Tag Archives: TPP

Trade Talk – Week in Review (25-29 April 2016)

By Trade Practitioner on May 3, 2016 Posted in Trade Policy & Market Access

MTB Developments – House Acts on the Reform Bill; Senate Fails to Act. The House passed its MTB reform bill on 27 April. The Senate attempted to “hotline” the House-passed MTB reform bill on Thursday, a procedure used to test whether there are any objections to passing a bill under unanimous consent. However, the Senate … Continue Reading

Trade Talk: Week in Review (18-22 April 2016)

By Trade Practitioner on April 25, 2016 Posted in Trade Policy & Market Access

The House Ways and Means Committee marked up a bill (H.R. 4923) last Wednesday that would reform the Miscellaneous Tariff Bill (MTB) process. The full House will consider the measure this Wednesday under suspension of the rules, which is reserved for non-controversial bills. The House will also consider the Senate-passed version of the Defend Trade … Continue Reading

Trade Talk – Week in Review (4-8 April 2016)

By Trade Practitioner on April 12, 2016 Posted in EU, Trade Policy & Market Access, US

Global Steel Crisis. The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) and the Commerce Department will hold a joint hearing on 12 April that will focus on global steel overcapacity, just ahead of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) steel committee meeting next week on the same topic. TPP Developments – Trying to … Continue Reading

Trade Talk – Week in Review (28 March – 1 April 2016)

By Trade Practitioner on April 6, 2016 Posted in Trade Policy & Market Access

U.S. Treasury Secretary Defends U.S. Sanctions. In a speech at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace on 30 March, Treasury Secretary Lew defended the United States’ use of sanctions, noting they add “concentrated and meaningful pressure on governments abusing their own populations.” While acknowledging sanctions are a tool not to be used lightly, Secretary Lew … Continue Reading

Trade Talk Week in Review (14-18 March 2016)

By Trade Practitioner on March 21, 2016 Posted in Americas, Countries, Cuba, Latin America, Trade Policy & Market Access, US

President Barack Obama issued a new Executive Order and restrictions related to North Korea, while the Administration eased some U.S. sanctions against Cuba last week. The President and his family traveled to Cuba on Sunday and will stop in Argentina later in the week. The White House announced early last week that South Africa had … Continue Reading

Trade Talk – Week in Review (29 February-4 March 2016)

By Trade Practitioner on March 7, 2016 Posted in Trade Policy & Market Access

The Obama Administration released its 2016 Trade Policy Agenda this week, detailing its trade priorities for the year ahead. Next week, President Barack Obama will welcome Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to the White House, where the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) deal is one topic expected to be on the agenda. The Senate Finance Committee hosted … Continue Reading

Trade Talk – Week in Review (22-26 February 2016)

By Trade Practitioner on March 1, 2016 Posted in Trade Policy & Market Access

President Barack Obama signed the customs bill and Judicial Redress Act into law last Wednesday. In addressing U.S. state governors early last week, the President expressed optimism that Congress may act this year on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) deal. Congress held a number of oversight hearings last week related to the Administration’s budget request. The … Continue Reading

Trade Talk – Week in Review (8-12 February 2016)

By Trade Practitioner on February 16, 2016 Posted in Customs, East Asia & the Pacific, Export Controls & Sanctions, Trade Policy & Market Access

North Korea Sanctions Bill Passes – Sent to President’s Desk. By a vote of 408-2, the House passed new North Korea sanctions legislation (H.R. 757) on Friday following the Senate’s unanimous approval Wednesday, sending the measure to President Obama’s desk for signature into law. Once enacted, the bill would compel the U.S. Department of the … Continue Reading

Mega-Regional Agreements Could Reshape International Trade in Chemical Products

By Trade Practitioner on February 9, 2016 Posted in EU, Trade Policy & Market Access

Major trade negotiations in two parts of the world have the potential to greatly benefit the chemicals industry in the coming years. The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement eliminates tariffs in key Asia Pacific markets, including several countries with which the United States does not yet have a preferential trade relationship. At the same time, the US … Continue Reading

Trade Talk – Week in Review (1-5 February 2016)

By Trade Practitioner on February 9, 2016 Posted in Customs, Middle East & North Africa, Trade Policy & Market Access

TPP – Agreement Signed; Warnings of a Slow Congressional Process. After the Thursday signing ceremony in Auckland, New Zealand, Ambassador Froman said the United States is developing a “full implementation plan” to make sure developing countries, such as Vietnam, uphold their obligations. At a Tuesday meeting with President Obama, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) … Continue Reading

Trade Talk – Week in Review (25-29 January 2016)

By Trade Practitioner on February 1, 2016 Posted in Trade Policy & Market Access

U.S. Mobilizes Against the Zika Virus. Last Tuesday, President Obama was briefed on the potential economic and developmental impacts of the Zika virus spreading in the Western Hemisphere. The President emphasized the need to accelerate research efforts to make available better diagnostic tests, to develop vaccines and therapeutics, and to ensure that all Americans have … Continue Reading

Trade Talk – Week in Review (18-22 January 2016)

By Trade Practitioner on January 27, 2016 Posted in Customs, Iran, Russia, Trade Policy & Market Access, Ukraine

The Senate was in session last week, while the House of Representatives (“the House”) remained in recess in observance of the Martin Luther King holiday. Implementation Day of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with Iran took effect, as did a prisoner swap last week. Washington’s attention then quickly shifted to an impending historic … Continue Reading

Trade Talk – Week in Review (11-15 January 2016)

By Trade Practitioner on January 20, 2016 Posted in Cuba, Customs, Trade Policy & Market Access, US

President Barack Obama addressed a joint session of Congress on Tuesday, delivering his final State of the Union (SOTU) address. Although trade is generally not a central theme during a congressional and presidential election year, the President did mention the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) deal near the end of the speech as one example of American … Continue Reading

Trade Talk – Week in Review (4-8 January 2016)

By Trade Practitioner on January 11, 2016 Posted in Export Controls & Sanctions, Iran, Trade Policy & Market Access, US

The House of Representatives reconvened last Tuesday in Washington. The Senate is in session today. President Barack Obama will address a joint session of Congress tomorrow when he gives the annual State of the Union. Iran – Obama Administration Stays the Course. Lawmakers continue to advocate for new sanctions to be imposed on Iran for … Continue Reading

Latin America Advisor: Q&A with Frank Samolis on International Trade

By Trade Practitioner on October 6, 2015 Posted in Americas

In response to a question on trade in Latin America, Frank Samolis, Co-Chair of our International Trade Practice, said to the Latin America Advisor: “With the decline of the WTO as a forum for crafting multilateral trade agreements, many countries, including the United States and several in Latin America, are concentrating on the negotiation of … Continue Reading