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To: From_Verbier who wrote (10985)	3/8/1999 11:54:00 AM
From: TsioKawe	Respond to of 40688

Export Grants Available To Promote Maryland Food Products ANNAPOLIS, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 8, 1999--Maryland Secretary of Agriculture Dr. Henry A. Virts has announced that the Maryland Department of Agriculture and the Southern United States Trade Association (SUSTA) are currently accepting grant applications for participation in the 1999 Market Access Program (MAP) for value-added agricultural products. The MAP provides matching funds to individual companies to promote high-value agricultural products marketed under brand names. The MAP assists U.S. companies in exporting their agricultural branded products by sharing the cost of marketing and promotional activities. "In Maryland we have companies producing some outstanding food products. I encourage these companies to consider applying for one of these grants and getting involved in the export market. There is strong worldwide demand for what Maryland produces," said Dr. Virts. Participating companies are able to enter and develop markets that may be too costly to attempt without the matching funds. Eligible activities include advertising, production of promotional materials, trade shows, and in-store merchandising. These resources will be available to companies from Aug. 1, 1999, through Aug. 31, 2000. The deadline for receipt of a grant application called a Branded Activity Plan is April 16, 1999. A fee of $250 is required at the time of application. In addition, an assessment fee of five (5) percent of the approved MAP funding level is required when the contract is signed. The $250 application fee will be applied to the assessment fee. The minimum request is $5,000 per company and no company shall receive an allocation of more than $270,000. Only small businesses that meet Small Business Administration(SBA) guidelines and farmer cooperatives are eligible to participate. Interested companies can download a copy of the application and related material in Word 97 format from SUSTA's home page (www.susta.org). For further information and questions, please contact Marilyn Bassford at the Maryland Department of Agriculture on 410/841-5770. CONTACT: Maryland Department of Agriculture Marilyn Bassford, 410/841-5770

To: From_Verbier who wrote (10985)	3/8/1999 11:57:00 AM
From: TsioKawe	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 40688

EU Cuts Import Taxes on High Quality Wheat to Maintain Trade Brussels, March 8 (Bloomberg) -- The European Union cut import taxes on high quality wheat and wheat seed by as much as 11 percent to maintain a constant flow of breadmaking grain and avert claims that Europe is unfairly protecting its farmers. The European Commission cut import duties on bread-making wheat imported from Mediterranean, Black Sea and Baltic ports to 54.72 euros ($59.64) a ton from 60.36 euros and to 44.72 euros a ton on imports from other ports, from 50.36 euros, according to the Official Journal, the record of EU decisions. The commission, the EU's executive branch, monitors grain prices around the world and changes import duties if it feels EU grain producers are being undercut by imports or that its taxes unfairly restrain imports. The commission said duties may be reduced by 3 euros on grains shipped by way of the Atlantic Ocean or the Suez Canal if the grain is unloaded at a Mediterranean port. The duty falls by 2 euros if it is unloaded in Ireland, the U.K., Denmark, Sweden, Finland or Atlantic ports in Spain and Portugal. The EU is under pressure from countries such as the U.S. and Australia to halt grain export subsidies, and is also facing demands to reduce import taxes on farm commodities when the next round of world farm trade talks begin later this year. The following table shows the new duty rates compared with the previous levels (in euros per ton). From Mediterranean, Black Sea From other ports and Baltic Sea ports New rate Old rate New rate Old rate Durum wheat -High quality 55.72 55.72 45.72 45.72 -Medium quality 65.72 65.72 55.72 55.72 Wheat seed 54.72 60.36 44.72 50.36 Wheat -High quality 54.72 60.36 44.72 50.36 -Medium quality 87.59 87.59 77.59 77.59 -Low quality 107.63 107.63 97.63 97.63 Rye 95.20 95.20 85.20 85.20 Barley seed 95.20 95.20 85.20 85.20 Barley 95.20 95.20 85.20 85.20 Corn seed 103.94 103.94 93.94 93.94 Corn 103.94 103.94 93.94 93.94 Grain sorghum 95.20 95.20 85.20 85.20 10:32:08 03/08/1999

To: From_Verbier who wrote (10985)	3/8/1999 11:59:00 AM
From: TsioKawe	Respond to of 40688

French Trade Surplus in Auto Sector Narrows 7.17% in 1998 Paris, March 8 (Bloomberg) -- France's trade surplus in the automobile sector narrowed 7.17 percent last year, as strong domestic demand sucked in more imports. The overall trade surplus in the automobile sector fell to 61.37 billion francs ($10.21 billion) from 66.11 billion francs in 1997, according to the French Car Manufacturers' Association. The auto industry represented almost half of France's total trade surplus of 160.023 billion francs last year. French auto imports rose 22.8 percent to 175.18 billion francs. Personal cars lead imports with a gain of 23.6 percent, followed by imports of automobile parts, which rose 22.5 percent and utility vehicles, which rose 20.5 percent. Automobile exports rose 13.3 percent in 1998 to 236.55 billion francs. Exports were lead by a 19.4 percent increase in utility vehicles, followed by a 13.4 percent gain in personal cars and a 12.2 percent gain in auto parts. ''These results confirm the excellent performance in the French auto sector in exports in 1998,'' the Association said in a statement. French new car sales rose 13.5 percent in February from a year earlier, their 16th consecutive rise, further evidence that consumer spending will continue to lead economic growth in Europe's second-largest economy. With inflation at a 45-year low and unemployment falling steadily, consumer spending in France has helped offset declining exports because of recession in Asia, Russia and parts of Latin America. Consumer spending rose 3.8 percent last year, helping fuel a 3.2 percent growth rate, the fastest in a decade. New car sales in France are set to gain about 4 percent this year, compared with forecasts for growth of 1 percent to 3 percent for Europe. 09:39:39 03/08/1999

To: From_Verbier who wrote (10985)	3/8/1999 12:01:00 PM
From: TsioKawe	Respond to of 40688

Innovative Products, Software and Technologies from Israel at CeBIT'99 HANOVER, Germany, March 8 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 100 Israeli companies, 42 under the banner of the Israeli Pavilion, and the rest independently or together with their international partners or parent companies will be showing a variety of new, innovative and sophisticated products, developments and technologies, at CeBIT'99. The Israeli pavilion is organized by the Israel Export Institute. Israel has become in the last several years one of the most rapid developing countries in the fields of Hi-Tech. The Hi-Tech industry created a strong presence in Israel due to a major effort and investment put into R&D (3% of the GDP, which is amongst the highest in the world) and because of its highly qualified and skilled workforce. That is the main reason why The Business Week declared Israel as the "next Silicon Valley". Newsweek listed Tel-Aviv, Israel as one of the ten most important Hi-Tech centers of the world. The Economist of London stated lately that, "Perhaps it is no coincidence that the place emerging as California's Silicon Valley most likely rival in innovation is Israel, with its close-knit society that networks ceaselessly, deals daily with risk, reveres learning, and is blessed with a torrent of well-educated immigrants from the former Soviet Union." Israel's main exports are now more in the field of Hi-Tech, instead of oranges, which were our main export industry fifty years ago. Israel has become the greenhouse of the hi-tech industry. Israel has more hi-tech companies on the Nasdaq than the whole of Europe combined. Israel's advanced technologies are in great demand, and many Israeli- developed applications can now be found in products of multi-national companies in the sectors of communications, computers, information systems, medicine, optics, consumer goods and software. The Israeli Pavilion is located at these halls: Hall 3 Std B45, Hall 4 Std E12, Hall 9 Std D82, Hall 15 StdC36 Members of the Press visiting CeBIT'99 are invited to attend our Press Conference on Monday, March 22, 1999 at TCM, Room 12 from 3 P.M to 5 P.M. The Subject: Innovations and New Technologies From Israel, The Second Silicon Valley. Speakers will include Israeli Hi-Tech Manufacturers exhibiting at CeBIT'99. SOURCE Israel Export Institute CO: Israel Export Institute ST: Germany IN: CPR SU:

To: From_Verbier who wrote (10985)	3/8/1999 12:09:00 PM
From: TsioKawe	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 40688

U.S. Ahead: Government Calendar Through April 7 New York, March 8 (Bloomberg) -- The following is a calendar of expected U.S. political and government events. Tuesday, March 9 Washington: 10 a.m. U.S. Commerce Dept. releases wholesale trade report for January. (See: NI COM) Washington: 10:30 a.m. EST: U.S. Treasury Undersecretary for International Affairs Timothy Geithner testifies on the International Monetary Fund to the Senate banking subcommittee on international trade, 538 Dirksen Senate Office Building. (See NI TRE) Thursday, March 11 Washington: 10 a.m. EST. U.S. Labor Department releases its import/export prices for February. (See: NI LBR) Friday, March 12 Washington: 8:30 a.m. EST. Commerce Department reports January business inventories. (Inventories: MTIBCHNG<Index>GP) Thursday, March 18 Washington: 8:30 a.m. EST. Commerce Department reports international trade balance for January. (Trade: USTBTOT<Index>GP) Wednesday, March 24 Washington: 10 a.m. The Commerce Department reports February durable goods orders. (New Orders: DGNOTOT <Index> GP, HP) Tuesday, March 30 Washington: 8:30 a.m. EST. APICS reports its business outlook index for March. (See: NI USECO) Wednesday, March 31 Washington: 10 a.m. EST. The Commerce Department reports on factory orders for February. (See: NI COM) Tuesday, April 6 Washington: 10 a.m. U.S. Commerce Department releases wholesale trade report for February. (See: NI COM)