Small business stakeholders are invited to attend via online webinar the first USMCA Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Dialogue on Friday, April 22, 2022, 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. (CDT) local time in San Antonio, Texas.
 The SME Dialogue is convened by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, the U.S. Department of Commerce, and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), together with the Global Affairs Canada and Canada’s Trade Commissioner Service, and the Development Productive Unit and the Vice Ministry of Foreign Trade of the Ministry of Economy of Mexico. The USMCA SME Dialogue brings together small and medium-sized businesses and stakeholders, including those representing underserved communities, with government officials to discuss strengthening regional trade and investment with USMCA, enhancing cooperation on issues of mutual interest to SMEs, and helping more small businesses benefit from the USMCA, which will foster economic growth and jobs in communities across North America.

In 2021, goods and services trade with USMCA totaled almost $1.2 trillion with the majority of traders from small businesses. Investments in each other’s economies totaled over $1 trillion, which includes small business supply-chains and communities.

The SME Dialogue is convened annually on a rotating basis among the three countries. The first USMCA SME Dialogue is being hosted by the United States together with SBA resource partner the University of Texas San Antonio Small Business Development Center (SBDC) International Trade Center, and the U.S. Department of Commerce’s U.S. Export Assistance Center in San Antonio, Texas. Topics for discussion include USMCA small business trade resources for exporting and importing under USMCA; SMEs sharing their best practices for trading across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico; and small business COVID-19 recovery resources.

A preliminary draft agenda is attached. Attendees will be able to engage in discussion with experts and learn about tools and resources to grow their businesses internationally.

Registration is free of charge. This webinar invitation is for small business stakeholders from the United States, Canada and Mexico only. Space is limited on a first come, first serve basis.

Please register in advance with your name, title, organization, city/state, country. Additional information, including final agenda and the webinar link, to follow upon registration confirmation closer to the event date.

9:00 – 9:45        Welcome remarks and Q&A

9:45 – 10:00       Break

10:00 – 11:45      Small business trade resources for USMCA: Exports and Imports

11:45 – 12:00      Break

12:00 – 1:00       Small businesses trading across the U.S. Mexico and Canada - sharing success stories,
                             challenges and best practices

1:00 – 1:45       Small business and COVID-19 recovery resources

1:45 – 2:00      Concluding remarks