The U.S., along with 12 other nations and the European Union (EU), launched negotiations on the Environmental Goods Agreement at the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Geneva, Switzerland on July 8, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) said. Negotiators will now meet regularly to try to hammer out a deal in a “timely” fashion, said the participants in a joint statement published by USTR. The statement did not give a specific time target for conclusion of negotiations. The other 12 parties to the talks are Australia, Canada, China, Costa Rica, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, Switzerland and Taiwan.

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) is urging China to make preliminary concessions toward expanding the Information Technology Agreement (ITA) aimed at restarting stalled negotiations prior to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) convention in November, said USTR chief Michael Froman during a July 7 conference call with reporters. Froman said China is able to concede valuable products for tariff elimination as part of a future ITA expansion deal during the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue this week in Beijing. “This is an area where concrete progress would have potential positive spillover effects into other negotiations between us, whether it’s the bilateral investment treaty discussions or other international negotiations,” said Froman. “We think it's well within China’s grasp to make progress at the [Dialogue] if they so choose to do so.” U.S. and Chinese officials began negotiations about a year ago.

U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Michael Froman will travel to Beijing from July 7-11 to participate in the 6th round of the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue, the Office of the USTR said in its weekly schedule. Assistant USTR and deputy chief of mission to the World Trade Organization (WTO), Christopher Wilson, will participate on July 8 in a WTO press conference in Geneva to mark the launch of Environmental Goods Agreement negotiations. Assistant USTR for Environment and Natural Resources Jennifer Prescott will then on July 8 join a panel discussion in Geneva on green goods duty elimination sponsored by the International Center for Trade and Sustainable Development, USTR said. There are no USTR events scheduled for the remainder of the week, said the release.

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) reallocated 99,290 metric tons raw value (MTRV) of the U.S. tariff-rate quota (TRQ) for imported raw sugar cane in fiscal year 2014, the agency announced on July 3. Several quota holding countries determined through consultations with USTR they will not be able to meet their TRQ designations, so USTR is providing opportunities for other countries to fill the void based on historical shipments to the U.S., said the agency. The minimum U.S. raw cane sugar TRQ is 1,117,195 MTRV annually, in accordance with World Trade Organization agreement (see 14042835). The reallocation is as follows:

The Bangladeshi government and industry have so far failed to complete worker rights and labor improvements necessary for reinstatement into the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), said the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative on July 2 after concluding a review of progress in the country. The Obama administration removed Bangladesh from the GSP program in June 2013, urging the country to improve labor conditions through an action plan.

U.S. and Jordanian officials met on July 2 to review implementation of the labor mandates in the U.S.-Jordan free trade agreement, said the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR). The two sides signed the Labor Implementation Plan in 2013 to address anti-union discrimination against foreign workers and the conditions of their accommodations in Jordanian garment factories, along with gender discrimination and harassment. USTR did not elaborate on specific negotiation outcomes or topics during the meeting.

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) is asking for public comments on the environmental impacts of the proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (here) and Trade in Services Agreement (here) currently under negotiation. The agency, through its Trade Policy Staff Committee, is conducting environmental reviews of both potential agreements. Comments in response to both requests must be submitted by Sept. 2. The committee is asking for comments on the positive or negative environmental effects that may result from successful conclusion of each agreement, potential implications for U.S. environmental laws and regulations, and insight into best practices related to review methodology. The comments are intended to be one of many tools used to gauge the potential environmental impacts of the agreements, said USTR.

The U.S. and South Korea harmonized effective July 1 labeling regimes for organic processed products certified in both countries, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) said. The equivalency agreement is intended to foster greater market opportunities in South Korea for U.S. organic farmers, processors, and businesses, by eliminating the need for two sets of fees, inspections, and paperwork, along with other barriers, said USTR. The agreement covers organic condiments, cereal, baby food, frozen meals, milk, and other processed products, USTR said. The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the South Korean National Agricultural Products Quality Management Service will likely lead oversight on the agreement, the agency added.

U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman will meet with the Industry Trade Advisory Committee on Africa on June 30, said the Office of the USTR in its weekly schedule. Froman will then on the same day meet with French Minister of Foreign Trade Fleur Pellerin. Froman will also hold separate July 1 meetings with German Ambassador to the U.S. Peter Wittig, South African Ambassador to the U.S. Ebrahim Rasool, and Chilean Director General of International Economic Relations Andrés Rebolledo. All the meetings Froman is scheduled to participate in will be held in Washington D.C. Acting Deputy U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Wendy Cutler will meet with senior Japanese trade negotiators Hiroshi Oe and Takeo Mori from June 30 -- July 2 in Tokyo, Japan to discuss agriculture market access and auto market barriers in the Trans-Pacific Partnership, as well, USTR said.

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) and Department of Agriculture (USDA) appointed 19 new members to fill seats on six agricultural trade advisory committees, the agencies announced on June 26. USTR and USDA jointly oversee and manage the advisory committees, a USTR press release said. The agencies rely on the advisory committees for recommendations on how trade opportunities will impact U.S. industry, said USTR chief Michael Froman. The Obama administration is pushing for agricultural tariff elimination in Trans-Pacific Partnership and Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership negotiations.