Where Europeans & Americans Connect to do Business | |
EACC Florida Members & Friends with European Union Deputy Ambassador to the United States, Michael Curtis, at the occasion of his first official visit to Miami. | |
Business delegation from The Czech Republic hosted by the Miami Dade County International Trade Consortium (ITC) in March and graced by His Excellence Jan Lipavsky, Minister of Foreign Affairs, His Excellency Miloslav Stasek, Ambassador to the USA and their entourage. EACC Florida was one of the local organizations invited to address the delegation. | |
Geopolitics in Motion.
Re-thinking your Strategy and Resources
April 18, 2024 I 4.00 pm - 7.00 pm I Coral Gables
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After decades of relative stability, of globalization and market expansion, the war in Ukraine, the escalating tensions in the Middle East, decoupling from China, “friend-shoring”, “near-shoring” and a return to subsidized industrial policies in the United States and Europe, are raising new questions for companies on both sides of the Atlantic looking to grow internationally. What does it mean to be a company with a global outlook in today’s geopolitics? What should an expansion strategy for a mid-sized company look like? Where can companies find the talents they need to succeed in a new territory? Does size still matter? In order to expand internationally, how do you re-think your company’s resources and assets as a consequence of COVID, AI and in the light of our new geopolitical environment?
- What does it mean to be a company with a global outlook in today’s geopolitics?
- What should an expansion strategy for a mid-sized company look like?
- Where can companies find the talents they need to succeed in a new territory?
- Does size still matter?
- In order to expand internationally, how do you re-think your company’s resources and assets as a consequence of COVID, AI and in the light of our new geopolitical environment?
Join us on April 18th for a discussion on what “re-thinking your strategy and resources” means for mid-sized companies looking to grow internationally and to hear about the challenges and success stories of some companies that chose Florida as part of their internationalization strategy.
SPEAKERS
- Jodi Ader, Manager, Trade Advisory Services – RSM US LLP [Moderator]
- Emmanuel Desbats, Vice-President Global Accounts – Clasquin USA
- Mark Ludwig, National Leader, Trade Advisory Services – RSM US LLP
- Andreas Dal Santo, CFA, ABV, Managing Director – Solidus Capital Group
- Antonio Texeira, Co-founder and CSTO – PICadvanced
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How can mid-size businesses better capture European and US market opportunities? | |
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Entering 2024, new opportunities and potential hurdles have appeared for businesses with foreign trade and investment projects. Notable regulations such as the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) in the US and the EU’s 2020 Green Deal have opened new markets.
The study consists in an online 5 min. survey (European companies for US expansion survey / US companies for European expansion survey) of mid-size businesses and cover the following key topics:
- What are mid-size businesses expansion plans in the European/US market?
- What are the immediate new opportunities in the European/US market for mid-size businesses in 2024?
- What are the best practices from peer companies about strategies and implementation plans for successful expansion in the European/US market?
- Are there different views and performance between mid-size sectors?
- What are the perceived risks and challenges for European/US market expansion plans?
What are business leaders' expectations and needs to overcome those risks?
Closes on April 18
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Member and Partner Events | |
Large turnout for A Conversation with Michael Curtis
EU Deputy Ambassador to the US
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On March 12 and in a packed Miami Dade College room, EACC Florida was delighted to welcome European Union Deputy Ambassador to the United States, Michael Curtis, who offered the EU’s perspective on some of the key developments confronting the transatlantic relationship and world balance today. In conversation with Miami Herald journalist Nora Gamez Torres, Michael Curtis discussed issues ranging from trade to China, Ukraine to steel and aluminium, Mercosur to Cuba.
In her opening remarks, EACC Florida Executive Director Christina Sleszynska said: “welcoming the Deputy Ambassador today and hearing the EU perspective on these issues directly from the source and right here in Downtown Miami is not only a pleasure but also key because of the increasingly important role Miami is playing as a global business destination and key hub between Europe, North America, Latin America and the Caribbean.”
The public event was preceded by an Invitation-Only Green Room Reception during which Guests were offered the opportunity to exchange a few words with the Deputy Ambassador. This was the Deputy Ambassador’s first official visit to Miami and on this occasion, EACC Florida was delighted to partner with The World Affairs Council Miami, Global Ties Miami and Miami Dade College.
Details and more pics available HERE.
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Left to right: Nora Gamez Torres (Miami Herald), Aaron Rosen (World Affairs Council Miami), Alan Surin (Greenberg Traurig), Victor Lozinski (LeverX), Christina Sleszynska (EACC Florida), Jan Kubicz (Squire Patton Boggs), Deputy Ambassador Michael Curtis, Gerard Philippeaux (ITC), Peter Huwel (Hellmann), Maria Dolores Fernandez Gomez (Trade Commission Spain). | |
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AI in BUSINESS
Navigating Risk in Adopting a Powerful but not Well Understood Technology
Missed it?
Click on the image to watch it!
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Commission Publishes Guidelines under the Digital Services Act for the Mitigation of Systemic Risks Online for Elections. The Commission has published guidelines on recommended measures to Very Large Online Platforms and Search Engines to mitigate systemic risks online that may impact the integrity of elections, with specific guidance for the upcoming European Parliament elections in June. These include Amazon, Apple, Google, YouTube and more. Read more.
European Commission Opens Non-Compliance Investigations under the Digital Markets Act. These decisions to open non-compliance investigations come only two weeks after the implementation deadline has passed and show that DMA compliance is something that we take very seriously. Our five investigations concern Alphabet, Apple and Meta. Read more.
European Commission Presents First Ever Defense Industrial Strategy and a New Defense Industry Program. The Strategy outlines the challenges currently faced by the European Defence Technological and Industrial Base (EDTIB) but also the opportunity to tap its full potential and sets out a direction for the next decade. To increase European defence industrial readiness, Member States need to invest more, better, together, and European. Read more.
WTO Rules on Renewable Energy Dispute. In a ruling published on 5 March 2024, the World Trade Organization (WTO) upheld the EU’s ability to take environmental and climate-based action under the Renewable Energy Directive (‘RED II’). Read more.
EU Secures Results at WTO Ministerial but Important Work Remains to Reform Global Trade Rulebook. After a week of intense engagement, EU negotiators secured important agreements on e-commerce, new rules to improve global services trade, environmental cooperation, and strengthening the position of developing countries in the global trading system. However, the EU regrets that it was not possible to find compromises on revitalizing the WTO at a time of rising geopolitical tensions, including a comprehensive agreement on global fisheries subsidies, agriculture reform, and meaningful progress on dispute settlement. Read more.
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President Biden’s Fiscal Year 2025 Budget to Strengthen Commerce Department’s Mission to Boost American Innovation and Competitiveness. The Biden-Harris Administration submitted to Congress the President’s Budget for Fiscal Year 2025. President Biden’s 2025 Budget expands on the Department’s work to promote access to good-paying jobs and equitable growth, bolster supply chains and national security, supercharge American leadership in manufacturing and innovation, and address the climate crisis. Read more.
Treasury Announces Cyber Security Cooperation MoU with Finland. U.S. Department of the Treasury announced that it has signed a cyber security cooperation memorandum of understanding with Finland. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will facilitate exchange of information on cybersecurity between the Finnish Ministry of Finance and the Treasury Department. Read more.
Statement by the EU and US following the 11th EU-US Energy Council. The EU-US Energy Council serves as the lead transatlantic forum for coordinating strategic energy issues at political and technical levels. Transatlantic energy cooperation is vital to advancing diverse and resilient energy systems, bolstering energy security, promoting stability and transparency in global energy markets, and accelerating just energy transitions consistent with our mutual commitment to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions at home and globally by 2050. Read more.
EU and Peru Agree on Cooperation Activities to Ensure Respect of Labor Rights. The European Commission and the Peruvian government have agreed on a list of technical cooperation activities to implement the labor rights commitments taken under the EU-Colombia-Peru-Ecuador Trade Agreement. Read more.
IMF I International Trade Red Sea Attacks Disrupt Global Trade. In the first two months of 2024, Suez Canal trade dropped by 50 percent from a year earlier while trade through the Panama Canal fell by 32 percent, disrupting supply chains and distorting key macroeconomic indicators. Read more.
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Thought Leadership
MEMBER and PARTNER INSIGHTS
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EU Artificial Intelligence Act – EU Parliament Adopts Groundbreaking Regulatory Framework. The European Parliament has adopted the Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act). While the AI Act still requires adoption by the EU Council before taking effect, this is considered a formality given the lengthy trilogue negotiations that resulted in the current version. The AI Act creates a comprehensive legal framework for AI systems. It follows a risk-based approach, prohibiting some types of AI use cases outright and establishing a complex compliance mechanism for high-risk systems. It also introduces specific provisions for general purpose AI models. The AI Act has a broad scope and may affect businesses worldwide and across virtually every sector. Read more.
Cloud Services Compliance: Scrutiny on Foreign Access to US Infrastructure as a Service. On January 29, 2024, the U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce)’s Bureau of Industry and Security issued a proposed rule (the Proposed Rule) that would require providers and foreign resellers of U.S. Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) to take certain measures to identify customers and prevent foreign cyberattacks. Notably, the Proposed Rule would require implementation of Customer Identification Programs (CIP) with customer verification, monitoring, and reporting requirements relating to foreign users. Read more.
Compliments Greenberg Traurig
SEC Adopts Final Rule for Enhancement and Standardization of Climate-Related Disclosures. The final rule requires public companies to provide qualitative and quantitative disclosure under Regulation S-K and Regulation S-X in annual reports and registration statements related to “enhance and standardize climate-related disclosures for investors.” Read more.
ETIAS Delayed to 2025 – What Employers and Travelers Need to Know. ETIAS, initially slated for launch in 2022 but delayed multiple times, resembles the U.S. Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) and serves as a pre-travel clearance system rather than a visa that enables European countries to conduct background checks on travelers. The delayed launch, now scheduled for 2025, is attributed to technological challenges, compliance with EU regulations, and considerations like the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. Read more.
Compliments Cozen O'Connor
FINRA focusing on Direct Market Access in 2024. FINRA released its 2024 FINRA Annual Regulatory Oversight Report. As with previous oversight reports, broker-dealers can use the 2024 report to glean useful insights into FINRA’s prior examination findings of member firms and the regulator’s priorities for the months ahead. Notably, the 2024 report addressed an important compliance topic that is often overlooked by firms: Direct Market Access (Exchange Act 17 CFR § 240.15c3-5). If your firm has or provides market access to other institutions, there are risk considerations, and your compliance program should be assessed to mitigate against such risks. Read more.
Businesses Should Prepare Now for State Digital Privacy Law That Goes Into Effect This Summer. Data privacy and protection — whether required by the Florida Digital Bill of Rights or not — is something Florida residents and companies will increasingly come to expect. It requires more than data security — it requires companies to know what data they are collecting, why they are collecting it, what they are doing with it, and how. Read more.
Compliments Kaufman Rossin
And from Miami Dade County Public Authorities
Miami Dade TPO to Lead Cycling Embassy Bike Immersion Program to The Netherlands – May 21-23, 2024. Miami-Dade Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) is leading a Bicycle Immersion Program delegation with the Dutch Cycling Embassy in May consisting of agencies and industry partners throughout the Southeast Florida region. The program is supported by the Netherlands Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Manager, in collaboration with the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Consulate General in Miami. The Bike Immersion Program will provide an immersive experience in bicycle and pedestrian-friendly infrastructure through a combination of sessions with political and industry leaders, as well as guided cycling, to learn the Dutch approach for the design and implementation of bicycle infrastructure. For contact details, click here.
Compliments Miami Dade Transportation Policy Organization
Call for Solutions: Innovation to Increase Cargo Visibility at PortMiami - Deadline to Apply: April 26, 2024. Miami-Dade Innovation Authority (MDIA) seeks early-to-growth stage startup companies with innovative solutions that can enhance cargo visibility at PortMiami with a focus on public data-based solutions. Collaborators for this challenge include PortMiami, American Association of Port Authorities and Miami-Dade County. Cargo visibility broadly refers to the tracking and monitoring of the movement of goods through the supply chain. It involves real-time information on the location, status, and condition of cargo as it moves through ports and logistics networks including vessels, trucks and rail. Final Application Deadline: Friday, April 26, 2024 at 11:59pm ET. Read more.
Compliments Miami Dade Innovation Authority.
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New Section
Consolidated Regulatory and Supply Chain News
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Hello and Welcome to the First Installment of
“Consolidated Regulatory and Supply Chain News”
This update brought to us on a quarterly basis by RAF Solutions offers members of the EACC high level information on news that could affect the trans-ocean business of import and export to / from the U.S. This will mostly be organized by type of information (i.e. ocean freight, air freight, regulations on either side, etc) but there may be some crossover in sections since one new regulation could impact many areas.
We hope this provides some additional information for your use and helps to grow your business and relationships.
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Ocean Freight
Mideast
We are now several months into the instability of the Red Sea area, which continues to make negative headlines across the globe and impacting our supply chains. By now, we have learned that some industry leaders are forced to temporarily shut down their assembling lines due to delayed shipments that must make its longer way around Cape of Good Hope (CoGH). This is first felt by JIT production which is often seen in the automotive industry but will soon spread across other industries as well. Read more.
Panama Canal
Maersk plans to eliminate Panama Canal vessel transits on a north-south service between Oceania and the US East Coast, citing the ongoing drought that has reduced ship transits and container carrying capacity through the waterway. Read more.
East / Gulf Coast Ports
In a letter to the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) and the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA), NRF President Matthew Shay said the growing share of containerized imports moving through East and Gulf coast ports will be put at risk if contract talks do not resume shortly. Read more.
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Air Freight
Green Initiatives
European Union negotiators this week reached a deal that spells out the sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) expectations for airlines on flights within and departing from the EU between 2025 and 2050. Read more.
Union News
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters said Tuesday it had reached an agreement with DHL Express to end a 12-day strike at the company’s Cincinnati hub. Read more.
Costs
Air cargo rates from Asia to North America continue to rise to levels not seen in more than a year as e-commerce volume fills much of the available capacity. But the online shopping demand is masking an underlying weakness in the general air freight market. Read more.
Customs and Border Protection News
US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has made clear to customs brokers they cannot use offshore data entry companies to perform a number of trade compliance processes for US imports. Read more
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Biden-Harris Administration Finalizes Strongest Ever Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Standards for Heavy-Duty Vehicles.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced March 29 final national greenhouse gas pollution standards for heavy-duty vehicles, such as freight trucks and buses, for model years 2027 through 2032. But at least one industry body has pushed back against the new rules. Read more.
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Port of Baltimore Bridge Collapse
Details are beginning to surface regarding the Dali container ship that struck the Port of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge on the morning of March 26, sending vehicles plunging into the water. To date there have been 8 deaths and multiple injuries. Read more.
Section brought to you by:
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YOUNG VOICES FROM THE FUTURE | |
EACC Florida is giving a voice to the Z Generation, the Young Voices from the Future who have already started shaping the world that they will be living in. Read about a young person – a student, an artist, an entrepreneur, an athlete – whose identity, vision, project, achievement illustrates the vibrancy of Florida’s transatlantic community in our monthly EACC Florida Newsletter and on this website. If you would like to suggest someone to be featured, please contact Christina Sleszynska at csleszynska@eaccfl.com. | |
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CLEMENT WAGNER - A Kid from the French Countryside Making the Most of the Land of Opportunity
Clement turned 20 in January 2024. He is French and grew up in the family-home in Saint-Philibert de Grand-Lieu, a small town close to Nantes in the western part of France. His parents, both French and very well-travelled, decided to move the whole family to Miami in 2019 on an E2 visa to pursue the American Dream. His brother is now 17 and his sister 13.
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Clement arrived in Miami when he was 15 and enrolled at the International Studies Charter School (ISCHS) in Miami’s Little Havana – a school offering dual diplomas in French, Spanish and Italian and very popular with expats. He was a good student and graduated in 2022. His family knew little about the US higher education system and he received little guidance. He could have chosen to return to France but wanted to make the most of the opportunities his parents had offered him by moving to the US.
He was admitted to the Miami-Dade College Honors Program as a Political Science Major and is very grateful for the support received and opportunities afforded to him at MDC. He has applied and hopes to transfer at the end of this academic year to one of the Ivy League schools and wants to double-major in Political and International Relations.
Clement travelled extensively to developing countries such as Senegal or Haiti. He visited the latter after the country was devastated by an earthquake and hurricane and became acutely aware of how lucky and privileged he is. Those experiences informed his desire to go on to Law School, pass the Bar in Washington DC or Florida and become an Immigration Lawyer.
For now, Clement is enjoying everything that Miami has to offer. He loves biking, surfing and playing soccer as well as cars and mechanics. His family all have a Green Card which makes it easier to travel to France every summer and sometimes for Christmas to visit with his extended family and friends.
Clement's favorite quote is: "In order to become leaders of tomorrow, you need to be leaders today", Nguénar Yancine Cissé, Master Student at the University of Waterloo.
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NOW is the Perfect Time to Join!
Recommend EACC Florida to a Client or Business Partner
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EACC is a Connector
We open doors for our members across our chapter network on both sides of the Atlantic and we keep you informed on the relevant issues affecting your business.
Members of the EACC network enjoy:
♦ Access to our network of high-level business executives & our unique referral service
♦ Invitations to exclusive seminars & a direct exchange with transatlantic experts
♦ Visibility for your organization & opportunities to showcase your thought-leadership
♦ The ability to make a difference & actively engage in the Trans-Atlantic business dialogue
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Meet the EACC Network
Our Members are Part of Something Bigger
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Together with its sister chapters, EACC Florida is part of a growing and highly dynamic transatlantic network reaching over 10,000 executives in the US and across Europe. With over 750 members, the EACC is a valuable resource for any size business. If you would like to get involved, let us know.
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Founding Members / President's Circle | | | | |
