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CABEE

An abbreviation for Consortia of American Businesses in Eastern Europe. The CABEE program, administered by the U.S. Department of Commerce, provides grants of up to $500,000 to each of five non-profit consortia of for-profit companies to cover up to one-half of costs of starting-up commercial operations in Eastern Europe. Launched under the American Business and Private-Sector Development Initiative for Eastern Europe, CABEE is intended to help overcome difficulties faced by small and medium-sized firms in entering Eastern Europe markets. CABEE was established in June 1991.

CABEI

An abbreviation for Central American Bank for Economic Integration. CABEI (Spanish: Banco Centroamericano de Integración Económica, BCIE) was established in 1960 (began operations in September 1961) to promote economic integration and development. The Bank is an institution of the Central American Common Market. Bank members include: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. CABEI is associated with the Central American Common Market; bank headquarters are in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. See: Central American Common Market. (CACM)

CABNIS

An abbreviation for Consortia of American Businesses in the Newly Independent States. CABNIS is a cooperative, cost-sharing program of government and the private sector that helps non-profit business consortia establish a commercial presence and pursue business in the Newly Indpendent States on behalf of

profit-making U.S. corporations and associations. The program provides matching government grants of up to $500,000 to each consortia. CABNIS, established in July 1992, is administered by the Commerce Department's International Trade Administration. CABNIS was established in July 1992.

CAC

An abbreviation for Codex Alimentarius Commission.l As a subsidiary body of the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization and the World Health Organization, CAC (or CODEX) develops food standards and Recommended International Codes of Hygienic and/or Technological Practices. Commission standards are voluntary, becoming enforceable only if accepted as national standards. The Commission also works in cooperation with Regional Coordinating Committees (Africa, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean) in promoting regional standards activities. The Commission was established in 1962; headquarters are in Rome, Italy.

CACM

An abbreviation for Central American Common Market. Central American Common Market A first effort to establish a Central American Common Market, CACM (Spanish: Mercado Común Centroamericano, MCCA) was attempted in 1960 under the auspeices of the Organiztion of Central American States (OCAS). A restructuring was started in 1973. Members include Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Costa Rica. The common market will cover all products traded within the region by the end of 1992. A second step toward regional integration will be the establishment of a common external tariff. CACM is associated with the Central American Bank for Economic Integration; headquarters are in Guatemala City, Guatemala. See: Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI).

CAD

An abbreviation for Cash Against Documents. A term denoting that payment is made when the bill of lading is presented.

CAD/CAM

An abbreviation for Computer Aided Design/Computer Aided Manufacturing

CAEU

An abbreviation for Council of Economic Arab Unity. CEAU fosters economic integration among Arab nations. The Council's activities compiling statistics, conducting research, and promoting a customs union. The Council was established in 1964; headquarters are in Amman, Jordan. The Council oversees the Arab Common Market, which comprises Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Libya, Mauritania, Syria, and Yemen.

CAF

An abbreviation for Corporación Andina de Fomento. The Corporación Andina de Foment , CAF (English: Andean Development Corporation) supports economic integration among members of the Andean Group by encouraging specialization, distribution of investments and by providing financial and technical help. The CAF was founded in 1968, began operations in 1970; headquarters are in Caracas, Venezuela.

CAP

An abbreviation for Common Agricultural Policy. The CAP is a set of regulations by which members states of the European Community (EC) seek to merge their individual agricultural programs into a unified effort to promote regional agricultural development, fair and rising standards of living for the farm population, stable agricultural markets, increased agricultural productivity, and methods of dealing with food supply security. Two of the principal elements of the CAP are the variable levy (an import duty amounting to the difference between EC target farm prices and the lowest available market prices of imported agricultural commodities) and export restitutions, or subsidies, to promote exports of farm goods that cannot be sold within the EC at the target prices.

CAR

An abbreviation for Commercial Activity Report. The Commercial Activity Report, CAR, is prepared annually by the economic and commercial sections of the U.S. Embassies covering over 100 countries where the Department of Commerce is not represented. The CAR assesses the country's political, economic, and business activities, and market potential and strategies for increasing U.S. sales.

CARICOM

An abbreviation for Caribbean Common Market. CARICOM includes 13 English-speaking Caribbean nations: Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts-Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent/Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago). CARICOM was established in 1973; headquarters are in Georgetown, Guyana.

CASE

An abbreviation for Council of American States in Europe. This Council is composed of state representatives resident in Europe supportive of official U.S. promotions.

CBD

An abbreviation for Commerce Business Daily. CBD is the Commerce Department's daily newspaper which lists government procurement invitations and contract awards, including foreign business opportunities and foreign government procurements.

CBERA

An abbreviation for Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act. The CBERA affords non-reciprocal tariff preferences to developing countries in the Caribbean Basin area to aid their economic development and to diversity and expand their production and exports. The CBERA applies to merchandise entered, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after January 1, 1984. This tariff preference program has no expiration date.

CBI

An abbreviation for Caribbean Basin Initiative. The CBI is an inter-American program to increase economic aid and trade preferences for 28 states of the Caribbean region. The Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act of 1983 provided for 12 years of duty-free treatment of most goods produced in the Caribbean region. The Initiative was extended permanently (CBI II), by the Customs and Trade Act of August 1990. The 23 countries which are currently eligible for CBI benefits include Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, the British Virgin Islands, Costa Rica, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Jamaica, Montserrat, the Netherlands Antilles, Nicaragua, Panama, St. Christopher-Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago. The following countries may be eligible for CBI benefits but have not formally requested designation: Anguilla, Cayman Islands, Suriname, and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

CBW

An abbreviation for Chemical and Biological Weapons. The Department of Commerce maintains foreign policy export controls on certain chemical precursors and equipment and biological agents and equipment useful in chemical warfare. Through the Australia Group, AG, the United States cooperates with other nations in controlling chemical and biological weapons proliferation. The AG developed a list of 54 precursors useful for chemical weapons development, along with control on certain biological organisms and on equipment useful in producing CBW agents. The AG also provides the forum in which the member countries share information concerning the activities of non-member countries where the proliferation of these weapons is of concern, including entities that are seeking chemical precursors and related items.

CCITT

An abbreviation for Consultative Committee for International Telephone and Telegraphy. CCITT facilitates U.S. coordination of communications standards issues. CCITT is a part of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), which is an international treaty organization. The State Department is responsible for coordinating and presenting U.S. positions to the ITU.

See: International Telecommunications Union (ITU).

CCAO

An abbreviation for Chambre de Cooperation de l'Afrique de l'Ouest. See: West African Clearing House (WACH).

CCC

An abbreviation for Canadian Commercial Corporation. By serving as the prime contractor in government-to-government sales transactions, the CCC facilitates exports of a wide range of goods and services from Canadian sources. In response to requests from foreign governments and international agencies for individual products or services, CCC identifies Canadian firms capable of meeting the customer's requirements, executes prime as well as back-to-back contracts, and follows through with contract management, inspection, acceptance, and payment.

Also: an abbreviation for Commodity Credit Corporation. The CCC finances a variety of federal domestic and international farm programs, including Title I, Title II, and Title III of Public Law 480 (Food for Peace). The CCC is a government-owned and operated corporation within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and is managed by a board of directors headed by the Secretrary of Agriculture. All members of the board and the corporation's officers and staff are officals of USDA. The CCC provides financing and stability to the marketing and exporting of agricultural commodities.

Also: an abbreviation for Customs Cooperation Council. The CCC (French: Conseil de Coopöration Dounaire, CCD) is an international organization consisting of representatives of about 150 countries. The Council serve as a technical body which studies and seeks to resolve the various countries' customs problems in an attempt to harmonize customs operations and promote trade. The Council was established in 1950; headquarters are in Brussels, Belgium.

CCCE

An abbreviation for Caisse Centrale de Coopöration Economique. The CCCE, a specialized financial institution, is the lead agency in the French Ministry of Cooperation and Development in providing funds for aid and cooperation. The Caisse provides support for development and technical assistance in developing countries, particularly in supporting economic and social development in Africa and in various countries on the Indian Ocean, the Caribbean and the South Pacific, and in overseas French departments and territories where it supports productive private and public investment. The Caisse was created in December 1941; headquarters are in Paris, France.

CCCN

An abbreviation for Customs Cooperation Council Nomenclature. A customs tariff nomenclature formerly used by many countries, including most European nations but not the United States. It has been superseded by the Harmonized System Nomenclature to which most major trading nations, including the U.S., adhere.

CCD

An abbreviation for Conseil de Coopöration Douanire. See: Customs Cooperation Council (CCC).

CCF

An abbreviation for CoCom Cooperation Forum. The CCF provides a venue for emerging democracies in Central and Eastern Europe and the of the former Soviet Union to discuss international export controls and to help coordinate technical assistance efforts. The Forum, established in June 1992, held its first meeting in November 1992. At the close of 1992, 42 nations were CCF participants, including most states of the former Soviet Union (except Georgia, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan) and all of the former Soviet satellites of Eastern and Central Europe (except the former Yugoslav republics).

CCFF

An abbreviation for Compensatory and Contingency Financing Facility. The CCFF is an International Monetary Fund (IMF) facility which provides resources to an IMF member for a shortfall in export earnings or an excess in cereal import costs that is due to factors largely beyond the member's control and which is temporary. Compensatory financing, introduced in 1963 and broadened several times, provides aid to members experiencing balance of payments problems as a result of fluctuations in commodity prices and shortfalls of receipts in tourism, "workers' remittances" and most services. Contingency financing helps members with IMF-supported adjustment programs to maintain the momentum of adjustment efforts in the face of a broad range of unanticipated, adverse external shocks -- for example, changes in international interest rates or prices or primary imports or exports.

CCIR

An abbreviation for Comit Consultatif International des Radiocommunications. See: International Radio Consultative Committee (IRCC).

CCITT

An abbreviation for Comit Consultatif International Telegraphique et Telephonique. Consultative Committee for International Telephone and Telegraphy CCITT facilitates U.S. coordination of communications standards issues. CCITT is a part of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), which is an international treaty organization. The State Department is responsible for coordinating and presenting U.S. positions to the ITU. See: International Telecommunications Union (ITU).

CCL

An abbreviation for Commerce Control List; formerly: Commodity Control List. The CCL includes all items -- commodities, software, and technical data -- subject to BXA export controls and incorporates not only the national security controlled items agreed to by CoCom (the "core" list), but also items controlled for foreign policy (i.e., biological warfare, nuclear proliferation, missile technology, regional stability, and crime control) and short supply. The list is divided into 10 general categories: (1) materials, (2) materials processing, (3) electronics, (4) computers, (5) telecommunications and cryptography, (6) sensors, (7) avionics and navigation, (8) marine technology, (9) propulsion systems and transportation equipment, and (10) miscellaneous.

CCNAA

An abbreviation for Coordination Council for North American Affairs. The CCNAA, the counterpart to the American Institute in Taiwan, unofficially represents Taiwan's interests in the United States. The Council provides information on trade, business, and investment opportunities to the American business community. Council headquarters are in Washington, D.C. See: American Institute in Taiwan (AIT).

CDB

An abbreviation for Caribbean Development Bank. The CDB promotes economic development and cooperation by providing long-term financing for productive projects in CARICOM member countries and U.K.-dependent territories in the Caribbean. Members include: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Cayman Islands, Dominica, France, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Mexico, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, the United Kingdom, and Venezuela. The Bank was established in 1969; headquarters are in St. Michael, Barbados, West Indies. Beginning in 1977, the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) may make loans through the CDB to all CDB members, regardless of whether those countries are members of the IADB. See: Inter-American Development Bank (IADB).

CDC

An abbreviation for Commonwealth Development Corporation. The CDC is a British public corporation which provides medium- and long-term loans and equity financing for development-related private and public sector projects in selected countries. CDC financing is available for projects in the following sectors: agriculture (livestock, horticulture, and acquaculture), forestry, fishing, mineral extraction, industry, public utilties, transport, telecommunications, low-cost housing, hotels, construction and civil engineering, financial management and consultancy services, and leasing of assests. The Corporation does not invest in schools, colleges, hospitals, public service works or broadcasting. Since 1969, CDC has been able to invest in non-Commonwealth countries with ministerial agreement. The CDC was established in 1948; headquarters are in London, England.

CDI

An abbreviation for Capital Development Initiative. The CDI, administered by the U.S. Agency for International Development, encourages infrastructure investment in countries in central and Eastern Europe. The CDI provides financial and technical services and assists U.S. businesses by providing up to 50 percent of estimated development work and feasibility study costs for proposed projects in energy, telecommunications, and the environment.

CD-ROM

An abbreviation for Compact Disc-Read Only Memory

CDT

An abbreviation for Center for Defense Trade. In 1990, the Center for Defense Trade, CDT, was created within the Bureau of Politico-Military Affairs (PM) at the Department of State. CDT was established with the purpose of improving the Department of State's export licensing services. CDT also has responsibility for clarifying all defense trade policy guidelines. The Center includes two offices:

§ The Office of Defense Trade Controls (DTC) which administers controls on permanent exports and temporary imports of defense articles and technology covered by the U.S. Munitions List (USML) and performs USML export license review and compliance functions.

§ The Office of Defense Trade Policy (DTP) which seeks to support the efforts of the U.S. defense industry to sell products overseas. DTP provides policy guidance to licensing officers, in support of their efforts to implement the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and provides advice on technology transfer and strategic trade issues.

An abbreviation for Committee of Experts. The CE is an autonomous body of 20 independent legal experts appointed by the International Labor Organization (ILO) Governing Body. The CE meets annually prior to the June conference to examine reports of governments on ILO conventions, and information provided by governments on what they have done with newly adopted conventions. The CE submits its report and findings to the International Labor Conference Committee on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations.

Also: an abbreviation for Communautës Europëenes. The CE mark is applied to products, their packaging or paperwork as a declaration of conformity, third party testing and/or certification, quality assurance audit and/or full type approval by a body authorized by a European Economic Community member state and recognized by the European Commission. Effective January 1, 1993, the CE mark on a product attests that it complies with all in-force Directives pertinent to it. The CE mark preempts all other European Community national safety marks. If it is discovered that the CE mark has been improperly affixed, the product in question will be prohibited and no longer marketed. Legal penalties are at the discretion of each member state.

Also: an abbreviation for Conformit Europëene, The CE mark signifies that a product meets specific EC-wide conformity assessment requirements. The mark does not endorse the quality or durability of a product, but only that it satisfies mandatory technical requirements. The designation is needed for sale of products which become subject ot Community-wide "new-approach" directives.

CEA

An abbreviation for Chinese Economic Area. The CEA is an informal reference to the economic integration of Southern China with Hong Kong and Taiwan which has proceeded without any "arrangement."

CEAO

An abbreviation for Communaut Economique de l'Afrique de l'Ouest. See: West African Economic Community (WAEC).

CEBB

U.S. Customs Electronic Bulletin Board: An electronic bulletin board sponsored by U.S. Customs which provided the trade community with up-to-date information, requirements, and operation instructions.

CEE

An abbreviation for Commission Economique pour l'Europe. See: United Nations Regional Commissions (UNRC) -- Economic Commission for Europe (ECE).

CEEB

An abbreviation for Customs Electronic Bulletin Board. The CEEB provided information on rulings, quotas, currency conversion rates, customs valutation provisions, directives, and other customs news. Current information may be obtained by calling 202-376-7039.

CEEAC

An abbreviation for Communaut Economique destats de l'Afrique Centrale. See: Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS).

CEFTA

An abbreviation for Central Europe Free Trade Association. CEFTA is a trade agreement among the "Visegrad" countries -- Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary -- that is somewhat parallel to the European Free Trade Association.

CEN

An French abbreviation for The European Committee for Standardization, or CEN (from Comit Europeen de Normalisation), is an association of the national standards organizations of 18 countries of the European Economic Communities (EEC) and of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). CEN membership is open to the national standards organization of any European country which is, or is capable of becoming, a member of the EEC or EFTA. CEN develops voluntary standards in building, machine tools, information technology, and in all sectors excluding the electrical ones covered by CENELEC. CEN is involved in accreditation of laboratories and certification bodies as well as quality assurance.

CENELEC

An abbreviation for European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization. The European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization, CENELEC, is a non-profit-making international organization under Belgian law. CENELEC seeks to harmonize electrotechnical standards published by the national organizations and to remove technical barriers to trade that may be caused by differences in standards. CENELEC members include: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

CEPAL

An abbreviation for Comisión Económica para America Latina y el Caribe. See: United Nations Regional Commissions (UNRC).

CEPGL

An abbreviation for Communaut Economique des Pays des Grands Lacs. See: Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries (RCGLC).

CEPT

An abbreviation for Conference Europëenne des Administrations des Postes et des T-l communications. CEPT (English: European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administration) harmonizes, simplifies, and improves postal and telecommunciations services. Many CEPT standards creating activities have been assumed by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute. CEPT maintains offices in Paris, France and Bern, Switzerland.

See: European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI).

CERN

An abbreviation for Centre Europöen de Recherche Nucleaire CERN (English: European Center for Nuclear Reseach) is a huge lab used by international collaborators to do frontier work in nuclear and particle physics. The Center, created after World War II and open to physicists from all countries, is funded by countries according to their abilities. The Center is located outside Genvea, partly in Switzerland and partly in France.

CET

An abbreviation for Common External Tariff. A uniform tariff adopted by a customs union to be assessed on imports entering the union territory from countries outside the union; abbreviated: CET or CXT.

C&F

An abbreviation for Cost and Freight. Now known as (CFR), it covers Cost and Freight to a named overseas port of import. See: Cost and Freight (CFR).

CFA

An abbreviation for Communaut Financiëre Africaine (in West Africa), and Coopöration Financiëre en Afrique Centrale (in Central Africa)

CFCE

An abbreviation for Centre Français du Commerce Extërieur. See: Direction des Relations Economiques Extërieures (DREE).

CFIUS

An abbreviation for Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, CFIUS, was created in 1975 to provide guidance on arrangements with foreign governments for advance consultations on prospective major foreign governmental investments in the United States, and to consider proposals for new legislation or regulation relating to foreign investment. The authority was amended by Section 5021 (the Exon-Florio provision) of the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988 (Section 721 of the Defense Production Act), which gives the President authority to review mergers, acquisitions, and takeovers of U.S. companies by foreign interests and to prohibit, suspend, or seek divestiture in the courts of investments that may lead to actions that threaten to impair the national security. By Executive Order in December 1988, Treasury has authority to implement the Exon-Florio provision. CFIUS has 11 members: the Secretaries of the Treasury (the chair), State, Defense, and Commerce, the chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors, the U.S. Trade Representative, the Attorney General, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, and the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy. The Assistant Secretary for Trade Development serves as Commerce's representative to CFIUS. The Commerce working group is chaired by the International Trade Administration and includes the Bureau of Export Administration, the Economics and Statistics Administration, the Technology Administration, and the Office of the General Counsel.

CFR

An abbreviation for Cost and Freight. This is a term of sale. Cost and Freight (CFR) to a named overseas port of import. Under this term, the seller quotes a price for the goods that includes the cost of transportation to the named point of debarkation. The cost of insurance is left to the buyer's account. (Typically used for ocean shipments only. CPT, or carriage paid to, is a term used for shipment by modes other than water.) Also: a method of import valuation that includes insurance and freight charges with the merchandise values.

CFS

Abbreviation for "Container Freight Station." A shipping dock where cargo is loaded ("stuffed") into or unloaded ("stripped") from containers. Generally, this involves less than container-load quantities of freight, although small shipments destined to same consignee are often consolidated into full containers as well as reloading containerload quantities from "foreign" rail or motor carrier equipment

Also: An abbreviation for Country Focused Seminar.

CGIAR

An abbreviation for Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research. CGIAR, an informal association of public and private sector donors, supports international agricultural research centers (IARCs) around the world. The centers develop new ways to increase sustainable food production and improve the nutritional and economic well-being of low-income people. CGIAR, sponsored by the World Bank and other international organizations, was established in 1971; its Secretariat is in Washington, D.C. The research centers include:

§ Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical (CIAT), Colombia

§ Centro Internacional de Mejoramiento de Maiz y Trigo (CIMMYT), Mexico

§ International Board for Plant Genetic Resources (IBPGR), Italy

§ International Center for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas (ICARDA), Syria

§ International Centre for Research in Forestry (ICRAF), Kenya

§ International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), India

§ International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), United States

§ International Irrigation Management Institute (IIMI), Sri Lanka

§ International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Nigeria

§ International Livestock Center for Africa (ILCA), Ethiopia

§ International Laboratory for Research on Animal Diseases (ILRAD), Kenya

§ International Network for the Improvement of Banana and Plantain (INIBAP), France

§ International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Philippines

§ International Service for National Agricultural Research (ISNAR), Netherlands and West Africa Rice Development Association (WARDA), C te d'Ivoire.

CHB

An abbreviation for Customhouse Broker. The U.S. Customs Service defines a CHB, or Customs Broker, as any person who is licensed in accordance with Part III of Title 19 of the Code of Federal Regulations (Customs regulations) to transact Customs business on behalf of others. Customs business is limited to those activities involving transactions with Customs concerning the entry and admissibility of merchandise; its classification and valuation; the payment of duties, taxes, or other charges assessed or collected by Customs upon merchandise by reason of its importation, or the refund, rebate, or drawback thereof. (See 19 CFR 111.1(b) and (c).)

CIAT

An abbreviation for Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical. See: Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR).

CICA

An abbreviation for Confederation Internationale du Credit Agricole. COCA (English: International Confederation of Agricultural Credit, ICAC) coordinates documentation and information improvements pertaining to agricultural credit. Confederation members are agricultural credit banks and other institutions which provide or study agricultural credits. ICAC was established in 1932; headquarters are in Zurich, Switzerland.

CIDA

An abbreviation for Canadian International Development Agency. CIDA (French: Agence Canadienne de D veloppement International) is Canada's official agency which has the task of supporting sustainable development in developing countries. The Agency was established in 1968; headquarters are in Hull, Quebec.

CIF

An abbreviation for Cost, Insurance and Freight. It is a term of sale. Cost, insurance, and freight (CIF) to a named overseas port of import. Under this term, the seller quotes a price for the goods (including insurance), all transportation, and miscellaneous charges to the point of debarkation for the vessel. (Typically used for ocean shipments only. CIP, or carriage and insurance paid to, is a term used for shipment by modes other than water.)

CILSS

An abbreviation for Comit Permanent Interëtats de Lutte contre la Sëcheresse dans le Sahel.

CIMS

An abbreviation for Commercial Information Management System. CIMS is a PC-based system used by International Trade Administration staff in export counseling. CIMS is a trade-related application using National Trade Data Bank CD-ROMs to disseminate market research and international economics data to US&FCS domestic offices and overseas posts. The system includes data on foreign traders and supports local collection and update of information on business contacts.

CIP

An abbreviation for Carriage and Insurance Paid To. A Term of Sale which means the seller has the same obligations as under CPT, but with the addition that the seller has to procure cargo insurance against the buyer's risk of loss of or damage to the goods during the carriage. The seller contracts for insurance and pays the insurance premium. The buyer should note that under the CIP term the seller is required to obtain insurance only on minimum coverage. The CIP term requires the seller to clear the goods for export.

CIPs

An abbreviation for Commodity Import Programs. CIPs finance the export of U.S. goods to U.S.-aid recipient countries. Under CIPs, the Agency for International Development (AID) makes dollars available to the assisted country on a loan or grant basis to pay for essential commodity imports. In nearly all cases, these imports come from the United States. CIPs are used to provide relatively fast disbursing balance of payments support or to generate local currency for budget support for project goals, particularly in efforts designed to encourage private sector development. CIP agreements usually provide for AID's financing of a wide variety of basic items including agricultural goods, construction and transportation equipment, fertilizer, chemicals, raw materials, semi-finished products, and foodstuffs. CIPs do not finance military or police equipment, luxury items, or items of questionable safety or efficacy. In some cases, the range of allowable commodities is narrowed in order to tailor them to development needs of particular sectors in the assisted country or to accomplish other, specific development goals.

CIR

An abbreviation for Center for International Research. CIR analyzes and forecasts world demographic trends and economic developments in selected countries, based on current statistics obtained through international agreements. The center, which is a component of the Commerce Department's Bureau of the Census, conducts research with funds from government and private business sponsors.

See: International Data Base (IDB).

CIS

An abbreviation for Commonwealth of Independent States. The CIS was established in December 1991 as an association of 11 republics of the former Soviet Union. The members include: Russia, Ukraine, Belarus

(formerly Byelorussia), Moldova (formerly Moldavia), Armenia, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, and Kirgizstan (formerly Kirghiziya). The Baltic states did not join. Georgia maintained observer status, before joining the CIS in November 1993. Until that time, the NIS (Newly Independent States) differed from the CIS in that the NIS is a collective reference to 12 Soviet republics, including Georgia.

CISG

An abbreviation for Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods. The UN Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods, CISG, became the law of the United States in January 1988. CISG establishes uniform legal rules governing formation of international sales contracts and the rights and obligations of the buyer and seller. The CISG applies automatically to all contracts for the sale of goods between traders from two different countries that have both ratified the CISG, unless the parties to the contract expressly exclude all or part of the CISG or expressly stipulate a law other than the CISG.

CIT

An abbreviation for Court of International Trade. The CIT has jurisdiction over any civil action against the United States arising from Federal laws governing import transactions. The court hears antidumping, product classification, and countervailing duty matters as well as appeals of unfair trade practice cases from the International Trade Commission. The court was originally established in 1890; principal offices are located in New York City, but the court is empowered to hear and determine cases arising at any port or place within the jurisdiction of the United States. The judges are appointed for life by the President, subject to Senate confirmation.

CITA

An abbreviation for Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements. CITA is an interagency committee chaired by the Department of Commerce which exercises the rights of the United States under the Multi-Fiber Arrangement. CITA initiates "calls" for consultation when imports of a particular textile product from a particular country disrupt the U.S. domestic market for that product. Other member agencies include the Departments of Labor, State, and Treasury and the United States Trade Representative. See: Multi-Fiber Arrangement (MFA).

CITES

An abbreviation for Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species in Wild Fauna and Flora.

CIV

An abbreviation for Customs Import Value. This is the U.S. Customs Service appraisal value of merchandise. Methodologically, the Customs value is similar to f.a.s. (free alongside ship) value since it is based on the value of the product in the foreign country of origin, and excludes charges incurred in bringing the merchandise to the United States (import duties, ocean freight, insurance, and so forth); but it differs in that the U.S. Customs Service, not the importer or exporter, has the final authority to determine the value of the good.

An abbreviation for Commodity Jurisdiction. Export jurisdiction of products is administered by the State Department's Office of Defense Trade Controls (DTC) if the commodities are defense articles, technical data, and services or by the Commerce Department's Bureau of Export Administration if the commodities are dual-use items. An exporter may request DTC to conduct a commodity jurisdiction (CJ) review if the exporter is uncertain as to whether an item is covered by the United States Munitions List (USML) or believes it has been inappropriately placed on the list. CJ procedures include deadlines for making a determination and the use of criteria assessing: (a) performance, (b) significant military or intelligence applicability, and (c) significant civilian applicability.

CLDP

An abbreviation for Commercial Law Development Program. The CLDP helps Central and Eastern Europe and the Baltic States develop a commercial infrastructure consistent with free market principles. The program, operated through the Commerce Department's International Trade Administration, is part of the U.S. Government's efforts to assist the region. CLPD is also compiling a Language Resources List of U.S.

commercial law experts with strong language capabilities.

CMA

An abbreviation for Common Monetary Agreement. South Africa, Lesotho, and Swaziland are members of the CMA under which they apply uniform exchange control regulations to ensure monetary order in the region. Funds are freely transferable among the three countries, and Lesotho and Swaziland have free access to South African capital markets. Lesotho also uses the South African currency, the rand. The CMA was formed in 1986 as a result of the renegotiation of the Rand Monetary Agreement (RMA) which was originally formed in 1974 by the same member countries.

CMEA

An abbreviation for Council for Mutual Economic Assistance. The Council for Mutual Economic Assistance, CMEA or COMECON, was established in 1949 ostensibly to create a common market. CMEA was a Soviet initiative with Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, and Romania as founder members. The Council was later joined by the German Democratic Republic, Mongolia, Cuba, and Vietnam; Yugoslavia held associate status. Members normally received some products, particularly oil and gas, from the former Soviet Union at below-market prices. CMEA was succeeded in 1991 by the Organization for Economic Cooperation (OIEC).

CNUSA

An abbreviation for Commercial News USA. Commercial News USA, CNUSA, is an International Trade Administration (ITA) fee-based magazine, published 10 times per year. CNUSA provides exposure for U.S. products and services through an illustrated catalog and electronic bulletin boards. The catalog is distributed through U.S. Embassies and consulates to business readers in 155 countries. Copies are provided to international visitors at trade events around the world. The CNUSA program covers more than 30 industry categories. To be eligible, products must be at least 51 percent U.S. parts and 51 percent U.S. labor. The service helps U.S. firms identify potential export markets and make contacts leading to representation, distributorships, joint venture or licensing agreements, or direct sales.

COAP

An abbreviation for Cottonseed Oil Assistance Program. COAP, one of four export subsidy programs operated by the Department of Agriculture, helps U.S. exporters meet prevailing world prices for cottonseed oil in targeted markets. USDA pays cash to U.S. exporters as bonuses, making up the difference between the higher U.S. cost of acquiring cottonwseed oil and the lower world price at which it is sold.

COCA

An abbreviation for Confederation Internationale du Credit Agricole (English: International Confederation of Agricultural Credit, ICAC) coordinates documentation and information improvements pertaining to agricultural credit. Confederation members are agricultural credit banks and other institutions which provide or study agricultural credits. ICAC was established in 1932; headquarters are in Zurich, Switzerland.

COCOM

An abbreviation for Coordinating Committee on Multilateral Export Controls. CoCom is an informal organization that cooperatively restricts strategic exports to controlled countries. CoCom controls three lists: (a) the international industrial list (synonymous with the "dual-use" or "core" list), (b) the international munitions list, and (c) the atomic energy list. The 17 CoCom members are: Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, the Federal Republic of Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Other countries, including: Austria, Finland, Hong Kong, Ireland, New Zealand, Sweden, and Switzerland have been designated as "cooperating countries." These countries receive many of the benefits ascribed to CoCom member countries. CoCom controls exports at three levels, depending on the item and the proposed destination. At the highest or "general exception" level, unanimous approval by CoCom members is necessary. At the next level, "favorable consideration," there is a presumption of approval; the export may be made if no CoCom members objects within 30 days of submission to CoCom. At the lowest level, "national discretion" (also called "administrative exception"), a member nation may approve the export on its own, but CoCom must be notified after the fact. CoCom was scheduled to terminate on March 31, 1994.

CODEX

An abbreviation for Codex Alimentarius Commission. As a subsidiary body of the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization and the World Health Organization, CAC (or CODEX) develops food standards and Recommended International Codes of Hygienic and/or Technological Practices. Commission standards are voluntary, becoming enforceable only if accepted as national standards. The Commission also works in cooperation with Regional Coordinating Committees (Africa, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean) in promoting regional standards activities. The Commission was established in 1962; headquarters are in Rome, Italy.

COE

An abbreviation for Council of Europe. The COE (also: CE; French: Conseil de l'Europe)) was established in May 1949 to encourage unity and social and economic growth among members, which currently include: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, and the United Kingdom. COE headquarters are in Strasbourg, France.

COFACE

An abbreviation for Compagnie Fran aise d'Assurance pour le Commerce Ext rieur. COFACE is a French company acting as a commercial export finance agency by insuring short-term political and commercial risk and by facilitating the financing for export credit. Any French exporter (manufacturers, intermediaries, confirmers, and merchants) of French goods and services can be insured for sales abroad. In conjunction with the Banque Française du Commerce Extërieur and other banks and institutions, COFACE provides services similar to the Export-Import Bank. COFACE was established in 1946; headquarters are in Paris, France.

COGSA

Abbreviation for Carriage of Goods by Sea Act. U.S. federal codification passed in 1936 which standardizes carrier's liability under carrier's bill of lading. U.S. enactment of The Hague Rules.

COM

An abbreviation for Cost of Manufacture. In the context of dumping investigations, the costs of manufacture, COM, is equal to the sum of the materials, labor and both direct and indirect factory overhead expenses required to produce the merchandise under investigation.

CMA

COMECON

COMPRO

It is an on-line trade data retrieval system maintained by the International Trade Administration within the U.S. Department of Commerce. The system is exclusively for use within the federal government trade community (ITA, USTR, ITC, and other executive branch agencies. It is also the oldest and best known component of the Trade Policy Information System (TPIS). COMPRO is slated to be replaced in the FY 1995-96 TPIS modernization, but its functions will remain available in an expanded and generalized form.

COMSAT

An abbreviation for Communications Satellite Corporation. COMSAT was established in 1963 under provision of the Communications Satellite Act of 1962. The legislation directed that COMSAT establish the world's first commercial international satellite communications system. The Act also stipulated that the company operate as a shareholder-owned "for-profit" corporation. COMSAT represents the U.S. in the International Telecommunications Satellite Organization.

COO

An abbreviation for Certificate of Origin. Certain nations require a signed statement as to the origin of the export item. Such certificates are usually obtained through a semiofficial organization such as a local chamber of commerce. A certificate may be required even though the commercial invoice contains the information.

COP

An abbreviation for Cost of Production. A term used to refer to the sum of the cost of materials, fabrication

and/or other processing employed in producing the merchandise sold in a home market or to a third country together with appropriate allocations of general administrative and selling expenses. COP is based on the

producer's actual experience and does not include any mandatory minimum general expense or profit as in "constructed value."

COPANT

An abbreviation for Comision Panamericana de Normas Técnicas. COPANT (English: Pan American Standards Commission) coordinates the activities of all institutes of standardization in the Latin American

countries. The Commission develops all types of product standards, standardized test methods, terminology, and related matters. COPANT headquarters are in Buenos Aires, Argentina. U.S. contact with COPANT is maintained through the American National Standards Institute.

CORECT

An abbreviation for Committee on Renewable Energy, Commerce, and Trade. CORECT facilitates the cost-effective use of U.S. renewable energy products and services around the world. The Committee is comprised of 14 federal agencies: the Departments of Commerce, Defense, Energy, Interior, State, and Treasury, the Agency for International Development, Environmental Protection Agency, Export-Import Bank, Overseas Private Investment Corporation, Small Business Administration, Trade and Development Agency, United States Information Agency, and U.S. Trade Representative. The Committee, chaired by Energy, was established by legislation in 1984.

CPCM

An abbreviation for Comit Permanent Consultatif du Maghreb. The CPCM (English: Maghreb Permanent Consultative Committee) seeks to improve economic coordination among Maghreb countries, with eventual expectation of establishing a Maghreb economic community. Originally established in October 1964, the committee began operations in February 1966; its headquarters are in Tunis, Tunisia.

CPT

An abbreviation for Carriage Paid To. A Term of Sale which means the seller pays the freight for the carriage of the goods to the named destination. The risk of loss of or damage to the goods, as well as any additional costs due to events occurring after the time the goods have been delivered to the carrier, is transferred from the seller to the buyer when the goods have been delivered into the custody of the carrier. If subsequent carriers are used for the carriage to the agreed upon destination, the risk passes when the goods have been delivered to the first carrier. The CPT term requires the seller to clear the goods for export.

CSCE

An abbreviation for Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe. CSCE was established in 1991 as a successor to the Eastern bloc's Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (CMEA or COMECON). CSCE administers residual tariffs and quotas and relations with other organizations.

CSP

An abbreviation for Common Standard Level of Effective Protection. The common standard level of effective protection, CSP, refers to the minimum shared standards between the U.S. and CoCom members for implementing an effective export control system, including licensing and enforcement elements.

CSS

An abbreviation for Customized Sales Survey. The CSS is a fee-based International Trade Administration service that provides firms with key marketing, pricing, and foreign representation information about their specific products. Overseas staff conduct on-site interviews to provide data in nine marketing areas about the product, such as sales potential in the market, comparable products, distribution channels, going price, competitive factors, and qualified purchasers. Additional information may be provided to clients at additional charge. This product was formerly known as the Comparison Shopping Service.

An abbreviation for Countertrade. It is an umbrella term for several sorts of trade in which the seller is required to accept goods, serivces, or other instruments or trade, in partial or whole payment for its products. Forms include barter, buy-back or compensation, offset requirements, swap, switch, or triangular

trade, evidence or bilateral clearing accounts. Some include offsets as a form of countertrade; others make a distinction based on the view that countertrade is a reciprocal exchange of goods and services used to alleviate foreign exchange shortages of importers and that offsets are used as a means for advancing industrial development objectives and may include equity investments.

§ In counterpurchase (one of the most common forms of countertrade), exporters agree to purchase a quantity of goods from a country in exchange for that country's purchase of the exporter's product. The goods being sold by each party are typically unrelated but may be equivalent in value.

§ In a compensation or buy-back deal, exporters of heavy equipment, technology, or even entire facilities agree to purchase a certain percentage of the output of the facility.

§ Barter is a simple swap of one good for another. Switch trading is a complicated form of barter, involving a chain of buyers and sellers in different markets.

CTD

An abbreviation for Committee on Trade and Development. The CTD was established in 1965 to consider how the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) can aid the economic development of Less Developed Country (LDC) contracting parties (that is, LDC members).

CTF

An abbreviation for Certified Trade Fair or Certified Event. The Department of Commerce Certified Trade Fair Program is designed to encourage private organizations to recruit new-to-market and new-to-export U.S. firms to exhibit in trade fairs overseas. To receive certification, the organization must demonstrate: (1) the fair is a leading international trade event for an industry and (2) the fair organizer is capable of recruiting U.S. exhibitors and assisting them with freight forwarding, customs clearance, exhibit design and setup, public relations, and overall show promotion. The show organizer must agree to assist new-to-export exhibitors as well as small businesses interested in exporting.

CTIS

An abbreviation for Center for Trade and Investment Services. CTIS, established in September 1992, promotes increased participation of U.S. businesses in generating economic development in lesser developed countries which receive assistance from the Agency for International Development. Telephone: 1-800-USAID-4-U.

CTP

An abbreviation for Composite Theoretical Performance. Computer hardware export license requirements are evaluated according to Composite Theoretical Performance (CTP), which replaced the former Processing Data Rate (PDR) parameter. CTP is measured in Million Theoretical Operations Per Second (MTOPS). CTP was developed by the U.S. as a new parameter, and was adopted by CoCom during the Core List negotiations, because PDR was not applicable to certain modern computer architectures such as vector processors, massively parallel processors, and array processors. CTP is designed to measure all of these architectures, as well as signal processing equipment.

An abbreviation for Constructed Value. A means of determining fair or foreign market value when sales of such or similar merchandise do not exist or, for various reasons, cannot be used for comparison purposes. The "constructed value" consists of the cost of materials and fabrication or other processing employed in producing the merchandise, general expenses of not less than 10 percent of material and fabrication costs, and profit of not less than 8 percent of the sum of the production costs and general expenses. To this amount is added the cost of packing for exportation to the United States.

CVD

An abbreviation for Countervailing Duty. An extra charge that a country places on imported goods to counter the subsidies or bounties granted to the exporters of the goods by their home governments. The duty is allowed by the Code on Subsidies and Countervailing Duties negotiated at the Tokyo Round, if the importing country can prove that the subsidy would cause injury to domestic industry. U.S. countervailing duties can only be imposed after the International Trade Commission has determined that the imports are causing or threatening to cause material injury to a U.S. industry.

CWC

An abbreviation for Chemical Weapons Convention. The CWC prohibits the development, production, stockpiling, and use of chemical weapons. The Convention permits monitoring, collection and review of data and on-site inspections that involve questions of protection of proprietary rights and confidentiality. The Convention has been signed by over 160 nations; entry into force is expected in January 1995.

CWO

An abbreviation for Cash With Order. CWO is a means of payment in which the buyer pays cash when ordering; the order is binding on both seller and buyer.

CXT