USTR Kirk Welcomes Launch of Environmental Goods and Services Information Exchange

On November 18, U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk welcomed the launch of the Environmental Goods and Services Information Exchange (EGSIE). The EGSIE is an innovative new website that will promote information-sharing and collaboration related to cutting edge environmental technologies in the Asia-Pacific region and will also promote the dissemination of such technologies globally. Ambassador Kirk commented that the website “will … serve as an excellent resource for our businesses - small and large - to learn about this dynamic marketplace and help them to participate in it by gaining a better understanding of the market drivers and barriers that exist." APEC economies exported over $332 billion in environmental goods in 2008, and exports of APEC economies have been growing at an average annual rate of 10 percent since 2004. APEC economies trade in environmental goods represents nearly half of global trade in this sector.