Category: Press Releases and Statements

NFTC Statement on Ambassador Kirk’s Speech in Pittsburgh

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Washington, DC – National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) President Bill Reinsch released the following comment in response to Ambassador Kirk’s speech today in Pittsburgh on U.S. trade enforcement priorities:

“Stronger enforcement is a good thing, and Ambassador Kirk has zeroed in on several of the important areas where there is a lot of work to be done. At the same time, a comprehensive trade policy needs more than one leg. We also need to be actively promoting American products and pursuing trade agreements, both multilateral and bilateral, that will expand trade and thereby help our economy grow and create new jobs. We look forward to hearing about the other legs of the Administration’s trade policy soon.

“In particular, we encourage the Administration to redouble efforts to conclude a global trade deal and enact outstanding bilateral trade agreements, as well as to pursue innovative strategies that would unlock new markets for U.S. businesses and workers. For example, the United States should take a leadership role in promoting trade in green technologies and introducing new ideas into the global trading system like a next-generation information technology agreement.”

About the NFTC

Advancing Global Commerce for 95 Years – The National Foreign Trade Council 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 Applauds Cuba Provisions in FY2010 Appropriations Bills

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Washington, DC – The National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) today applauded members of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees for including provisions in the FY2010 financial services spending bills that would help to normalize U.S.-Cuba agricultural trade. NFTC Vice President for Global Trade Issues Jake Colvin released the following statement:

“The language included in the spending bills would represent a small but important shift in U.S.-Cuba policy that would benefit U.S. farmers, businesses and workers. By allowing U.S. farmers and other exporters to accept payment at the time of delivery, appropriators seek to remove an unnecessary barrier and open the door to increased exports to Cuba. We strongly encourage both chambers to include the provisions in the final version of the legislation.”


About the NFTC

Advancing Global Commerce for 95 Years – The National Foreign Trade Council 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.

Trade and Industry Leaders Urge President Obama to Reform Outdated U.S. Export Control System

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New Policies Needed to Maintain U.S. Competitiveness and Strengthen National Security
Washington, DC – The National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) and the Coalition for Employment Through Exports (CEE) today, on behalf of the Coalition for Security and Competitiveness (CSC), wrote President Obama urging the Administration to lead an initiative to fundamentally reform the outdated U.S. export control system. The CSC was initially formed in 2007 by eight leading trade and industry organizations to provide recommendations for enhancing both security and competitiveness through modernization of U.S. export controls.

“Our increasingly out-of-date export controls on American-origin dual-use and defense technologies are adversely affecting our country’s leadership and competitiveness in several fields, as a committee of the National Research Council recently concluded. There is mounting evidence of a resulting impact on national defense, according to several Defense Department reports,” wrote the associations.

“We believe that action by your Administration is urgently needed to adopt new policies to govern U.S. export controls and new administrative regulations and procedures to streamline export licensing and compliance requirements,” the letter continued. Highlighting the importance of presidential leadership and a sustained effort by senior government officials, the associations noted that only high-level direction will lead to “meaningful and lasting improvements.”

“The United States needs a 21st century export control system and administrative procedures that carefully balance our national security and ability to maintain U.S. competitiveness in the global economy,” said NFTC President Bill Reinsch, a former Under Secretary of Commerce for Export Administration in the Clinton Administration. “That balance can be achieved, but we first have to take the appropriate steps toward substantive reform.”

In addition to the NFTC and CEE, CSC members include the Aerospace Industries Association, the Association of American Exporters and Importers, the AMT – Association for Manufacturing Technology, Business Roundtable, the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, the Industrial Fastener Institute, the National Association of Manufacturers, the National Defense Industrial Association, the Satellite Industry Association, The Space Foundation, TechAmerica and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

To read the full text of the letter, click here.
 

About the NFTC

Advancing Global Commerce for 95 Years – 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 Launches Facebook Page

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Washington, DC – The National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) has made its Facebook debut. NFTC’s new Facebook page will be updated regularly to include all press releases, relevant news articles, upcoming events and important announcements. Additionally, it may be used in the future as a forum for discussions about trade- and tax-related issues and current events. Its purpose, therefore, is twofold: to provide up-to-date information from the NFTC and to facilitate discussion and promote dialogue about the NFTC’s most pertinent issues.

We invite you to be part of our Facebook community.

It’s easy! Follow the three steps below to become a “fan” of the NFTC’s Faceook page:

(1) Go to the Facebook Web site – http://www.facebook.com
(2) Go to the Search tab in the top right-hand corner and type in “National Foreign Trade Council.”
(3) A thumbprint of NFTC’s page will appear on the screen. Click “Become a fan” to the right of the NFTC logo.

Once you’ve done that, NFTC’s page will be automatically linked to your personal Facebook profile, so you can check it as often as you’d like. To post something in response to a news update or press release, simply write on the NFTC Facebook wall and click “Share” once you’re finished.

Click here for a direct link to NFTC’s page:
 http://www.facebook.com/pages/Washington-DC/National-Foreign-Trade-Council/105955409792#/pages/Washington-DC/National-Foreign-Trade-Council/105955409792?ref=ts  

Not on Facebook? Joining is easy. Simply go to Facebook.com, enter your current e-mail address and create a basic profile. It’s a great way to network with other people; communicate with your friends, family and colleagues; and follow the people and organizations that interest you.

We hope to see you on Facebook soon!

About the NFTC

Advancing Global Commerce for 95 Years – 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 Applauds Administration’s Review of Country Eligibility for Andean Trade Preferences

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Welcomes Acknowledgement of Challenging Investment Climate in Ecuador and Bolivia

Washington, DC – National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) President Bill Reinsch today released the following statement welcoming the Administration’s report on country eligibility for trade preferences under the Andean Trade Preference Act (ATPA).

“We commend the Administration for acknowledging the difficulties American investors face in Ecuador in its decision to extend trade preferences under ATPA. Recent experience has shown that American companies face significant challenges there in terms of rule of law and political interference in the judicial process, and we expect the Administration to continue to monitor developments there carefully. ATPA is an important tool to promote economic development and growth within the hemisphere, but to ensure that the system remains fair and mutually beneficial, our trading partners must demonstrate a commitment to abiding by the rules and refrain from interfering in judicial processes.”

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About the NFTC
Advancing Global Commerce for 95 Years- 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 Statement on Visit of Colombian President Uribe

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Washington, DC – In response to the meeting held this afternoon between President Obama and Colombian President Alvaro Uribe at the White House, National Foreign Council (NFTC) President Bill Reinsch released the following statement.

“Today’s meeting between the two presidents is an important step forward in advancing the dialogue on the future of U.S.-Colombia relations, including the trade agreement.

“In a region that faces a growing threat of political and social instability, Colombia remains one of the United States’ strongest democratic allies.

“Colombia is working hand-in-hand with the United States in the war against drugs, and broader than that, to dismantle the terrorist groups who benefit from the drug trade and whose illegal actions contribute to the violence that plagues the region.

“President Uribe should be commended for the progress his administration has made on this front. During his presidency, he has helped Colombia to turn the page on its past, strengthen the rule of law and democratic institutions, and provide economic opportunity and social advancement to the Colombian people.

“The United States and Colombia must continue to work together to strengthen our strategic and economic ties to ensure that those advances are sustained. Expanding trade relations is central to progress on other elements of the U.S.-Colombia bilateral agenda.

“We call on the Administration to work with the Colombian Government to agree on clear and measurable benchmarks to demonstrate the necessary progress on outstanding issues to bring the trade agreement before the U.S. Congress by a date certain.”

About the NFTC

Advancing Global Commerce for 95 Years – 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.
 

USLBA Board of Directors Transitions Management of Association to NFTC

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Washington DC The U.S.-Libya Business Association (USLBA) Board of Directors announced that it has transitioned management of the association to the National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC), effective immediately. The USLBA is currently managed by David Goldwyn, President of Goldwyn International Strategies, LLC, a leading international energy consulting firm. Goldwyn is departing the association to embark on a new opportunity, which will be announced shortly. The USLBA also announced its new incoming corporate Chairman Ian Davis, Vice President of Government Relations for Occidental Petroleum, and its new Executive Director NFTC Vice President for Regional Trade Initiatives Chuck Dittrich.

“We thank David for his many years of dedicated service on behalf of the U.S.-Libya Business Association. He has provided invaluable strategic counsel, analysis and leadership to the association during his tenure, and we wish him all the best in his next assignment,” said outgoing USLBA Chairman Kay Larcom, Director of Federal Affairs for ConocoPhillips.

The association will remain a separate entity but will be co-located with the NFTC. Incoming Executive Director Chuck Dittrich has a background in Middle East affairs and has managed the NFTC’s U.S.-Middle East Free Trade Coalition since its inception. Ditrrich has also led the Council’s advocacy and outreach efforts to press for passage and implementation of free trade agreements with Bahrain, Morocco and Oman. Dittrich will also retain his position at the NFTC as Vice President for Regional Trade Initiatives.

“The NFTC is one of the most highly regarded trade associations in Washington, and their team is deeply steeped in U.S.-Middle East policy issues,” said Davis. “We have worked alongside the Council on a number of U.S-Libya related matters, specifically, and we look forward to working with the organization in this new capacity.”

The USLBA was organized to enhance commercial relations between the United States and Libya, educate the public about their importance, and facilitate the commercial and diplomatic dialogue between the two countries. The association is a non-profit, member-based organization that sponsors regular policy conferences, briefing sessions and major events featuring senior U.S. and Libyan officials. Ambassador David Mack serves as the association’s honorary chairman.

For more information, visit www.us-lba.org or www.nftc.org
.

About the USLBA

The US-Libya Business Association is the only bilateral US association focusing on the United States and Libya. It was organized to enhance the US-Libya relationship, educate the public about its importance, and facilitate the commercial and diplomatic dialogue between the two countries. The USLBA is a non-profit, member-based organization that sponsors regular policy conferences, briefing sessions and major events featuring senior US and Libyan officials.

About the NFTC

Advancing Global Commerce for 95 Years -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 Statement on Passage of the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009

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Washington, DC –NFTC Vice President for Global Affairs Jake Colvin released the following statement following passage by the House of Representatives on the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009:

“NFTC welcomes the effort by House leaders to place domestic legislation firmly in the context of international negotiations. Given the potential for free emission allowances and border measures to violate global trade rules, and the reality that halting climate change will require a global effort, this kind of international approach is absolutely essential.

“This legislation would commit the United States to attempt to reach an agreement to reduce global emissions and address with the international community the competitive imbalances that may result from, and trade-related measures that may be employed through, national reduction strategies.

“Effectively managing climate change while keeping markets open will require the type of international coordination among economic and environmental policymakers that this legislation seeks to encourage.

“Congress should also be commended for acknowledging the importance of intellectual property protection for promoting innovation and delivering clean technologies to developing countries. NFTC agrees with Congress that Intellectual property rights are a key driver of investment and research and development in, and the global deployment of, clean technologies.’

“At the same time, we are disappointed that, without a global deal, the legislation would all-but-require the President to impose border measures against any number of countries. The final bill departs from the flexibility that had been provided to the president in earlier drafts to determine whether or not to implement a border adjustment program.

“We are concerned that the near-mandatory imposition of border measures limits the flexibility of the President, may harm relations with U.S. trading partners, and could violate global trade rules. While the legislation improves the framing of a border adjustment mechanism as a step to reduce carbon leakage, application of the mechanism still largely rests on competitiveness criteria and is closely associated with efforts to level the playing field for U.S. producers. And while Congress has taken steps to recast the purpose of the program, application of a border measure is not linked explicitly to a finding of carbon leakage and may be seen as disguised protectionism by U.S. trading partners.

“We agree strongly with the Obama Administration that legislation must be consistent with our international obligations and an open and integrated global economic system.'”


About the NFTC

Advancing Global Commerce for 95 Years – 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.

Visit us at www.nftc.org and on Facebook.

NFTC, USCIB Release Joint Letter on Trade and Competitiveness Provisions in Climate Bill

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Washington DC  – With the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 slated for a vote on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives later this week, the National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) today joined with the U.S. Council for International Business (USCIB) to release a letter to House leaders. The letter applauds House leaders for their “priority attention to addressing climate change and [their] leadership in Congress on advancing responsible and internationally-minded domestic solutions to a global problem” while outlining concerns that certain provisions under consideration by the House are likely to cause friction with U.S. allies and conflict with U.S. obligations under international trade rules.

While the bill’s approaches to mitigating the impacts of climate change have been debated, insufficient attention has been paid to whether the provisions are compliant with international trade rules. As the organizations note in their letter, “In order to achieve a successful and lasting domestic solution for addressing climate change, U.S. legislation must abide by U.S. international trade obligations and should encourage action by other major emitting countries.”

The groups also encourage House leaders to link innovation and trade more closely with the ability of the United States to deliver clean technologies to the developing world. They note the importance of protecting intellectual property for promoting innovation and delivering clean technologies to developing countries and that lowering tariffs and other trade barriers on environmentally-friendly goods and services is “an important method for facilitating the export of clean technologies abroad.” The groups call on Congress to encourage the Administration to investigate the feasibility of an agreement to lower trade barriers at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

To read the full text of the letter, please click here.

NFTC Vice President for Global Trade Issues Jake Colvin is available to discuss the trade-related provisions of the draft legislation.

Mr. Colvin is available to discuss:

 

• Components of the bill that are of concern with respect to international trade rules;

• The importance of ensuring that domestic climate change policies comply with U.S. international obligations to avoid trade retaliation and World Trade Organization challenges;

• If approved by Congress, the impact of the bill on the ability to achieve global climate agreement at the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in December; and

• The connection between trade and innovation and the delivery of clean technologies to the developing world.
 

If you are interested in scheduling an interview with Mr. Colvin, please contact Jennifer Cummings (jcummings@fratelli.com) at 202-822-9491.
Background

As an organization focused on international trade and tax policy, the NFTC does not support a particular policy on climate change and or endorse specific legislation, but strongly advocates that U.S. climate change policies be compliant with World Trade Organization (WTO) rules. The NFTC believes that because climate change is a global issue, success in dealing with it depends on multilateral cooperation and ensuring that the United States conforms to existing international rules and participates in multilateral efforts to further refine them.


About the NFTC

Advancing Global Commerce for 95 Years – 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 Welcomes Consultations on Trade Dispute with China

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Washington, DC – National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) President Bill Reinsch released the following statement in response to today’s announcement by U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk that the United States has requested World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute settlement consultations with China regarding the country’s alleged restrictions on exports of a number of raw materials.

“We applaud Ambassador Kirk for asserting the United States’ rights with respect to the WTO and pursuing consultations to resolve this matter.

“As an organization that has advocated for an open, rules-based trading system for the past 95 years, the NFTC believes that in order for the system to function well, trade rules must be enforced. One of the most important functions that the WTO performs is to resolve disputes between trading partners, helping to ensure that all countries follow the rules of the road. We welcome a fact-based resolution of this case.”

About the NFTC

Advancing Global Commerce for 95 Years – 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.