USA

The United States of America are the 3^rd bigger country in the world and the 4^th most populous worldwide with about 321, 3 million inhabitants (2015 estimate).

The appeal of the market is a result of its dimension, of the favorable business environment, of the high number of opportunities and of the presence of almost every big multinational company.

The United States of America are the biggest investors in external markets and the 3^rd destination of foreign direct investment.

Europe was the main region of direct North American investment, representing 55, 9% of the total in 2013.

The USA are also one of the world’s most open economies, being the biggest worldwide importer. Portugal represents about 0, 14% of the North American’s imports.

Besides being a country with an open economy, there are still important restrictions which affect the trade of goods, namely the imposition of high custom duty rates (applied to some goods/sectors), rules and complex legal provisions, technical procedures, restrictive shares and preferential agreements.

The sectors which represent the principal opportunities for the Portuguese companies are basically the ones who are connected with industrial products, consumption goods, equipment’s and agricultural products, because these are the ones who are most wanted by the Americans.