Press Releases and Statements Archives - Page 71 of 110

Broad-Based Business Coalition Proposes a Modernized Export Control Regime

Posted on January 12, 2010 by dcadmin

Washington, DC – The Coalition for Security and Competitiveness (CSC) today released detailed policy recommendations for a 21st Century Technology Control Regime that will enhance both national security and U.S. competitiveness. The Coalition of leading industry and trade associations recommended a series of steps the Administration should take to modernize the export control system.

Specifically, the group proposes reform achieving the following objectives:

Establish clear lines of responsibility in the commodity jurisdiction process;
Promote effective compliance and enforcement;
Improve outreach to and resources for U.S. industry, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises;
Promote greater multilateral cooperation with allies and partners; and
Improve the licensing system and increase transparency.

The recommendations each include a thorough, practical explanation of how they can be achieved.

“We believe changes must be made to the current system to make sure it is aligned with our current security needs and the realities of the global technological environment, and – as a practical matter – operates in a more predictable, transparent and efficient manner,” the Coalition stated in the letter, which was also sent to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke, National Security Advisor General James Jones and National Economic Council Director Lawrence Summers.

The CSC sent a letter to President Obama and key administration officials yesterday outlining the recommendations and pushing for immediate action. The coalition has been actively engaged with the Obama Administration since its August 2009 announcement that an interagency taskforce would conduct a comprehensive review of U.S. export controls, which is currently under way. In October 2009, the Coalition submitted to the Administration a set of principles and implementation objectives to guide the reform effort.

“Taken together, our principles and recommendations would create a 21st century export control regime that protects critical technologies, safeguards our national security, spurs innovation and promotes economic growth,” the Coalition stated in yesterday’s letter to the President and key Administration officials.

The letter was sent on behalf of the Coalition’s member associations, which include the Aerospace Industries Association, the Association of American Exporters and Importers, the AMT – Association for Manufacturing Technology, The Business Roundtable, the Coalition for Employment Through Exports, the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, the Industrial Fastener Institute, the Information Technology Industry Council, the National Association of Manufacturers, the National Defense Industrial Association, the National Foreign Trade Council, the Satellite Industry Association, the Space Enterprise Council, The Space Foundation, TechAmerica and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

For a copy of the letter and recommendations, please click here.

About the Coalition:

The Coalition for Security and Competitiveness was launched on March 6, 2007, when it provided President Bush with initial recommendations for enhancing U.S. security and competitiveness through modernization of the export control system. Formed by eight leading associations, the Coalition seeks to modernize the export control system so that America is prepared to meet the security and economic challenges of the 21st century. More information about the coalition can be found online at www.securityandcompetitiveness.org.

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.

As Climate Accord Takes Shape, NFTC Urges Integration with Global Economic Framework

Posted on December 19, 2009 by dcadmin

In Copenhagen, U.S. business group highlights role of unilateral trade measures and IP in climate talks

Copenhagen, Denmark – A leading U.S. business association today welcomed efforts of U.S. and international negotiators to take a first step towards a new multilateral framework on climate change, while urging attention to key issues at the intersection of climate policy and the global economy as the United States works to develop national climate solutions.

In the wake of reports of a new political framework, the Copenhagen Accord, the National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) highlighted two issues of importance to the U.S. business community in the international negotiations: the protection of intellectual property rights and use of unilateral trade measures.

The Council noted that issues involving the role of intellectual property rights in the development and deployment of clean technologies continued to have a high profile in the negotiations. “It’s clear from the negotiations this week that governments cannot solve global warming by themselves,” said John Stubbs, who directs the Council’s Global Innovation Forum (www.globalinnovationforum.net). “The private sector must be a majority partner in developing solutions, and that would start with encouraging greater private sector investments in clean technology.” NFTC observed that the intellectual property discussions had been moving in the opposite direction, and certain proposals on the table would have discouraged investment in clean energy technologies. While the Accord appears free of such references, the Council will continue to monitor discussion of IP and technology issues in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) process, including the call for the establishment of a technology mechanism.

Opposition to the use of unilateral trade measures turned out to be an important sleeper issue in the negotiations. China and India led efforts to include language which would have committed countries to oppose efforts to include border adjustment measures or carbon tariffs in domestic climate policies. “The fact that trade developed such a high profile in the talks should surprise no one,” said Jake Colvin, NFTC Vice President for Global Trade Issues. “Developing countries recognized trade was a red line for the United States, and used the negotiations as an opportunity to highlight their opposition to carbon tariffs.” Trade is unlikely to diminish as an issue, said Colvin, who lead NFTC’s participation in the Copenhagen climate talks.

Given the important linkages between trade, investment, and climate change, the presence of officials from the World Trade Organization and World Intellectual Property Organization as observers to the negotiations was welcome.

NFTC expressed appreciation for the work of the United States Government in Copenhagen. “The tireless efforts of the U.S. delegation helped to ensure that the climate talks advanced as far as they did,” said Colvin. “The United States brought their A game, and did everything they could to tee up an agreement. We commend U.S. negotiators for their efforts to ensure transparency in the negotiating process and their willingness to brief U.S. NGO observers.”

As the world now looks towards achieving further progress at the next climate summit in Mexico in 2010, the Council notes that challenges remain for U.S. policymakers. “To the extent that these efforts lead to a successful international outcome, the real challenge for the United States will be implementing domestic climate policies in ways which are consistent with an emerging global framework,” said Colvin.

One challenge for Congress will be how to address concerns about U.S. competitiveness and carbon leakage in ways that acknowledge actions by countries such as China and India which may be taken under an international framework. “There is a difference between the kinds of actions developing countries would be required to take under a global agreement and what the U.S. Congress would consider ‘comparable,'” according to Colvin. “If countries are perceived as complying with their international obligations and the United States still decides to slap a tariff on their exports through U.S. climate legislation, it would set the stage for a nasty confrontation with our trading partners.”

Another challenge for the United States will be to secure the levels of funding that would be required under a deal. Legislators have already come under pressure to scale back financing and capacity building programs that would help fund the deployment of clean technologies in developing countries. Concerns have also been raised about private financing mechanisms. Delivering on financing will be essential to the success of an international effort.

“It has been clear for some time that Copenhagen would be the first step in a longer process,” said NFTC President William A. Reinsch. “Now that it’s behind us, the United States should focus on integrating domestic policies into the international climate framework and ensuring that those efforts support U.S. economic growth and a rebalancing of the global economy.”

The National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) is a leading business organization advocating an open, rules-based global trading system, whose member companies include Boeing, Caterpillar, General Electric, Microsoft, United Technologies Corporation and Wal-Mart Stores. The Council is an accredited observer organization to the UNFCCC climate talks, and led a delegation of U.S. businesses to participate in Copenhagen Conference of Parties (COP-15). NFTC advocates multilateral cooperation on climate change, promotes strong global protection of intellectual property rights, and encourages robust financing and capacity building efforts to help mitigate climate change. NFTC also supports open and transparent trade in green goods and services and urges that U.S. climate policies be compliant with WTO rules and complementary with the global trading system.

For more information about the NFTC’s climate-related efforts, please click here: http://www.nftc.org/?id=260&cat=Issues_ClimateChange

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, USA*Engage Urge House to Oppose Unilateral Iran Sanctions Bill

Posted on December 15, 2009 by dcadmin

Washington, DC – In a letter sent to all members of the U.S. House of Representatives, the National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) and USA*Engage yesterday urged policymakers to oppose H.R. 2194, a bill which would amend the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 by expanding U.S. unilateral sanctions against Iran. The letter warned that instead of delivering a “crippling blow” to the Iranian regime, the bill would fall short in meeting its intended goals and would unfairly penalize U.S. industry and companies operating in the same countries engaged in applying multilateral pressure on Iran’s leaders.

NFTC President Bill Reinsch and USA*Engage Director Richard Sawaya wrote the following:

“The proposed legislation would also amend the Iran Sanctions Act so that U.S. companies with no involvement in Iran’s energy sector would nevertheless be penalized. Specifically, the bill would change the definition of “person” to include financial institutions, underwriters, guarantors, any other business organizations, including any foreign subsidiaries, parents or affiliates of such a business organization, and export credit agencies. Adding insurers and re-insurers, as well as ECAs that might have any connection to Iran’s energy sector, including petroleum product imports, could preclude Ex-Im Bank from doing business with them to co-finance major U.S. exporters that have no relation to Iran’s energy sector. Moreover, any U.S. company with business dealings with a foreign based company that in turn has any relation with Iran’s energy sector could be subject to sanctions. Given the realities of global commerce, such an outcome would harm the U.S. and alienate our allies.”

“The expansive nature of this bill will have a number of unintended consequences for U.S. and foreign companies. While the legislation is aimed at hitting Iran where it hurts, these sanctions will have a boomerang effect and will end up harming U.S. economic and diplomatic interests in the long run,” said Reinsch.

“By proposing to penalize companies with no ties to Iran’s energy sector, export and job growth are at risk here at home,” said Sawaya. “The NFTC and USA*Engage are fundamentally opposed to unilateral sanctions because they are ineffective in achieving their stated purpose, and leave much collateral damage – in this case U.S. economic growth – in their wake.”

To read a full copy of the letter, please click here.

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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 policy-makers, 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 world wide.

About the NFTC

Advancing Global Commerce for Over 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, USA*Engage Express Serious Concerns About House Passage of Iran Sanctions Bill, Urge Senators to Reject Legislation

Posted on December 15, 2009 by dcadmin

Washington, DC – The National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) and USA*Engage today expressed deep disappointment over the U.S. House of Representatives’ approval of H.R. 2194, a bill that would amend the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 by expanding U.S. unilateral sanctions against Iran in ways that pose a threat to the competitiveness of U.S. and foreign companies.

“We are deeply disappointed that the House approved this flawed piece of legislation. In many ways, the House vote was predictable, as Congress consistently feels the need to ‘do something’ to show the Iranian regime it disapproves of its pursuit of nuclear weapons. While the intentions behind the bill are understandable, this is both the wrong time and the wrong policy tool to use to affect the behavior of Iran’s leaders,” said NFTC President Bill Reinsch. “The reality is three-fold. One, unilateral sanctions are ineffective because they do not include the buy-in and support of our allies in the international community. Two, the Administration is engaged in delicate multilateral negotiations aimed at applying pressure on Iran to change course. Three, this bill is far-reaching, and instead of imposing targeted sanctions, it will, if enacted, broaden the scope of actions and actors subject to sanctions in an unprecedented way.”

“The potential consequences of this bill to U.S. industry, exports and jobs have not been analyzed in great detail. We urge the Senate to reject S. 2799, the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2009, in its current form, and spend time reviewing its provisions to better determine the impact on the U.S. economy,” said USA*Engage Director Richard Sawaya. “Now is not the time to implement broad-brush sanctions that have little focus and will likely do more harm than good. We applaud several Senators who have expressed concerns and principled objection to the bill as drafted, including Senator Kerry.”

A NFTC/USA*Engage analysis of the House and Senate bills highlights the following key flaws:

* With respect to the extension of the Iran Sanctions Act to “entities” that trade refined petroleum products to Iran, both bills contain language that would subject any entity that trades refined petroleum products (as defined in the law) with Iran, over a fairly minimal dollar threshold, to mandatory sanctions enumerated in the bills. Assuming OFAC adopts the traditional approach to restricting U.S. persons from dealing in “property” or “interest in property” of the sanctioned person, U.S. companies could be precluded from any trade or business relationship with the sanctioned entity. The language in the additional mandatory sanctions section of each bill is quite sweeping, and would isolate any entity engaged in such trade from the U.S. economy.

* The bills also target foreign export credit agencies (ECAs) that finance any entities that have dealings with Iran’s energy sector. This measure would effectively preclude the Export-Import Bank from co-financing with such ECAs projects of U.S. exporters that have no relation to Iran’s or to its energy sector.

* The President’s waiver authority in both bills is severely constrained.

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About USA*Engage

About the NFTC

Advancing Global Commerce for Over 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 Administration’s Notification to Congress on Intent to Join TPP Negotiations

Posted on December 14, 2009 by dcadmin

Washington, DC – The National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) today welcomed news that the Obama Administration sent to Congress a notification announcing its intent to join the Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement (TPP) negotiations. The president publicly announced his support for initiatives aimed at expanding U.S. economic engagement with countries in the Asia-Pacific region during his visit to Asia last month. NFTC Vice President for Regional Trade Issues Chuck Dittrich released the following statement:

“The NFTC is extremely pleased with the Administration’s announcement today regarding plans to participate in the TPP negotiations in the coming months.

“This is an important step toward strengthening economic and commercial ties between the United States and the Asia-Pacific region.

“The TPP is an ambitious undertaking and has the potential to significantly expand trade relations with one of the most dynamic regions in the world. The agreement will help to better integrate the Asia-Pacific market into the global economy, will promote domestic job growth and will forge more robust economic relations between the United States and its allies in Asia.”

“We look forward to working with the Administration as the first round of negotiations begins in the spring.”

In a November 4, 2009, letter sent to President Obama, U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk and Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke, the NFTC urged the president to use the occasion of his historic visit to Asia to move forward with negotiations to join the TPP.

About the NFTC

NFTC Commends House for Approving GSP & ATPA Extensions, Urges Senate to Follow Suit

Posted on December 14, 2009 by dcadmin

Washington, DC – The National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) today praised members of the U.S. House of Representatives for voting to extend the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) and the Andean Trade Preferences Act (ATPA) for one year. The NFTC released the following statement:

“We applaud members of the House for approving a one-year extension of GSP and ATPA and urge the Senate to approve the one-year extension as soon as possible before adjourning for the year,” said NFTC Vice President for Regional Trade Initiatives Chuck Dittrich. “These programs provide a number of developing countries with duty-free access to the U.S. market, help ensure stability to both U.S. and recipient country enterprises, and ease the flow of commerce. This extension allows Congress to take up a comprehensive review and reform of U.S. trade preference programs in the new year.”

The president’s June 30, 2009 report to Congress on Ecuador’s ATPA eligibility noted several issues of serious concern, as does the U.S. Department of State’s 2009 Investment Climate Statements with respect to Ecuador. The NFTC has joined the business community in urging Congress and the Administration to exercise continued and heightened attention to the troubling course upon which Ecuador has embarked, and to use the review process contained in the ATPA to encourage its return to compliance with the accepted rules of the world trading system.

“We appreciate Congressional efforts to approve this extension before the programs expire at the end of the month,” said NFTC President Bill Reinsch. “It is our hope that the U.S. trade agenda will be front and center in 2010, and that in addition to preference reform, Congress will approve the three pending free trade agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea, to help level the playing field for U.S. exporters.”

“The link between job creation, expanding market access and removing tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade is real. As Congress and the Administration increasingly shift their attention to job creation, we encourage them to remember the important role trade can play in boosting the U.S. economy through exports,” said Dittrich.

The NFTC today joined other leading business community groups in sending a letter to all members of Congress today urging them to support the one-year extension of both GSP and ATPA. NFTC President Bill Reinsch recently delivered testimony before the House Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee outlining the organization’s position on modernizing the nation’s system of trade preferences.

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About the NFTC

Advancing Global Commerce for Over 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 Welcomes Omnibus Bill Provisions to Ease Flow of Agricultural Exports to Cuba

Posted on December 14, 2009 by dcadmin

Washington, DC – The National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) and USA*Engage today praised Congress for including in the FY2010 omnibus spending bill provisions to ease the flow of U.S. agricultural exports to Cuba. The spending bill was approved by the Senate yesterday and is expected to be signed by President Obama in the coming days. NFTC Vice President for Global Trade Policy Jake Colvin released the following statement:

“We applaud Congress for including Cuba-related provisions in the omnibus bill. The agriculture provision will make it easier for American farmers and other agricultural exporters to sell their goods to Cuba. This is a small but welcome step in the right direction, and it is great to see that fixing Cuba policy remains on the radar screen for Congress.”

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About USA*Engage

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 Leads U.S. Business Delegation to Copenhagen Climate Summit

Posted on December 10, 2009 by dcadmin

Washington, DC – The National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) is leading a delegation of U.S. businesses to participate in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of Parties (COP-15) in Copenhagen. The delegation, which is being led by NFTC Vice President for Global Trade Issues Jake Colvin, will participate in a series of high-level meetings with environmental negotiators and trade officials, including from the World Trade Organization (WTO). The goal of the visit is to highlight the intersection between efforts to address climate change and the global economy.

“It is important for policymakers and other stakeholders to pay attention to the connection between the environment and the global economy,” said Colvin. “One area that deserves more focus is green trade. Lowering trade barriers and promoting solid investment climates can help achieve our environmental goals.”

While in Copenhagen, the NFTC-led delegation will participate in a number of events and will host a series of briefings for key officials, which will focus on trade and competitiveness aspects of international action on climate. In addition, the NFTC is partnering with the U.S. Council for International Business (USCIB) on an event focused on trade and climate change.

On Tuesday, the NFTC will participate in an all-day event organized by the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD), during which Colvin will deliver remarks as part of a panel discussion on “Clean Energy Generation and Lean Energy Use: Interweaving Trade and Regulatory Frameworks.”

As an organization focused solely on international trade and tax policy, the NFTC advocates multilateral cooperation on climate change, supports open and transparent trade in green goods and services, and urges that U.S. climate policies be compliant with WTO rules.

For more information about the NFTC’s climate-related efforts, please click here. To learn more about the December 15, 2009 ICTSD conference, please click here.

NOTE: To schedule an interview with Mr. Colvin, please contact Jennifer Cummings at jcummings@fratelli.com or 202-822-9491.

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About the NFTC

NFTC President Outlines U.S. Business Community’s Principles for Comprehensive Export Control Reform

Posted on December 7, 2009 by dcadmin

Says Prospects for Reforming the Outdated System are Realistic

Washington, DC — Today in a speech delivered before the Practising Law Institute’s annual “Coping with U.S. Export Controls” conference, National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) President Bill Reinsch outlined the business community’s principles for reforming the U.S. export control system to enhance national security and economic competitiveness. Reinsch, a former Under Secretary of Commerce for Export Administration in the Clinton Administration, also discussed current efforts by the Administration and Congress to reform the outdated system, noting, “for the first time in 20 years, prospects for reform are realistic.”

“That reform is overdue is one of the biggest understatements of our time. The EAA has not been amended since 1987. There has not been major control list revision since 1994. The always-controversial encryption regulations have now gone ten years without major change. Meanwhile, the world has been changing rapidly,” said Reinsch. “First, our adversaries are now diffuse and not always nation-states…Second, the pace of technology change is accelerating, and the line between civilian and military is fast eroding…Third, and perhaps most important, the nature of the global market has changed dramatically. In the good old days, an export was an export. You made it here and shipped it over there in a box. Now we are in the era of global supply chains.”

“From a security point of view, knowledge and technology matter more than the box, because it is the key not only to our national security but also to our economic competitiveness. It should be clear from all these developments that controlling exports is harder than it ever was, and the burden on our policy makers and enforcement officials much greater. In fact, it forces them to radically rethink our policy,” he continued.

After making the case for reform, Reinsch outlined the business community’s key principles for reform, developed by the Coalition for Security and Competitiveness (CSC), a group of companies and associations representing aerospace and high tech companies, and the Export Control Working Group, composed of many of the same companies, practitioners and seasoned compliance experts. The principles recommend that any reform effort should draw clear lines of agency responsibility and ensure accountability; pursue controls and enforcement in partnership with the business community rather than as adversaries; keep pace with technology change and the development of global supply chains by revising and reducing control lists; enhance cooperation with our allies and rely on multilateral controls; and complete the transition to an end user based system by developing procedures for trusted end users and exporters.

In addition, Reinsch pointed out that the “higher fences around a smaller number of items” concept should play a key role in the development of the reforms, and that the reform “process needs to be based on a constantly updated understanding of technology changes here in the United States and overseas.” While not advocating radical reorganization of the interagency process, Reinsch stated that the “process for making commodity jurisdiction decisions must be regularized,” and that “in order to improve allied cooperation, we need to take the multilateral regimes seriously.” He also endorsed the prompt implementation of a number of thoughtful proposals made over the past year or two – the intracompany transfer, expansion of the Validated End User program, project licenses for munitions exports, Secretary Locke’s proposal to eliminate licensing requirements for NATO and other allies, and proposals for expedited treatment for trusted end users.

Reinsch concluded by stating that “taken together [the principles for reform] will realign the export control system with 21st century realities, better protect our security and at the same time enhance America’s ability to compete globally. We look forward to working with the Administration and the Congress to those ends.”

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About the NFTC

NFTC Statement on WTO Ministerial Conference

Posted on December 2, 2009 by dcadmin

Washington, DC – NFTC Vice President for Global Trade Issues Jake Colvin released the following reaction to the WTO Ministerial Conference in Geneva:

“There is something to be said for the opportunities for stock-taking and institutional care-taking that this sort of meeting provides. The Geneva ministerial is a good reminder of the importance of the WTO in promoting rules-based global trade and is a reminder that the institution does more than negotiate trade rounds. We are particularly pleased with the ministers’ attention to emerging issues involving climate change and international trade rules.

“At the same time, the Doha Round was clearly high on the agenda. We applaud Ambassador Kirk’s commitment to move into the ‘endgame’ for the Round. NFTC strongly supports the Administration’s efforts to obtain a high-quality agreement that will lead to new market access, particularly in major emerging markets. We hope that negotiators will pursue all channels, including bilateral discussions, to reach an agreement.

“The United States appears ready to negotiate seriously. It’s about time for everyone to start showing their cards.”

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About the NFTC