Category: Press Releases and Statements

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

NFTC and USA Engage Cite Concerns with Proposed Unilateral Export Regulations

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“Catch All” Provision in New Rule Would Undercut Multilateral Export Controls
on Duel-Use Technologies

Washington DC – The National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) and USA Engage joined 21 other leading U.S. business organizations calling on the Bush Administration to reconsider moving forward with new export control regulations.  At issue is a proposed rule to impose additional licensing requirements and controls on the export of U.S.-origin dual-use items and technology to some 19 countries, including China.

In a letter to top Administration officials, the business groups pointed out that existing mechanisms already allow the U.S. to control the transfer of all militarily-significant items to the countries in question.  “Adding a ‘catch-all’ control would not contribute to U.S. security,” the groups stated.  “Given the widespread availability of most dual-use items and technologies, unilateral U.S. restrictions would only widen the disparity between U.S. export controls and those of other governments, including our closest allies, undercutting the goal of multilateral cooperation,” the letter continued.

The letter was sent to National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley, U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Portman, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.

“The framework already exists for adequate control of duel-use products.  A unilateral attempt by the United States to broaden the scope of these controls is counterproductive and will only hurt U.S. interests,” said NFTC President Bill Reinsch, who also serves as Co-Chairman of USA Engage.

If the Administration pursues the new rule, the business groups outlined four principles that they believe must be followed:

1. Any new U.S. licensing and export controls should be consistent with those promulgated and implemented by other Wassenaar Arrangement member governments.
2. The scope of any new U.S. licensing and controls should be limited to those items and technologies that the government has informed exporters would directly and significantly contribute to new military capabilities.
3. All items that are to be subject to new licensing and controls must be explicitly identified and listed.
4. The foreign entities that are the target of any new licensing and controls must be explicitly identified.

A copy of the letter is available at http://www.nftc.org/default/deemed%20export/BIS%20Catch-all%20Ltr%20Hadley%209-21-5.pdf.

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.

USA*Engage (www.usaengage.org) is a broad-based coalition representing Americans from all regions, sectors and segments of our society concerned about the proliferation of unilateral economic sanctions at the federal, state, and local level.  Established in 1997, 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. USA*Engage promotes responsible alternatives to unilateral sanctions that advance U.S. humanitarian and foreign policy goals, such as intensified U.S. diplomacy and multilateral cooperation.

 

NFTC and USA Engage Cite Concerns with Proposed Unilateral Export Regulations

Posted on by dcadmin

“Catch All” Provision in New Rule Would Undercut Multilateral Export Controls
on Duel-Use Technologies

Washington DC – The National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) and USA Engage joined 21 other leading U.S. business organizations calling on the Bush Administration to reconsider moving forward with new export control regulations. At issue is a proposed rule to impose additional licensing requirements and controls on the export of U.S.-origin dual-use items and technology to some 19 countries, including China.

In a letter to top Administration officials, the business groups pointed out that existing mechanisms already allow the U.S. to control the transfer of all militarily-significant items to the countries in question. “Adding a ‘catch-all’ control would not contribute to U.S. security,” the groups stated. “Given the widespread availability of most dual-use items and technologies, unilateral U.S. restrictions would only widen the disparity between U.S. export controls and those of other governments, including our closest allies, undercutting the goal of multilateral cooperation,” the letter continued.

The letter was sent to National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley, U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Portman, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.

“The framework already exists for adequate control of duel-use products. A unilateral attempt by the United States to broaden the scope of these controls is counterproductive and will only hurt U.S. interests,” said NFTC President Bill Reinsch, who also serves as Co-Chairman of USA Engage.

If the Administration pursues the new rule, the business groups outlined four principles that they believe must be followed:

1. Any new U.S. licensing and export controls should be consistent with those promulgated and implemented by other Wassenaar Arrangement member governments.
2. The scope of any new U.S. licensing and controls should be limited to those items and technologies that the government has informed exporters would directly and significantly contribute to new military capabilities.
3. All items that are to be subject to new licensing and controls must be explicitly identified and listed.
4. The foreign entities that are the target of any new licensing and controls must be explicitly identified.

A copy of the letter is available at http://www.nftc.org/default/deemed%20export/BIS%20Catch-all%20Ltr%20Hadley%209-21-5.pdf.

 

 

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.

USA*Engage (www.usaengage.org) is a broad-based coalition representing Americans from all regions, sectors and segments of our society concerned about the proliferation of unilateral economic sanctions at the federal, state, and local level. Established in 1997, 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. USA*Engage promotes responsible alternatives to unilateral sanctions that advance U.S. humanitarian and foreign policy goals, such as intensified U.S. diplomacy and multilateral cooperation.