"It is time" to bring talks aimed at a World Trade Organization agreement in trade in services "back to Geneva with the ultimate aim of reinforcing and strengthening the rules-based multilateral trading system," a group of WTO member nations, including the U.S., said in a statement.
US Trade Representative (USTR)
A U.S. Cabinet level position which serves as the President's primary representative, negotiator, and spokesperson regarding U.S. trade policy. The USTR heads the Office of the United States Trade Representative which develops and coordinates U.S. policy for international trade, commodities, and direct investments, as well as overseeing trade negotiations with other countries.
Saying there may be “needless secrecy and over-classification of documents” relating to the ongoing negotiations over a potential Trans-Pacific Partnership Free Trade Agreement (TPP-FTA), more than 130 members of Congress wrote U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk urging him to “engage in broader and deeper consultations with members of the full range of committees of Congress whose jurisdiction touches on the wide-ranging issues involved.” The USTR should also ensure “there is ample opportunity for Congress to have input on critical policies that will have broad ramifications for years to come,” they said.
The International Trade Administration found AD cash deposit rates of zero for 25 companies, and found reduced AD rates for 7 companies (one company’s rate is unchanged1), in the final results of its section 129 recalculations of the antidumping cash deposit rates currently in effect for companies whose merchandise is subject to 8 AD duty orders on certain products originating from the European Union and Japan, pursuant to instructions from the U.S. Trade Representative. The recalculations were done in order to implement the WTO’s findings in three zeroing disputes. The ITA made no change between its preliminary section 129 results and these final results. These AD rates will not be in effect until the ITA receives an implementation letter from USTR.
The next round of talks on the Trans-Pacific Partnership will have a somewhat different format for public interest participation, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Trade Representative confirmed. In the new format, outside parties will not be able to make presentations to negotiators and stakeholders about their views, as part of the talks, but will instead be given space to set up exhibits and booths at which they can communicate with negotiators, the press or others.
In its first step toward implementing the WTO's findings in three zeroing disputes, the International Trade Administration issued the preliminary results of its section 129 proceedings to recalculate, pursuant to the USTR's instructions, the antidumping cash deposit rates currently in effect for certain companies whose merchandise is subject to 8 AD duty orders on certain products originating from the European Union and Japan. The ITA has preliminarily found AD cash deposit rates of zero for 25 companies, and found reduced AD rates for 7 companies (one company’s rate is unchanged1). These preliminary AD cash deposit rates are not in effect.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative is seeking comments by April 6, 2012 on the country/tariff number pairs that could lose their Generalized System of Preferences duty-free treatment in the 2011 Annual Review if they exceed certain statutory thresholds or one or both Competitive Needs Limits (CNLs). Comments are also sought on the possible re-designation of articles currently ineligible for GSP. While 2011 full calendar data is available for all GSP-eligible tariff numbers, USTR has issued four lists that indicate the GSP changes for 156 tariff numbers that may take effect on July 1, 2012.
On October 6, 2011, US. Trade Representative Kirk announced that the U.S. had submitted information to the World Trade Organization identifying nearly 200 subsidy programs that China had failed to notify as required under WTO rules. Information was also submitted on 50 subsidy programs in India not previously notified. The Department of Commerce has now posted these lists of subsidies. U.S. list of counter notifications for China available here. U.S. list of counter notifications for India available here.
Deputy U.S. Trade Representative and Permanent Representative to the World Trade Organization Punke issued a statement on WTO Director-General Lamy's assessment of the current deadlock in the Doha negotiations. Punke agrees with Lamy that there is a fundamental gap in expectations among key Members in non-agricultural market access (i.e. industrial tariffs) but states that services and agriculture also have fundamental differences. He said, “We need to determine - collectively - whether some branch of the current path can lead us to the finish line. If so, let’s all get to work. If not, we need to consider the viability of other pathways."
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative has issued a notice announcing that it is modifying the Harmonized Tariff Schedule to reflect that Canada will begin collecting the additional 10% duty on exports to the U.S. of softwood lumber products from the provinces of Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan for products with a shipment date of September 1, 2010 or later.
On June 30, 2010, a World Trade Organization dispute settlement panel issued its report in the long-running dispute brought by the U.S. on “European Communities and Certain Member States - Measures Affecting Trade in Large Civil Aircraft” (DS316, aka the Airbus dispute).