Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez leads business development mission to Spain
(Miami-Dade County, FL) -- Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez will lead a business development mission to Madrid and Barcelona, Spain June 8-15, 2013. The Economic Development and International Trade unit of the Miami-Dade County’s Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources (RER) is organizing the mission with the support of the U.S. Embassy in Spain, the U.S. Consulate in Barcelona and the Consulate General of Spain in Miami. Also supporting the mission are the Spain – U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Miami as well as the following organizations based in Spain: ICEX, AMCHAM SPAIN, ACC10, Foment del Treball, CEOE, Camara Oficial de Commercio e Industria de Madrid.
The objective of the mission is to further strengthen business ties between Spain and Miami-Dade, and is designed to provide local private sector participants joining the mission with opportunities to develop their commercial activities with Spanish companies. During the mission, participants will meet with high level government officials, receive in-country briefings, network with Spanish businesses, and participate in targeted pre-arranged business-to-business matchmaking meetings with local companies.
“I am excited about leading this important business development mission to Spain, a country with a large business and corporate presence in Miami-Dade,” said Mayor Gimenez. “I am particularly proud that we will be going there during this year when the State of Florida celebrates the 500th anniversary of the landing of Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon in Florida”, Mayor Gimenez said.
Spain has a GDP of approximately $1.4 trillion and a population of 47.2 million. It has the 12th largest economy in the world and the fifth largest in the European Union. The U.S. trade in goods with Spain amounted to $21.3 billion (2012). Spanish companies have the largest number of representation of all foreign companies in the South Florida region and Spain was South Florida’s 39th largest trade partner with total bilateral trade valued at $570 million (2012). The Spanish government maintains a Consulate General, including a Trade Commission and regional trade offices, in Miami. Additionally, Miami-Dade County has been engaged in a Sister City relationship with the Cabildo of Tenerife in Spain since 1992, and PortMiami has International Sister Seaport affiliations with numerous ports in Spain.
Only Miami-Dade companies are eligible to participate. For registration information and details please contact: Trade Development Specialist, Maria Dreyfus Ulvert at (305) 375-3885 or [email protected]