More than 50 percent of Americans believe international trade represents an opportunity for growth through boosting exports, according to a Gallup 2014 World Affairs survey, conducted Feb. 6-9 with 1,023 U.S. adults and published on Feb. 21. Nearly 40 percent of Americans, however, think a trade-induced increase in foreign imports poses a threat to the U.S. economy, the poll results said. “Americans' perceptions of foreign trade may partly stem from their confidence in the U.S. economy. Public skepticism about foreign trade peaked in 2008, when 52 percent saw it mainly as a threat whereas 41 percent saw it as an opportunity,” said the poll results. “Americans were evenly divided on trade for the next few years, through 2012, as economic confidence remained quite negative. Then, in 2013, along with an uptick in confidence, Americans turned sharply positive about trade. And that pattern holds today.”

The U.S. benefits of the U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement remain unclear two years after the pact went into effect, but agriculture exporters continue to tout the agreement as a means to open the Colombian market, said a Feb. 14 Congressional Research Service (CRS) report on the agreement. The Colombian government has over the past ten years entered into numerous free-trade agreements (FTAs) with European blocs, Latin American countries and Canada, the CRS report said. The U.S.-Columbia pact could help to improve U.S. access to the liberalizing market, say exporters.

Exporters will be required to report site locations using the full Automated Export System (AES) seven digit reporting format (here), following the implementation of Foreign Trade Regulations changes effective April 5. Exporters will then be required to provide a Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) identifier when reporting in-bond code 67 (withdrawn for immediate export), or in-bond code 68 (withdrawn for transportation and exportation). The following are examples to ensure accurate reporting:

The Census Bureau released on Feb. 11 its schedule for Automated Export System (AES) seminars and AESPcLink workshops for 2014. At each event, training will be provided by Census, CBP, and the Bureau of Industry and Security at the seminar on the first day. These experts will cover the filing requirements of the Foreign Trade Regulations, how to classify commodities in Schedule B, EAR compliance, enforcement of the FTR, and provide a thorough overview of the AES. The second day will offer a half-day AESPcLink Workshop.

Sixteen U.S. states posted record export figures in 2013, with 10 more states registering merchandise export growth, said Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker in a Feb. 11 statement. “We know for a fact, that for every $1 billion in exports nearly 5,000 jobs are supported across our nation, and with more than 95 percent of the world’s potential consumers residing outside our borders, exports will continue to be an important driver of the local and national economy,” said Pritzker. The states that set new export records include: Texas ($279.7 billion); California ($168.1 billion); Washington ($81.9 billion); Louisiana ($63.1 billion); Michigan ($58.5 billion); Ohio ($50.5 billion); Georgia ($37.6 billion); Tennessee ($32.4 billion); North Carolina ($29.3 billion); South Carolina ($26.1 billion); Kentucky ($25.3 billion); Connecticut ($16.5 billion); Mississippi ($12.4 billion); Maryland ($11.8 billion); Colorado ($8.7 billion); and Oklahoma ($6.9 billion).

The Trans-Pacific Partnership and Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership will help further boost U.S. exports, said National Foreign Trade Council President Bill Reinsch in a Feb. 6 blog post, building off record export totals in 2013. “We are encouraged that for the fourth year in a row the United States has achieved record growth in U.S. goods and services exports,” said Reinsch. “More exports mean more American jobs and economic growth nationwide, all of which are critical to driving sustained economic recovery.” The Census Bureau said on Feb. 6 the U.S. international trade deficit in goods and services decreased to $471.5 billion in 2013 from $534.7 billion in 2012 (here).

U.S. exporters should ensure their Automated Export System (AES) master data and personal software systems are updated to provide for new Foreign Trade Regulations changes due to take effect on April 5, said Integration Point Senior Software Analyst Maritza Mills, during a Jan. 29 Integration Point webinar titled “Export Regulation Changes for 2014.” Census will now require AES post-departure filings five days following the date of export. There will also be changes to Foreign Trade Zones data fields, option 4 filing and ultimate consignee submissions.

The Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security determined in a December advisory opinion that multipurpose die, standard packages, and integrated circuits comprised thereof do not meet the “specially designed” definition created through Export Control Reform. The determination, sent to Semiconductor Industry Association, said the products do not meet the “specially designed” criteria for one of the two following reasons:

The Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) will conduct its 9th annual Export Control Forum in Newport Beach, Calif., from Feb. 24-25. Commerce Undersecretary for Industry and Security Eric Hirschhorn and Commerce Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement David Mills are scheduled to deliver keynote speeches. The forum aims to discuss the latest developments in the Export Control Reform Initiative, among other topics. The registration fee is $550.00 per person on or before Feb. 9. The late registration fee is $575.00 per person, although advance registration is required.

The U.S. Commercial Service will host an Automated Export System (AES) Compliance Seminar and an AESPcLink Workshop in Atlanta, Ga. on Feb. 5-6, the Census Bureau said in a press release. During the Feb. 5 seminar, participants will discuss Foreign Trade Regulations filing requirements, discuss Schedule B classification requirements, and provide an overview of AES, it said. The seminar costs $240. The Feb. 6 workshop will offer training on electronic filing of export information via AESPcLink. The workshop costs $75. Those interested should register via Hannah.kamenetsky@trade.gov.