2003 News Releases

For immediate release:
November 4, 2003

Media contact:
James Hoard
Phone: (214) 922-5307
e-mail: james.hoard@dal.frb.org

Maquiladora Economic Downturn Focus
of Talks at South Texas Conference

DALLAS—Government, banking and academic leaders from the United States and Mexico will convene on South Padre Island Nov. 21 to discuss the future of the ailing maquiladora industry.

The conference will be hosted by the El Paso and San Antonio branches of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas and will feature discussions led by U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Antonio Garza and Banco de México Deputy Governor Everardo Elizondo Almaguer.

"Maquiladora Downturn: Structural Change or Cyclical Factors?" will be from 8:45 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Sheraton Hotel on South Padre Island, Texas. Topics of discussion will include the current status of the maquiladora industry, growing global competition and the future of the industry.

Participants can register to attend at www.dallasfed.org.

Speakers also will include Dallas Fed Senior Vice President and Research Director Harvey Rosenblum and Centro de Investigación para el Desarrollo, A.C., General Director Luis Rubio.

Mexico's maquiladora industry has lost more than 200,000 jobs since the advent of the 2001 U.S. recession. This decline has had significant impacts on both sides of the U.S./Mexican border and the future of the industry will play an important role in the growth of the border economy.

Additional information on "Maquiladora Downturn: Structural Change or Cyclical Factors?" and a list of confirmed speakers can be found on the Dallas Fed web site, www.dallasfed.org.

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