TAC Program - Making Trade Agreements Work for You!

The U.S. International Trade Commission has rescheduled to March 18, 2010, the Washington, D.C. public hearing in the investigations previously scheduled for February 9-10, 2010. These investigations are Inv. No. 332-509, "Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises: U.S. and EU Export Activities, and Barriers and Opportunities Experienced by U.S. Firms" and Inv. No. 332-510, "Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises: Characteristics and Performance." Persons wishing to appear at the March 18 hearing should file requests to appear, or confirm earlier requests to appear, in accordance with the procedures below. The dates and procedures relating to hearings in these investigations in St. Louis, MO, on March 10, 2010, and Portland, OR, on March 12, 2010, remain the same as previously announced. For more information, please consult the USITC announcement.

U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk Announces Conclusion of Special 301 Out-of-Cycle Review for Saudi Arabia

On February 24, USTR recognized Saudi Arabia's progress in the protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights by removing Saudi Arabia from the Special 301 Watch List. U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk noted that Saudi Arabia has made "significant progress in improving protection for intellectual property rights during the past year," and over the last several years has "stepped up its enforcement actions, strengthened its legal framework, and demonstrated a commitment to fostering innovation and creativity. " The decision to remove Saudi Arabia from the Special 301 Watch List resulted from an "Out-of-Cycle Review" announced last April in the 2009 Special 301 report. The United States will continue to carefully monitor Saudi Arabia's progress in improving its IPR regime, including through the successful United States and Saudi Arabia Trade and Investment Framework Agreement.

Secretary Locke Announces Expanded Commerce-UPS Partnership to Boost U.S. Exports, Support Job Creation

On the heels of President Obama's State of the Union pledge to double U.S. exports in the next five years, Commerce Secretary Gary Locke and UPS CEO and Chairman Scott Davis announced new steps in an expanded partnership between UPS and the Department of Commerce that is designed to increase U.S. exports among small- and medium-sized businesses. Locke and Davis also met with local business leaders to discuss the President's National Export Initiative (NEI) and how it will help American companies become more competitive while supporting job creation here at home.

Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Miriam Sapiro announced February 17 that the United States and Israel have reached an understanding that resolves several longstanding issues with Israel's intellectual property rights (IPR) regime for pharmaceutical products. These negotiations, opened in 2008 in connection with a Special 301 Out-of-Cycle Review, closed after an understanding was reached on improving data protection, the term of patents on pharmaceuticals, and provisions on publication of patent applications in Israel. In recognition of Israel's agreement to move forward on legislation to amend its IPR laws, and once the appropriate legislation is submitted to the Knesset, the U.S. Trade Representative will move Israel from the Special 301 Priority Watch List to the Watch List. In addition, as soon as the legislation is fully implemented, Israel will be moved off the Special 301 list altogether.

On February 12, the U.S. Senate confirmed Suresh Kumar to serve as Assistant Secretary of Commerce and Director General of the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service. On the same day, the Senate confirmed Nicole Y. Lamb-Hale as Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Manufacturing and Services. Secretary Locke said that Kumar "has the knowledge and experience to lead the Commercial Service and increase efforts to help U.S. companies looking to sell their products abroad." Regarding Lamb-Hale, the Secretary stated that her "extensive experience with business and manufacturing will be an immediate benefit to U.S. industry."

United States Holds Trade and Investment Talks with the East African Community

View the USTR press release regarding the February 15 meeting of United States and East African trade and development officials in Kampala, Uganda to discuss implementation of the United States-East African Community (EAC) Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA). The TIFA provides a forum for advancing cooperation on trade and investment issues between the United States and the five EAC member states - Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. The meetings, which were co-led by Deputy United States Trade Representative Demetrios Marantis and Ugandan Minister of State for Trade Gagawala Wambuzi, were the first held under the TIFA's bilateral Trade and Investment Council (TIFA Council), which identifies opportunities and provides a forum for addressing challenges in the U.S.-EAC trade and investment relationship.

View USTR's February 12, 2010 press release announcing that, due to inclement weather, the filing deadlines are being extended for public comments and other submissions in the 2010 "Special 301" review of the adequacy and effectiveness of U.S. trading partners' protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights. February 18 at 5:00 p.m. is the deadline for interested parties (except for foreign governments) to submit written comments and requests to testify at the Special 301 Public Hearing, and accompanying hearing statements. The Special 301 Public Hearing will take place as previously scheduled on Wednesday, March 3, 2010, and additional days from March 4 - 8, as necessary, at the United States International Trade Commission, 500 E St. SW, Washington, D.C. For additional information, please consult the press release.

On February 12, U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk signed a U.S.-Canada agreement on government procurement, which had been signed earlier in the week in Canada by Canadian Minister of International Trade Peter Van Loan. The new agreement provides for permanent U.S. access to Canadian provincial and territorial procurement contracts in accordance with the WTO Government Procurement Agreement (GPA). In addition, the agreement enables American companies to compete for Canadian provincial and municipal construction contracts not covered by the GPA through September 2011. The United States will provide reciprocal access for Canadian companies to 37 states already covered by the GPA and a limited number of Recovery Act programs. Taken together, these provisions strengthen an already robust U.S.-Canada trade relationship. Commenting on the agreement, Ambassador Kirk stated, "This agreement resolves key outstanding U.S.-Canada government procurement issues and creates tens of billions of dollars worth of new job-supporting export opportunities for American companies and workers."

On February 4, Commerce Secretary Gary Locke unveiled details of the National Export Initiative (NEI), which will assist in realizing President Obama's goal of doubling exports over the next five years to support 2 million new jobs. The NEI is focused on three key areas: 1) expanding trade advocacy, especially for small- and medium-sized enterprises; 2) improving access to credit, with an emphasis on small- and medium-sized businesses that want to export; and 3) continuing the rigorous enforcement of international trade laws to help remove barriers that prevent U.S. companies from getting free and fair access to foreign markets. The NEI also creates an Export Promotion Cabinet reporting to the President that will consist of top leaders from agencies that can contribute to this effort, including the Commerce, State and Agriculture Departments and USTR. The NEI directs the USG to continue its efforts to remove barriers that prevent U.S. firms from getting free and fair access to foreign markets. The Administration will pursue trade agreements that are balanced, ambitious and improve market access for U.S. workers, firms, farmers and ranchers.

Commerce Secretary Locke Meets with German Minister of Economics and Technology Rainer Bruederle

During their first meeting, held February 2, Commerce Secretary Gary Locke and German Minister of Economics and Technology Rainer Bruederle discussed the importance of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to both countries' economies and the need for continued economic cooperation. Since taking office in October, Minister Bruederle has stressed the importance of SMEs to the German economy. Locke and Bruederle also addressed the role of the Transatlantic Economic Council, with Secretary Locke noting that the Council ". allows the United States and European Union to move toward greater economic cooperation, which will help our economies recover from the global recession."

Kirk Comments on List of U.S. Autos Qualifying for Japan's Eco-Friendly Vehicle Purchase Program

On February 3, U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk issued a brief statement in response to Japan's release of the list of a limited number of U.S. autos models that qualify under its Eco-friendly Vehicle Purchase Program (Japan's version of "cash-for-clunkers"). After announcing changes that opened opportunities for autos imported using the PHP import certification process to qualify for its program on January 19, on February 3 Japan released a list of U.S. autos models that qualify based on EPA "city" mileage ratings instead of EPA "combined city/highway" mileage ratings. Ambassador Kirk called Japan's decision "particularly unfortunate in light of its recent announcement to open opportunities for U.S. autos to qualify for its program, which was a welcome step." Kirk added, "We will continue to urge Japan to implement its program in a manner that is transparent and as inclusive of U.S. autos as possible."

View the text of the statement , released by USTR on January 29, from the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) negotiating partners regarding the recent round of ACTA negotiations in Guadalajara, Mexico. During the meeting, the participants underlined the importance of ACTA as an agreement which shall provide for an enhanced framework to fight global infringement of intellectual property rights, particularly in the context of counterfeiting and piracy. They agreed that the next meeting would be hosted by New Zealand in April 2010, and reaffirmed their commitment to continue their work with the aim of concluding the agreement by the end of 2010.

Commerce Department 2011 Budget Proposal Seeks Investments in Innovation, Clean Energy, Infrastructure, Job Creation
On February 1, President Obama submitted to Congress an $8.9 billion FY 2011 budget request for the Commerce Department. The budget reflects a number of priorities, which include spurring the growth of U.S. exports and the jobs that come with them. Noting the Administration's priority "to translate increased economic activity into job growth," Commerce Secretary Gary Locke called the President's budget "a fiscally-sound approach to doing just that-investing in innovation, security and long-term economic competitiveness." The budget provides $534 million, a 20 percent increase, to the International Trade Administration (ITA) in support of President Obama's National Export Initiative and the broader federal effort to increase American exports. ITA will strengthen its efforts to promote exports from small- and medium-sized enterprises, help enforce U.S. trade law, fight to eliminate barriers to sales of American products and services, and improve the competitiveness of U.S. firms.

In her January 28, 2010 post to the International Trade Administration's (ITA) Tradeology Blog, Acting Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade Michelle O'Neill stated that President Obama recognized the importance of exports and the National Export Initiative in his State of the Union Address . Citing the President's goal to double exports by the end of the next five years and support new jobs in America, Ms. O'Neill called on ITA staff to work together as they step up their efforts a notch to help more farmers and small businesses expand exports, continue to pursue free trade agreements and enforce them, push for concluding the Doha Round of WTO trade negotiations, and expand key trading relationships.