Event to celebrate 90th anniversary of International Chamber of Commerce
New York, N.Y., September 15, 2009 – U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke will be the keynote speaker at the October 8 annual dinner of the United States Council for International Business (USCIB), which represents America’s top global companies. The event will be held at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York.
The dinner will celebrate the 90th anniversary of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the world business organization that USCIB has represented since 1945, as part of a worldwide series of events commemorating the milestone.
“We are delighted that Secretary Locke will join us to provide his views on the challenges facing global business,” said USCIB Chairman William G. Parrett, retired global CEO of Deloitte. “It is especially timely in view of the increasingly strong relationship between USCIB and the Department of Commerce.”
Other high-level speakers at the USCIB dinner will include ICC Chairman Victor Fung, chairman of the Hong Kong-based Li & Fung Group, and Bill Schneider, senior political analyst with CNN. Members of ICC’s executive board, representing numerous countries, will join an audience of business leaders, government officials and representatives of the diplomatic community. More information, including ticket and sponsorship pricing, is available at www.uscibgala.com.
World business organization marks an auspicious milestone
Based in Paris, with a network of national committees in some 90 countries, ICC was founded by far-sighted business executives after the First World War. Over nine decades, it has represented business views to national governments and international organizations, while also establishing the world’s leading court of commercial arbitration and developing crucial rules for cross-border business activity in a variety of areas.
“ICC’s role has never been more vital or important than it is today,” according to USCIB President and CEO Peter M. Robinson. “Now more than ever, at a time when concerted global action is needed to address the worldwide economic downturn as well as longer-term challenges like climate change, we need a vibrant and representative global business body that can act forcefully to speak on behalf of the private sector at the highest levels.”
ICC is celebrating its 90th anniversary throughout 2009 with a series of special events around the world, underscoring the continued importance of its core objective of securing peace and prosperity through trade. This has included the launch of the ICC Research Foundation, which was established to provide intellectual leadership on public policy issues, with a focus on global trade and investment. More information is available at www.icc90anniversary.com.
Innovative system for temporary exports also recognized
The USCIB dinner will also commemorate the 40th anniversary of U.S. membership in the worldwide ATA Carnet system for temporary exports, a key service of the pro-trade group. First introduced in the United States in 1969, Carnets are internationally recognized customs documents that allow for temporary duty-free, tax-free import of commercial samples, professional equipment and goods displayed at trade shows.
In June, USCIB signed a multi-year agreement with the Commerce Department’s Commercial Service to expand awareness of ATA Carnets among the nation’s up-and-coming exporters. USCIB, which issues and guarantees Carnets in the U.S., will work with the U.S. Commercial Service to develop educational and training programs for smaller companies, with the goal of expanding use of the innovative “merchandise passports.”
USCIB promotes open markets, competitiveness and innovation, sustainable development and corporate responsibility, supported by international engagement and prudent regulation. Its members include top U.S.-based global companies and professional services firms from every sector of our economy, with operations in every region of the world. With a unique global network encompassing leading international business organizations, including ICC, USCIB provides business views to policy makers and regulatory authorities worldwide, and works to facilitate international trade and investment. More information is available at www.uscib.org.
Contact:
Jonathan Huneke, VP Communications, USCIB
+1 212.703.5043 or jhuneke@uscib.org
More on USCIB’s 2009 Annual Dinner
International Chamber of Commerce website
