September 2008 News

Gutierrez Set to Lead Trade Mission to the Dominican Republic and Costa Rica

In advance of his September 28-October 2 business development mission to the Dominican Republic and Costa Rica, Secretary of Commerce Carlos M. Gutierrez authored an opinion editorial in Diario Extra, Costa Rica’s daily newspaper. He wrote, “Democracies like ours with a history of political stability, social progress and a commitment to human rights will benefit the most from free trade and increased investment.” The Secretary added, “Today, tens of thousands of Costa Ricans work for U.S. companies, yet even more American companies will want do business here and more Costa Ricans will participate in the U.S. market with a free trade agreement in place. We have seen these mutually reinforcing positive trends elsewhere in CAFTA-DR where trade both with the United States and between the other CAFTA-DR members is growing.”

President Bush Discusses Free Trade with Western Hemisphere Leaders

Following his remarks to the United Nations General Assembly the previous day, President Bush joined Western Hemisphere leaders at the Council of the Americas on September 24 to discuss the importance of free trade to our region’s growth and prosperity. He said, “It’s important for the American people to understand that exports benefit workers. Half of our growth last year was the result of trade. And therefore, it’s in our interest to continue to open up markets, particularly in our own neighborhood.”

View transcript of President Bush’s speech

Trans-Pacific Partners and United States Launch FTA Negotiations
On September 22, U.S. Trade Representative Susan C. Schwab and Ministers of the Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement (representing Brunei, Chile, New Zealand and Singapore) met in New York City to announce the launch of negotiations for the United States to join the comprehensive Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement. In their discussions, the Ministers emphasized the importance of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement as a vehicle for Trans-Pacific-wide economic integration.  This regional agreement sets a high standard that will enhance the competitiveness of the countries that are part of it and help facilitate trade and promote investment between them, increasing their economic growth and development. The Trans-Pacific Partners welcomed the addition of the United States as a significant step forward in advancing this goal. Ambassador Schwab commented, “This initiative… will help strengthen the United States’ competitiveness and generate growth and prosperity in the years ahead.” The Trans-Pacific Partnership members also noted that discussions are underway with other countries that have expressed interest in potentially joining the Agreement. The Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to a successful conclusion to the WTO Doha negotiations and underscored that by promoting increased trade liberalization through a high-standard agreement, the Agreement will support continued ambition in the Doha round.  View USTR press release View Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership fact sheet

United States and Uruguay Continue to Advance Trade Relationship

On September 23, U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab met with Uruguayan Foreign Minister Gonzalo Fernandez in New York City to discuss progress made under the U.S.-Uruguayan Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA). Ambassador Schwab stated that she is “…pleased with the strong progress that has been achieved since the TIFA was signed in January 2007,” while Minister Fernandez called the TIFA “… an efficient instrument in setting concrete initiatives on specific trade and investment matters.” In implementing the TIFA, both parties reconfirmed their commitment to expand economic opportunities between Uruguay and the United States while simultaneously coordinating their efforts to promote greater trade liberalization through the WTO.

View USTR press release

Statement by Secretary Gutierrez after Meeting with Georgian Minister of Economic Development

In a September 19 press release regarding the visit of Georgian Minister of Economic Development Ekaterine Sharashidze, Commerce Secretary Commerce Carlos M. Gutierrez stated, “The United States is supporting Georgia’s efforts to rebuild and strengthen its economy.” He added, “We are committed to ensuring that the democratic and economic gains that Georgia has made over the past several years are not lost.” Meanwhile, the Commerce Department announced that Deputy Secretary of Commerce John Sullivan will participate in a Commerce-certified trade mission to Tbilisi, Georgia, where he will a host a U.S.-Georgia Business Summit on October 27, 2008. At the Summit, U.S. companies will be able to develop new business opportunities and learn how to participate in reconstruction projects in Georgia.

Notice Regarding 2008 Annual Review for Acceptance of GSP Product and Country Practices Petitions

USTR has received petitions in connection with the 2008 GSP Annual Review to modify the list of products that are eligible for duty-free treatment under the GSP program and to modify the GSP status of certain GSP beneficiary developing countries because of country practices. This notice announces the product petitions, other than those requesting competitive need limitation (CNL) waivers, and country practice petitions accepted in previous GSP annual reviews that continue to be under review in the 2008 GSP Annual Review, and sets forth the schedule for comment and public hearings on these petitions, for requesting participation in the hearings, and for submitting pre- and post-hearing briefs. Information on submitting pre-hearing briefs is included in this Federal Register notice, as well as a schedule for the 2008 annual review. The due date for submitting pre-hearing briefs and requesting to appear at the GSP Subcommittee public hearing is October 3, 2008.

View list of accepted petitions

China and United States Convene 25th Anniversary JCCT in California

U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez and U.S. Trade Representative Susan C. Schwab, together with Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan, convened the 19^th U.S. – China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT) at the Richard M. Nixon Presidential Library and Museum in Yorba Linda, California on September 16. Regarding intellectual property rights, the United States and China agreed to sign two memoranda of understanding on strategic cooperation to improve the administration and effectiveness of copyright and trademark protection and enforcement, and welcomed plans to conduct further cooperative meetings on several issues, including pharmaceutical data protection, inter alia. China clarified that its formal and informal policies related to software purchases by all Chinese private and state-owned enterprises will be based solely on market terms without government direction. On medical devices, AQSIQ and SFDA jointly announced they will only require one test, one report, one fee and one factory inspection, and agreed to hold discussions with the U.S. Government and relevant stakeholders regarding China’s tendering policies to ensure the process is fair and transparent. With respect to its accession to the WTO Government Procurement Agreement (GPA), China submitted to the WTO its responses to the Checklist of Issues on September 15, 2008. China affirmed its plan to submit an improved offer to the WTO as soon as possible.

View JCCT outcomes press release

View JCCT 25th anniversary fact sheet

Notice Regarding 2008 Annual Review of Andean Trade Preference Act

View the text of USTR’s Federal Register notice announcing the 2008 Annual Review of the Andean Trade Preference Act (ATPA). Under this process, petitions may be filed calling for the limitation, withdrawal or suspension of ATPA or ATPDEA benefits by presenting evidence that the eligibility criteria of the program are not being met. USTR will publish a list of petitions filed in response to this announcement in the Federal Register. The deadline for the submission of petitions for the 2008 Annual ATPA Review is September 15, 2008. Petitions should be submitted via email to FR0716@ustr.eop.gov