The Trans-Pacific Partnership will ensure intellectual property for U.S. biologics by requiring “an extended term of effective market protection” on the products for the first time in a U.S. free trade agreement, said Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Robert Holleyman during a recent speech to the Chamber of Commerce. His remarks (here) come on the heels of fierce criticism from Senate Finance Chairman Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, against the outcome on biologics (see 1511060028).
U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman and Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker will lead the U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade from Nov. 21-23 in Guangzhou, China, alongside Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang, the office of USTR said on Nov. 4. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will also participate in the talks, said USTR.
U.S .Trade Representative Michael Froman will meet with European lawmakers on Nov. 3 for closed-door Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership talks, the Office of the USTR said in its weekly schedule. Chief USTR Agriculture negotiator Darci Vetter will, also on Nov. 3, deliver remarks to the Retail Industry Leaders Association customs committee, as well as the North American Meat Institute (NAMI). Both those events are closed to the press. Froman will then on Nov. 4 deliver remarks to the Transatlantic Legislators Dialogue, and Deputy USTR Robert Holleyman will speak to the CBP East Coast Trade Symposium in Baltimore on the same day. On Nov. 5, Froman participates in a trade conference in Norfolk and Vetter will speak to the NAMI board of directors. To cap off the week, Froman will meet with Colombian Ambassador to the U.S. Juan Carlos Pinzon.
The U.S. appears to have cut barriers to leather footwear exports to Japan through the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the American Apparel and Footwear Association said in comments (here) to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative for the 2015 National Trade Estimate report. U.S. apparel groups and retailers have long fought to dismantle those barriers, which involve a strict tariff-rate quota (see 14040816). USTR hasn’t yet disclosed the text of the TPP pact. The agency asked for industry comments in April (see 1508180030).
Indonesia will need to address certain protectionist practices in the information and communications technology (ICT) sector in order to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), Information Technology Industry Council (ITI) Global Policy Director Ed Brzytwa said in a blog post (here). Indonesian President Joko Widodo recently expressed his interest in joining the TPP. Brzytwa said Indonesia tends to favor local companies and industries over foreign competitors in the ICT space and will need to change certain practices, including a new data localization requirement, to join the pact. "The data localization requirement will impose higher costs on local companies, especially on small and medium sized enterprises," wrote Brzytwa. "It will also raise costs for U.S.-headquartered companies operating in Indonesia, as well as Indonesian businesses and consumers, undermining Indonesia’s global and regional competitiveness." ITI would "strongly support" including an affirmative statement in Indonesia's Digital Economy 2020 vision that it will avoid and roll back all forced localization measures, Brzytwa said. ITI will engage with Indonesian officials to find more trade and investment-friendly approaches in order to meet its objectives, he said.
The U.S. will “continue sharing” the details of the Trans-Pacific Partnership with Indonesia and other countries across the globe that are interested in accession, U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman told a U.S.-Indonesia investment summit on Oct. 26. His remarks (here) come three weeks to the day after the 12 total TPP parties wrapped up negotiations (see 1510050020). “Having just concluded the [TPP] negotiations, I know there is renewed interest in how TPP’s high standards might be expanded across more of the region,” said Froman. “As we’ve said from the beginning, TPP is intended to be an open platform to which other countries who are able and willing to meet its standards, can potentially accede. It’s a way of revitalizing trade liberalization and setting high standards, not just among the 12 countries, but more broadly, across the region and throughout the world.” In his remarks, however, Froman pointed out a range of trade barriers the Indonesian government continues to administer, from import licensing restrictions to localization barriers.
The Trans-Pacific Partnership is poised to improve U.S. competitiveness in NAFTA by “tackling” Canadian trade barriers on U.S. dairy and poultry exports, U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman told the Atlantic Council at an Oct. 27 event (here). Froman didn’t disclose details of the market access terms. Lawmakers and domestic producers have over past months threatened to oppose the pact without real Canadian concessions in those sectors (see 1504070006).
U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman will participate in the U.S.-Indonesia Investment Summit in Washington on Oct. 26, the Office of the USTR said in its weekly schedule. Froman will then deliver public remarks to the Atlantic Council on Oct. 27, while Deputy USTR Michael Punke meets with World Trade Organization chief Roberto Azevedo on the same day on the Environmental Goods Agreement. On Oct. 28, Deputy USTR Robert Holleyman will co-chair a U.S.-India working group on intellectual property, and the following day, Froman and Holleyman will lead the U.S.-India Trade Policy Forum. Also on Oct. 29, Froman will deliver remarks to a U.S.-Georgia trade summit. All those events take place in Washington. To wrap up the week and move into next week, USTR will then participate in the 10th round of EGA talks in Geneva from Oct. 29-Nov. 4.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative is asking for applications to fill the roster of binational panels in the North American Free Trade Agreement designed to review final determinations in antidumping and countervailing duty proceedings and legal changes, the agency said in a notice (here). Approved applicants will sit on those panels from April 1, 2016 through March 31, 2017. The deadline for applications is Nov. 20. NAFTA provides for a roster of at least 75 individuals, at least 25 from each NAFTA party, for consideration on those panels, which NAFTA parties form to review an AD/CVD determination or statutory amendment. Panelists are generally private sector individuals with trade law expertise. Applications should be submitted electronically via www.regulations.gov, docket number USTR-2015-0017.
The U.S. is prepared to negotiate terms of future lumber trade with Canada following the recent expiration of the Softwood Lumber Agreement, a spokesman for the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said on Oct. 15. “The United States is in close contact with domestic stakeholders and stands ready to engage with Canada to ensure fair and stable conditions for trade in softwood lumber that reflect current market realities," said the spokesman. The SLA lapsed on Oct. 12. The U.S. Lumber Coalition lashed into Canada’s alleged refusal to negotiate a renewal of the agreement (see 1510130010). A Canadian government official, also in recent days, criticized alleged U.S. reluctance to hold talks, according to Canadian media (here). The lapse of the SLA could pave the way for antidumping and countervailing duties on Canadian softwood lumber.