November 2004 News

Request for Comments on National Trade Estimate Report

View the text of a Federal Register notice requesting interested parties to assist the Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC) in identifying significant barriers to U.S. exports of goods, services and overseas direct investment for inclusion in the annual National Trade Estimate (NTE) report. Public comments are due not later than Tuesday, December 21; no submissions will be accepted after December 21. In order to ensure the most timely processing of submissions, the Department of Commerce will receive comments in response to this Notice. ADDRESSES: Paper submissions: NTE Comments, U.S. Department of Commerce, USA Trade Center Room, 14th & Constitution Ave., N.W., Ronald Reagan Building, Washington, DC 20230. Send submissions by electronic mail to: ntecomments@ita.doc.gov.

Request for Comments Concerning Compliance With Telecommunications Trade Agreements

Pursuant to Section 1377 of the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988, USTR is reviewing, and requests comments on: 1) the operation and effectiveness of and the implementation of and compliance with the WTO Basic Telecommunications Agreement; 2) other WTO agreements affecting market opportunities for telecommunications products and services of the U.S.; 3) the telecommunications provisions of the NAFTA; 4) the Chile and Singapore Free Trade Agreements (FTA) and any other FTAs coming into force on or before January 1, 2005; and 5) other telecommunications trade agreements. USTR will conclude the review by March 31, 2005. Comments are due by noon on December 17, 2004 and Reply Comments are due by noon on January 17, 2005. For information on transmitting comments, please consult the Federal Register notice.

APEC Ministers Endorse Best Practices for Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) and Regional Trading Agreements (RTAs)

Dozens of FTAs and RTAs are now being negotiated by trading partners in the Asia Pacific region, although the level of commitments and comprehensiveness varies significantly. The APEC Best Practices are a timely response that will help ensure that FTAs and TRAs now under negotiation maximize trade creation and minimize trade distortion and are WTO consistent.

View Best Practices Information

U.S. Supports APEC Efforts to Increase Trade, Fight Corruption

According to a White House fact sheet, President Bush and other APEC Leaders took action to increase global and Asia-Pacific trade, promote policies that spur economic growth, and fight corruption. President Bush led APEC leaders in agreeing to take actions to move the WTO Doha Development Agenda negotiations forward. Among other things, the leaders agreed to move forward on Doha with a sense of urgency, and instruct ministers to seek substantial results in the negotiations by the Sixth WTO Ministerial Conference in December 2005. The APEC leaders agreed to launch the Santiago Initiative for Expanded Trade in APEC, which seeks to liberalize and facilitate regional trade. The leaders welcomed the ministers' agreement to take actions next year to reduce piracy and trade in counterfeit goods, address online piracy issues, and increase IPR cooperation and capacity building. They committed to significantly raise the stakes in the fight against corruption by launching the Santiago Commitment to Fight Corruption and Ensure Transparency and the APEC Course of Action on Fighting Corruption and Ensuring Transparency.

View APEC Ministerial Meeting Joint Statement

View APEC Economic Leaders’ Joint Declaration

APEC Ministers Focus on Improving IPR Protection in Asia Pacific Region

U.S. Trade Representative Robert B. Zoellick achieved APEC Ministers’ support for an ambitious program in 2005 to reduce piracy and trade in counterfeit goods, address online piracy issues, and increase cooperation and capacity building to help countries in the Asia Pacific strengthen their intellectual property rights (IPR) regimes. The ministers stressed the importance of effective IPR protection and enforcement regimes, and their contribution towards promoting investment, innovation, and growth. APEC’s work in 2005 will complement the Bush Administration’s comprehensive Strategy Targeting Organized Piracy (STOP!) Initiative, a major new government-wide initiative that focuses on helping businesses enforce their rights, stopping fakes at borders, dismantling criminal enterprises and building an international coalition against piracy and counterfeiting.

View USTR Trade Facts on APEC IPR protection program

Mexico: Proposed Standards (for October 1-15, 2004)

View recently proposed and enacted Mexican Government standards

View Standard

U.S. and Australia Finalize FTA Implementation Arrangements

On November 17, U.S. Trade Representative Robert B. Zoellick and Australian Trade Minister Mark Vaile finalized arrangements to bring the Australia-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (FTA) into force on January 1, 2005. The parties exchanged diplomatic notes certifying that each country respectively has completed its internal requirements to allow the agreement to enter into force on January 1, 2005. The U.S. had raised concerns with Australia that its FTA implementing legislation, which its Parliament passed in August 2004, did not fully implement a number of the FTA commitments it made on intellectual property. Australia has committed to take steps, including legislative and regulatory changes, to address these issues.

View USTR press release

Egypt Intent on Opening Trade

According to a USIS Washington File report, Rashid Mohamed Rashid, the minister of foreign trade and industry in Egypt’s new government, said that Egypt is committed to becoming a Middle East regional leader in economic, political and social modernization. He met with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick to discuss the possibilities of pursuing a U.S.-Egypt free trade agreement (FTA) and of establishing a qualified industrial zone (QIZ) in Egypt. Rashid believes that a QIZ could provide the immediate evidence of the benefits of free trade that the government needs; he sees the QIZ as a first step toward a broader free trade agreement. Rashid also believes that by entering into FTA negotiations, the government can create greater momentum behind reform efforts.

View USIS Washington File report

U.S. Announces Intent to Negotiate FTAs with UAE and Oman

On November 15, U.S. Trade Representative Robert B. Zoellick announced the Administration’s intent to negotiate Free Trade Agreements with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Oman, important steps on the path to fulfilling the President’s vision of developing economic growth and democracy in the Middle East. Zoellick commented that the agreement “…will build on the FTAs that we already have with Israel, Jordan, and Morocco, as well as the FTA that we recently have signed with Bahrain. It will also encourage the six members of the Gulf Cooperation Council to adopt standards that promote trade and investment.” The U.S.’s trade relationship with the UAE is the third largest in the Middle East, behind only Israel and Saudi Arabia. The U.S. has a combined trading relationship of $5.6 billion and a trade surplus of over $2 billion with these two countries.

View USTR press release

Extension of Deadline for Submission of Petitions for 2004 Annual GSP Product/Country Eligibility Practices Review

This Federal Register notice extends the deadline for the submission of Petitions for the 2004 Annual GSP Product and Country Eligibility Practices Review to December 13, 2004. Notification of which petitions are accepted for the 2004 Annual GSP Review and of other relevant dates will be published in the Federal Register. For information on submitting petitions, please contact the GSP Subcommittee of the Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC), Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), 1724 F Street, N.W., Room F-220, Washington, DC, 20508, at (202) 395-6971, or consult the Federal Register notice.

Andean Trade Preference Act 2003/2004 Annual Reviews

In September 2004, USTR received petitions to review certain practices in certain beneficiary developing countries to determine whether such countries are in compliance with the ATPA eligibility criteria. This notice publishes a list of the September 2004 petitions that were filed in response to the announcement of the annual review. In addition, this notice specifies the status of those petitions filed in 2003 that have remained under review. For further information, please contact: Bennett M. Harman, Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Latin America, at (202) 395-9446, or consult this Federal Register notice

WTO Launches Negotiations on Trade Facilitation

At the first meeting of the Negotiating Group on Trade Facilitation, held on November 15, 2004, members agreed on a Work Plan and a schedule of meetings. The Chairman, Ambassador Muhamad Noor Yacob of Malaysia, said that the Work Plan he submitted to the Negotiating Group was based on intensive consultations with delegations. The Group agreed to hold its next meeting on November 22-23, 2004, and to invite the IMF, OECD, UNCTAD, World Customs Organization and the World Bank to attend on an ad hoc basis.The Plan provides for work to proceed on the basis of Members' contributions and other input that the Negotiating Group may request.

View WTO news release

Allgeier Discusses Trade Liberalization at U.S.-Asia Pacific Council Meeting

View the text of Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Peter Allgeier’s November 10 remarks to the United States – Asia Pacific Council meeting. Allgeier discussed the second Bush administration's trade policy/trade negotiating agenda, global trade liberalization, and made a plug for Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) . He noted that while trade liberalization is often difficult politically, Asia's future is tied to trade liberalization. Allgeier reiterated that the U.S. will continue to exercise leadership within the Asia/Pacific region in APEC, ongoing bilateral FTA negotiations, and the Enterprise for ASEAN Initiative. Regarding the WTO Doha Development Agenda talks, Allgeier stated that the atmosphere in the WTO is “significantly better than it was a year ago,” but observed that much work needs to be done. The U.S., he said, looks to the Asia-Pacific region to play a key role in moving the negotiations forward, “particularly in the key areas of market access” (i.e., agriculture, non-agricultural market access, in services and trade facilitation).

Request for Public Comments on GSP Designation for Azerbaijan

In a November 5 Federal Register notice, the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) Subcommittee of the Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC) announced that it is initiating a review to consider the designation of Azerbaijan as a beneficiary developing country under the GSP Program and is soliciting public comment relating to the designation criteria. Comments are due December 10, 2004. For information on submitting comments, please consult the Federal Register notice.

WTO: Transition Period Extended for Export Subsidies of Developing Countries

On November 4, the WTO Committee on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures, extended by another year (until end 2005) the transition period for the elimination of export subsidy programs of 19 developing countries under the implementation decision adopted at the Doha Ministerial Conference. These countries are Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Costa Rica, Dominica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Fiji, Grenada, Guatemala, Jamaica, Jordan, Mauritius, Panama, Papua New Guinea, St. Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Uruguay. The WTO Subsidies Agreement provides for an eight-year transition period (until end 2002) for most developing countries to eliminate export subsidies. Under the “fast-track” procedures agreed at Doha, the Subsidies Committee may grant annual extension to these countries until end 2007, subject to annual review of transparency and standstill obligations.

View WTO news item

WTO: Laos Kicks Off Membership Negotiations

On October 28, Laos kicked off its WTO membership negotiations by outlining the reforms it has already undertaken and calling on members to take account of its status as a land-locked, least-developed country without a representative in Geneva. Membership will “offer an opportunity to accelerate the economic reform process undertaken by the Lao government,” Commerce Minister Soulivong Daravong told the first meeting of Laos’ accession working party. “It will have far-reaching implications for the Lao economy and its integration into the world trading system.” Before the next meeting, Laos is expected to submit an action plan for enacting legislation with further information on agriculture, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, technical barriers to trade, services and intellectual property. Laos was also asked to prepare its first offers for market access in goods and services.

View WTO news item

Commerce Secretary Launches Website to Assist U.S. Innovators and Entrepreneurs Secure Intellectual Property Rights

On October 29, Commerce Secretary Donald L. Evans announced the launch of a new website dedicated to assisting American innovators and entrepreneurs secure their intellectual property rights at home and abroad. The site is an element of the Administration’s "Strategy Targeting Organized Piracy" initiative. The initiative protects American businesses and their products from counterfeiters and pirates who are stealing from America’s workers and robbing billions from the U.S. economy. StopFakes.gov contains several features, including key government links for help with intellectual property issues and a guide to U.S. government resources for protecting intellectual property. Under the STOP Initiative, Commerce has already established a hotline that provides a one-stop-shop for businesses to protect their intellectual property at home and abroad. 1-866-999-HALT provides businesses with the information they need to leverage the resources of the U.S. government protect their intellectual property rights. View Commerce press release (no longer available)

Possible Modification to NAFTA Rules of Origin for Certain Sanitary Articles

The United States International Trade Commission (USITC) is seeking input on a newly initiated investigation, requested by USTR, concerning proposed modification of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) rules of origin for certain sanitary articles of tri-lobal staple rayon fibers. USITC is seeking input for its new investigation from all interested parties and requests that the information focus on the articles for which it is requested to provide information and advice. The USITC will not hold a public hearing in connection with the investigation, but welcomes written submissions for the record. Written submissions should be addressed to the Secretary, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20436 and should be submitted at the earliest practical date but no later than 5:15 p.m. on November 15, 2004. For more information, please consult the USITC press release

Possible Modifications to NAFTA Rules of Origin for Certain Textile Articles

The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) issued a report concerning proposed modifications of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) rules of origin for five textile articles. The investigations,Certain Textile Articles: Effect of Modifications of NAFTA Rules of Origin for Goods of Canada and Mexico (Inv. No. NAFTA-103-7) and Certain Textile Articles: Effect of Modifications of NAFTA Rules of Origin for Goods of Canada (Inv. No. NAFTA-103-8) , were requested by USTR. The USITC issued a single report concerning both investigations. If adopted, the proposed rules of origin would apply to U.S. imports from and exports to the NAFTA parties.

View USITC press release