Washington, DC – The National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) today welcomed news that the President signed off on a set of directives aimed at reforming the U.S. export control system. In response NFTC President Bill Reinsch released the following statement:
“I applaud the Administration for initiating an effort to modernize U.S. export controls in a way that both protects our national security interests and encourages economic competitiveness and innovation.
“This is not the first time an Administration has launched export control reforms. Ultimately, their success or failure depends on prompt aggressive implementation by a sometimes unenthusiastic bureaucracy. It will take a firm hand and strong management by the National Security Council to ensure that the President’s decisions are quickly adopted by the State and Commerce Departments.
“I hope this effort succeeds. If the United States is to remain a competitive global leader in innovation well into the 21st century, it is essential that we have an export control system that strikes that delicate balance between keeping America safe and ensuring that U.S. companies are able to export goods to markets abroad.”
The NFTC is a member of the Coalition on Security and Competitiveness, a group of prominent trade and industry organizations whose recommendations formed the basis for much of the President’s decision.
Advancing Global Commerce for Over 90 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.
