Emergency Committee For American Trade - Publications

ECAT 2006 AGENDA

Prepared for the ECAT Annual Meeting
April 4, 2006

Acknowledgements

ECAT gratefully acknowledges the substantive advice and input from our member companies in the preparation of the ECAT 2006 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 Emily Watkins, ECAT’s Government Affairs Aide, for her valuable contributions in the research and preparation of important parts of ECAT’s 2006 Agenda.

Introduction

PART I: OVERVIEW

Section 1: Importance of Trade and Investment and ECAT’s Role

Why International Trade and Investment Are Important

ECAT’s Activities to Promote Greater Trade and Investment

The Continued Need for Trade Outreach

Section 2: Summary of ECAT’s Position on the Issues

PART II: INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND INVESTMENT NEGOTIATIONS

Section 1: World Trade Organization

Doha Development Agenda Negotiations

WTO Institutional Framework

Implementation of WTO Agreements

WTO Accessions

Status of WTO Committees and Working Parties

WTO Dispute Settlement

Foreign Trade Barriers Addressed through the WTO Dispute Settlement System

Section 2: Major Free Trade Agreement Negotiations

Trade Promotion Authority Framework

Completed Free Trade Agreements

Recently Negotiated Free Trade Agreements

Ongoing Free Trade Agreement Negotiations

PART III: TRADE AND INVESTMENT POLICY ISSUES

Section 1: Trade Legislation

Building a Consensus on Trade and Investment Liberalization

Congressional Approval of U.S.-Central America-Dominican Republic and U.S.- Bahrain Free Trade Agreements

2006 Legislative Proposals on the Enforcement of Trade Agreements

Trade Preference Program Legislation

Trade Remedy Law Legislation and Issues

Restructuring and Modernization of U.S. Customs

Section 2: Investment

Importance of Investment to Economic Growth and Poverty Reduction

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

National Security Reviews of Foreign Investments

U.S. Negotiating Position on Investment Protections

Operation of Bilateral Investment Treaties and NAFTA Chapter 11

OECD Policy Framework for Investment

OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises

Section 3: Government Procurement

WTO Government Procurement Agreement

Government Procurement Chapters in Free Trade Agreements

APEC Principles

Section 4: Intellectual Property Rights

Intellectual Property Protections in Recent Free Trade Agreements

WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights

WTO Dispute Settlement

STOP! Initiative

Special 301

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

Implementation of World Intellectual Property Organization Treaties

Promoting International Patent Harmonization

Section 5: Transparency

Transparency in the World Trade Organization

Transparency Provisions in U.S. Free Trade Agreements

APEC Transparency and Anticorruption Activities

Antibribery Initiatives

Section 6: Sanctions Reform

Trade Sanctions Reform

Issue-Specific Sanctions Legislation

Country-Specific Sanctions

Section 7: Export Promotion and Financing

Export-Import Bank

2006 Reauthorization of Export-Import Bank

Overseas Private Investment Corporation

Trade and Development Agency

Millennium Challenge Corporation

Multilateral Development Banks and International Monetary Fund

Section 8: Export Controls

Computer and Software Export Restrictions

Encryption

Microprocessor Controls

Revisions to Deemed Export Rules

Revisions to EAR Liability Standards

Export Administration Act Reauthorization

Wassenaar Arrangement

Section 9: Taxation of Foreign Source Income

Reform and Simplification of U.S. International Tax Laws

American Jobs Creation Act, Extraterritorial Income Act and Foreign Sales Corporation Rules

Bilateral Tax Treaties

Section 10: Addressing Concerns about Trade and Investment Liberalization

Global Outsourcing

ECAT Studies

Reform of Trade Adjustment Assistance and Worker Retraining Programs

Temporary Entry Issues

Labor and Environment Issues

Food Trade Issues

Health Policy and Intellectual Property Rights Protection

PART IV: COUNTRY- AND REGION-SPECIFIC ISSUES

Section 1: China

China and the WTO

China’s Implementation of WTO Commitments and Key Commercial Issues

Mechanisms to Improve the U.S.-China Economic Relationship

Legislative Proposals Relating to China Trade and Investment Issues

Section 2: The European Union

EU Integration Efforts

U.S.-EU Trade and Economic Relations

Section 3: Western Hemisphere

North American Free Trade Agreement

NAFTA and Labor

Canada

Mexico

Central America and the Caribbean Basin

Implementation of the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act

Andean Pact Countries

MERCOSUR

Section 4: Asia

Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum

Association of Southeast Asian Nations

Japan

Singapore

India

Australia

Indonesia

Vietnam

Section 5: Russia, Middle East and Sub-Saharan Africa

Russia

Middle East

Morocco

Jordan

Sub-Saharan Africa


	ECAT 2006 AGENDA Prepared for the ECAT Annual Meeting April 4, 2006 Acknowledgements ECAT gratefully acknowledges the substantive advice and input from our member companies in the preparation of the ECAT 2006 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 Emily Watkins, ECAT’s Government Affairs Aide, for her valuable contributions in the research and preparation of important parts of ECAT’s 2006 Agenda. Introduction PART I: OVERVIEW Section 1: Importance of Trade and Investment and ECAT’s Role Why International Trade and Investment Are Important ECAT’s Activities to Promote Greater Trade and Investment The Continued Need for Trade Outreach Section 2: Summary of ECAT’s Position on the Issues PART II: INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND INVESTMENT NEGOTIATIONS Section 1: World Trade Organization Doha Development Agenda Negotiations Background Doha Development Agenda 2004 Framework Agreement Sixth Ministerial Conference in Hong Kong 2006 Developments ECAT Priorities Market Access Trade Facilitation WTO Rules – Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Rules Dispute Settlement Government Procurement Importance of the WTO Negotiations WTO Institutional Framework Implementation of WTO Agreements WTO Accessions Accession of Saudi Arabia Russia’s Proposed Accession Vietnam’s Proposed Accession Status of WTO Committees and Working Parties Rules of Origin Trade and Environment WTO Dispute Settlement Foreign Trade Barriers Addressed through the WTO Dispute Settlement System Section 2: Major Free Trade Agreement Negotiations Trade Promotion Authority Framework Major Provisions of TPA TPA Timeline Completed Free Trade Agreements U.S.-Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement U.S.-Bahrain Free Trade Agreement Recently Negotiated Free Trade Agreements U.S.-Oman Free Trade Agreement Andean Pact Agreements Major Provisions of the U.S.-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement Major Provisions of the U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement Opportunities Created Ongoing Free Trade Agreement Negotiations U.S.-Korea FTA Negotiations U.S.-Malaysia FTA Negotiations U.S.-Panama FTA Negotiations U.S.-Thailand FTA Negotiations U.S.-United Arab Emirates FTA Negotiations U.S-South Africa Customs Union FTA Negotiations Free Trade Area of the Americas Background on the Negotiations Status of the Negotiations and Outlook for 2006 Importance of the FTAA Negotiations Consideration of Future FTAs PART III: TRADE AND INVESTMENT POLICY ISSUES Section 1: Trade Legislation Building a Consensus on Trade and Investment Liberalization Congressional Approval of U.S.-Central America-Dominican Republic and U.S.- Bahrain Free Trade Agreements 2006 Legislative Proposals on the Enforcement of Trade Agreements Trade Preference Program Legislation Generalized System of Preferences Least Developed Preference Legislation Legislation Expanding Trade Preferences for Haiti Trade Remedy Law Legislation and Issues Congressional Trade Remedy Proposals WTO Dispute Settlement Cases Involving U.S. Trade Remedy Laws Restructuring and Modernization of U.S. Customs Transfer to Department of Homeland Security Automation Modernization Customs Modernization Section 2: Investment Importance of Investment to Economic Growth and Poverty Reduction ECAT Studies and the Importance of International Investment to the U.S. Economy National Security Reviews of Foreign Investments 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, the Model Bilateral Investment Treaty and the Uruguay BIT Operation of Bilateral Investment Treaties and NAFTA Chapter 11 OECD Policy Framework for Investment OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises Section 3: Government Procurement WTO Government Procurement Agreement Key Elements of the GPA Efforts to Expand Membership in the GPA Efforts to Reform and Simplify the GPA Other WTO Government Procurement Activities Government Procurement Chapters in Free Trade Agreements APEC Principles Section 4: Intellectual Property Rights Intellectual Property Protections in Recent Free Trade Agreements WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights WTO Dispute Settlement STOP! Initiative Special 301 Optical Media Products Piracy, Organized Crime and End-User Piracy of Software Implementation of World Intellectual Property Organization Treaties Promoting International Patent Harmonization Section 5: Transparency Transparency in the World Trade Organization Transparency Provisions in U.S. Free Trade Agreements APEC Transparency and Anticorruption Activities Antibribery Initiatives Section 6: Sanctions Reform Trade Sanctions Reform Issue-Specific Sanctions Legislation Religious Persecution Narcotics Enforcement Country-Specific Sanctions Iran Sanctions India-Pakistan Nuclear Proliferation Sanctions Lifting of Libya Sanctions Helms-Burton Cuba Sanctions Easing of Cuba Embargo Sanctions on Myanmar Sanctions on Sudan Sanctions on Syria and Lebanon Section 7: Export Promotion and Financing Export-Import Bank 2006 Reauthorization of Export-Import Bank Overseas Private Investment Corporation Trade and Development Agency Millennium Challenge Corporation Multilateral Development Banks and International Monetary Fund Section 8: Export Controls Computer and Software Export Restrictions Encryption Microprocessor Controls Revisions to Deemed Export Rules Revisions to EAR Liability Standards Export Administration Act Reauthorization Wassenaar Arrangement Section 9: Taxation of Foreign Source Income Reform and Simplification of U.S. International Tax Laws American Jobs Creation Act, Extraterritorial Income Act and Foreign Sales Corporation Rules Background American Jobs Creation Act EU Challenge to American Jobs Creation Act Bilateral Tax Treaties Section 10: Addressing Concerns about Trade and Investment Liberalization Global Outsourcing ECAT Studies 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 Temporary Entry Issues Labor and Environment Issues Labor Issues Environmental Issues Food Trade Issues Biotechnology and Genetically Modified Organisms Biosafety Protocol EU Beef Hormone Case ECAT’s Food Chain Coalition Proposal Health Policy and Intellectual Property Rights Protection PART IV: COUNTRY- AND REGION-SPECIFIC ISSUES Section 1: China China and the WTO Background on China’s WTO Commitments U.S.-China Relations Act and Congressional-Executive Commission on China China’s Implementation of WTO Commitments and Key Commercial Issues Intellectual Property Rights Enforcement Government Procurement Industrial Policy Financial Services Liberalization Other Non-Tariff Barriers Transparency Discriminatory Consumption and Value-Added Taxation Policies Mechanisms to Improve the U.S.-China Economic Relationship Legislative Proposals Relating to China Trade and Investment Issues United States Trade Rights Enforcement Act China Currency Legislation Section 2: The European Union EU Integration Efforts European Monetary Union and the Euro Other Preferential Trade Arrangements U.S.-EU Trade and Economic Relations Positive Economic Agenda and Regulatory Cooperation Agricultural Issues Aircraft Issues Other WTO Dispute Settlement Cases REACH Corporate Accounting Standards Privacy Other Trade Barriers “Open Skies” Bilateral Agreements Section 3: Western Hemisphere North American Free Trade Agreement Success of NAFTA NAFTA Dispute Settlement – Chapter 20 NAFTA Dispute Settlement – Chapter 19 NAFTA Dispute Settlement – Chapter 11 NAFTA and the Environment NAFTA and Labor Canada U.S.-Canadian Trade and Investment Major U.S.-Canadian Trade Issues Canadian Trade Agreements and Negotiations Mexico U.S.-Mexican Trade and Investment Major U.S.-Mexican Trade Issues Mexican Trade Agreements and Negotiations Central America and the Caribbean Basin Implementation of the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act Andean Pact Countries MERCOSUR U.S.-MERCOSUR Trade and Investment MERCOSUR Trade Agreements and Negotiations Section 4: Asia Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum Background on APEC Recent APEC Initiatives Association of Southeast Asian Nations Japan Singapore Major Provisions of the U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement Opportunities Created India Australia Major Provisions of the U.S.-Australia Free Trade Agreement Opportunities Created Indonesia Vietnam Section 5: Russia, Middle East and Sub-Saharan Africa Russia Middle East Morocco Major Provisions of the U.S.-Morocco Free Trade Agreement Opportunities Created Jordan Major Provisions of the U.S.-Jordan Free Trade Agreement Opportunities Created Sub-Saharan Africa African Growth and Opportunity Act AGOA Acceleration Act of 2004 Implementation and Impact of AGOA 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