Category: Press Releases and Statements

NFTC Responds to the President’s Address to Congress

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Washington D.C. – National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) President Rufus Yerxa issued the following statement in response to President Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress.

“Last night the President focused on the importance of growing the American economy and creating jobs across our country. “We welcome the President’s remarks on the importance of reforming our tax code so that American companies can compete on a level playing field across the world. Reforming the tax code, and lowering corporate tax rates, will incentivize companies to grow their businesses and invest in the United States, therefore creating higher wages and living standards for people across the country.

“We also applaud the President’s focus on rebuilding our country’s infrastructure. Investing in our ports, roads, bridges, airports, railways and other essential infrastructure projects will create jobs and will go a long way in ensuring competitiveness for U.S.-based companies who export products across the world.

“A competitive tax code and improved infrastructure will not help our companies compete abroad unless the United States continues to participate in the global trading system. Most sectors in our economy have benefited from increased trade. Since 95% of consumers live outside of our borders, continuing to open new world markets and giving our companies access to those consumers is crucial to our economic success. We also believe that the new Administration must focus on strengthening and expanding existing trade agreements and ensuring U.S. leadership in an open and rules-based global economy through multilateral institutions such as the World Trade Organization (WTO).

“In 2017, the National Foreign Trade Council looks forward to working with Congress and the Administration to implement forward-looking policies that improve the competitiveness of our businesses and the lives of our people.”

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About the NFTC
Serving America’s Global Businesses Since 1914– The National Foreign Trade Council (www.nftc.org) is a leading business organization advocating an open, rules- based global trading system. Founded in 1914 by a broad-based group of American companies, the NFTC now serves hundreds of member companies through its offices in Washington and New York.
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NFTC Welcomes Appointment of Roberto Azevedo to Second Term as WTO Director General

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Washington D.C. – Today, the National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) issued the following statement welcoming news that Roberto Azevedo has been appointed to a second term as Director General of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

NFTC President Rufus Yerxa said:

“The National Foreign Trade Council welcomes today’s announcement that Roberto Azevedo has been appointed as Director General of the WTO for a second term. As Director-General, Azevedo has put an important focus on the role of promoting global engagement among small and medium-sized businesses to improve economic development, and his first term was marked by successes that would not have been possible without his leadership, including the conclusion and implementation of the Trade Facilitation Agreement and the conclusion of an updated Information Technology Agreement.”

“Despite the difficult global environment today on trade issues, he is as experienced and capable a chief as the WTO could hope for.”

NFTC Vice President for Global Trade Issues Jake Colvin said:

“Director-General Azevedo has done a tremendous job of putting points on the board for the WTO. Over the next four years, his unique diplomatic skill set will be called upon frequently as WTO members grapple with the best way to shape new global rules on everything from agriculture to digital trade.”

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About the NFTC
Serving America’s Global Businesses Since 1914– The National Foreign Trade Council (www.nftc.org) is a leading business organization advocating an open, rules- based global trading system. Founded in 1914 by a broad-based group of American companies, the NFTC now serves hundreds of member companies through its offices in Washington and New York.
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NFTC Applauds Entry into Force of WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement

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Washington D.C. – The NFTC today released the following statement applauding the entry into force of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) reached in Bali, Indonesia on December 7, 2013.

NFTC President Rufus Yerxa said:

“The National Foreign Trade Council welcomes news that the Trade Facilitation Agreement will enter into force now that two-thirds of WTO members have ratified the agreement and deposited their instruments of acceptance with the WTO Secretariat. This agreement will go a long way in modernizing global trade rules and is particularly important in increasing participation of small businesses in the global trading system. The benefits of the TFA cannot be overstated.”

NFTC Vice President for Global Trade Issues Jake Colvin said:

“Implementation of this agreement brings potentially enormous economic benefits to countries around the world by reducing the costs and time it takes for countries to import and export products. The agreement is a win-win for development and business, and is a great example of the role the WTO can play in facilitating the adoption of frameworks that permit developing countries to participate more effectively in the global marketplace.”

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About the NFTC
Serving America’s Global Businesses Since 1914– The National Foreign Trade Council (www.nftc.org) is a leading business organization advocating an open, rules- based global trading system. Founded in 1914 by a broad-based group of American companies, the NFTC now serves hundreds of member companies through its offices in Washington and New York.
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Jason Pack Joins the NFTC as Executive Director of the U.S.–Libya Business Association

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The National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) announced today that Jason Pack will join the organization as Executive Director of the U.S.-Libya Business Association (USLBA) effective February 1st. In this role, Jason will be responsible for working to enhance the U.S.-Libya bilateral relationship.

In announcing the appointment, NFTC President Rufus Yerxa said, “Jason brings an incredible amount of knowledge about the importance of the diplomatic, commercial, and academic ties between Libya and the United States. He has a strong record of working to improve the relationship between our two countries. He will be a great addition to the NFTC and USLBA teams.”

George Kalantzakis, Chairman of the USLBA, said “We are delighted that Jason will be taking the helm of the USLBA. He is widely recognized as an expert in the field and he brings over a decade of hands-on experience to this position. The relationship between the United States and Libya is constantly evolving, and Jason will be a great asset to business communities in both countries as we work to continue expanding our economic ties.”

After living in Tripoli in 2008, he served as US-Libya Business Association (USLBA) Program Manager in 2009-10. Via his consultancy, Libya-Analysis, established in 2011, Jason produces bespoke reports for Western companies which monitor specific aspects of the political and security situation in Libya, while also providing big-picture forecasting. Since 2014, he has been an affiliated North Africa Analyst at Risk Intelligence. In 2015, Jason founded EyeOnISISInLibya.com, a non-profit 501c3 monitoring service detailing the group’s history, its interactions with other jihadi actors, and Western actions towards the group. In 2016, he became the Senior Libya Analyst at CRCM North Africa. Jason has authored and edited several books and think tank reports on Libya, and his analysis and opinion articles have appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Spectator, Newsweek, The Financial Times, The Guardian, Foreign Policy, and Foreign Affairs. He is also a frequent commentator on the BBC, France 24, CNN, VOA, and Al Jazeera.

Jason completed an M.St. in Global and Imperial History at St. Antony’s College, Oxford and is affiliated with the University of Cambridge, where he was a PhD student and researcher of Middle Eastern History.

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About the NFTC
Serving America’s Global Businesses Since 1914– The National Foreign Trade Council (www.nftc.org) is a leading business organization advocating an open, rules- based global trading system. Founded in 1914 by a broad-based group of American companies, the NFTC now serves hundreds of member companies through its offices in Washington and New York.
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NFTC Statement on Trump Administration’s Executive Order Temporarily Restricting Immigration to the United States for Citizens from Certain Countries

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Washington D.C. – National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) President Rufus Yerxa released the following statement in response to the Executive Order temporarily restricting immigration from seven countries:

“Enhancing national security is a critical objective, but it must be done in a thoughtful and measured way that permits legitimate business and educational travel. Country-wide travel bans do not take into account the contributions that foreign workers, business leaders, students, professors and others make to American society, or the benefits that accrue to businesses, communities, and society from welcoming these visitors.”

“We applaud the Department of Homeland Security for clarifying that the temporary ban will not restrict the entry of lawful permanent residents into the United States. We urge the Administration to consider additional clarifying statements to allow students, workers and business-related travelers who are otherwise eligible to enter and contribute to our country.”

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About the NFTC
Serving America’s Global Businesses Since 1914 – The National Foreign Trade Council (www.nftc.org) is a leading business organization advocating an open, rules- based global trading system. Founded in 1914 by a broad-based group of American companies, the NFTC now serves hundreds of member companies through its offices in Washington and New York.
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NFTC Welcomes Nomination of Robert Lighthizer as USTR

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Washington D.C. – The National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) today welcomed the news that President-elect Donald Trump has selected Robert Lighthizer as his intended nominee for United States Trade Representatives (USTR).

“We welcome the selection of Bob Lighthizer as new USTR and are looking forward to working with him,” said Rufus Yerxa, President of the NFTC. “Bob is a very experienced trade lawyer and a shrewd negotiator. He will be an effective defender of USTR’s role in leading on trade negotiations, and I’m sure he’ll put together a strong team. It is too early to know what the new Administration’s negotiating priorities will be, but obviously we want to see dynamic and forward-looking trade and tax policies designed to make American businesses more competitive globally.”

Last month, the NFTC released a policy brief on the role of trade and tax policies in unleashing a new era of U.S. competitiveness. Click here to find out more.

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About the NFTC
Serving America’s Global Businesses Since 1914 – The National Foreign Trade Council (www.nftc.org) is a leading business organization advocating an open, rules- based global trading system. Founded in 1914 by a broad-based group of American companies, the NFTC now serves hundreds of member companies through its offices in Washington and New York.
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NFTC Releases Policy Brief on “Trade, Taxes and Competitiveness: Strategies for a New Era”

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Washington D.C. – The National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) released today a policy brief titled “Trade, Taxes and Competitiveness: Strategies for a New Era.” The brief outlines the business community’s commitment to working together on a bipartisan basis with the new Administration and Congress to create innovative policies and unleash a new era of U.S. competitiveness.

“We want to begin a dialogue with policymakers on what we believe to be the essential elements of a new strategy to improve our international competitiveness, promote economic growth, and broaden the benefits of trade and globalization to a larger cross-section of American workers and consumers” said Rufus Yerxa, President of the NFTC.

In the brief, NFTC highlights the importance of making America more competitive in the global economy by ensuring the adoption of forward-looking tax and trade policies, by strengthening global rules, and by opening foreign markets to U.S. products and services.

The brief outlines four core elements for advancing these goals:

  • An outward-looking and dynamic trade policy that maintains a commitment to open markets, appropriately addresses unfair trade and economic policies and creates better, more transparent rules for global competition.
  • Tax policies that will significantly strengthen our global competitiveness, spur investment across broad sectors of our economy and benefit working Americans.
  • A strategy to better position our workforce to take advantage of new economic opportunities, one that effectively enables workers to close the skills gap in manufacturing and value-added service industries and that supports labor and mobility.
  • A national infrastructure program that is aligned at the federal, state and local level, that ensures more public-private cooperation and that enhances both our quality of life and our global competitiveness.

“We believe the President-elect’s Administration will share many of our goals – to improve our competitiveness, to find ways of encouraging American companies to invest at home, export more and to create new opportunities for America’s highly talented and motivated workforce” said Yerxa. “Our member companies are looking forward to working alongside Congress and the Administration to reach these goals”

Click here to find out more.

About the NFTC
Serving America’s Global Businesses Since 1914 – The National Foreign Trade Council (www.nftc.org) is a leading business organization advocating an open, rules- based global trading system. Founded in 1914 by a broad-based group of American companies, the NFTC now serves hundreds of member companies through its offices in Washington and New York.

NFTC Foundation Honors Chairman Kevin Brady and Congressman Jared Polis for Leadership on Trade

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Washington DC – Last night the National Foreign Trade Council Foundation (NFTC) hosted its annual World Trade Dinner and Award Ceremony at the United States Institute of Peace, honoring Congressmen Kevin Brady and Jared Polis for their leadership in the trade community.

Ambassador Rufus Yerxa, President of the NFTC, delivered welcome remarks, stressing the importance of trade and maintaining open markets, “America is a great trading nation. Maintaining our gains as a leader in world trade requires us to continually work on building a domestic economy that can compete with the world, a global economy that is more open and fair, and an open market at home to benefit American consumers and ensure that our exporters have access to needed inputs.”

Congressman Kevin Brady, Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, was recognized for his lifetime achievement in opening markets worldwide to U.S. trade and investment. In his remarks, Chairman Brady highlighted the benefits of a strong American presence in international markets for American workers, consumers & communities, and the importance of bipartisan support for reforming the US tax system to make American businesses more competitive across the globe.

In his remarks, Chairman Brady stressed that the “Freedom to trade is the most important economic freedom we have. It lies at the heart of our free enterprise system, it’s a driving force behind innovation, entrepreneurship, behind opportunity. Preserving that freedom to trade means standing up for our ability to buy and sell goods anywhere in the world. […] As history has shown, when free trade is conducted on a level playing field, when these agreements are done right and strictly enforced, we win. We win in a big way. […] We need robust trade agreements to open up markets to American made goods. It’s not enough to be able to buy American, we have to sell American, everywhere throughout the world.”

Congressman Jared Polis was presented with the Trade Leadership for the Digital Age Award in recognition of his leadership in fostering policies beneficial to the way global companies conduct business in the internet age, and for raising awareness of the ways digital trade connects ideas with people to transform the world. During his remarks, Congressman Polis highlighted the importance of free trade, tax reform, and the “need to support a global infrastructure of rules, support cross border flow of information, and freedom of internet, to allow for entrepreneurship around the world.”

Congressman Polis illustrated the importance of access to the global digital and Internet economy in his own district. Polis said, “One of my constituents, Nick Martin, developed an online used-cycling business and utilizes e-commerce sites, like Ebay to sell goods to consumers world-wide. Entrepreneurs like Nick benefit from international trade by having a global customer base.”

Now in its 102nd year, NFTC Foundation’s World Trade Dinner has become a valued tradition for guests, ranging from senior U.S. government officials and diplomats to executives of critical global industries. This year’s dinner was held in the Shultz Great Hall of the United States Institute of Peace.

 

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About the NFTC
Serving America’s Global Businesses Since 1914 – The National Foreign Trade Council (www.nftc.org) is a leading business organization advocating an open, rules- based global trading system. Founded in 1914 by a broad-based group of American companies, the NFTC now serves hundreds of member companies through its offices in Washington and New York.
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In Geneva, Coalition for Green Trade Expresses Disappointment over Inability to Conclude Environmental Goods Agreement Deal

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Washington DC – The Coalition for Green Trade is disappointed that this weekend’s Ministerial Meeting in Geneva was unable to reach a deal on an Environmental Goods Agreement, that has been in negotiation since July 2014, despite strong leadership from the United States.

Facilitating trade in environmental goods, which currently is estimated at $1 trillion annually, would promote the use and development of environmental technologies that will address global environmental goals, supporting jobs and growth in all 18 participants. The failure to conclude this deal represents a significant missed opportunity for the global economy, delaying positive contributions to job growth, innovation and environmental goals until a later date.

To spur successfully the development of cost-effective innovative new technologies to meet global environmental challenges, major countries, including China, must be fully engaged. While we are disappointed that China lacked the ambition to move forward at this juncture, we will continue to look for paths forward with all 18 negotiating parties so that potential benefits to our economies and the environment are ultimately realized.

The Coalition supports the statement made by the United States and the EU in support of a product list substantially broadening the list of 54 goods agreed-upon in the APEC forum in 2012. Given the importance of these negotiations, we remain committed to working with all the negotiating countries to continue the negotiations so that countries can benefit from ambitious outcomes as soon as possible.

Jake Colvin, Vice President for Global Trade Issues at NFTC, was on the ground in Geneva for the talks and is available for comment. He can be reached at jcolvin@nftc.org.

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About the Coalition for Green Trade
The Coalition for Green Trade, co-chaired by the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) and U.S. Council for International Business (USCIB), works to educate policymakers and the public on the importance of lowering trade barriers to environmental technologies, and to advocate for the timely negotiation of an ambitious Environmental Goods Agreement (EGA) under the World Trade Organization (WTO).