All events are held in Massachusetts unless otherwise noted.
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Click on camera to view photos from the BIS seminar and the launch of our new initiative, the Compliance Alliance. |
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2009
Updated
11/20/2009 |
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| DECEMBER | |||
| 2 | Export Financing Roundtable (Boston) | ||
| 9 | Export Regulatory Compliance Update (Boston) | ||
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| JANUARY 2010 | |||
| 25-28 | Arab Health (Dubai, UAE) | ||
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Negotiating and Structuring International Distribution Contracts  Many exporters rely heavily on partners, such as distributors or agents, to
generate sales in overseas markets. For exporters, effectively negotiating
and structuring contracts with these partners is critical for achieving
profits and growth while minimizing confusion, disputes and poor performance
in overseas markets. How do you achieve a win-win agreement and relationship
with your overseas partners? When should and when shouldn’t exclusivity be
used as a motivational tool? How can exporters protect themselves in
relationships with underperforming partners? This seminar will provide guidance for negotiating and structuring contracts with overseas partners, with an eye towards ensuring that the best interests of the exporter are protected. Specific issues to be discussed include: getting buy-in from exporter top management and overseas partners; effectively managing contract negotiations; sales and performance requirements; exclusivity; essential contract elements; dispute resolution and more. This program will include real-world examples and best practices from one of the state’s leading exporters – New Balance Athletic Shoe, Inc. The seminar will be of benefit to international sales and marketing staff as well as individuals involved with export operations. Speakers: - Ekene Ofodile, International Sales Operations Manager at New Balance Athletic Shoe, Inc. - Neal White, Senior Partner with McDermott Will & Emery Date: Wednesday, October 14, 2009 Time: Registration 8:30 a.m.; Program 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Location: New Balance Athletic Shoe, Inc., Brighton (directions) Cost: $75 includes continental breakfast and seminar materials Contact: Massachusetts Export Center at 617-973-8664. Register online with link below. > Register online Export Open House @ SouthCoast Business Expo
There are many government resources to help with your international sales efforts. These resources include everything from assistance with marketing and sales -- including market research and distribution development -- to assistance with financing and export logistics. In this program, we will feature brief presentations by government export promotion agencies and will include time for questions and answers. Following the presentations, participants will have the opportunity to network and speak one-on-one with the government officials to address specific export questions and challenges while helping to assess your export readiness. Speakers: Date: Wednesday, October 21, 2009 International Standby Letters of Credit and Foreign Exchange Update
To use standby letters of credit effectively, it is important to understand how they work to mitigate the risk to your business. This seminar will review real-world standby letter of credit mechanics with an extensive look at how they can be structured to meet the specific needs of all parties. Different types and uses of standby letters of credit will be reviewed, including bank guarantees and the rules governing standby letters of credit. The program will conclude with a foreign exchange update that will provide tips on FX tools and strategies that can be used to manage the bottom-line costs of international business. Speakers: Date: Thursday, October 29, 2009 10 Steps to Growing International Sales  Does your business need to begin or expand international sales operations?
How do you proceed while safeguarding your current assets? To succeed in
global business, companies need to simplify their approach to export
operations while unifying their international sales and marketing efforts.
In this unique panel session, we will discuss: strategy considerations before your first actions; how to approach the daunting task of positioning your business for international sales, marketing and distribution; how brand positioning and direct communications can have a multiplier effect on your success; and how to integrate cultural, language and marketing considerations so they are synergistic with your business strategy and execution plans. Specific issues to be addressed will include international sales and distribution strategy, branding and direct sales, global marketing and communications, implementation and more. By the end of this session, you will have many of your questions answered and a manageable checklist to both begin and execute a path toward global success. Speakers: - Stephen Davis, Managing Director of CXO Advisory Group - Stephen Melanson, President of Melanson Consulting - Wendy Pease, Executive Director of Rapport International Date: Friday, November 6, 2009 Time: Registration 8:30 a.m.; Program 9:00 - 11:30 a.m. Location: State Transportation Building, Conference Room 4, Boston (directions) Cost: $50 includes continental breakfast and seminar materials; does not include parking Contact: Massachusetts Export Center at 617-973-8664. Register online with link below. > Register online
Export Product Classification
> Register online Do you need export financing or working capital for export operations? Don’t miss this unique opportunity to speak with representatives of the U.S. Small Business Administration and MassDevelopment about the various government programs designed to help your company finance its export transactions and provide it with the capital necessary to grow its export operations. This roundtable will discuss numerous financing resources for U.S. exporters. Included will be information on tools such as export credit insurance that can help exporters to assess and mitigate the risks associated with selling internationally. Speakers: Date: Wednesday, December 2, 2009 Export Regulatory Compliance Update
This seminar will provide the latest information on export regulatory trends, with a focus on current compliance issues. The seminar will feature experts from private industry and government discussing the following issues: the impact of recent and pending export regulatory changes; the current political climate and renewal of the Export Administration Act; enforcement trends; impact of the recent Census AES regulations on export clearance and enforcement; ensuring compliance when working with freight forwarders; sanctions compliance and more. The seminar will conclude with a panel discussion providing best practices and solutions for compliance program development in a number of different areas, including: EAR/ITAR commodity jurisdiction; export control classification; licensing; U.S. export compliance in a multinational organization; deemed export compliance; denial screening; recordkeeping and more. The seminar will be followed by a networking reception. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to hear the latest on export compliance issues and trends from some of the area’s leading exporters and compliance experts! Early registration is strongly encouraged. Speakers: Date: Wednesday, December 9, 2009 Export Logistics and Regulatory Compliance Certificate Series
Our four-part Export Logistics and Regulatory Compliance Certificate Series is designed to provide exporters with a comprehensive, working understanding of the day-to-day mechanics of international trade while focusing on the latest trends and requirements essential to achieving full compliance. The series will provide helpful tips, tools and practices that businesses can use to optimize their export operations. Participants who complete the entire four-part series will receive a certificate of completion issued by the Massachusetts Export Center. Dates: Tuesdays: October 27, November
3, 10, 17, 2009 Export Logistics, Classification & Incoterms (October 27) This seminar is designed to help companies understand the basic steps and tools in the export process. It will focus on the fundamentals of export logistics, including product and tariff classification, Incoterms 2000, international shipping procedures, customs clearance, working with freight forwarders, packaging, cargo insurance and duty drawback. Speakers: Export Documentation & Shipping Under Free Trade Agreements (November 3) This hands-on seminar will guide participants through the process of completing major export documents, such as Commercial Invoices, Certificates of Origin and others. The seminar will also discuss the new Census Bureau regulations requiring exporters to file their information via the Automated Export System (AES) and will review AES filing requirements step-by-step. Accurate valuation of export shipments, including special cases such as warranties and repairs, will also be discussed. Finally, the seminar will review new and existing U.S. free trade agreements that provide dutyfree access to many countries for U.S. exporters. The seminar will review documentation and procedures for shipping under free trade agreements and will discuss eligibility under rules of origin, preference criteria, tariff shifts, regional value content and more. Speakers: Export Regulatory Compliance (November 10) This seminar will walk participants step-by-step through U.S. export control requirements while focusing on special issues and areas of concern for exporters. The program will provide an overview of export regulations, including their scope and structure, as well as the various government authorities responsible for developing and enforcing regulatory policy. The seminar will then review the specific steps necessary to achieve compliance, including: denied party screening, embargoes, anti-boycott controls, commodity jurisdiction, product controls, ECCN classification, deemed exports and export licensing procedures. The seminar will also discuss export clearance and enforcement trends, recordkeeping obligations and compliance programs. Speakers: Best Practices for Developing Export Procedures & Compliance Programs (November 17) This seminar will feature speakers from some of the area’s leading exporting firms to share best practices for developing export procedures and compliance programs. Guest speakers will provide tips and information on their practices across several different areas, including: selecting and working with freight forwarders; handling routed freight transactions; product classification and classification tracking; order entry and screening; documentation and recordkeeping. The seminar will also provide an overview of export compliance programs, including basic elements and other relevant issues such as customization, implementation and maintenance. Speakers: Dates: Tuesdays: October 27,
November 3, 10, 17, 2009 SouthCoast Business & Community Leaders Trip to China The New Bedford Area Chamber of Commerce is offering an all inclusive trip to China in October for members of the organization and their friends and families. The nine-day, seven-night trip runs from October 11 - 19, 2009. The trip is priced at $1,999 per person and includes bus transportation to and from the SouthCoast to JFK International Airport, round-trip international airfare, four- and five-star hotel accommodations, all in-country transportation, three meals a day and fluent English-speaking tour guides. Price is based on double occupancy. A $200 per person non-refundable fee is due at the time of registration and is included in the total fare. The trip balance is due before August 1, 2009. A valid passport is required. All travelers must have a Chinese Visa. Travelers may obtain their own visa or may obtain one through the Chamber at an additional cost of $150 per person. The Chamber is sponsoring this trip to China in partnership with Citslinc International, Inc., a chamber member travel company with 28 years of experience in the China tour business. The trip will take travelers through some of China's ancient cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Suzhou and Hangzhou. The Great Wall of China and the Forbidden City will be among the trip's highlights. An optional business conference will be held in Beijing for those interested in sitting face-to-face with Chinese business leaders in similar industries. The Chamber will hold an orientation session with Citslinc representatives on April 14 for additional information and to answer questions. The session is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. at the Whalers Conference Center/Days Inn, 500 Hathaway Road, New Bedford. A full itinerary and additional information about the trip can be found by visiting the chamber's website at www.newbedfordchamber.com/china.htm. Space is limited. Reservations can be made by calling the Chamber at 508-999-5231.
About Us |
Services | Seminars and Events
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Compliance Alliance |
Export Compliance
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Have you ever wondered if your business could be
expanded internationally? Have you ever had some international inquiries,
but weren’t sure how to handle them? Or, do you have some international
sales, but wish that you could find a way to increase them? If so, then this
is the program for you! 
Many exporters are well aware of the need to be
compliant with U.S. export regulations. As the regulations become
increasingly complex and more aggressively enforced, however, most firms are
quickly finding that a mere awareness of export compliance issues is not
enough. Companies that don’t take a proactive and preemptive approach to
export compliance will fall behind the curve on regulatory changes, leaving
themselves open to noncompliance and possible enforcement action. 
In today’s complex export environment, regulatory
compliance and traditional logistical issues are inextricably linked. Simple
logistical mistakes may have repercussions that can lead to noncompliance
with U.S. export regulations and foreign customs requirements. Companies
that don’t take a holistic approach to all of these issues will leave
themselves open to fines, customs seizures, delays, and possible enforcement
action. 