USTR Kirk Says FTAs Can be Passed by August, but Wants TAA
At a May 12, 2011 House Agriculture Committee hearing, U.S. Trade Representative Kirk stated that the Administration has begun technical discussions on the draft implementing legislation for the three pending free trade agreements and noted that they could be approved by August, if Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) has already been passed. Kirk also discussed his plans to work with Korea on U.S. beef import access to the Korean market.
Sign up for a free preview to unlock the rest of this article
Export Compliance Daily combines U.S. export control news, foreign border import regulation and policy developments into a single daily information service that reliably informs its trade professional readers about important current issues affecting their operations.
Congressional Talks Launched, FTAs Are to be Part of Broad Trade Agenda
Kirk stated that the Administration began the technical discussions on drafting the implementing bills and the Statements of Administrative Action for each of the pending FTAs (South Korea, Colombia, and Panama) with the Committees of jurisdiction. They are hoping to complete that review as expeditiously as possible so that they can formally submit the agreements to Congress.
However, these agreements are part of the Administration’s broad trade agenda that includes reauthorization of TAA as well as renewal of the expired trade preference programs (the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program and the Andean Trade Preference Act/Andean Trade Promotion and Drug Eradication Act (ATPA/ATPDEA)) and the beginning of a conversation with Congress about granting permanent normal trade relations for Russia (PNTR) as it prepares to join the World Trade Organization.
Plans to Work with Congress to Move FTAs in Concert with TAA, Etc.
When asked if USTR could meet a goal of moving the Colombia FTA by July 1 he said he plans to work with Congress on “the broader goal of when we would move all of the FTAs in concert with other items” referenced, particularly with respect to TAA. (The other items are the preference program renewal and PNTR for Russia.)
(The expansion of TAA to service workers, etc. in 2009 lapsed on February 12, 2011, leaving in effect only the “old,” more restrictive program. Prior to its lapse, efforts to renew it failed after attempts were made to link its renewal to the extension of the ATPA/ATPDEA, which also expired on February 12, 2011. GSP expired on December 31, 2010.)
(See ITT’s Online Archives or 05/12/11 news, 11051218, for BP summary of the Senate Finance Chair saying Congress must enact TAA in tandem with the FTAs.)
Says FTAs Can be Approved by August if Get TAA Passed
When pressed to give an answer on when Congress could expect the FTAs to be passed, Kirk said that if Congress passes the renewal of TAA the pending FTAs could be passed by Congress by August, perhaps sooner.
U.S. Seeks Full Implementation/Application of U.S.-Korea 2008 Beef Protocol
Separately, the Administration will request consultations with Korea under the 2008 Beef Protocol to discuss the full implementation and application of that agreement after the FTA goes into effect. (See ITT’s Online Archives or 05/05/11 news, 11050512, for BP summary of USTR Kirk’s letter saying that the U.S. would request consultations and Senate Finance Chairman Baucus saying that he would now support the FTA.)
(See ITT’s Online Archives or 01/18/08 news, 06011899 #1, for BP summary announcing the protocol.
See ITT's Online Archives or 06/30/08 news, 08063010, for BP summary of USDA measures to be taken under the protocol.)