For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
June 20, 2003
Fact Sheet
U.S.-Brazil: Advancing Business Development and Sme Growth
The United States is committed to working with Brazil to increase trade
and economic opportunity to benefit industry and workers. Accelerated
business development and the growth of small- and medium-sized
enterprises (SMEs) are critical to economic growth and prosperity in
both countries.
PROMOTING SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
The U.S. Small Business Administration and the Brazilian Micro &
Small Business Support Service have signed a letter of intent to
cooperate on programs to help SMEs. These programs include:
Establishing a cooperative program to promote and support the
development, growth, stability, and competitiveness of SMEs and promote
trade opportunities in each country;
Exchanging information on commercial and investment opportunities,
legislation, taxes, trade law, and access to capital and government
loan guarantee programs; and
Working with other organizations in the hemisphere to create a
network of small business providers to expand trade linkages in the
Americas.
PROMOTING BUSINESS INNOVATION
Supporting President Lula's "Digital Inclusion" initiative:
The U.S. Department of Commerce, in collaboration with the United
States Agency for International Development, will leverage input and
expertise from U.S. Information Technology (IT) companies to develop
applications that support Brazil's network of cybercafes and
telecenters, entrepreneurs, and small businesses. This effort will
focus on providing
e-marketing and e-payment tools in up to 500 sites in urban and
rural
areas.
The United States and Brazil will launch the Brazil E-Business
Fellowship Program to provide 20 mid-level SME managers hands-on
experience with technology and e-business solutions through short
internships with U.S. companies in Brazil. We will establish a
mentoring program linking the 7,000 Brazilian participants in the Young
Americas Business Trust to volunteers from U.S. IT companies located in
Brazil.
Fostering Innovation:
An interagency team led by the Departments of State, Commerce, and
Energy (Sandia Laboratory) will establish a U.S.-Brazil private sector
roundtable to pursue the development of an innovation incubator to
support entrepreneurs in Recife, Brazil.
CREATING COMMERCIAL PARTNERSHIPS
Deputy Secretary of Commerce Samuel Bodman will lead a Trade
Mission to Brazil in November 2003. He will participate in a
U.S.-Brazil business forum where the private sector will present policy
recommendations on key business issues, including SME development,
access to credit, business facilitation, and technology partnerships.
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