The U.S. proposal for investor-state dispute settlement in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiations and other effective or pending trade agreements would strengthen arbitration procedures through enhancing safeguards and transparency, said the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative in a March 27 statement. The mechanism could not be abused to jeopardize countries’ financial stability, environmental protection efforts, or public health, said USTR, categorically dismissing allegations to that effect. “The United States wouldn’t negotiate away its right to regulate in the best interest of its citizens, and we don’t ask other countries to do so either,” said USTR. “U.S. trade agreements do not require countries to lower their levels of regulation. In fact, in our trade agreements, we require our partners to effectively enforce their environmental and labor laws and to take on new commitments to increase environmental and labor protections.” The Workers Uniting labor group said on March 26 TTIP should exclude the investor-state dispute settlement mechanism, noting that Germany and France oppose the provision (see 14032630).

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) is asking the public for comments on the new World Trade Organization (WTO) environmental goods agreement, in preparation for a June 5 hearing on the matter. USTR aims to launch negotiations on the agreement within months, after first announcing interest in June alongside 12 other nations and the European Union (see 14032415). The comments are due on May 5 and should include information on the following areas:

A World Trade Organization (WTO) settlement panel found Chinese export restraints on two rare earth metals, tungsten and molybdenum, violate WTO agreements, U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Michael Froman announced on March 26. The panel ruled in favor of the U.S. in the dispute, the Office of the USTR said in a press release. The WTO website has not yet published the ruling. U.S. companies import the rare earth metals to use as inputs for hybrid car batteries, wind turbines, energy-efficient lighting, steel, advanced electronics, automobiles, petroleum and chemicals, USTR said.

Negotiators at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) will conduct several different sets of meetings with Japanese officials in the coming days, USTR announced on March 24. Acting Deputy USTR Wendy Cutler will meet with Japanese deputy chief negotiator Hiroshi Oe in Washington D.C. from March 27-28 on agricultural market access. Lower levels market access negotiations will also begin on March 26 and last several days, said USTR. Cuter will then meet with Japanese negotiator Takeo Mori from March 31-April 1 on opening the Japanese auto market. Japanese tariff and non-tariff barriers are among issues slowing Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations, said USTR chief Michael Froman on March 18 (see 14031821).

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) intends to launch negotiations within three months on a World Trade Organization agreement on comprehensive elimination of tariffs on environmental goods, said USTR Michael Froman in March 21 letters to Speaker of the House John Boeher, R-Ohio, and Senate President Pro Tempore Patrick Leahy, D-Vt. The agreement would boost U.S. environmental good exports by breaking down trade barriers with foreign partners and strengthen the global effort to preserve the environment.

U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Michael Froman will participate in a U.S.-European Union summit on March 26 with European Council President Herman Van Rompuy, European Commission President José Manuel Barroso and President Barack Obama in Brussels, Belgium, the Office of the USTR said in its weekly schedule. Acting Deputy USTR Wendy Cutler will also join a panel discussion at the U.S.-Japan Council focused on Japanese efforts to expand the participation of women in its economy, said USTR.

The Philippines is making significant strides towards improving intellectual property rights protection and labor conditions as part of the U.S.-Philippine Trade and Investment Framework Agreement, said the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) following a bilateral meeting on the agreement. The officials at the meeting, including assistant USTR Barbara Weisel, also discussed bilateral rice and meat trade, according to USTR. The Philippine restrictions on rice imports may violate World Trade Organization agreements, according to local media (here). The U.S. is interested in permitting the restrictions to continue, in exchange for meat market access concessions, according to the local media report. The two sides also discussed Philippine accession to the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations during the meeting, said USTR. The Office of the USTR did not respond for comment.

U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Michael Froman will speak at the German Marshall Fund’s Brussels Forum, alongside EU Commissioner for Trade Karel De Gucht, on March 22, the Office of the USTR said in an update to its weekly schedule release. The two officials are the lead negotiators in Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership talks.

U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Michael Froman will speak at the Atlantic Annual Economy Summit on March 18, the Office of the USTR said in a weekly schedule release. Later that day, Froman will meet with Richard Trumka, president of the AFL-CIO. Acting Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Wendy Cutler will also deliver remarks on the Trans-Pacific Partnership at Georgetown University on March 20.

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) is asking for nominations for membership on the USTR Trade Advisory Committee on Africa. USTR is also announcing the renewal of the committee charter for four more years. The committee advises USTR on trade and development policy advice for Africa. Nominations for current vacancies should be received by April 18. USTR will consider nominations on a rolling basis following that date to fill vacancies through the expiration of the charter on March 17, 2018. Nominations should be submitted to USTR official Tiffany Enoch IAPE@ustr.eop.gov. For alternatives to email submission, contact Enoch at (202) 395-6120.