U.S. Environmental Technologies Business Development Mission to IFAT and Europe

The United States Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration is organizing a U.S. Environmental Technologies Business Development Mission to the IFAT environmental technologies trade show in Munich, Germany from May 13-15, 2024, in Munich, Germany. 

The U.S. Environmental Technologies Trade Mission to IFAT will promote U.S. exports in a range of environmental technology industries, including water and wastewater management, solid waste management and recycling, and air pollution monitoring and control. The trade mission will introduce participants to commercial opportunities in the region and connect them with prospective partners, distributors, service providers, end-users, and foreign government decision makers who are seeking U.S. environmental solutions.

Participating in an official U.S. industry delegation, rather than traveling to IFAT individually, will enhance the participants’ ability to secure key business and government meetings where applicable and to promote their goods and services to a wider, more targeted, audience.

Participation in the trade mission will include entrance tickets to IFAT for one delegate from each participating company and tailored assistance to help delegates connect with participating international buyers from across Europe and other foreign markets.

The show presents a unique opportunity for participants to learn more about the European market, gain awareness of trends and innovation in the environmental technologies sector, and meet with prospective business partners and customers from across the globe.

In 2022, IFAT attracted 119,000 visitors from 155 countries and regions and hosted nearly 3,000 exhibitors. The show also includes a robust conference program, and along with its innovation spotlights and live demonstrations, is a leading venue in showcasing the latest trends and emerging issues in the environmental technologies sector.

Participants will be able to participate in exclusive trade mission programming such as networking opportunities, briefings with U.S. Embassy staff, promotional events, and ad-hoc meetings with potential business partners on the show floor.  

All parties interested in participating in the trade mission must complete and submit an application package for consideration by the Department of Commerce. All applicants will be evaluated on their ability to meet certain conditions and best satisfy the selection criteria as outlined below.

A minimum of 10 and maximum of 15 firms and/or trade associations will be selected to participate in the core mission to IFAT in Munich, Germany on a rolling basis. When applying to the mission, applicants will be able to indicate their interest in participating in the optional program to Czech Republic and Slovakia. A minimum of 3 and maximum of 5 firms and/or trade associations will be selected to participate in the optional program based on their expressed interest and market suitability.

Applicants must submit a completed and signed mission application and supplemental application materials, including adequate information on their products and/or services, primary market objectives, and goals for participation that is adequate to allow the Department of Commerce to evaluate their application.  If the Department of Commerce receives an incomplete application, the Department may either: reject the application, request additional information/clarification, or take the lack of information into account when evaluating the application.  If the requisite minimum number of participants is not selected for a particular mission by the recruitment deadline, the mission may be cancelled.   

Each applicant must also certify that the products and services it seeks to export through the mission are either produced in the United States, or, if not, are marketed under the name of a U.S. firm and have at least fifty-one percent U.S. content by value. In the case of a trade association or organization, the applicant must certify that, for each firm or service provider to be represented by the association/organization, the products and/or services the represented firm or service provider seeks to export are either produced in the United States or, if not, marketed under the name of a U.S. firm and have at least 51% U.S. content. 

A trade association/organization applicant must certify to the above for all of the companies it seeks to represent on the mission. 

In addition, each applicant must: 

·    Certify that the products and services that it wishes to market through the mission would be in compliance with U.S. export controls and regulations;  

·    Certify that it has identified any matter pending before any bureau or office in the Department of Commerce;  

·    Certify that it has identified any pending litigation (including any administrative proceedings) to which it is a party that involves the Department of Commerce; and  

·    Sign and submit an agreement that it and its affiliates (1) have not and will not engage in the bribery of foreign officials in connection with a company’s/participant’s involvement in this mission, and (2) maintain and enforce a policy that prohibits the bribery of foreign officials. 

 In the case of a trade association/organization, the applicant must certify that each firm or service provider to be represented by the association/organization can make the above certifications. 

Targeted mission participants are U.S. firms, services providers and trade associations/organizations providing or promoting U.S. products and services that have an interest in entering or expanding their business in the mission’s destination country. The following criteria will be evaluated in selecting participants: 

·   Suitability of the applicant’s (or in the case of a trade association/organization, represented firm’s or service provider’s) products or services to these markets;  

·   The applicant’s (or in the case of a trade association/organization, represented firm’s or service provider’s) potential for business in the markets, including likelihood of exports resulting from the mission; and 

·   Consistency of the applicant’s (or in the case of a trade association/organization, represented firm’s or service provider’s) goals and objectives with the stated scope of the mission. 

Balance of company size and location may also be considered during the review process. Referrals from a political party or partisan political group or any information, including on the application, containing references to political contributions or other partisan political activities will be excluded from the application and will not be considered during the selection process. The sender will be notified of these exclusions. 

Richard.Pales@trade.gov
Commercial Assistant
CS Prague, Czech Republic