Category: Press Releases and Statements
NFTC’s Colvin Named Executive Director of Global Innovation Forum
Washington DC – The National Foreign Trade Council Foundation (NFTC Foundation) today announced that Vice President for Global Trade Issues Jake Colvin will now also serve as Executive Director of its Global Innovation Forum (GIF).
GIF connects startup, development and university leaders with innovative corporations and policymakers to promote understanding of the opportunities and challenges associated with engaging in the global marketplace in the digital age.
Since its founding, the GIF has leveraged relationships with respected innovation centers across the United States to host a series of discussions aimed at developing solutions to complex challenges facing innovators who either directly participate in the global marketplace or are partners with multinational companies.
Colvin will focus on expanding the participation of corporate, startup, development and university communities globally, and uniting innovation centers on issues that impact the ability of a broad set of stakeholders to participate effectively in the global marketplace.
In addition to heading up the GIF, Colvin leads NFTC’s trade and environmental policy work, and represents the Council before international organizations including the World Trade Organization, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum and UN Framework Convention for Climate Change.
To learn more about the GIF, visit www.globalinnovationforum.com/. Join the conversation: @GlobaliForum.
About the NFTC
NFTC is Celebrating our New Century in 2014! Details at www.nftc.org – 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.Follow us on:
Moving forward with international trade negotiations
Coalition for Security and Competitiveness Commends Administration’s Progress on Export Control Reform Initiative
Reinsch: “Ambassador Froman is Right – International Trade Plays a Key Role in Our Economy”
Washington DC – National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) President Bill Reinsch released the following statement on today’s House Ways and Means Committee hearing on the Administration’s 2014 trade agenda.
“The NFTC welcomes the remarks delivered by Ambassador Froman today during the Ways and Means Committee hearing on President Obama’s 2014 trade agenda. Ambassador Froman is right – international trade plays a key role in our economy, and more exports mean more jobs.
“Trade negotiations like the ones currently underway – the Trans-Pacific Partnership, Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, Trade in Services Agreement and the World Trade Organization’s environmental goods negotiations – ensure that U.S. businesses can compete on a level playing field across the globe and that our trading partners play by the rules for a 21st century global trading system. Once completed these agreements will break down market access barriers, increasing exports and creating more American jobs. Trade is essential to stimulating economic growth.
“An important step to ensure the benefits of these agreements and future agreements is congressional approval of Trade Promotion Authority legislation, and we urge the Administration and Congress to work together to achieve this as soon as possible.”
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About the NFTC
NFTC is Celebrating our New Century in 2014! Details at www.nftc.org -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.Follow us on:
NFTC Statement on Senate Foreign Relations Committee Markup of Income Tax Treaties and Protocols
Washington DC – National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) President Bill Reinsch released the following statement today on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s passage of the pending Tax Treaty Protocol agreements with Switzerland and Luxembourg, the Tax Treaties with Hungary and Chile, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Multilateral Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters.
“We welcome the Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s passage of these tax treaties and protocols, as they will support the movement of trade and investment between the United States and the countries included.
“Tax treaties play a critical role in ensuring a level playing field for U.S. businesses as they engage in global trade, and the NFTC supports treaty policies that prevent double taxation on cross-border investments.
“We commend the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for recognizing the importance of these treaties to U.S. competitiveness, and we urge the Senate to follow suit and pass these agreements as soon as possible.”
On February 26, 2014, NFTC President Bill Reinsch delivered testimony before the Committee recommending ratification of the treaties and protocols under consideration today.
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About the NFTC
NFTC is Celebrating our New Century in 2014! Details at www.nftc.org -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.Follow us on:
NFTC is Celebrating our New Century in 2014! Details at www.nftc.org -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.Follow us on:
NFTC Statement on Senate Foreign Relations Committee Markup of Income Tax Treaties and Protocols
Washington DC – National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) President Bill Reinsch released the following statement today on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s passage of the pending Tax Treaty Protocol agreements with Switzerland and Luxembourg, the Tax Treaties with Hungary and Chile, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Multilateral Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters.
“We welcome the Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s passage of these tax treaties and protocols, as they will support the movement of trade and investment between the United States and the countries included.
“Tax treaties play a critical role in ensuring a level playing field for U.S. businesses as they engage in global trade, and the NFTC supports treaty policies that prevent double taxation on cross-border investments.
“We commend the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for recognizing the importance of these treaties to U.S. competitiveness, and we urge the Senate to follow suit and pass these agreements as soon as possible.”
On February 26, 2014, NFTC President Bill Reinsch delivered testimony before the Committee recommending ratification of the treaties and protocols under consideration today.
USA*Engage Statement on Executive Order Broadening Sanctions Against Ukraine
Washington, DC – Today, USA*Engage released the following statement regarding the March 20th Executive Order, which proposes additional, broader sanctions against Ukraine.
“USA*Engage appreciates the diplomacy that President Obama has shown regarding Russia’s actions in Ukraine to date. The challenge going forward is strategic and the risks of miscalculation for all involved are grave.
“U.S. commercial investment across sectors in Russia is substantial, dwarfed only by the commercial interdependence between the EU and Russia. The application of economic sanctions as an immediate response tool is well rooted in both the U.S. Executive branch and Congress. The actual sanctions have been targeted, but the potential sanctions contemplated in the most recent Executive Order would do real damage to U.S. companies with no predictable result regarding Russian responses. At least, however, the President’s orders remove any warrant for Congress to legislate sanctions, which would ipso facto foreclose diplomatic adaptability.
“The strategic nature of Russia’s relations with its neighbors and the rest of the world, the history that informs those relations and the state of Russia’s internal governance argue for response and resolve on the part of the United States, the EU and NATO that may take months, indeed years to realize.
“In any case, before sanctions are broadened into veritable financial warfare, USA*Engage believes that U.S. decision-makers should fully understand the costs thereof and act only in full concert with the EU and other allies.”
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About USA*Engage
USA*Engage (www.usaengage.org) is a coalition of small and large businesses, agriculture groups and trade associations working to seek alternatives to the proliferation of unilateral U.S. foreign policy sanctions and to promote the benefits of U.S. engagement abroad. Established in 1997 and organized under the National Foreign Trade Council (www.nftc.org), USA*Engage leads a campaign to inform policymakers, opinion leaders, and the public about the counterproductive nature of unilateral sanctions, the importance of exports and overseas investment for American competitiveness and jobs, and the role of American companies in promoting human rights and democracy worldwide.
NFTC Applauds USTR Announcement on Green Trade
Washington DC – The National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) today welcomed the notification of Congress by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative of the Administration’s intent to start World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiations to eliminate tariffs on a wide range of environmental goods.
Jake Colvin, NFTC Vice President for Global Trade Issues, released the following statement:
“Negotiators will find strong support within the business community for eliminating tariffs on environmentally-friendly goods.
“This initiative is a bit of mom-and-apple-pie. It’s good for economic growth and for the environment, and we hope it will be a priority for negotiators in Geneva.
“NFTC applauds the strong leadership of the White House and USTR in support of green growth over many years, and across trade forums including the WTO and in APEC.
“We look forward to working with them and our other trading partners to advance an ambitious agreement.”
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About the NFTC
NFTC is Celebrating our New Century in 2014! Details at www.nftc.org -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.Follow us on:
NFTC is Celebrating our New Century in 2014! Details at www.nftc.org -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.Follow us on:
eBay Inc.’s Brian Bieron to Serve as Chair of NFTC’s Trade Committee
Washington DC – The National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) released the following statement today announcing that Brian Bieron, Executive Director of the Public Policy Lab at eBay Inc., will serve as Chair of its Trade Committee.
“Brian’s expertise and experience in international trade policy will be critical as we navigate a robust trade agenda this year from the Trans-Pacific Partnership and Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership to pending Trade Promotion Authority legislation to renewal of programs such as Generalized System of Preferences and Trade Adjustment Assistance. We are looking forward to working with Brian in his new role as Chair of our Trade Committee,” said NFTC President Bill Reinsch. “We will rely on Brian’s experience and eBay Inc.’s unique role at the intersection of the physical and digital economies to inform the work of our trade committee.”
Bieron serves as Executive Director of the Public Policy Lab at eBay Inc., and has published and spoken on a broad variety of issues at the nexus of technology and commerce. Previously, Bieron led eBay’s U.S. Government Relations Team in Washington, DC, from 2004 to 2012. Prior to joining eBay, Bieron worked as a Director at Clark & Weinstock, one of Washington’s leading bipartisan lobbying and consulting firms. He also previously worked on Capitol Hill as a Congressional staffer, including service as Policy Director for former House Rules Committee Chairman David Dreier, where he played a lead role on key congressional trade and technology issues, including enactment of the North America Free Trade Agreement, the General Agreement on Tariff and Trade (GATT) Uruguay Round, Permanent Normalized Trade Relations for China and Trade Promotion Authority.
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About the NFTC
NFTC is Celebrating our New Century in 2014! Details at www.nftc.org -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.Follow us on:
