The U.S. is proposing at the upcoming Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement talks in San Diego a new provision that will "obligate parties to achieve an appropriate balance" in their copyright systems in providing "exceptions and limitations for purposes of criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship and research," the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said. "These principles are critical aspects of the U.S. copyright system, and appear in both our law and jurisprudence," it said. The "balance" sought by the U.S. proposal "recognizes and promotes respect for the important interest of individuals, businesses, and institutions" that rely on "appropriate exceptions and limitations in the TPP region," USTR said. It’s the first time that the U.S. is making such a proposal in any U.S. trade agreement, it said.
"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.
U.S. trade with the Andean Trade Preference Act (ATPA) was virtually unchanged in 2011, falling less than 0.1 percent following rapid growth of 34 percent in 2010, despite the exit of Peru from the program at the beginning of the year, and the lapse in the program from February 12, 2011, through October 21, 2011, according to the report on ATPA released June 30 by the U.S. Trade Representative.
The U.S. Council for International Business is "quite concerned" with the U.S. Trade Representative determination to maintain access to Andean Trade Preference Act trade preference benefits for the government of Ecuador, it said in a statement. "With Peru and Colombia now moving up to full Free Trade Agreement partner status, Ecuador is the sole potential recipient of ATPA preferences going forward," it said. "Yet, in recent years, the Government of Ecuador has flaunted international and ATPA standards in key areas of rule-of-law and respect for arbitral awards." "It is inappropriate to reward the Government of Ecuador for its behavior in these key areas with preferential access to our market," USCIB said. "Ecuador should only obtain these benefits by coming into compliance with the eligibility criteria in the ATPA statute."
The Office of U.S. Trade Representative closed the Generalized System of Preferences country practice review on worker rights in Sri Lanka without any change to Sri Lanka’s GSP trade benefits, said USTR Ron Kirk. The AFL-CIO had filed a petition in 2008 alleging shortcomings in Sri Lanka’s recognition of worker rights. Kirk noted “the Sri Lankan government’s noteworthy efforts over the past few years to address the worker rights issues outlined in the GSP petition.” Among the steps, USTR said, are making progress in initiating, investigating and resolving unfair labor practices cases; establishing trade union facilitation centers in each of the three largest Economic Processing Zones; improving procedures for conducting union certifications; and enacting legislation to increase the fines for labor practices violations.
Two-way trade between the U.S. and Turkey crossed $20 billion in 2011, making it the U.S.’s 32nd largest goods trading partner, the Office of the United States Trade Representative said. U.S. goods exports to Turkey totaled nearly $15 billion in 2011, which represents almost a 39 percent increase from 2010 and a 292 percent increase from 2000. The top U.S. export categories were aircraft, iron and steel, mineral fuel, cotton yarn and fabric, and machinery. Turkey is also the U.S.’ 10th largest agricultural export market, with 2011 bringing in a total of $2.5 billion. Leading categories of agricultural exports were cotton, wheat, tree nuts, and live animals. U.S. Trade Rep. Ron Kirk is in Turkey this week with Acting Commerce Secretary Rebecca Blank to attend the second meeting of the U.S.-Turkey Framework for Strategic Economic and Commercial Cooperation (FSECC).
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative is seeking applicants to serve on dispute settlement panels required for some trade agreements to which the U.S. is a party, it said in a Federal Register notice. The agreements include the U.S.-Australia Free Trade Agreement, the U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement, the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement, the U.S.-Morocco Free Trade Agreement, and the U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement. Applications should be received by Aug. 9 at www.regulations.gov, docket number USTR-2012-0009. Further information: Catherine Field, 202-395-3432.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative is seeking comments on China's request for World Trade Organization consultations with the U.S. about countervailing duty determinations and orders by the International Trade Administration on imports of the products from China (see ITT's Online Archives 12052537).
Parties to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement invited Canada to join the TPP negotiations, pending successful conclusion of domestic procedures, they said at the G20 meeting. Canada, like Mexico (see ITT's Online Archives [Ref.12061837]) had previously indicated strong interest in joining TPP ([Ref.12040419]). In addition to the U.S., current TPP countries are Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam. Next steps will parallel those for Mexico. The Administration will shortly notify Congress of our intent to include Canada in the TPP negotiations. The notification will trigger a 90-day consultation period with Congress on U.S. negotiating objectives with respect to Canada. Comments will be sought via a Federal Register notice. The TPP countries have completed 12 rounds of negotiations and the nine countries have made what U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk called solid progress. The next round of negotiations is scheduled for July 2-10 in San Diego.
U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk said a negotiating team led by USTR reached an agreement with Mauritius on a set of non-binding trade-related principles for information and communication technology (ICT) services. The U.S. and Mauritius will jointly promote the adoption of these principles by other countries.