Category: Press Releases and Statements

NFTC Calls for Concerted Leadership Post-Hong Kong

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The Time for Posturing Is Over

Washington DC – At the conclusion of the Hong Kong Ministerial, Bill Reinsch, President of the National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC), issued the following statement:

“Despite the strong leadership of the United States and a few other WTO Members who support ambitious trade liberalization, the NFTC is disappointed that further progress was not achieved on the core issues.

“We commend Ambassador Portman’s inspired leadership and the US negotiating team’s dedication to ambitious market access results from the Doha Round.  The NFTC firmly believes that such an outcome will generate global economic growth and real benefits for developed and developing countries. 

“Trade Ministers could have accomplished more.  If all major trading partners had demonstrated political will, we would be closer to our goal of a successful and ambitious conclusion to the Doha Round in 2006.  The EU paralysis on agricultural market access remains a serious stumbling block.  We are also concerned that several WTO Members seem to have lost sight of the main purpose of the WTO — to boost economic growth and living standards globally through trade liberalization and improved trade governance. 

“The NFTC remains committed to an ambitious conclusion to the Doha Round in 2006.  The next 90 days are absolutely critical.  We need to build on the Hong Kong Ministerial Declaration to set the stage for the tabling of detailed market access offers.  The NFTC urges WTO Members to demonstrate the necessary political leadership to get the job done.  The time for posturing is over, the time for meaningful action is now.”

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.

National Foreign Trade Council Board Elects a New Chairman

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Dinesh Paliwal of ABB Group to Lead the Historic Free Trade Organization

Washington, DC – Meeting in New York City on Friday, the National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) Board elected as its new chairman, Dinesh Paliwal, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the ABB Group in North America.  Paliwal also heads ABB’s Automation Technologies division worldwide and is Chairman of ABB India Ltd.

ABB is a global leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility and industry customers to improve their performance while lowering environmental impact.  The ABB Group operates in around 100 countries and employs over 100,000 people.

“Dinesh Paliwal brings business leadership that spans twenty-five years and four continents to the NFTC helm.  His keen understanding of the importance of establishing a expanding a global rules-based free trading system will be of incredible value to our organization,” said Bill Reinsch, NFTC President.  “We are extremely grateful to him for adding this responsibility to his already very busy professional life.”  Paliwal is also a board member of the U.S.-India Business Council, the U.S.-China Business Council and a member of the Business Roundtable.  He replaces Michael Jordan, Chairman and CEO of EDS, who has served as NFTC’s Chairman since December 2001.

“Over the past four years, Michael Jordan has led NFTC through some very important free trade milestones for the U.S. including the signing of free trade agreements with Chile, Morocco, Australia and the nations of Central America through the Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement.  Today, we stand at a point of amazing potential.  The current Doha Round of WTO talks could facilitate the expansion of the free trade system across the globe driving tremendous economic growth and development,” stated Reinsch.  “But, there is much to be done to see this goal realized.  And, we will rely heavily on the leadership of Dinesh Paliwal the entire NFTC Board and membership.” 

The National Foreign Trade Council is a leading business organization advocating an open, rules-based world economy. Founded in 1914 by a group of American companies that supported an open world trading system, the NFTC now serves hundreds of member companies through its offices in Washington and New York.

 

EDS Chairman and CEO to be Honored with World Trade Award

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Washington DC – The National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) announced today that Michael Jordan, Chairman and CEO of EDS, is the recipient of its prestigious 2005 World Trade Award.  He will receive the Award on December 2, 2005, at the NFTC’s Annual World Trade Dinner and Award Ceremony in New York City.

“Michael Jordan has been an important voice advocating the benefits of expanded trade both as a business leader and as Chairman of the NFTC.  His strong leadership has been a significant asset to NFTC as we’ve worked to advance a more open, rules-based international trading system,” said Bill Reinsch, NFTC President.  “We are extremely grateful to him for his service as NFTC Chairman, and are delighted to add his name to the list of distinguished recipients of the World Trade Award.”
 
By accepting NFTC’s World Trade Award, Jordan carries on a tradition that dates from 1937. The award has a history of recognizing recipients who are respected in the community for building consensus and promoting the benefits of open trade and investment and on the basis of proven lifetime leadership in advancing global commerce.

Jordan joined EDS as Chairman and CEO in March 2003 and has helped reestablish the company as a leader in the global information technology and business process outsourcing services market.  He is the retired Chairman and CEO of CBS Corporation (formerly Westinghouse Electric Corporation), which he led through one of the most comprehensive transformations of a major U.S. corporation in history. Before joining Westinghouse, Jordan was a partner with Clayton, Dubilier and Rice, one of the oldest and most respected private investment firms in the world.  Before that, he spent 18 years with PepsiCo, Inc.
 
In addition to serving as Chairman of NFTC, Jordan is a trustee of The Brookings Institution; a member and former chairman of the U.S.-Japan Business Council; a member and former chairman of the United Negro College Fund; a member of The Business Council; a member of the board of trustees of the United States Council for International Business; a member of the Business Roundtable; and a director of Viventures, the former investment fund of Vivendi. He also serves on the boards of Aetna Inc. and several smaller, privately held companies.

The National Foreign Trade Council is a leading business organization advocating an open, rules-based world economy. Founded in 1914 by a group of American companies that supported an open world trading system, the NFTC now serves hundreds of member companies through its offices in Washington and New York.

NFTC Staff Recognized for Their Impressive Contributions

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WASHINGTON, DC – National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) President Bill Reinsch today complimented members of the Council’s staff on the recent recognition they have received from their colleagues in the policy community.

“Oftentimes, when I tell people the size of NFTC’s staff, they’re surprised.  We’re a small shop but we really do big things.   It’s such a pleasure to have our strength recognized by others.”  Reinsch made these comments in connection to recent awards received by Anne Alonzo, NFTC’s Senior Vice President, and Judy Scarabello, NFTC’s Vice President for Tax Policy.

Ms. Alonzo was named among the 100 Most Influential Hispanics by Hispanic Business Magazine.  This annual list is known for its recognition of the nation’s leading voices in the Hispanic community.  Ms. Alonzo and the NFTC were recognized for their  leadership in the trade arena including lobbying Congress for its approval of the DR/CAFTA.  Ms. Alonzo also co-chairs the Hispanic Alliance for Free Trade, an umbrella group of prominent Hispanic individuals, businesses and organizations supporting free trade. 

Ms. Scarabello secured a spot on Tax Business magazine’s list of the fifty most influential figures in international tax.  The list is compiled through industry polling and includes professionals from government, industry, academia and the policy community.  Ms. Scarabello has been an active spokesperson for the U.S. business community in negotiating tax treaty policy with the U.S. and foreign governments.

Reinsch also announced that Chuck Dittrich, who has led NFTC’s efforts in support of a number of Free Trade Agreements, including those with Morocco and Bahrain, has been promoted to Vice President for Regional Trade Initiatives.   In this capacity, Mr. Dittrich will play an integral part in the ongoing efforts to craft a regional free trade area across the Middle East and support NFTC efforts to advance an open, rules-based world trading system.

 

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.

 

U.S.-Middle East Free Trade Coalition Marks One Year Anniversary

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Since launching this NFTC co-founded coalition on October 7, 2004 at an event with Ambassador Robert B. Zoellick, then U.S. Trade Representative (now Deputy Secretary of State), and with Ambassadors to the United States from the Middle East region, the coalition has made tremendous progress in strengthening economic and trade ties between the United States and the Middle East region and in building support for the Middle East Free Trade Area (MEFTA) initiative.

The coalition, and its antecedents the U.S.-Morocco FTA Coalition and the U.S.-Bahrain FTA Coalition, have helped to achieve a bipartisan vote in favor of the U.S.-Morocco FTA; to build similar bipartisan support for the U.S.-Bahrain FTA; to launch FTA negotiations with Oman and United Arab Emirates, with the former having just concluded a commercially meaningful FTA; and to keep momentum strong for economic reforms necessary for WTO accession by Saudi Arabia and the launch of FTA negotiations with other economies in the region, particularly Egypt.

To join the coalition or to learn more about becoming a member of the steering committee, email Chuck Dittrich at cdittrich@nftc.org