The US Department of Commerce’s Commercial Service (CS) office in Düsseldorf, together with the ITA Health Care Technology Team, is organizing the major annual Corporate Executive Office (CEO) at Medica ‘00, the world’s largest and most prestigious medical equipment and diagnostics show in the world, with over 3,200 exhibitors and over 122,000 visitors from 80 countries. Medica attracts thousands of visitors from Central and Eastern Europe and from Asia. This Medica CEO is the major event in Europe for the strategic medical sector under the Department of Commerce’s Showcase Europe program. As the only effective alternative to exhibiting at or simply visiting Medica for U.S. exporters, the CEO program targets new-to-market US companies in this sector that have not previously exhibited at Medica. The CEO program affords lower cost access to Medica, allowing small and medium- sized businesses to participate in the world’s largest medical trade show where they would not otherwise have the opportunity to participate due to the high cost. The Medica CEO is intended as an alternative to exhibiting. The US Commercial Service envisions that CEO participants will eventually exhibit in the USA Pavilion or in the industry-specific location on the exhibition floor. Thus, preference will be given to businesses who are not multiple-year participants in past Medica CEOs.

This CEO consists of a package of services including: pre-show counseling; access to buyer delegations organized by medical specialists throughout US Commercial Service posts in Europe; presence and base of operations on show premises with shared office suite, equipment, and services; market research and formal briefing in-country by the CS medical sector specialist; exposure through entry into show catalogue and electronic search system; assignment of a multi-lingual personal assistant/escort; scheduling of meetings with potential partners, agents, and buyers; and post-show assistance and follow-up with contacts. The CEO operation at Medica will be staffed by CS Dusseldorf personnel and contract assistants and regional Department of Commerce Export Assistance Center coordinators (identified below), who may accompany participating companies from their respective areas.

The Medica trade show is the single most important commercial and information exchange for U.S. exporters in the medical equipment and diagnostics field. It offers not only the unsurpassed forum for access to the German market but also an excellent means to explore and penetrate virtually all European markets as well as other foreign markets. The German market for medical products in total is estimated at $25 billion. For medical equipment alone the U.S. has about 30 percent of a market of over $10 billion in Germany. The EU market for medical products exceeds $50 billion and the world market (excluding the US) is estimated at $95 billion.

Despite recent efforts to reform the public health care system in Germany and to retard the rapid increase in public health care expenditures, demographic trends, the aging German population and advances in medical technology are predicted to maintain the German market as the largest and fastest growing market in all of Europe. The German market is very receptive to high quality advanced medical equipment, technology, and diagnostic products from the US. Similar trends may be observed in other parts of the EU and Western Europe. The newer democratic markets of Central and Eastern Europe as well as the former republics of the Soviet Union offer long term potential for US exporters as those regions strive to achieve comparable standards of health and medical care enjoyed in the West. Medica is the showplace for US medical equipment and technology for these markets.

Because Medica attracts buyers and experts in the field from all ends of the globe, it serves as a barometer of trends, an indispensable source of market information, and the most efficient available tool for establishing contacts and selling or preparing for sales to all world markets.

Under the Mutual Recognition Agreement between the US and the European Union, US medical device manufacturers may be able to obtain certification in the US that their products meet European Union standards. When the agreement goes into effect for medical devices, it is expected to significantly reduce the cost of exporting medical devices to the EU by simplifying the conformity assessment procedures.

The goal of the Medica CEO is to facilitate a productive presence for companies that would not otherwise be able to participate in Medica ‘00. The Medica CEO program enables US medical companies to familiarize themselves with this important trade fair, conduct market research and explore export opportunities through pre-arranged meetings with potential partners, investigation of market conditions, and discussions conducted at the show without the high costs of first-time exhibition. Importantly, the CEO allows US companies to have a presence at the show, thereby, providing them with an enhanced image and level of engagement, an office infrastructure environment, and knowledgeable support of US Commercial Service staff and personal assistants focused on furthering company-specific objectives. Access to German, European, and other international markets and business partners is made possible through the CEO in a manner that cannot be matched by simply attending the show as a visitor.

Participants will be counseled by Export Assistance Center trade specialists. Company information and literature will be forwarded by the companies to CS Dusseldorf and distributed in advance to assigned assistants, so that they may familiarize themselves with the company. Participants will arrive in Dusseldorf on their own schedule but report to the CEO office in Medica at the start of the show. At this time, participants will be briefed by CS staff on program features, personally introduced to their assigned assistants, and greeted by trade fair officials. Company literature and promotional material will either be shipped to the US Consulate in Dusseldorf or brought by participants. No exhibition or larger demonstration items are permitted or appropriate. CS staff will be available for information and assistance throughout the duration of Medica. Buyer groups for CEO participants organized by third-country CS posts will be received and desired meetings held. CS information booths in the USA Pavilions will promote and refer interested parties to CEO participants. One evening during show, a reception will be organized for CEO participants. Prior to participants’ departure, CS staff will advise and counsel on appropriate follow-up actions to be taken after the show.

Participants arrive according to their own schedules but all assemble at the Düsseldorf Trade Fair in the Medica CEO at the beginning of the show, November 22, 2000. According to the plan selected, participation may last until 4:00 p.m. on November 25.

Medica CEO participation promotion will be conducted by CS Dusseldorf and by CS regional coordinators in Export Assistance Centers and include, but not be limited to, publication in local German, as well as domestic trade publications and associations newsletters, mailings from internal and purchased mailing lists, postings in the Federal Register, and on ITA’s home page. Recruitment will close by October 9, 2000.

• Acceptability of product area/sector for exhibition in Medica according to trade fair rules
• Relevance of the company’s business line to CEO goals
• Potential for business in the selected market
• Preference will be given to companies who have not participated in multiple past Medica CEOs.
• Timely submission of a completed application, payment of the $3,000 participation fee, and submission of the participation agreement and certifications.
• Provision of adequate information on the company’s products and/or services and communication of the company’s primary objectives to facilitate appropriate matching with potential business partners
• Certification that the company meets Department of Commerce guidelines for participation, including certification that the company’s products and/or services are manufactured or produced in the US or if manufactured/produced outside of the US, the product/service must be marketed under the name of a US firm and have US content representing at least 51 percent of the value of the finished good or service

Contact information:

Recruitment Lead Kelly Holloway

Domestic HC Team: Int’l Trade Specialist

U.S. Department of Commerce

2901 N. Central Ave., Ste. 970

Phoenix, AZ 85012

Tel.: 602-640-2513

Fax: 602-640-2518

National Team Laura McCall

Lead: Int’l Trade Specialist, USDOC

2001 6^th Ave., #650

Seattle, Washington 98121

Tel.: 206-553-5615

Fax: 206-553-7253

Overseas Post Anette Salama

Lead: Commercial Service

US Consulate General

Willi-Becker-Allee 10

40227 Dusseldorf

Germany

Tel.: 011-49-211-737-767-60

Fax: 011-49-211-737-767-67