Azerbaijan
Our Featured Country
http://www.azpromo.org
Azerbaijan is a country in the Caucasus region, located on the coast of the Caspian See, at the crossroads of Eastern Europe and western Asia. The country is an ex-member of the Commonwealth Independent State (former Soviet Union). The State continues to play a dominant role in economics. It has substantial oil reserves (0.7% of the world reserves) and significant agronomic potential. Efforts are being made to diversify the economy and the national sources of revenue. For more details about the country’s economic policies, take a look at the website of the Central Bank of Azerbaijan.
Because the 8.6 million Azerbaijani consumers have limited purchasing power, their consumption is mostly basic necessities such as food and energy. However, American products are very attractive to the younger and richer segments of the population.
The legal framework is sometimes vague and contradictory but the country has taken numerous measures to facilitate the procedures of starting a business. Azpromo is the Azerbaijan Export & Investment Promotion Foundation established by the Ministry of Economic Development. The website has a database of Export Oriented Companies, news and events. Contact them if you are looking at the market.
The U.S. Commercial Service has excellent resources for all aspects of doing business in Azerbaijan. Take a look at Doing Business In Azerbaijan: The 2009 Country Commercial Guide for U.S. Companies. And also don't forget the website of the U.S. - Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce in Washington. The site offers extensive information about the markets including news and business guides. They also sponsor many conferences, trade missions and training events.
If that's not enough, you'll also find plenty of good research at the Azerbaijan Mini Portal, a feature of the FITA Web site. The Azerbaijan Mini Portal has an overview of Azerbaijan, with facts about the language, currency, climate, etc., plus more specific information about the economy, markets, taxes, labor market indicators, and tips on doing business in Azerbaijan.
The Azerbaijan Mini Portal is one of many research gateways at the FITA site. To find Mini Portals for other regions or countries, just click on "Country Profiles" from within a Mini Portal, or at the FITA home page.
CWC Tenders
Worldwide Search Engine of Construction Tenders
http://www.cwctenders.com
Is your business in the construction, infrastructure, building and engineering sectors and do you want to develop your business abroad? Bidding on a government procurement project can be a good way to begin. Take a look at CWC Tenders and browse the database by region or country.
Foreign Trade Zones White Paper
Stay Competitive by Leveraging Foreign Trade Zones
Foreign Trade Zones are areas considered outside the territory of the U.S. Their benefits range from elimination of import expenses to acceleration of your entire supply chain. Download this free, informational white paper today and find out more.
KOPLA
The Global Phone and Electric Directory for World Travelers
http://kropla.com
Anybody who travels is often confused about national standards! For example, you bring your shaver but can’t use it. Or your “worldwide” cell phone doesn’t work. Perhaps the international dialing codes differ.
For more comfort while abroad, visit Kopla before your departure. Here you will find electric standards, learn about mobile phone systems abroad, find the country dialing codes for most countries and more.
Trade Agreements
Trade Agreements Databases and Background
http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/region_e/region_e.htm
Bilateral and multilateral trade agreements are treaties between any two countries or groups of countries that are negotiated for many reasons, including tariff reductions, quotas on traded items, intellectual property rights, agricultural issues and much more. There are hundreds of bilateral and multilateral agreements throughout the world. The “Regional Trade Agreements Gateway” of the World Trade Organization’s website tracks almost all of these agreements, including the full text of each treaty. For a full list look at the database at the Regional Trade Agreements Information System. The WorldTradelaw.net website also has a complete list. And the Wikipedia has good background and links to all aspects of these agreements.
The U.S. has has free trade agreements in force with 17 countries. They are listed on the websites of the International Trade Administration and the Trade Compliance Center. Also take a look at Tradeagreements.gov and the website of the U.S. Trade Representative for a full list and background to past, current and future negotiations. In addition to the general FTAs, the U.S. also has specific agreements with many countries that cover specific industries. And the U.S. Department of Agriculture lists all bi-national and multilateral agreements that the U.S. has regarding agricultural products.
The Trade Compliance Center is an agency within the Department of Commerce that helps companies resolve violations of all of these agreements. Contact them if you need this kind of help.
agency.
TRADE COMPLIANCE SEMINARS FROM FITA AND THE BIS
http://www.fita.org/seminars
Complying with U.S. Export Controls ( March 2-3, 2010 ) and Encryption Controls ( March 4, 2010 )
DoubleTree Hotel, Arlington, VA - co-sponsored by USDOC - BIS and FITA
Complying with U.S. Export Controls ( 2 days - March 2-3, 2010 ) - led by Bureau of Industry & Security (BIS)'s professional counseling staff, provides an in-depth examination of the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). The program will cover the information exporters need to know to comply with U.S. export control requirements on commercial goods. For more information and to register, go to www.fita.org/seminars.
Encryption Controls ( 3/4 day - March 4, 2010 ) - an in-depth session that will focus on the unique provisions related to encryption under the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). Bureau of Industry & Security (BIS) encryption specialists will cover a variety of topics, including how items with encryption functionality are classified under the EAR. Presenters will be available for Q&A the afternoon of the program to address specific questions of attendees. Required prerequisite: Essentials of Export Controls or Complying with U.S. Export Controls or equivalent experience. For more information and to register, go to www.fita.org/seminars.
For Vendor or Sponsorship opportunities contact Kim Park kim@fita.org or 703.929.3672.
FITA Career Headquarters
International Operations Import Specialist
http://fita.org/jobs
In the FITA Career Headquarters job seekers can now apply for jobs online and post their resume--free of charge--in an exclusive database that will be searched by hundreds of industry employers seeking employees with international degrees and/or related work experience. Featured this week is a listing for an International Operations Import Specialist
for Syngenta in Greensboro, North Carolina. Click here to browse more than 700 other positions!
Employers - Click here to advertise your job openings on FITA's Career HQ.
Let the jobs come to you! Employers are looking for people with international skills. Post your resume TODAY and reap the rewards of the FITA Career HQ! And with a FITA Career HQ job agent, you can decide what kind of job you are looking for and let the system do the searching for you. Simply set up specific search parameters in a Job Agent, and whenever a job is posted that matches your criteria, you'll be notified automatically via email. It's that easy!
U.S. Commercial Service Events and Webinars
Resources for Going Global
http://www.export.gov/eac/trade_events.asp
The U.S. Commercial Service, a division of the International Trade Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce, sponsors and participates in many events and webinars that help U.S. exporters sell overseas and help overseas buyers learn about U.S. exports. The Commercial Service has a searchable database of these events worldwide at http://www.export.gov/each/trade_events.asp. Below are some upcoming events:
- Business Opportunities with Qatar - Business leaders from Qatar will be visiting the U.S. February 7-12 to explore opportunities and partnerships in hotels, hospitality, entertainment, property development, medical and pharmaceutical distribution, manufacturing, retail and managed services.
- Baker & McKenzie International Export Webinar Series - February - May, 2010. Four hour and a half webinar programs for companies involved in international trade.
- Roundtable Briefing: Opening Markets in Russia, February 8, 2010, Ontario, CA. Learn strategies to deal with Russia's changing commercial landscape.
- Webinar Series: Exporting Made Easier, a six-part series of webinars until March 31 covering some basic and advanced elements of exporting .... Identify markets, understand documentation, learn methods of payment, classify products, and make the most of international trade shows.
- 2nd Annual - The Americas Business Forum: Creating Jobs Through Exporting - March 3-4, Los Angeles, CA. Focus on business and exporting opportunities in The Americas
- Webinar Series: Trade Winds 2010: “The Americas,” a series of webinars through March 2010 about doing business in the Americas. Identify the strongest markets for export for your products in North, Central and South America.
- Medical Trade Mission to India, March 8-13, 2010. A special trade mission for manufacturers of medical products/equipment, laboratory and diagnostics products and health care and related service providers.
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