Tuesday, May 13, 2014
News Media Contact:
Office of Public Affairs, 202-482-4883
Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker announced NEI/NEXT – a data-based, customer service-driven initiative to ensure that more American businesses can fully capitalize on markets that are opening up around the world. Through five core objectives, NEI/NEXT will build on Administration-wide achievements under the National Export Initiative (NEI), to help all businesses reach the 95 percent of consumers who live outside the United States.
“Today my Administration is renewing its commitment to creating American jobs by launching the next phase of the National Export Initiative. Our focus on exports has helped more American small and medium-sized businesses and farmers create jobs by selling their products abroad. Today, more American jobs are supported by exports than at any point in the last 20 years.
“But I believe we can still do more to help American businesses reach the 95 percent of consumers who live outside our borders. The initiative we’re announcing today will make it easier for our companies to find export opportunities, gain access to financing, and reach markets outside the United States. As our economy keeps improving, we will continue working to make sure our businesses can compete on a level playing field, create more good jobs here at home, and sell more Made in America products around the world.”
- Connecting more U.S. businesses to their NEXT global customer with tailored industry-specific information and assistance.
- Making the NEXT international shipment easier and less expensive, through efforts to streamline U.S. government export-related services, reporting requirements and processes, and speeding American goods to more markets through domestic infrastructure improvements.
- Expanding access to finance for U.S. businesses’ NEXT export transaction, helping more exporters obtain financing to meet international demand, and ensuring more companies know what products and services are available to reduce risk and export to new markets with confidence.
- Promoting exports and foreign direct investment attraction as the NEXT economic development priority in communities and regions across the country by enhancing partnerships with local and state leaders and by coordinating with SelectUSA, the U.S. government-wide program housed within the Department of Commerce to facilitate foreign direct investment.
- Creating, fostering and ensuring U.S. business’ NEXT global opportunity by helping developed and developing economies improve their business environments, by opening new markets, and by establishing conditions and addressing barriers to allow more American exporters to compete and win abroad.