Christina Stimpson, the top trade expert at the Alabama Department of Commerce, is in Belgium and Greece this week to participate in the EU-US Emerging Leaders Visitors Programme, which aims to strengthen ties between the two economic blocs.

The five-day event, organized by the European Union and the Embassy of Greece, is packed with high-level briefings from business leaders, meetings with economic and trade policy specialists, and networking opportunities.

Stimpson is one of 10 U.S. trade officials attending the program, whose theme is “Fostering Innovation and Investments.”

“Being able to attend this exclusive event will provide Christina with new insights into international trade opportunities that can benefit Alabama businesses and drive economic growth here at home,” said Ellen McNair, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce. “The European Union is a critically important trade partner for our state, and we’re fully committed to advancing that relationship.”

Alabama’s Christina Stimpson, center front, and other trade officials in Brussels, Belgium. (contributed)

Two-way trade between Alabama and EU topped $15 billion in 2023, with Alabama’s exports to the European bloc exceeding $7.7 billion last year, according to Department of Commerce data.

In addition, roughly 300 companies from the EU region have operations in Alabama.

Stimpson, who has served as director of the Department of Commerce’s Office of International Trade since 2022, said learnings from the program will help her expand on that foundation to benefit businesses and communities in Alabama.

“I look forward to creating networks among the European participants and increasing my understanding of the opportunities that exist for Alabama and the European Union in both trade and investment,” Stimpson said. “This opportunity falls perfectly in line with the Export Alabama 2025 trade strategy, which is currently in development.

“We plan to execute trade missions to the United Kingdom and European Union member countries that align with our shared values and approach to trade, security and economic prosperity,” she said.

It’s going to be a busy week for U.S. trade officials meeting in Belgium and Greece. (contributed)

Strengthening b0nds

The program comes as the United States and the European Union are taking new steps to deepen their economic relationship and build the clean energy economies of the future, while also addressing shared economic and national security challenges.

It follows the US-EU Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SME) Workshop held last year in Birmingham, which gave small businesses an opportunity to connect with government trade officials from both sides of the Atlantic. The Department of Commerce co-hosted the event with the USTR and the EU.

While in Brussels, Stimpson participated Monday in a lineup of meetings and briefings, along with a networking reception. Tuesday’s schedule calls for another full day of meetings before departing for Athens.

During three days in Athens, Stimpson and the group will hear about Greece’s economy and its startup ecosystem, as well as learn about investment opportunities and trade possibilities.

The group also will visit Enterprise Greece S.A., the nation’s investment/trade agency, and Demokritos, the National Centre for Scientific Research.

The program was organized by European External Action Service (EEAS)/Foreign Policy Instrument (FPI) of the European Commission, the EU Delegation to the United States, and EU Member State Greece, in cooperation with the EU Visitors Programme.

Alabama companies exported goods valued at $12.5 million to Greece in 2023, an increase of 24% from the previous year, according to Department of Commerce data. Primary exports were industrial machinery, aerospace products and copper and plastic articles.

This story originally appeared on the Alabama Department of Commerce’s Made in Alabama website.