TTIP big gains for small firms

Transcription

1 TTIP big gains for small firms Invitation 25 April 2016, 5 p.m., HANNOVER MESSE

2 Invitation Dear Sir or Madam, This year, the United States will be the partner country at the HANNOVER MESSE trade fair for the first time. The world s largest and leading industry trade fair is thus hosting the world s largest economy. The economic ties between the U.S. and Germany and indeed with the entire European Union are already close. The United States have now overtaken France as the leading destination for German exports, and ranks fourth in terms of German imports. The United States are the number-one destination for German investment. The country accounts for the largest share of non-european investment in Germany. Looking at the figures from the other perspective, Germany is the fifth largest supplier to, and fifth largest recipient of goods and services from, the United States. In 2015, trade in goods between Germany and the U.S. amounted to roughly 173 billion. Trade and investment thrive on dialog. The HANNOVER MESSE trade fair brings exhibitors and visitors together to generate mutual opportunities for investment and exports. It also has a strong tradition of providing a forum for debating issues of overarching significance for transatlantic trade relations. One of these is the envisaged Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) between the EU and the U.S. Small and medium-sized businesses on both sides of the Atlantic can benefit from TTIP. There are 20 million companies with fewer than 250 employees in the European Union, and they provide more than two-thirds of jobs in the private sector. At the same time, there are 28 million companies with fewer than 500 employees in the United States. Small and mediumsized firms on both sides of the Atlantic which export goods and services average far higher growth rates than those which only operate on the domestic market. Employees of exporting companies tend to enjoy higher wages. However, the current level of export activity by small and medium-sized enterprises, both in the U.S. and in the EU, is below average. Only 13% of European SMEs export their goods outside the EU. And less than half a percent of U.S. mid-caps export goods to the EU. There is clearly a lot of untapped potential for more growth, more innovation and more jobs.

3 Event Invitation Agenda Registration Small businesses are confronted with the same trade barriers as large firms, but they have fewer resources to cope with them. TTIP is the EU s first free trade agreement which is to include a separate chapter on small and medium-sized businesses. At the same time, these companies will also benefit from other improvements e.g. the far-reaching tariff reductions and the simplified customs procedures which TTIP is slated to bring. And in particular, they will benefit from a reduction in costs caused by divergent standards. Bureaucratic barriers such as different product requirements, duplicated testing and certification, and the resulting additional costs hit small and medium-sized businesses particularly hard, and make it difficult or even impossible for them to access the market on the other side of the Atlantic. We should also remember that the beneficiaries will not only be those companies which export or would like to export goods and services, but also those who supply components in the global value chains. Join the discussions at the trade fair itself, or follow the livestream at I look forward to an open and interesting discussion with you! Sincerely yours, Sigmar Gabriel I extend a warm invitation to you to come and debate the opportunities offered by TTIP with U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker and representatives of German and U.S. SMEs.

4 Agenda TTIP big gains for small firms Moderation: Katja Dofel from 4 p.m. Participant registration p.m. Welcoming Sigmar Gabriel, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy Penny Pritzker, U.S. Secretary of Commerce p.m. Panel discussion Sigmar Gabriel, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy Penny Pritzker, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Evelyn Dornseif, HUDORA, Remscheid Jens Saß, implantcast, Buxtehude Jeff Lamb, OptiLedge LLC, Atlanta, Georgia John A. DeLuca, Liberty Pumps Inc., Bergen, New York p.m. Dialogue with the audience p.m. Final remarks Penny Pritzker Sigmar Gabriel Simultaneous interpretation is provided. The event will be broadcasted live online at

5 Veranstaltung Event Einladung Invitation Programm Agenda Registration Anmeldung Registration Organizer Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy Berlin Location Deutsche Messe AG Fairground Hanover Hall 2, via Entrance North 2, at conference area, room Rom / Brüssel Registration Please register at: This event is mainly targeted at representatives from small and medium-sized companies. The number of participants is limited. A copy of your confirmed registration and a valid photo ID must be presented at check-in. Organization For questions regarding registration please contact: TTIP-KMU@bmwi-registrierung.de