Calendar of International Training and
Events
The Massachusetts Export Center offers a wide variety of training events for both the beginner and advanced exporter. Please take a moment to read our training and registration process located at the bottom of this page.
Click here
for our latest Partners for Trade training
booklet.
2023 Training Calendar |
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| DECEMBER | |
| 7 | Classifying Your Products for Exporting and Importing |
| JANUARY 2024 | |
| 25-26 | Export Expo |
Program Descriptions
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STEP Grant Application Webinar Join us to learn about the Massachusetts State Trade Expansion Program (“STEP”), which is available to eligible Massachusetts small businesses for the purpose of increasing export sales of their goods and services. The Massachusetts STEP program is administered by the Massachusetts Office of International Trade & Investment, in collaboration with the Massachusetts Export Center, through a grant from the U.S. Small Business Administration. This webinar will discuss the parameters of the Massachusetts STEP program and walk participants through the STEP application process. The webinar will provide guidance on program eligibility and completion of the application, and will also discuss specific elements that are critical for successful applicants. The webinar will also provide tips on assessing export readiness and planning international marketing activities in support of the STEP application. Those applicants who have demonstrated a strong commitment to exporting with a well-planned export strategy will have the best likelihood of success! Grants awards are made on a competitive basis. Speakers include:
For more information, visit www.mass.gov/export/step. Date: Wednesday, September 20, 2023
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Export Compliance Risk Assessment for Beginners In our rapidly-changing geopolitical, economic and national security environment, global trade regulations have become increasingly complex, leaving companies engaged in international trade more vulnerable to compliance risk. From ever-changing sanctions, expanding product and technology controls, increasing restrictions on end users and end uses, potential illegal diversion, and more, compliance risks are more prevalent than ever. How do companies identify and mitigate these risks? And how do beginners address applicable risks without becoming overwhelmed? Join us to learn how to assess and address your unique global trade compliance risks. This program will discuss identifying, understanding and measuring areas of risk for exporting businesses, and using that assessment to develop and implement reasonable controls to address those risks as part of your Export Management and Compliance Program. You will also learn about resources for support. Speakers include:
Date: Friday, September 29, 2023
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Export Enforcement in Practice: Takeaways for Your Compliance Program Over the past 18 months, an unprecedented number of export enforcement reforms have been unveiled, including increases in penalties, changes in handling of Voluntary Self Disclosures (VSDs), increased emphasis on antiboycott compliance, escalated use of temporary denial orders, initiatives targeting advanced technologies, and much more. These reforms have often been rolled out and executed across multiple agencies, including through the issuance of joint alerts and interagency task forces. Importantly, enough time has passed where we are now beginning to see enforcement cases catch up to these initiatives. Join us to learn about these key export enforcement initiatives, with lessons learned from recent cases. We will also look at trends in enforcement activity, including processing of VSDs, use of specific enforcement tools, and more, to help you make practical reinforcements to your export compliance program in response to today’s enforcement environment. Speakers include:
Date: Thursday, October 12, 2023
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Understanding the New Outbound Foreign Investment Controls The recent Executive Order and subsequent Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) restricting certain outbound U.S. investments involving sensitive technologies in China, Hong Kong and Macau signal a new frontier in controls limiting Chinese access to U.S. technology. Meanwhile, similar proposed restrictions have been receiving strong bipartisan support in Congress under the National Defense Authorization Act for 2024. How will U.S. companies and investors in sectors such as semiconductors, microelectronics, advanced computing and artificial intelligence navigate these amorphous requirements, which could include equity investments, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and even certain debt financing transactions? And how do companies plan ahead for their activities in China when the rules are implemented? Join us to learn more about these new controls, including the parties subject to the controls, the scope of technologies addressed in the ANPR, and covered transactions, whether prohibited or notifiable. You will also hear about anticipated feedback from the ANPR comment period, as well as the outlook for implementation. Our speaker will be Laura Black, Senior Counsel with Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP and former Director of Policy and International Relations, Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. (CFIUS). Date: Wednesday, October 25, 2023
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Managing Export Enforcement Visits: Before, During and After the Knock on the Door Export enforcement is on the rise. Driven by new initiatives and deepening collaboration among federal agencies, enforcement agents are increasingly active in the field. They routinely engage with businesses and individuals alike in outreach visits, email communications, and in-person interviews. Yet, exporters may never know whether an enforcement investigation lurks in the background and, if so, who it targets. Does your company know what to do when enforcement authorities come knocking? Exporters who are prepared for these visits will save time, reduce exposure, and foster good will with the government. Conveying a cooperative attitude and an awareness of compliance responsibilities will help achieve those goals, but exporters should also protect against potential risk. Join us to learn more about contacts with export enforcement professionals, the continuum from simple outreach to investigation, and trends and tips for managing different scenarios. This webinar will help you assess your risks, develop protocols, and prepare for future engagements with export enforcement authorities. Our speaker will be Christopher Grigg, Partner with Nixon Peabody LLP and former Chief, National Security Division with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Los Angeles. Date: Friday, November 3, 2023 |
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Data Privacy and Cybersecurity in Global Trade: A Look at Cross-Border Privacy Rules and Initiatives (in-person event)  Companies engaged in cross-border trade encounter multiple challenges related to data privacy and security – not only do they face heightened levels of data security risk, but they also must juggle multiple regulatory requirements for use, transfer and sharing of personal data. Regulatory fragmentation creates uncertainty and raises compliance costs for businesses, slowing innovation and increasing regulatory burdens without meaningfully improving privacy protections. Join us to hear about the global data security threat environment for companies engaged in trade as well as some recent initiatives to help facilitate cross-border data flows across different data privacy regimes. You will learn about the importance of safeguarding export-controlled data, supply chain security, and the disclosure of cybersecurity incidents – especially if your company has government contracts and is required to maintain controlled unclassified information on your network. Recent enforcement actions will be discussed, as well as new policies and initiatives of the Department of Justice that demonstrate its increasing focus on corporate crime involving national security and cyber-related offenses. You will also learn about U.S. Department of Commerce Office of Export Enforcement’s investigative priorities, national security threats, export evasion and illegal procurement trends. You will also hear from officials at the U.S. Department of Commerce Office of Digital Services Industries about the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework and the Global Cross Border Privacy Rules System, which will provide a solution of real interoperability between data privacy regimes while helping companies to navigate the complex global environment for cross-border data flows and privacy. Speakers include:
Date: Wednesday, November 8, 2023
Sponsored by Hinckley Allen and the U.S. Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration |
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Generating Internal Support for Export Operations and Compliance An effective trade compliance program can only be achieved with the genuine support of a company’s top management and the partnership of employees throughout the organization. However, most trade compliance professionals have faced situations at some point in their career where obtaining the support and collaboration necessary to develop a culture of compliance can seem all but impossible. Join us to hear from trade compliance professionals as they discuss how they cultivated top management support and gained the backing necessary to implement collaborative compliance procedures. Speakers will discuss best practices for encouraging inter-company support, strategies for communicating the value of trade compliance, providing effective communication and educational tools, and importantly, how to be viewed as a partner instead of as an impediment. Speakers include:
Date: Thursday, November 16, 2023
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Classifying Your Products for Exporting and Importing The importance of tariff classification in international trade transactions cannot be understated. Exporters and importers are responsible for proper classification of their items, while misclassification may result in Customs delays, or worse, costly penalties and possible Customs seizure. The Harmonized Tariff System is the basis for export and import classification. Established by the World Customs Organization, the Harmonized Tariff System is used by Customs authorities in 183 countries to apply duties on imported goods. This webinar will provide participants with an overview of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS), including the HTS structure, General Rules of Interpretation, obtaining rulings from the US Customs and Border Protection, classification procedures and best practices. Our speaker will be Paula Connelly, Senior Member with Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg. Date: Thursday, December 7,
2023
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This year’s Export Expo will again be a virtual event that will include an exhibit area featuring government, non-profit and private sector service providers serving the export community. The Export Expo will also feature a lineup of workshops, panel discussions and special addresses on a wide variety of export-related topics. The Export Expo will feature influential guest speakers and opportunities to connect with experts to answer your specific export questions. We hope that you will join us for the same timely and important international trade content in a convenient virtual format! Our virtual platform will provide opportunities for networking and allow participants to view all of the conference’s content, so you won’t miss a thing! Speakers and content to be announced soon. Dates: Thursday and Friday, January
25 & 26, 2024
2024 Export Expo Sponsors:
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Training and Registration Details - Please Read Registration: Preregistration is required for all seminars. Each training event has a separate registration page. Please register for all events first and then make a single credit card payment for the total amount due. The registration and payment systems are not integrated, so you need to know the total amount due. Registration for in-person events typically closes at 12 noon on the business day prior to the event. Unless an event is full, walk-ins are allowed (see walk-in section below). This information will be noted in the seminar description on this web page. Payment: We require payment at the time of registration via credit card. For free events and free for Compliance Alliance members, disregard any payment instructions. If you are on the credit card payment page, close your browser and do not enter a payment. You will be required to enter a security code to process your credit card payment. The code will be sent from noreply@nelnet.net with a subject of "Requested Security Code". Please add this email to your approved sender list. Cancellations/Refunds: If you cancel your registration at least 48 hours prior to the event, you will be entitled to a refund minus a $10 processing fee. No refund will be given on notifications received after that time or in any no-show situation. All cancellation and refund requests must be submitted via email to training@massexport.org. The Export Center reserves the right to cancel or reschedule a seminar due to insufficient enrollment or other circumstances. In the case of cancellation, registration fees will be refunded. Verification Codes are sent with the subject of "Massachusetts SBDC : Email Verification" from centeric@clients.msbdc.org. We use this email address frequently, so please add it to your approved sender list. If you don't receive the verification code in your inbox, check your spam folder. If you still don't find the code, send an email by clicking here and we will help you. Bypass the verification code process by creating a password! The confirmation from this address does not contain the login details (see next bullet). Login Details: Zoom logins are sent via Constant Contact from the Massachusetts Export Center at exportcenter@massexport.org with a subject of "Login Details". Please add this email address to your approved sender list. If you don't find the login email and it's not in your spam folder, your company may be blocking it. Walk-Ins: If the program description on our website or registration form indicates that the seminar is full, walk-ins are not allowed. Otherwise, you may complete a walk-in registration and bring the completed form to seminar. If the seminar has a fee, you must make a credit card payment in advance as we do not accept credit cards at the door. Please bring a copy of your payment receipt, along with the completed walk-in registration form. No Shows: Due to the costs we incur as a result of people who register for seminars and do not attend or cancel, we will bill unpaid registrants for the full cost of the seminar unless cancelled at least 48 hours prior to the event. For free seminars, no shows who don't cancel will be charged a fee to cover food and materials costs. Already registered for export training, but forgot to pay? Click on button below or the credit card logos to use our secure credit card payment system. Before you make your payment, there will be a multifactor authentication with a security code. The email is from noreply@nelnet.net with a subject of "Requested Security Code". Please add this email address to your approved sender list. The charge on your credit card statement will show as "Mass Export Center". Seminars are offered a at nominal fee; therefore we do not offer any discount pricing. Seminar materials are for attendees only. If you have questions or need help, please email training@massexport.org.
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Join us for the Export Expo – the state’s largest and
most important export event of the year that brings
together resources, training and information for the
local exporting community! The Massachusetts Export
Center’s Export Expo provides a forum for exporters to
connect with the wide range of export resources
available in Massachusetts while learning about issues
that impact their day-to-day operations. 
