Emergency Committee For American Trade - Publications

ECAT 2004 AGENDA

Prepared for the ECAT Annual Meeting
May 6, 2004

Acknowledgements

ECAT gratefully acknowledges the substantive advice and input from our member companies in the preparation of the ECAT 2004 Agenda. These contributions are critical to highlight key trade and investment issues and to ensure that ECAT adopts practical positions to expand international trade and investment. We would also like to extend special thanks to Adnan Jalil, ECAT’s Government Affairs Assistant, for his valuable contributions in the research and preparation of important parts of ECAT’s 2004 Agenda.

Introduction

Summary: ECAT Positions on Issues

Section 1: ECAT's Role in the Promotion of International Trade and Investment

Why International Trade and Investment Are Important

ECAT’s Activities to Promote Greater Trade and Investment

The Continued Need for Trade Outreach

Section 2: Major Trade Negotiations and Agreements

Renewal of the Trade Promotion Authority Framework

Major Provisions
TPA Timeline
Extension Procedures
Importance of TPA Renewal

Recently Completed Free Trade Agreement Negotiations

U.S.-Central American and Dominican Republic FTA
U.S.-Australia FTA
U.S.-Morocco FTA

World Trade Organization Negotiations

Background
Doha Development Agenda
Fifth Ministerial Meeting of the WTO in Cancun
Importance of WTO Negotiations

Free Trade Area of the Americas

Background on the Negotiations
Status of the Negotiations and Outlook for 2004
Importance of the FTAA Negotiations

Comprehensive and Trade-Oriented Bilateral, Subregional and Regional Free Trade Agreements

U.S-South Africa Customs Union FTA Negotiations
U.S.-Bahrain FTA Negotiations and Middle East Initiative
U.S.-Panama FTA Negotiations
U.S-Colombia and Andean Pact FTA Negotiations
U.S.-Thailand FTA Negotiations Initiative

Consideration of Future FTAs

Section 3: Major Trade Policy Issues

Building a Consensus on Trade and Investment Liberalization

Congressional Approval of the U.S.-Chile and U.S.-Singapore FTAs

U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement
U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement

Termination of Section 201 Steel Tariffs

Background
Economic Effects of Section 201 Tariffs
WTO Challenge
International Trade Commission Investigations
Administration Decision to Lift Section 201 Steel Tariffs

2003-2004 Legislative Trade Policy Proposals

Legislation to Expand and Extend the African Growth and Opportunity Act
Legislation Expanding Trade Preferences for Haiti

Addressing Concerns about Trade and Investment Liberalization

Global Outsourcing
Labor and Environment Issues
Food Trade Issues
Health Policy and Intellectual Property Rights Protection
Transparency

Trade Remedy Law Issues

Proposals to Amend U.S.-Trade Remedy Laws
WTO Dispute Settlement Cases Involving U.S. Trade Remedy Laws

Restructuring and Modernization of the U.S. Customs Service

Transfer to Department of Homeland Security
Automation Modernization
Customs Modernization

Reform of Trade Adjustment Assistance and Worker Retraining Programs

Major Provisions of TAA as Reformed by the Trade Act of 2002
Implementation and Continued Review of TAA Reforms
Private Sector Retraining Efforts

Section 4: Investment

ECAT Studies and the Importance of International Investment to the U.S. Economy

U.S. Negotiating Position on Investment Protections

Importance of Strong Investment Protections
Trade Promotion Authority Provisions on Investment
Investment Protections in Recent Free Trade Agreements and the Proposed Model Bilateral Investment Treaty
Operation of Bilateral Investment Treaties and NAFTA Chapter 11

OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises

Antibribery Initiatives

Section 5: The European Union

EU Integration Efforts

European Monetary Union and the Euro
Other Preferential Trade Arrangements

U.S.-EU Trade Relations

Agricultural Issues
WTO Dispute Settlement Cases
Corporate Accounting Standards
Aircraft Issues
Privacy
Positive Economic Agenda and Trans-Atlantic Economic Partnership

Section 6: World Trade Organization

WTO Framework

Major Issues

Implementation of WTO Agreements
WTO Institutional Reforms

WTO Accessions

Russia's Proposed Accession

Status of WTO Committees and Working Parties

Rules of Origin
Trade and Investment
Trade and Competition Policy
Trade and Environment
Treatment of Labor Issues in the WTO

Dispute Settlement

Section 7: Sanctions Reform

Trade Sanctions Reform

Issue-Specific Sanctions Legislation

Religious Persecution
Narcotics Enforcement

Country-Specific Issues

Iran-Libya Sanctions
Lifting of Libya Sanctions
Helms-Burton Cuba Sanctions
Easing of Cuba Embargo
Iran Nonproliferation Act
India-Pakistan Nuclear Proliferation Sanctions
Sanctions on Myanmar
Sanctions on Sudan

Section 8: Export Promotion and Financing

The Export-Import Bank

Overseas Private Investment Corporation

Trade and Development Agency

Multilateral Development Banks and International Monetary Fund

Section 9: Export Controls

High Performance Computer Export Restrictions

Microprocessor Controls

Export Administration Act Reauthorization

Encryption

Wassenaar Arrangement

Section 10: Regional Trade Arrangements and Country-Specific Issues

Western Hemisphere

North American Free Trade Agreement
Mexico
Canada
Caribbean Basin Countries
Andean Pact Countries
MERCOSUR

Asia-Pacific Region

Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum
Association of Southeast Asian Nations
China
Japan
Korea
Vietnam
Indonesia
India

Sub-Saharan Africa

Russia

Section 11: Intellectual Property

Intellectual Property Protections in Recent Free Trade Agreements

WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights

WTO Dispute Settlement

Special 301

Optical Media Products Piracy, Organized Crime and End-User Piracy of Software

Implementation of World Intellectual Property Organization Treaties

Taxation of Foreign Source Income

Extraterritorial Income Act and Foreign Sales Corporation Rules

Background
EU Challenge to FSC Provisions
FSC Repeal and Extraterritorial Income Act (ETI)
Legislative Proposals to Repeal ETI Provisions

Reform and Simplification of U.S. International Tax Laws

Bilateral Tax Treaties


	ECAT 2004 AGENDA Prepared for the ECAT Annual Meeting May 6, 2004 Acknowledgements ECAT gratefully acknowledges the substantive advice and input from our member companies in the preparation of the ECAT 2004 Agenda. These contributions are critical to highlight key trade and investment issues and to ensure that ECAT adopts practical positions to expand international trade and investment. We would also like to extend special thanks to Adnan Jalil, ECAT’s Government Affairs Assistant, for his valuable contributions in the research and preparation of important parts of ECAT’s 2004 Agenda. Introduction Summary: ECAT Positions on Issues Section 1: ECAT's Role in the Promotion of International Trade and Investment Why International Trade and Investment Are Important ECAT’s Activities to Promote Greater Trade and Investment The Continued Need for Trade Outreach Section 2: Major Trade Negotiations and Agreements Renewal of the Trade Promotion Authority Framework Major Provisions TPA Timeline Extension Procedures Importance of TPA Renewal Recently Completed Free Trade Agreement Negotiations U.S.-Central American and Dominican Republic FTA U.S.-Australia FTA U.S.-Morocco FTA World Trade Organization Negotiations Background Doha Development Agenda Fifth Ministerial Meeting of the WTO in Cancun Importance of WTO Negotiations Free Trade Area of the Americas Background on the Negotiations Status of the Negotiations and Outlook for 2004 Importance of the FTAA Negotiations Comprehensive and Trade-Oriented Bilateral, Subregional and Regional Free Trade Agreements U.S-South Africa Customs Union FTA Negotiations U.S.-Bahrain FTA Negotiations and Middle East Initiative U.S.-Panama FTA Negotiations U.S-Colombia and Andean Pact FTA Negotiations U.S.-Thailand FTA Negotiations Initiative Consideration of Future FTAs Section 3: Major Trade Policy Issues Building a Consensus on Trade and Investment Liberalization Congressional Approval of the U.S.-Chile and U.S.-Singapore FTAs U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement Termination of Section 201 Steel Tariffs Background Economic Effects of Section 201 Tariffs WTO Challenge International Trade Commission Investigations Administration Decision to Lift Section 201 Steel Tariffs 2003-2004 Legislative Trade Policy Proposals Legislation to Expand and Extend the African Growth and Opportunity Act Legislation Expanding Trade Preferences for Haiti Addressing Concerns about Trade and Investment Liberalization Global Outsourcing Labor and Environment Issues Food Trade Issues Health Policy and Intellectual Property Rights Protection Transparency Trade Remedy Law Issues Proposals to Amend U.S.-Trade Remedy Laws WTO Dispute Settlement Cases Involving U.S. Trade Remedy Laws Restructuring and Modernization of the U.S. Customs Service Transfer to Department of Homeland Security Automation Modernization Customs Modernization Reform of Trade Adjustment Assistance and Worker Retraining Programs Major Provisions of TAA as Reformed by the Trade Act of 2002 Implementation and Continued Review of TAA Reforms Private Sector Retraining Efforts Section 4: Investment ECAT Studies and the Importance of International Investment to the U.S. Economy U.S. Negotiating Position on Investment Protections Importance of Strong Investment Protections Trade Promotion Authority Provisions on Investment Investment Protections in Recent Free Trade Agreements and the Proposed Model Bilateral Investment Treaty Operation of Bilateral Investment Treaties and NAFTA Chapter 11 OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises Antibribery Initiatives Section 5: The European Union EU Integration Efforts European Monetary Union and the Euro Other Preferential Trade Arrangements U.S.-EU Trade Relations Agricultural Issues WTO Dispute Settlement Cases Corporate Accounting Standards Aircraft Issues Privacy Positive Economic Agenda and Trans-Atlantic Economic Partnership Section 6: World Trade Organization WTO Framework Major Issues Implementation of WTO Agreements WTO Institutional Reforms WTO Accessions Russia's Proposed Accession Status of WTO Committees and Working Parties Rules of Origin Trade and Investment Trade and Competition Policy Trade and Environment Treatment of Labor Issues in the WTO Dispute Settlement Section 7: Sanctions Reform Trade Sanctions Reform Issue-Specific Sanctions Legislation Religious Persecution Narcotics Enforcement Country-Specific Issues Iran-Libya Sanctions Lifting of Libya Sanctions Helms-Burton Cuba Sanctions Easing of Cuba Embargo Iran Nonproliferation Act India-Pakistan Nuclear Proliferation Sanctions Sanctions on Myanmar Sanctions on Sudan Section 8: Export Promotion and Financing The Export-Import Bank Overseas Private Investment Corporation Trade and Development Agency Multilateral Development Banks and International Monetary Fund Section 9: Export Controls High Performance Computer Export Restrictions Microprocessor Controls Export Administration Act Reauthorization Encryption Wassenaar Arrangement Section 10: Regional Trade Arrangements and Country-Specific Issues Western Hemisphere North American Free Trade Agreement Mexico Canada Caribbean Basin Countries Andean Pact Countries MERCOSUR Asia-Pacific Region Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum Association of Southeast Asian Nations China Japan Korea Vietnam Indonesia India Sub-Saharan Africa Russia Section 11: Intellectual Property Intellectual Property Protections in Recent Free Trade Agreements WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights WTO Dispute Settlement Special 301 Optical Media Products Piracy, Organized Crime and End-User Piracy of Software Implementation of World Intellectual Property Organization Treaties Taxation of Foreign Source Income Extraterritorial Income Act and Foreign Sales Corporation Rules Background EU Challenge to FSC Provisions FSC Repeal and Extraterritorial Income Act (ETI) Legislative Proposals to Repeal ETI Provisions Reform and Simplification of U.S. International Tax Laws Bilateral Tax Treaties ECAT - Homepage About ECAT \| Hot Issues \| ECAT Positions Press Releases \| Trade Resources \| Key Trade Votes \| Publications Steel \| CAFTA \| Search \| Members Only Copyright 1999-2002, the Emergency Committee for American Trade