The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and the Commerce Department are seeking comments through July 31 on the performance of U.S. free trade agreements as well as on trade relations with World Trade Organization members with whom the U.S. runs a significant trade deficit but holds no FTA, USTR said (here). Those countries are China, the EU, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam, according to USTR. An April 29 executive order tasked Commerce and USTR with submitting to the White House performance reviews to cover violations or abuses of any U.S. FTA, investment agreement, WTO rule governing any trade relation under the WTO, or trade preference program hurting U.S. workers (see 1705010018). The agencies are also asking for comments on whether unfair trade practices and/or agreements, treaties or programs have harmed U.S. intellectual property rights. Further, the Trump administration is seeking information on agreements, treaties or preference programs regarding any successes or setbacks with respect to new jobs created, favorable effects on the trade balance, expanded market access, lower trade barriers or increased U.S. exports.

A renegotiated NAFTA should require Mexico’s strict compliance with Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) standards, include relief mechanisms for the U.S. to offset depressed wages for Mexican farm workers, and protect organic equivalency arrangements reached between parties, agriculture industry representatives told interagency Trump administration officials June 27. During a hearing at the International Trade Commission convened by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, J&J Family of Farms Director of Farming Richard Bowman said along with requiring imports of Mexican food to undergo the same requirements as U.S.-farmed foods under FSMA, an updated NAFTA should also address dumping of cheap Mexican produce in the U.S., perhaps through mechanisms such as weekly quotas.

United Kingdom International Trade Secretary Liam Fox visited U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer on June 19 in Washington, where the men discussed the possibility of laying the groundwork for a new trade agreement “soon after Brexit,” the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said in a statement (here). "Our valuable talks underlined the shared interest in forging a closer trade and economic relationship including making progress on policy coordination, regulatory issues and expanding trade and investment between our economies,” Fox said in a statement. "As our largest single trading partner, we have a strong foundation to build on as we start preparation on joint work to explore a future ambitious trade agreement once the UK has left the EU.” Formal Brexit negotiations started June 19. Lighthizer in a statement said he looks forward to working with Fox and Congress on the future of bilateral trade relations, including exploring the potential of a U.S.-UK trade deal. Trade between the two countries is valued at about $230 billion per year, USTR said.

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, in consultation with the interagency Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC), is initiating an out-of-cycle review of the eligibility of Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda to receive benefits under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), USTR said (here). The agency’s decision to review the nations’ eligibility follows a March 21 petition sent to USTR by the Secondary Materials and Recycled Textiles Association (SMART). The group requested an out-of-cycle review to determine whether Kenya and the three other named countries are meeting AGOA eligibility criteria, asserting that a March 2016 decision by the East African Community (EAC) to phase in an import ban on used clothing and footwear is imposing significant economic hardship on the U.S. used clothing industry, and is in violation of the AGOA statutory eligibility criteria to make continual progress toward a market-based economy and slashing barriers to U.S. trade and investment, USTR said. The EAC includes all four countries named in the petition.

U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer on June 16 welcomed New Zealand Trade Minister Todd McClay for a Washington meeting during which they discussed continued cooperation on global dairy market challenges and the U.S.-New Zealand Trade and Investment Framework Agreement, among other things, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said (here). Lighthizer highlighted that U.S. exporters are “deeply committed” to the New Zealand economy, where the U.S. has maintained “steady exports,” USTR said. “He looks forward to building an even stronger, mutually-beneficial trade relationship and working together to ensure fair, transparent access to markets around the world.”

U.S. and Indonesian government officials met June 12-13 under their bilateral Trade and Investment Framework Agreement, and agreed on next steps for resolving bilateral issues and further building trade relations, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said (here). U.S. officials outlined the Trump administration’s focus on “making concrete progress” on agriculture, high-tech products, and digital and financial services, among other areas, USTR said. The two nations discussed a work plan to address IP concerns, “recognizing the urgency of progress,” as USTR listed Indonesia on its Special 301 Priority Watch List (see 1704280026). U.S. and Indonesian officials also met with stakeholders from both countries on key trade issues of concern, USTR said.

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative announced several senior staff positions (here). The positions now filled include Jamieson Greer as chief of staff, Payne Griffin as deputy chief of staff, Pamela Marcus as deputy chief of staff for operations, Stephen Vaughn as general counsel, Timothy Reif as senior adviser, Christopher Jackson as assistant USTR for congressional affairs, Cameron Bishop as deputy assistant USTR for congressional affairs, and Emily Davis as deputy assistant USTR for public and media affairs.

The Trump administration continued its push for “free and fair trade” in international fora in a statement (here) released by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development Ministerial Council Meeting in Paris. The statement also seemed to embrace that U.S. trade remedies must be World Trade Organization-consistent. “We acknowledge the right to use World Trade Organization (WTO)-consistent trade remedies to tackle such practices and enforce our rights,” the statement says. “The United States recognizes the importance of international trading systems, including WTO-consistent trade agreements. We also commit to working with other Members to improve the functioning of the WTO, to ensure full and transparent implementation and effective and timely enforcement of the WTO agreements as negotiated and to make the utmost efforts to achieve a successful 11th WTO Ministerial Conference." USTR urged the elimination of "trade-distorting practices such as dumping" and "forced technology transfers" so as to "foster a truly level playing field."

In a “cordial” first meeting with EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer expressed a commitment to advancing “free and fair trade for level playing fields in the global economy,” the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said in a statement. Lighthizer and Malmstrom met on the margins of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development Ministerial Council Meeting in Paris. They highlighted a shared interest in strengthening the U.S.-EU trade relationship, and topics also included expanding export opportunities and World Trade Organization Ministerial Meeting preparations, USTR said.

U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer will lead the U.S. delegation at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Ministerial Council meeting June 7-8 in Paris, according to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (here). Lighthizer will advocate at the meeting for “free and fair trade policies” that eliminate trade barriers and reduce trade deficits, USTR said. Lighthizer will meet bilaterally with several key trading partners on the margins of the OECD meeting, USTR said.