New Orleans, LA - (November 21, 2001) U.S. Trade and Development Agency (TDA) Director Thelma Askey and the Honorable David Vitter (R - LA) kicked-off TDA's Europe Regional Chemicals Conference with remarks highlighting the importance of trade partnerships at the Opening Plenary Breakfast on Monday, November 19, 2001. Held at the Hotel Monteleone in New Orleans from November 18-20, the Conference included over twenty representatives from six European countries and focused on opportunities for investment and partnership in the chemical, petrochemical and refinery sectors in Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Poland, Romania and Slovakia. The TDA Conference provided more than sixty representatives from American businesses the opportunity to meet one-on-one with these key officials.

In addition to project presentations by TDA-sponsored delegates, an environmental roundtable and other discussions on regional and sector investments, TDA signed three grants totaling over US$900,000 for feasibility studies in Romania at the conference. Two projects are with Petrom S.A., Romania's state-owned oil company, and will be carried out at two separate refineries. The first TDA grant in the amount of US$154,000 is for a feasibility study on a new alkylation unit at the Petrobrazi Refinery. The second grant of US$341,000 is for a feasibility study on the expansion of an existing steam cracker unit as well as the installation of a new polyethylene unit at the Arpechim refinery. TDA is also providing $406,000 to Rompetrol S.A. for a feasibility study to examine several planned plant modernizations at the Petromidia Refinery.

The U.S. Trade and Development Agency promotes American private sector participation by helping U.S. companies pursue business opportunities in developing and middle income countries. Through the funding of feasibility studies, orientation visits, specialized training grants, business workshops, and various forms of technical assistance, TDA helps American businesses compete for infrastructure projects in emerging markets. In addition, the agency promotes capacity building initiatives and supports U.S. government trade, economic policy and development objectives around the world.

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