U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai frequently talks about the need for a smarter globalization, which she calls Globalization 2.0, which is more resilient and more environmentally sustainable.
India chose not to sign onto the trade pillar in the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, which focuses on digital trade, trade facilitation, science-based sanitary and phytosanitary rules, trade in environmental goods, and laws to protect labor rights.
The Senate Finance Committee voted unanimously to approve the nomination of Doug McKalip to be chief agricultural negotiator in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. The full Senate must vote on his nomination before he can start the job.
Trade facilitation -- or how customs is administered -- and digital trade practices are non-tariff barriers that the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework can tackle, and therefore help U.S. exporters, particularly small businesses. That was the message from a senior official at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, which is managing one of the four pillars of the IPEF.
A call between U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai and Valdis Dombrovskis, the EU's top trade official, covered what the U.S. characterizes as "supply chain vulnerabilities," but the EU and U.S. readouts of the Sept. 1 call characterized the discussion differently.
Sens. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and Tom Cotton, R-Ark., told U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai that they do not want the World Trade Organization Appellate Body to be resurrected. The WTO no longer has binding dispute settlement, because members can appeal into the void if they do not like the results of a case in Geneva.
U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai had a first video call with Japan's new trade minister, Nishimura Yasutoshi, ahead of an in-person meeting next week. "Ambassador Tai and Minister Nishimura reaffirmed ongoing collaboration to address non-market policies and practices, including economic coercion, and shared commitment to respect internationally-recognized worker rights, including eradicating forced labor," USTR's readout said. This followed a lower-level series of meetings, called the U.S.-Japan Partnership on Trade, where the U.S. said they discussed regulatory transparency, standards issues that are barriers to U.S. exports of products and services, and the U.S.'s desire that Japan buy more ethanol.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative is seeking public comments on how well China is fulfilling its commitments to the World Trade Organization. There will be no public hearing due to COVID-19, but the interagency Trade Policy Staff Committee will facilitate public participation via written questions and written responses. Written comments are due at www.regulations.gov, docket number USTR-2022-0012, by Sept. 28 at 11:59 pm EDT. Government officials will pose written questions to commenters in October, and the original writers will have until Oct. 26 at 11:59 pm EDT to respond.
Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Jayme White emphasized the importance of Mexico blocking the import of goods made with forced labor, the importance of a science- and risk-based regulatory approval process for agricultural biotechnology, implementation of labor reform and the importance of hearing from stakeholders as new regulations are developed, according to a readout of his Aug. 23 meeting with Mexico's Under Secretary for Foreign Trade, Luz Maria de la Mora. The Mexican government didn't release a readout of what was discussed during the video call.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative is seeking comments on Russia's implementation of its World Trade Organization obligations, so it can prepare its annual report to Congress on the subject. Written comments and requests to testify at a virtual public hearing are due by Sept. 21 at 11:59 p.m. EDT; the virtual hearing will be held Oct. 4 at 9 a.m. EDT. Comments can be submitted via http://www.regulations.gov, docket number USTR-2022-0011.