closing quotation marks.

For instance, if you are searching for any references to a
potential importer or exporter named Ron Coble (just being
a bit facetious here) but a good example.

Put my name Ron Coble into the Google search box as is and
you should see about 327,000 results. Now put my name in with
quotation marks around it like this "Ron Coble" and see how
you have narrowed the search to only 938 results. Much easier
to go through and find what you are looking for than 327
thousand results.

Note: Not all the search results for Ron Coble are about me,
but you could narrow your search down even further by adding
in the word Dover (town where we live) like this:
"Dover" and "Ron Coble"

Be sure to use the 'and' just like I have indicated above
and you will see an even better and far less number of results
for you to review.

ou can use these advance search techniques to help you learn
more about a potential buyer or seller that you may be
corresponding with - remember that the more you know about who
you are dealing with, the better chance you have of not being
ripped off.

Ron Coble
Coble International Marketing Services And
Business To Business Portal