The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative is accepting comments on the U.S. request for World Trade Organization consultations with the government of China about China's antidumping and countervailing duty measures on U.S. automobiles (See ITT's Online Archives [Ref.12070521]). The request is at www.wto.org, designated as WT/DS440/1. It said comments should be submitted by Aug. 31, 2012 to www.regulations.gov, docket USTR-2012-0016. Further information: Dan Stirk, 202-395-3150.

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said it invites written comments from the public on the World Trade Organization dispute settlement proceeding regarding China's exports of rare earths, Tungsten and Molybdenum. Comments are due by Aug. 27 to www.regulations.gov, docket number USTR-2012-0005, or contact Sandy McKinzy at 202-395-9483. Further information: Jared Wessel, 202-395-3150.

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said it's prepared to receive petitions to modify the list of products that are eligible for duty-free treatment under the GSP program and to modify the GSP status of certain GSP beneficiary developing countries because of country practices. USTR said it's also prepared to receive petitions requesting waivers of competitive need limitations (CNLs). GSP petitions must be received by the GSP Subcommittee of the Trade Policy Staff Committee by 5 p.m. Oct. 5, and CNL petitions by 5 p.m. Nov. 21, it said. GSP petitions may be to: designate additional articles as eligible for GSP benefits, including to designate articles as eligible for GSP benefits only if imported from countries designated as least-developed beneficiary developing countries, or only from countries designated as beneficiary sub-Saharan African countries under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) withdraw, suspend or limit the application of duty-free treatment accorded under the GSP with respect to any article; waive the CNL for individual beneficiary developing countries with respect to specific GSP-eligible articles (these limits do not apply to least-developed beneficiary developing countries or AGOA beneficiary sub-Saharan African countries); or otherwise modify GSP coverage. Further information: Tameka Cooper, 202-395-6971 or Tameka_Cooper@ustr.eop.gov.

The U.S. Trade Representative should "vigorously defend" the Department of Commerce findings in its countervailing duties proceeding involving citrus and coated paper from China, said a joint filing by Appleton Coated, NewPage, S.D. Warren d/b/a Sappi Fine Paper North America, and the United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union. The USTR was seeking comments on the World Trade Organization dispute settlement proceeding (see ITT's Online Archives 12062122.)

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative is seeking comments on negotiating objectives for Mexico's participation in the negotiations of a Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement. It also set a public hearing for Sept. 21. Comments can be submitted via www.regulations.gov, docket number docket number USTR-2012-0014 by Sept. 4. Additional information: Donald Eiss, 202-395-3475.

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative is seeking comments on negotiating objectives for Canada's participation in the negotiations of a Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement. It also set a public hearing for Sept. 24. Comments can be submitted via www.regulations.gov, docket number USTR-2012-0015 by Sept. 4. Additional information: Donald Eiss, 202-395-3475.

U.S. and Indonesian officials concluded a two-day meeting July 17 under the bilateral Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) to discuss ways to further build bilateral trade and investment ties and address priority issues, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said. The two sides agreed at the meeting in Kuta, Indonesia, to boost their engagement under TIFA and will reactivate working groups that can focus on ways to resolve issues between them, a USTR release said. U.S. Government officials voiced concerns about several recent trade and investment measures that could restrict access to the Indonesian market for livestock, horticulture, and other products, it said. The two sides also discussed Indonesia’s intellectual property regime and agreed to launch a program of expanded engagement under the TIFA working group on intellectual property rights. The U.S. and Indonesian delegations plan a TIFA meeting in mid-September to follow up on this week’s discussions, it said. The U.S. delegation was led by Assistant U.S. Trade Representative Barbara Weisel and included senior officials from the Departments of State, Agriculture, and Commerce, as well as the Patent and Trademark Office and the Environmental Protection Agency. U.S. goods and services trade with Indonesia totaled $28.5 billion in 2011. U.S. exports of agricultural products to Indonesia totaled $2.8 billion in 2011, the 8th largest U.S. agricultural export market. U.S. foreign direct investment was $15.5 billion in Indonesia's market in 2010, mostly in the energy and mining sector.

U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk concluded a three-day visit to Ghana last week where he discussed with officials “both countries’ interest in considering the possibility of a U.S.-Ghana bilateral investment treaty (BIT),” an USTR release said. In Accra, Kirk had a series of bilateral meetings with business leaders and Ghanaian government officials The discussions centered on the importance of trade and investment in promoting economic growth in Africa and the U.S., as well as the Obama administration’s new Presidential Policy Directive (PPD) for Sub-Saharan Africa, it said. Two-way trade between the U.S. and Ghana reached $2 billion in 2011, a 56 percent increase over 2010, USTR said. U.S. imports from Ghana were valued at $779 million, up nearly from $273 million in 2010. Imports from Ghana under the African Growth and Opportunity Act were $454 million in 2011, and consisted of oil, cocoa powder and paste, vegetables, fruits, precious metals, baskets and apparel, the release said. U.S. exports to Ghana topped $2 billion in 2011, up 25 percent from $963 million in 2010, and included petroleum products, machinery, and vehicles. Ghana was chosen as one of four countries in President Obama’s Partnerships for Growth (PFG) initiative, which is designed to promote broad-based economic growth through trade and investment.

While trade barriers affect all businesses, they pose “particular challenges” for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and “we are ready to focus on measures that disproportionately affect SMEs, especially those that impose additional costs, and thereby hamper SME export performance,” said Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Miriam Sapiro. At a workshop on SMEs organized under the U.S.-EU Transatlantic Economic Council in Rome Thursday, she said SMEs with limited resources often find it difficult to meet foreign standards, testing and certification requirements. In the services sector, insufficient intellectual property protection “poses a relatively larger risk to firms with limited resources,” she said. Services SMEs also find it more difficult to establish affiliates in foreign markets, where preferences for local providers can make it more burdensome for SMEs. Small businesses account for nearly 98 percent of all U.S. exporters, she said. The value of exports by U.S. small businesses in 2010 was more than $380 billion, a 24 percent increase over 2009. “These trends are positive, but I believe we can do better,” Sapiro said.

The Russian Duma ratified Russia’s World Trade Organization (WTO) accession package. U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk said the U.S. is "pleased" that Russia has "completed this critical first step in its domestic process" for becoming a WTO member. "Russia’s membership in the rules-based global trading system of the WTO will contribute to Russia’s economic growth as well as provide us with new opportunities to guide and grow our bilateral economic relationship," Kirk said. The legislation now moves to the upper chamber of Russia’s parliament, the Federation Council, for adoption, and then to the President for signature. Russia has until July 23 to notify the WTO.