2009 Membership News promoting norwegian-american business relations Dear Members Since our last newsletter we are very proud to an- nounce that a new AmCham Committee has been formed – the AmCham Automobile Committee Over the past few years the authorities have tighten the grip on American car imports and the upcoming implementation of a new EU directive will be the ultimate nail in the coffin for non-type approved cars in Norway You can read the full story in this editions front page article We are happy to report that some headway has been made on this issue since our committee was established Being in the midst of a global financial crisis that effects many of our members both directly and indirectly, we thought it would be useful to hear Citigroup’s reflections This is a very insightful article that we highly recommend you read Whether you are planning to set up business in the States, profile your business in Norway, or simply buy a Mustang Shelby GT500 – American icon and enthusiast car nice bottle of wine or reading a good book - this newsletter will help We are extremely proud to profile this quarter’s AmCham Autombile Committee new members We look forward to working with all of you! We sincerely thank our contributors and we AmCham has for some time discussed the need for forming hope you find this issue both interesting and useful an Automobile Committee, and on January 20, 2009, the Sincerely, first formal meeting of AmCham Autombile Committee The AmchAm Staff was held The dedicated members are Tone Nymoen and Jason Turflinger (AmCham), Petter Smeby (GM Norge), Henning Larsen (Chrysler Norge), Erik Skagnæs (Bergheim Tore Tøtdal, J.D., Drammen), Heming Bjørnå (US Embassy), Stein Moe and LL.M In this issue Hilberg Ove Johansen (American Car Club of Norway, Attorney-at-law, AmCham Automobile Committee 1 AMCAR), and Tore Tøtdal (Advokatfirmaet Tøtdal) Advokatfirmaet The Financial Crisis and its Impact 3 The sale of US cars have for many years shown a steady Tøtdal MNA Setting the Mood for US Expansion 4 decrease in Norway Light duty trucks have sold fairly well, Visa Issues for Norwegians Starting but increasingly strict registration and taxation regulations have reduced the a Business in the United States 6 sale of these vehicles as well In 2006, for example, US light duty trucks were US Commercial Service 7 specifically pointed to as a “problem area” by the Norwegian Government, Past Events 8 and targeted in that year’s budget American Wine Sales Up 9 Due to the efforts of the Progress Party and AMCAR, a new regulation Recommended Viewing 11 came into effect as of July st1 , 2004, making registration of used US cars less Recommended Reading 12 troublesome A substantial number of cars have been imported from the New Members 13 US due to this new regulation Now, however, the Government is working Upcoming Events 15 to close this possibility 2 2009 Membership News AmCham Autombile Committee Jeep Wrangler – hybrid. Jeep- a concept in the car world in a popular and environmental friendly version. 2010 Chevrolet Volt. This spring, a new EU Directive regulat- Several of AmCham’s members have stated my view, the proposal constitutes, or has the ing the registration of new, not used, cars a clear opposition to the proposal, including effect of, a trade barrier If legal, it is at best will be implemented into Norwegian law car importers and AMCAR, hastening the marginally so I am certain that AmCham However, the Directorate of Public Roads formation of the Automobile Committee Automobile Committee will do its best (Vegdirektoratet) is proposing to expand Only one other European country to prevent the proposed regulation from the scope of the Directive far beyond the (Slovenia) has attempted to make the new being enacted, and to increase the interest intentions of the European law makers The Directive applicable to used cars, but with for, and the sale of, US cars in Norway Directorate seems highly motivated by the no success due to opposition from other (Editor’s Note: On Friday, March 13th, the fact that, for all practical purposes, only Member States This does not seem to reduce Ministry of Transportation agreed to keep US registered vehicles would be affected the Norwegian Government’s eagerness to the current regulatory framework regarding There are only a few hundred US registered try to succeed where Slovenia failed used car imports in place. The Ministry will vehicles imported per year, without EU The Directorate’s proposal, if enacted, present a revised decision in February 2010. type approval The Directorate’s proposal would not only be an obstacle to the free The AmCham Automobile Committee will would reduce this number to zero, as the movement of goods within the EU/EAA continue its work on behalf of US imports Directorate is proposing to demand that all area, but would also have a negative impact ahead of this decision.) cars, new and used, have EU type approval on trade between Norway and the US In 2009 Membership News 3 The Financial Crisis and its Impact The outlook for the global economy con- tions, and secondly by injecting new capital tinues to deteriorate A combination of in order to boost the banks’ core reserves declining wealth, heightened uncertainty, and their capacity to generate new loans It and higher unemployment has led to slump- is hard to see how the global economy can ing demand around the world Contracting recover unless the basic functioning of the industrial production, a retrenchment core financial system improves, which is in international trade and dysfunctional why many governments have diverted their financial markets are further elements attention to direct interventions in financial contributing to the exacerbation of this institutions In this context, “bank rescues” By Pål Rokke, Citi Country global downturn There are scant signs that are likely to have a significant impact on Officer Norway this negative cycle will wane any time soon how the global economy evolves In fact, Policymakers are trying to contain the history suggests that failing to repair a lowing reduced demand in the US and euro crisis through actions on three broad fronts: dysfunctional financial system prolongs area We expect the Japanese real economy monetary, financial, and fiscal Central banks a recession to shrink by 5% in fiscal year 2009 Domestic around the world have continued to lower Fiscal activism has also become a demand in East Asian tigers such as Hong short term interest rates in response to common response across industrial and Kong, Singapore and Taiwan is also falling, weakening economic prospects and declining emerging countries China, with its two-year intensifying the regional slowdown Russia is inflation Norges Bank has cut its key interest program sized at some 15% of 2007 GDP in a precarious position; should commodity rate by over 3% in last five months to 2 5%, is the poster child for fiscal expansion in prices fail to recover by mid-2009, there and the US Federal Reserve has slashed its emerging markets, while the US recently is a high probability of negative growth key interest rate to a range of between zero set the tone for the industrial world by for the year For emerging economies in and 0 25% as it battles the country’s reces- signing into law a US$ 787 billion economic general, 2009 is likely to be the worst year sion However, for an increasing number stimulus package Not all governments enjoy of growth performance since the crisis of of central banks conventional tools are fast the same flexibility as the US or China, but 1998 For the global economy as a whole, approaching their limits In order to restore we expect most industrial governments this is likely to be the worst year for growth stability and expand credit, governments and and major emerging economies to pursue in almost 60 years central banks need to look beyond monetary some degree of fiscal expansion by way of The G7 has committed itself to avoiding policy and resort to more unconventional tax cuts or direct spending The problem protectionist measures To what extent the financial and fiscal initiatives for the rich world is that the coming fiscal world economy recovers in 2010 will be We are in the middle of a major structural burden, as a result of an ageing population, determined by efforts on the collaborative adjustment in the global financial system promises to be far greater than the scenario front and ultimately what conclusion is The IMF estimates that total losses in the emerging from the current crisis reached in the Doha Round Government financial sector due to write downs of US As the world experiences sharp declines activism in the face of the financial storm credit instruments are likely to be about $1 5 in demand, the biggest changes in 2009 will is coming at a high cost to public finances, trillion Treasuries worldwide have sought come to those countries that are particularly but the fight back is necessary to instill to mitigate further losses firstly by designing exposed to international trade None more consumer confidence, stabilize markets new mechanisms for removing troubled so than Japan, where exports took a historic and stimulate investment assets from the books of financial institu- nosedive in the fourth quarter of 2008 fol- 4 2009 Membership News Setting the Mood for US Expansion Designers Simen Staalnacke and Peder Børresen. Taboo from Black Eyed Peas wearing a Moods jacket. International Coordinator Stefan Dahlkvist with American pop icon Paula Abdul. AmCham had an opportunity to sit