On November 10, representatives of the United States and the Republic of Ecuador convened a meeting of the U.S.-Ecuador Trade and Investment Council (TIC). The U.S. delegation was led by Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for the Americas Everett Eissenstat and included officials from a number of trade and regulatory agencies. The Ecuadorian side was led by Ivonne Garcés Almeida, Under Secretary for Economic and Commercial Affairs at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Trade and Integration.

At the TIC meeting the two sides discussed a broad range of trade and investment-related issues, including the U.S.-Ecuador Bilateral Investment Treaty, worker rights, intellectual property, the Andean Trade Preference Act, technical barriers to trade, and non-tariff measures.

“The United States welcomed this opportunity to enhance our dialogue with Ecuador on a range of trade and investment concerns,” Eissenstat said. “This type of engagement is critical to promoting mutual understanding and the pursuit of shared interests with the Ecuadorian government, and we hope it will continue.”

The U.S.-Ecuador TIC Agreement, which was signed in 1990, established a forum for the discussion of trade and investment matters between the two governments. The reactivation of the TIC was found by both sides to be a positive tool to promote mutual understanding on trade.

The second meeting of the joint committee responsible for supervising the operation of the United States-Morocco Free Trade Agreement (FTA) took place November 3 in Washington. United States Trade Representative (USTR) Ron Kirk headed the U.S. delegation and Minister of External Commerce Abdellatif Maazouz led the Moroccan delegation.

Ambassador Kirk, Minister Maazouz, and their delegations discussed bilateral trade and investment and economic issues of mutual interest, as well as the administration of the FTA. Both governments acknowledged the progress and collaborative work that has taken place since the last meeting of the joint committee in Rabat in March 2008. The delegations acknowledged the importance of engaging their respective private sectors to take advantage of the FTA.

The two sides agreed to continue their work to strengthen cooperation in trade, investment and other economic issues.

“The United States places great value on its strongly valued trade relationship with Morocco, as illustrated by our free trade agreement,” said Kirk. “As our two governments actively work to find collaborative opportunities to increase trade and investment in both directions, our FTA plays the central role in our work. I also want to acknowledge the important leadership Morocco is providing in the context of our ongoing negotiation of an anti-counterfeiting trade agreement.”

During the meeting, the two sides discussed economic conditions in both countries, reviewed advances in bilateral trade and investment since the FTA entered into force, and discussed the development of bilateral cooperation in areas such as investment, agriculture, innovation, intellectual property rights protection and enforcement, customs issues, environmental and labor issues, and capacity building. They also talked about the progress made in negotiations with other partners on a multi-party anti-counterfeiting trade agreement. The United States and Morocco agreed to hold the third meeting of the joint committee in Morocco in 2010 at a date to be determined.

The U.S.-Morocco commercial relationship has developed significantly since the U.S.-Morocco FTA entered into force in January 2006. Overall trade in goods between the United States and Morocco increased 148% between 2005 and 2008 from $927 million in 2005 to $2.3 billion in 2008. While bilateral trade has declined during 2009 due to global economic conditions, both the United States and Morocco are hopeful that the multi-year positive trend will soon return.

On November 2, U.S. trade and development officials held in-depth discussions with officials from the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) to review progress on their work together under the U.S.-COMESA Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA). It was the sixth high-level meeting under the TIFA, which provides a forum for advancing cooperation on trade and investment issues between the United States and COMESA.

Assistant U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) for Africa Florizelle Liser and COMESA Secretary-General Sindiso Ngwenya co-chaired the day-long meeting, which examined collaborative efforts such as work on implementation of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), cooperation in the World Trade Organization (WTO), trade capacity building, and issues related to biotechnology, investment, and the business environment. The two sides also discussed aspects of U.S. plans for promoting global food security, and especially how these efforts might best promote greater regional agricultural trade in the COMESA region.

“COMESA has been a leader in sub-Saharan Africa in advancing regional economic integration and greater intra-African trade,” said Liser. “COMESA is an important partner on trade and development issues, and the U.S. government has supported its efforts to create a unified regional market among its members and to use trade to bolster economic development. Today’s meeting provided an opportunity to review our progress on issues such as AGOA and two-way trade and investment, as well as to deepen our partnership on increasingly important topics such as biotechnology development and trade policies and the trade-related aspects of food security.”

In addition to officials from USTR, the U.S. delegation to the meeting in Lusaka included U.S. Ambassador to Zambia Donald Booth, who is also the U.S. Special Representative to COMESA, and officials from the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Total two-way trade between the United States and the member countries of COMESA in the first 8 months of 2009 was valued at $8.6 billion, down 27% from the corresponding period in 2008, reflecting the global economic crisis. This compares to a 29% drop in U.S. trade with the world during the same period. The leading U.S. exports to the COMESA region are cereals, machinery (including electrical), aircraft, motor vehicles, optical and medical instruments, and mineral fuels. U.S. imports from COMESA countries include oil, apparel, coffee, cereals, oleaginous nuts/fruits, and precious stones. Fourteen COMESA countries are eligible for benefits under AGOA. In the first 8 months of 2009, U.S. imports from COMESA countries under AGOA and the Generalized System of Preferences were valued at $637 million, down 7% from the same period in 2008.

TBB Global Logistics, a third-party supply chain management firm, has announced it is now offering less than truckload (LTL) and truckload transportation services within Canada for the first time. The new offering builds on TBB Global Logistics’ experience handling cross-border needs between the U.S. and Canada for any mode of transportation, including customs clearance.

“We can now work with companies to streamline their supply chain costs within Canadian borders. We use supply chain process and technology to facilitate more efficient transportation and to promote profitable trade for our clients. Our goal is to help small- to medium-sized clients expand their markets and improve their margins,” said Samuel R. Polakoff, president of TBB Global Logistics.

China agreed to reopen its market to U.S. pork and live swine, remove barriers for American firms to China’s growing clean energy market, and clamp down on Internet piracy at the 20th session of the U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT) in Hangzhou, China, co-chaired by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke and U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Ron Kirk along with Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack led the discussions on key agricultural issues.

“The 20th JCCT gave us the chance to see the great things our two countries have accomplished as well as the significant challenges that lie ahead,” Ambassador Kirk said. “Today, we made good progress on these challenges, creating more economic opportunities to make trade work better for American workers, families, and businesses. China committed to reenergize its efforts to open up its government procurement process, worth billions of dollars a year. China also announced a new campaign to clamp down on Internet piracy. This added protection is good news for America’s creative industries. Our work here has built momentum for future successes, and our priority of creating and saving American jobs.”

“We are pleased that China agreed to remove local content requirements for foreign participation in China’s wind farm market, opening up China’s energy market to U.S. companies and creating jobs in America,” Secretary Locke said. “China’s renewable energy market is expected to reach $100 billion by 2020, and wind energy is its fastest growing sector. We hope this progress builds a solid foundation for President Obama’s visit in November,” Locke said.

“Two-way trade of agricultural, fish, and forest products between the United States and China has grown in recent years to over $21 billion per year, opening increasingly important connections that can benefit farmers, ranchers and consumers in both countries,” said Secretary Vilsack. “China’s intent to remove its H1N1-related ban on U.S. pork marks an important step forward in cooperation between the countries on agriculture issues.”

The U.S. and Chinese governments signed nine agreements, including a memorandum of understanding establishing the U.S. China Energy Cooperation Program (ECP), and witnessed two commercial signings. The ECP is a new public-private partnership administered by the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) that seeks to leverage the expertise of U.S. companies to help develop clean energy solutions in China. The two governments also agreed to cooperate on initiatives in the areas of the environment, transparency, global distribution services, and standards.

Following the signing of the agreement establishing the ECP, USTDA Acting Director Leocadia I. Zak said, “We are pleased to join China in advancing important clean-energy projects in an effort to combat global climate change. The carbon reduction project and the U.S.-China Energy Cooperation Program directly support these efforts, as well as build on USTDA’s successful work in the clean energy sector in China.”

Established in 1983, the JCCT is the main forum for addressing bilateral trade matters and promoting commercial opportunities between the United States and China.

Related Story:

USTR Kirk and Agriculture Secretary Vilsack Announce China’s Intent To Re-Open the Chinese Market to U.S. Pork Products

Trade using surface transportation between the United States and its North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) partners Canada and Mexico was 24.9% lower in August 2009 than in August 2008, dropping to $54.3 billion, according to data released on October 29 by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT).

BTS, a part of the Research and Innovative Technology Administration, reported that the value of U.S. surface transportation trade with Canada and Mexico rose 5.3% in August 2009 from July 2009. Month-to-month changes can be affected by seasonal variations and other factors.

Surface transportation consists largely of freight movements by truck, rail, and pipeline. Approximately 88% of U.S. trade by value with Canada and Mexico moves on land according to BTS.

The value of U.S. surface transportation trade with Canada and Mexico in August was up 1.3% compared to August 2004, and up 26.0% compared to August 1999, a period of 10 years. Imports in August were up 18.8% compared to August 1999, while exports were up 35.5%.

U.S. Surface Transportation with Canada

U.S.-Canada surface transportation trade totaled $32.9 billion in August, down 29.6% compared to August 2008. The value of imports carried by truck was 26.1% lower in August 2009 compared to August 2008, while the value of exports carried by truck was 17.0% lower during this period. Michigan led all states in surface trade with Canada in August with $3.8 billion.

U.S. Surface Transportation Trade with Mexico

U.S.-Mexico surface transportation trade totaled $21.3 billion in August, down 16.2% compared to August 2008. The value of imports carried by truck was 13.5% lower in August 2009 than August 2008 while the value of exports carried by truck was 14.7% lower. Texas led all states in surface trade with Mexico in August with $7.4 billion.

Value of Monthly U.S. Surface Transportation
Trade with Canada and Mexico
Millions of U.S. Dollars

Source: BTS TransBorder Freight Data
Note: Numbers may not add up to totals due to rounding. Percent changes based on numbers prior to rounding.

In a speech before the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington, DC, European Commissioner for Trade Catherine Ashton has called on policy-makers on both sides of the Atlantic to make common cause in breaking down regulatory barriers to trade. Speaking ahead of the fourth meeting of the Transatlantic Economic Council (TEC), she argued that the two sides should break through a “glass ceiling” that has hindered the relationship from reaching its full potential. She also called on the two sides to push for an early conclusion of the Doha Round of world trade talks.

During her remarks, Ashton stated that “despite talk of the ‘Pacific Century,’ the EU-U.S. relationship still drives the global economy, with the two representing over half the world’s $60 trillion GDP and responsible for commercial exchanges of $4.4 billion annually.”

Ashton also said that though trade frictions and therefore disputes are inevitable, they affect less than 2% of the value of the total commercial trade relationship. “Inevitably, some of these disputes grab the headlines,” she explained. “But the simple truth is the vast majority of our trade and investment flows freely, and this is sometimes forgotten.”

According to Ashton, the real problems for exporters are not tariffs but regulatory concerns such as product licensing, risk assessment rules, and divergent standards.

Ashton and U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Ron Kirk are working together to solve what she referred to as “legacy” disputes between the two sides. However, she cautioned that realism is important, saying, “But no matter how enthusiastic we are, we cannot pull rabbits out of a hat…[W]e advocate regulatory evolution, not regulatory revolution.”

Commissioner Ashton also argued that, despite a difficult political environment for trade liberalization, the weak global economic outlook actually strengthens the arguments in favor of concluding the Doha Round of world trade talks, which would offer a boost to developed and developing countries of an estimated $220 billion every year.

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced the U.S. members of three working groups under the U.S.-Afghanistan-Pakistan trilateral consultations launched in May.

“The individuals I have selected have experience in Afghanistan and Pakistan and bring creativity, commitment, and dedication to the task at hand,” said Vilsack. “USDA is uniquely positioned to reach out to land-grant universities, agribusinesses, and non-governmental and private organizations to call upon their expertise for this important effort.”

Burnham Philbrook, USDA’s Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services Deputy Under Secretary, will head the U.S. Secretariat for Agriculture. The trilateral working groups on agricultural trade corridors, food security, and water management and watershed rehabilitation will be led by Christian Foster, Deputy Administrator for Trade Programs in USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS); Ibrahim Shaqir, Director for International Research Programs in USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS); and Melvin Westbrook, Director for International Programs in USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), respectively.

The individuals will work with their respective Afghan and Pakistani group members to identify priorities and develop and apply appropriate programs, training, and solutions. The Afghan Secretariat is led by Saleem Kunduzi, Deputy Minister in the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock, and the Pakistani Secretariat is led by Malik Zahoor Ahmad, Director General of the National Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. The goal of each working group is to develop agriculture trade corridors along the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan to facilitate trans-border trade; strengthen food security by collaborating on research to improve the production of fruits, nuts, livestock, and other agricultural products and reduce post-harvest loss; and improve water and watershed management and irrigation methods and rehabilitate watersheds to increase crop yields and create jobs.

In May, Secretary Vilsack met with Afghanistan’s Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock Mohammad Asif Rahimi and Pakistan’s Minister for Food and Agriculture Nazar Muhammad Gondal.

Members of the working groups:

Agricultural Trade Corridors

• Charles Stuart Callison, Senior Development Economist, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)
• Gleyn Edward Bledsoe, Senior Technical Advisor, Chemonics
• Marc Clayton Gilkey, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Attaché for the Indian Subcontinent/USDA
• Gary A. Kuhn, Executive Director, Roots of Peace
• Allan E. Lines, Professor Emeritus in the Department of Agriculture, Environmental and Development Economics, Ohio State University
• Barbara Rasco, Professor in the College of Agriculture, Human, and Natural Resources Science, Washington State University

Food Security

• Mary Katherine Walker Simmons, National Program Leader, Plant Genetics and Grain Crops, ARS/USDA
• Philip Nathan Steffen, Agricultural Recovery Advisor, USAID
• Anne Williams, Agriculture Policy Team Leader, USAID
• Penelope S. Anderson, Food Security Director, Mercy Corps
• Jonathan Cleveland Brown, Independent Consultant/Managing Director, Social and Strategic Assessment LLC
• James Edward Hill, Associate Dean for International Programs, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of California

Water Management and Watershed Rehabilitation

• Sylvana Li, Branch Chief for Rural Development and Natural Resources, FAS/USDA
• Jon Fripp, Civil Engineer, NRCS/USDA
• Gary Domian, Soil Scientist, NRCS/USDA
• Kathryn Ann Carpenter, Program Manager, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
• John O’Dell Wilson, Deputy Director, Office of Technical Support, USAID
• Gerrit Hoogenboom, Professor and Coordinator for Research, Extension and Instruction and BAE-Griffin, Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, University of Georgia
• Joanne Trotter, Director of Programs, Aga Khan Foundation, USA
• Dennis B. Warner, Senior Technical Advisor for Water Supply, Sanitation and Water Resources, Catholic Relief Services

U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Ronald Kirk and India’s Minister of Commerce and Industry Anand Sharma met in New Delhi on October 26 for the sixth ministerial-level meeting of the United States-India Trade Policy Forum (TPF). The two governments signaled their readiness to continue their bilateral trade policy dialogue with renewed vigor under the five focus groups: agriculture, innovation and creativity, investment, services, and tariff and non-tariff barriers.

“The United States and India have a unique opportunity to draw on our cultural and entrepreneurial similarities to significantly increase two-way trade and investment,” said USTR Kirk. “American and Indian companies have already joined forces across a range of sectors. Our governments should work together to improve the environment for two-way trade even further, so that we can reap trade’s economic benefits for both our countries.”

Minister Sharma said, “The Trade Policy Forum provides opportunity for both governments to discuss and share their concerns and work towards resolving them. The potential for bilateral trade and commercial relations between the two countries are immense, and the forum can provide the necessary momentum to the expansion of this relationship. The inputs of the dynamic private sectors of the two countries have also enriched the forum.” Minister Sharma expressed “deep satisfaction” on the discussions that took place during the forum meeting. He noted the commitment shown by both countries for further deepening the mutual economic relations and said that the forum “has established a roadmap for further engagement in this regard.”

The two governments agreed to work together on a framework for promoting real and meaningful cooperation in trade and investment. They also agreed to work together to support greater involvement by small and medium enterprises in each other’s markets, and to pursue initiatives in the further development of India’s infrastructure, and collaboration on clean energy and environmental services, information and communications technologies, and other key sectors.

The delegations discussed the continued working of the United States-India Private Sector Advisory Group (PSAG), which had been created under the TPF to provide strategic advice.

In closing his remarks, USTR Kirk stated, “It was our goal in coming to India to improve the tone and frankness of the discussions in the U.S.-India Trade Policy Forum, and to that end this has been an extraordinary success. The bottom line, the United States is excited and committed to improving our relationship with India. I would like to think that my traveling to New Delhi twice in just under 60 days is evidence of that as well as previous visits by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and other administration officials.”

In 2005, the governments of the United States and India established the U.S.-India CEO Forum. The two sides are reconstituting the forum. On September 10, 2009, the International Trade Administration (ITA) issued a notice for applicants for the appointment to the U.S.-India CEO Forum, announcing membership opportunities for appointment as representatives to the U.S. section of the forum. The application period closed on October 1, 2009. ITA is now reopening the application period to solicit additional applications. Interested parties who have already applied in response to first notice do not need to re-apply.

The U.S.-India CEO Forum, consisting of both private and public-sector members, is expected to bring together leaders of the respective business communities of the United States and India to discuss issues of mutual interest, particularly ways to strengthen the economic and commercial ties between the two countries, and to communicate their joint recommendations to the U.S. and Indian governments. The committee will provide recommendations to the two governments and their senior officials that reflect private sector views, needs, and concerns about the creation of an environment in which their respective private sectors can partner, thrive, and enhance bilateral commercial ties to expand trade and economic links between the United States and India.

Each candidate must be CEO or president (or have a comparable level of responsibility) of a U.S.-owned or controlled company that is incorporated in and has its main headquarters located in the United States and is currently doing business in both India and the United States. Each candidate also must be a U.S. citizen or otherwise legally authorized to work in the United States and be able to travel to India and locations in the United States to attend official forum meetings as well as section meetings on the U.S. side.

Applications must be received by 12 p.m. noon EST on Monday, November 2, 2009. For more details, including selection criteria and application instructions, see the notice (PDF) published in the Federal Register.

For further information, contact: Linda Droker, Director, Office of South Asia and Oceania, U.S. Department of Commerce; phone: (202) 482-2955.