The U.S. Trade Representative is seeking comments by Dec. 18 on a recently-filed World Trade Organization challenge against U.S. antidumping and countervailing duties on certain coated paper from Indonesia (here). The WTO formed a dispute settlement panel in September to consider Indonesian claims that the Commerce Department improperly found certain countervailable subsidies, and the International Trade Commission did not have an adequate basis for its injury finding. Indonesia is also challenging a U.S. law holding that threat of injury votes in the ITC that end in ties are treated as affirmative injury determinations.

The Trans-Pacific Partnership was a "major focus" during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation ministerial meeting in recent days, said U.S. Trade Representative Mike Froman while speaking to reporters Nov. 19 (here). The leaders of the 12 TPP members gathered to discuss the next steps at the meeting in Manila, Philippines, said Froman. "Each of them focused on the economic benefits of the agreement -- first and foremost, the removal of barriers to exports that will allow greater opportunity in each of the countries," he said. "From our perspective, that's the elimination or the reduction of 18,000 tariffs on U.S. exports, 18,000 taxes on our manufactured exports, our agriculture exports; also globalization of services markets in this region that will allow our service providers as well to participate in these fast-growing markets."

Some 19 products look set to exceed competitive need limitations (CNLs) for calendar year 2015 and lose their eligibility for duty-free access under the Generalized System of Preferences, said the U.S. Trade Representative as it announced the availability of new import data on Nov. 16 (here). The agency’s notice (here) also extended until Dec. 4 the deadline for submission of petitions to waive CNLs and keep those goods GSP-eligible. The deadline was originally Nov. 23 (see 1508180027). Products that may exceed CNL waivers in 2015 include the following:

U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman and Deputy USTR Robert Holleyman are currently attending Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meetings in Manila and will continue to participate in those talks through Nov. 19, the Office of USTR said in its weekly schedule. The two officials arrived in Manila on Nov. 14. Meanwhile, USTR chief agriculture negotiator Darci Vetter will speak to the American Sugarbeet Growers Association on Nov. 16, and the following day Deputy Assistant USTR Elizabeth Hafner will participate in the first council meeting of the U.S.-Armenia trade and investment pact in Yerevan, Armenia. USTR struck that deal with Armenian counterparts in May (see 1505070017). On Nov. 19, Vetter will travel to Guangzhou for the U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade. Froman will head to Beijing for “bilateral meetings” on Nov. 20, and from Nov. 21-23, he and Holleyman will attend the JCCT in Guangzhou.

Assistant U.S. Trade Representative Jennifer Prescott, will participate in a meeting on environmental rules in the U.S.-South Korea free trade agreement from Nov. 10-11 in Seoul, the Office of USTR said in its weekly schedule. USTR Michael Froman will then speak with European Union Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 11. The U.S. and EU proposed a new set of market access and other offers in an October Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership negotiating round (see 1510230017), and Froman met with European lawmakers in early November (see 1510300044). To wrap up the week, Froman will deliver a speech to the American Iron and Steel Institute.

The Trans-Pacific Partnership will ensure intellectual property for U.S. biologics by requiring “an extended term of effective market protection” on the products for the first time in a U.S. free trade agreement, said Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Robert Holleyman during a recent speech to the Chamber of Commerce. His remarks (here) come on the heels of fierce criticism from Senate Finance Chairman Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, against the outcome on biologics (see 1511060028).

U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman and Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker will lead the U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade from Nov. 21-23 in Guangzhou, China, alongside Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang, the office of USTR said on Nov. 4. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will also participate in the talks, said USTR.

U.S .Trade Representative Michael Froman will meet with European lawmakers on Nov. 3 for closed-door Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership talks, the Office of the USTR said in its weekly schedule. Chief USTR Agriculture negotiator Darci Vetter will, also on Nov. 3, deliver remarks to the Retail Industry Leaders Association customs committee, as well as the North American Meat Institute (NAMI). Both those events are closed to the press. Froman will then on Nov. 4 deliver remarks to the Transatlantic Legislators Dialogue, and Deputy USTR Robert Holleyman will speak to the CBP East Coast Trade Symposium in Baltimore on the same day. On Nov. 5, Froman participates in a trade conference in Norfolk and Vetter will speak to the NAMI board of directors. To cap off the week, Froman will meet with Colombian Ambassador to the U.S. Juan Carlos Pinzon.

The U.S. appears to have cut barriers to leather footwear exports to Japan through the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the American Apparel and Footwear Association said in comments (here) to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative for the 2015 National Trade Estimate report. U.S. apparel groups and retailers have long fought to dismantle those barriers, which involve a strict tariff-rate quota (see 14040816). USTR hasn’t yet disclosed the text of the TPP pact. The agency asked for industry comments in April (see 1508180030).

Indonesia will need to address certain protectionist practices in the information and communications technology (ICT) sector in order to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), Information Technology Industry Council (ITI) Global Policy Director Ed Brzytwa said in a blog post (here). Indonesian President Joko Widodo recently expressed his interest in joining the TPP. Brzytwa said Indonesia tends to favor local companies and industries over foreign competitors in the ICT space and will need to change certain practices, including a new data localization requirement, to join the pact. "The data localization requirement will impose higher costs on local companies, especially on small and medium sized enterprises," wrote Brzytwa. "It will also raise costs for U.S.-headquartered companies operating in Indonesia, as well as Indonesian businesses and consumers, undermining Indonesia’s global and regional competitiveness." ITI would "strongly support" including an affirmative statement in Indonesia's Digital Economy 2020 vision that it will avoid and roll back all forced localization measures, Brzytwa said. ITI will engage with Indonesian officials to find more trade and investment-friendly approaches in order to meet its objectives, he said.