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March 2018
In This Issue:
Welcome 
New Members

Upcoming 
WTC Events
April 5, 2018
Minimizing Risks and Maximizing Compliance
Fulton Bank
Lancaster, PA 

Mark Your Calendars!
May 1. 2018
International Trade Conference
"Celebrating Export Excellence"
Crowne Plaza Hotel
Reading
Upcoming 
PA  Trade Shows & Missions
April 9-13, 2018
Trade Mission to Vietnam & the Philippines

June 1-9, 2018
Trade Mission to South Africa & Tanzania

June 12-14, 2018
Global Petroleum Show 

June 30 - July 2, 2018
Summer Fancy Food Show
Javits Center, New York

Please contact our office for details and registration information
Thank You to Our Sponsors & Partners

Thank you to our corporate sponsors and partners for their annual support.

 

Silver Sponsors:

 

UPS

 

Stambaugh Ness 

 

 

Bronze Sponsor:

 

Fulton Bank

 

 

Strategic Partners: 

 

MANTEC

 

PA Office of International Business Development

 

Do you believe in our mission?  Contact us to learn how you can sustain our organization by becoming an annual sponsor.
Quick Links




World Trade Center Harrisburg
1000 N. Cameron Street
Harrisburg, PA 17103
 
717-843-1090 


Copyright © 2018

What You Need to Know About the New
Steel and Aluminum Tariffs
 
Yesterday, President Trump signed a Presidential Proclamation regarding the imports of steel , and a second Proclamation regarding the imports of aluminum.  

A 25% additional duty on steel and a 10% additional duty on aluminum products will become effective on March 23, 2018 for all countries, except Mexico and Canada for now.  
Steel Articles  are defined with reference to the following U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule 's  6-digit subheadings:
  • 7206.10 through 7216.50 
  • 7216.99 through 7301.10 
  • 7302.10 
  • 7302.40 through 7302.90 
  • 7304.10 through 7306.90 
Aluminum Articles  are defined as follows:
  • HTS 7601 - unwrought aluminum 
  • HTS 7604  - aluminum bars, rods, and profiles
  • HTS 7605 - aluminum wire
  • HTS 7606 and 7607 - flat rolled aluminum products, including plate, sheet, strip, and foil
  • HTS 7608 and 7609 - aluminum tubes and pipes and tube and pipe fitting 
  • HTS 7616.99.51.60 and 7616.99.51.70 -  aluminum castings and forgings 
These rules include any subsequent revisions 
to these HTS classifications. 

Possible Product Exclusions via a Petition Process:
There will be a petition-based, product exclusion process run by the Department of Commerce, based on the following standard of whether the article is: 
  1. produced in the United States "in a sufficient and reasonably available amount or of a satisfactory quality"  or 
  2. subject to specific national security considerations
Petitions need to be filed by a directly affected party located in the United States.  The US Dept. of Commerce will issue formal procedures for this process by  March 18th.

Possible Country Exclusions:
Imports from Canada and Mexico are exempted from the additional duty for now.
Imports from countries with which the United States has a security relationship are encouraged to discuss with the Administration alternative ways to address the threatened impairment of the national security presented by imports from their country.

Thank you Ted Murphy, of Baker McKenzie for background details regarding this article

Please take our Steel and Aluminum Tariff Survey
We would like to know how the new tariffs affect the ability of your company to compete globally.


Trade Finance & Fraud Roundtable - April 5
Join us for a Roundtable discussion on strategies for trade financing needs. Feel free to share your experiences and challenges, or simply listen and learn.  
The collaborative presentation and discussion will include:
  •  Navigating compliance challenges throughout the global banking network
  •  Identifying unknown risks in Trade Finance
  •  Applying proactive methods in mitigating risks
  •  Protecting yourself from fraud
The Roundtable discussion is hosted by Fulton Bank, and we will meet in their conference room at 1 Penn Square Lancaster April 4, from 3:00 - 5:00 pm. Join us!   

GDPR Directive Takes Effect May 25! 
Privacy Shield Can Help with Compliance
GDPR
The European Union adopted data privacy legislation in 2016, known as the  General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) which created a  higher  level of privacy protection for  consumers and stronger rules for companies. 

The GDPR is broad in scope and applies to all companies who collect, process, and/or store the personal data of European citizens regardless of whether or not a company has a physical presence in Europe or directly provides goods or services to European customers. 

GDPR takes effect on May 25 and the costs of non-compliance can be high.  Fines are up to €20 million, or 4% of global annual turnover!

Privacy Shield
The EU-U.S. and Swiss-U.S. Privacy Shield Frameworks were designed by the U.S. Department of Commerce together with the European Commission and Swiss Administration. 
 
The Privacy Shield Framework assists companies on both sides of the Atlantic in  complying with EU data protection requirements when transferring personal data from the EU and Switzerland to the United States in support of transatlantic commerce.  

The Privacy Shield program, which is administered by the International Trade Administration within the U.S. Department of Commerce, enables U.S.-based organizations to join one or both of the Privacy Shield Frameworks in order to benefit from the adequacy determinations. Privacy Shield can play an integral role in many companies' overall GDPR compliance strategy.  

Costs to enroll start as low as $250 annually and are based on company revenue.  Click here to read about the requirements for participation. 

International Trade Conference 2018
Mark your calendars for May 1st and join us at our annual International Trade Conference! This year's event will be held at the Crowne Plaza in Reading. 

Our breakfast keynote speaker Dave Hanson, CEO of Fulton Financial Advisors, will present a "Global Economic Outlook: Agony or Ecstasy", followed by two tracks of breakout sessions to choose from and a luncheon featuring local export success stories.  More details coming soon!

WTC Member in the News: Zeigler Feed
Dr. Thomas Zeigler was presented  with the US
Aquaculture Society's Lifetime Achievement Award at the opening ceremony of Aquaculture Am erica 2018 in Las Vegas. Dr. Zeigler has been internationally recognized as a producer of aquaculture feeds and a leader in the development of nutritional technologies for aquaculture for over 50 years. Through Zeigler Feed, he retains a sincere passion and is committed to continuing the mission to build value to life through innovative nutrition.

On behalf of the WTC Harrisburg team, we would like to congratulate Dr Zeigler for his outstanding work and commitment towards developing nutritional technologies and solutions over the years!


GAP Grant Funds Still Available
Up to $5000 of grant funding for international trade expansion activities is still available though PA's Office of International Business Development.  This grant is funded by the  US Small Business Administration and eligible small and medium sized companies can still apply. 

 

More details and application forms are available from our office. Click to download the Program Guidelines.  
Partner Events
March 13, 2018
Exporter and Financial Services Forum

Join the World Trade Center Delaware and the US Export-Import Bank ( EXIM Bank) for a breakfast forum and learn how you can reduce the cost of international business.  Learn from EXIM  bank and their local partners about trade finance and credit insurance solutions.

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March 22, 2018
Business Growth Conference



This year, MANTEC's Business Growth Conference keynote speaker Kevin Jackson will address Innovation Under Fire. In life and in business, one of the most difficult things we must do is to reinvent ourselves, to accept change and to find an innovative way to stay relevant before our ideas become dried up and no longer useful to anyone!  How have you reinvented yourself and your business?  

In addition, attendees can build their personal agenda with the choice of 12 diverse breakout sessions and a Rapid Fire Smart Manufacturing Panel.