If you are a U.S. small business, or any sized business – LISTEN UP! You are about to get screwed on getting help from your Federal Government to get into foreign markets. I posted back in June about a proposal published in the Federal Register to raise prices for export assistance programs by up to 171%! The principal target is the U.S. Commercial Service’s stunningly successful Gold Key program that has brought U.S. sellers and foreign reps or buyers together for several decades. What business do you know that takes its best product and raises the price – in one go – by 153%? I can’t think of one either.

You only have until this weekend – August 12 – to stop this, so please go immediately to the regulations.gov page that has been set up to take comments. While it would be dandy if you can draft your own comments based on experience using Commercial Service programs, I can make it easy on you. All you need to do is say that you or your company supports the resolution on user fees passed by the steering committee of the National District Export Councils (these are private sector trade pros who advise the Commerce Department about exports) – and attach the resolution to your comments. Here is the text and a link to the .pdf version (US&FCS User Fee National DEC Resolution):

NATIONAL DISTRICT EXPORT COUNCIL RESOLUTION

WHEREAS increasing U.S. exports will result in economic growth and job creation in America, thereby benefiting the U.S. economy as a whole, and therefore is in the interest of all Americans and U.S. business in particular;

WHEREAS small business is an engine of growth for the U.S. economy and exporting is known for providing higher-than-average-paying jobs for American workers;

WHEREAS it is in the interest of the United States to encourage more small businesses to export, thereby diversifying and growing their businesses by accessing new or additional markets;

WHEREAS the trade promotion services provided by the U.S. & Foreign Commercial Service to small business in the United States are very significant to the on-going success of U.S. small business exporters in foreign markets;

WHEREAS the Gold Key Service provided by the U.S. & Foreign Commercial Service in particular is extremely beneficial to U.S. small business exporters by assisting them in developing foreign business networks and penetrating foreign markets;

WHEREAS, as compared to their foreign competitors, small business exporters in the United States are at a severe competitive disadvantage as relates to the prices charged to such foreign competitors by their own governments for comparable trade promotion services;

WHEREAS the proposal of the U.S. & Foreign Commercial Service published in the Federal Register on June 13, 2012, which substantially increases the user fee prices charged to small & medium-sized enterprises for trade promotion services, risks pricing these services out of the
reach of many small business exporters; and

WHEREAS actions taken by the Federal Government should support and not hinder the growth of small business exporting, which is critical to economic growth and job creation in America;

THEREFORE the National District Export Council hereby RESOLVES that the President, the U.S. Department of Commerce and Congress should reject the proposed user fee price increases published in the Federal Register on June 13, 2012, for trade promotion services as applies to small & medium-sized enterprises.

Dated: July 23, 2012

Daniel Ogden
Chair, National District Export Council