Featured Countries

EGYPT

http://www.tpegypt.gov.eg

Egypt has had good GDP growth in the last several years, with a high of seven percent in 2007. The government has reduced tax rates and energy subsidies, and continued a trend toward privatization that was begun decades ago. Trade figures are promising -- Egypt was 51st in the world in imports in 2007, and 63rd in exports. If this sounds like a country you'd like to research further, a good site to visit is the Ministry of Trade and Finance's Egyptian International Trade Point ( http://www.tpegypt.gov.eg ). Here you'll find: news, success stories, trade statistics, business directories, trade leads, a calendar of trade fairs & exhibitions, market studies, economic indicators, shipping & freight information, useful sites, and lots more. There's a lot to explore at this site, and you'll fined plenty of useful information.
You'll also find plenty of good research at the Egypt Mini Portal ( http://fita.org/countries/egypt.html ), a feature of the FITA Web site. The Egypt Mini Portal has an overview of Egypt, with facts about the language, currency, climate, etc., plus more specific information about the economy, markets, taxes, labor market indicators, and tips on doing business in Egypt. Click on "Useful Links" and you'll find a variety of sources for market research, trade leads, business directories, logistics, government contacts, travel, financing, and lots more.

The Egypt Mini Portal is one of many research gateways at the FITA site. To find Mini Portals for other regions or countries, just click on "Country Profiles" from within a Mini Portal, or at the FITA home page ( http://www.fita.org ).

SLOVENIA

http://www.poslovniportal.si

Of all the former East Bloc countries of Central Europe, Slovenia has fared perhaps the best, with a strong economy and prospects for continued growth. It has graduated from borrower status to full donor partner at the World Bank, and it has expanded its foreign trade presence (last year it moved up to 56th in the world for imports). If this looks like a country you'd be interested in researching, a good place to start is the Slovenian Business Portal ( http://www.poslovniportal.si ). Here you'll find many resources about Slovenia, including a country profile, economic data, information about foreign trade, customs regulations, free trade zones and warehouses, insurance and financing of Slovenian exports, business initiatives, foreign investment, real-estate investment, establishing a company, a business directory (click on "Virtual Fair"), and much more.
You'll also find plenty of good research at the Slovenia Mini Portal ( http://fita.org/countries/slovenia.html ), a feature of the FITA Web site. The Slovenia Mini Portal has an overview of Slovenia, with facts about the language, currency, climate, etc., plus more specific information about the economy, markets, taxes, labor market indicators, and tips on doing business in Slovenia.

Click on "Useful Links" and you'll find a variety of sources for market research, trade leads, business directories, logistics, government contacts, travel, financing, and lots more.

The Slovenia Mini Portal is one of many research gateways at the FITA site. To find Mini Portals for other regions or countries, just click on "Country Profiles" from within a Mini Portal, or at the FITA home page ( http://www.fita.org ).
 

LEXMERCATORIA.ORG
For Everything about Trade Law

http://LexMercatoria.org

LexMercatoria.org ( http://LexMercatoria.org ) is one of them. One of the first sites on the law-oriented Web sites, Lex Mercatoria is a portal to international commercial law resources. There are pages and pages of resources at this site, in categories like: International Economic Law; International Tax & Financial Regulation; International Trade Law; Carriage Transport & Maritime Law; and much more. You'll find links to articles, treaties, legal experts, organizations, schools, government agencies, and law firms, to name a few.

NEED ASIA-PACIFIC TARIFF INFO?
Go to APEC Tariff Database

http://www.apectariff.org

If you are active in international trade you need to keep up to date on tariffs. One site to bookmark on this subject is the APEC Tariff Database ( http://www.apectariff.org ). This site has tariff information for 20 Asia Pacific countries, plus the United States. Just click on a country from the list and you'll be able to search the tariff code for that country. You can search by tariff chapter headings, harmonized system code, or keywords. This is a quick and efficient way to find tariff information. You must register to use this site, but there is no charge for registration.

FOR A WHO'S WHO IN CHINA, GO TO CHINA VITAE
Find China's Leaders

http://www.chinavitae.com

Anyone who wants to do business in China (and these days that includes almost everybody) should know who the movers and shakers are. You can find out a lot about the people who make things run in China by going to ChinaVitae ( http://www.chinavitae.com ). China Vitae has a database with biographies of more than 3000 current Chinese political, military, business, academic, and media leaders. The capsule biographies show the leader's place of origin, education, work history and organizational affiliations. They're a great way to get background information on someone you may be dealing with, if you do business in China. Click on "Research Center" to search by a person's name, institution, role, or location. You can also scroll down the page and click on "Prominent Chinese Families" to get another perspective. China Vitae also lets you search for relationships among biographies, such as if two people worked at the same company at some point in their careers. Finally, there is a database which tracks the public appearances of several hundred senior Chinese officials, allowing you to follow the daily activities of these VIPs who influence Chinese policies.

 Source: http://fita.org/useful/