U.S. promotes small business exports to Brazil

   The U.S. government on Friday entered a memorandum of understanding with Brazil’s Micro and Small Business Support Service, the U.S. Association of Small Business Development Centers, and the University of Texas at San Antonio’s Institute for Economic Development to promote greater cooperation among small businesses in the two countries.
   In specific, the MOU links the organizations’ online trade platforms for small businesses their networks serve. Under the U.S.–Brazil Agreement on Trade and Economic Cooperation (ATEC), the United States and Brazil are exploring greater cooperation on a variety of issues, including small businesses.
   The Obama administration’s Small Business Network of the Americas (SBNA) also promotes business development and entrepreneurship by micro, small, and midsized enterprises and encourages greater trade among these businesses throughout the Western Hemisphere.
   “Small businesses that export more tend to grow faster, add more jobs, and pay higher wages than small businesses that serve purely domestic markets,” said U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk in a statement.