Category Archives: Trade Agreements

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European Commission Pushes Ahead with Preliminary EU-U.S. Trade Talks

By Sophie Berner-Eyde and Melissa Brewer on Posted in Trade Agreements, Trade Policy
European Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmström was in Washington, D.C. last week for exploratory trade talks with U.S. officials.  Although Malmström does not yet have a mandate to move ahead on EU-U.S. trade negotiations, which requires authorization by the European Council, both sides surely had plenty to discuss at this stage. Two months ago, both … Continue Reading

Food Labels May Be Sticking Point in U.S.-U.K. Trade Deal  

By Kathleen Cusack on Posted in Trade Agreements, Trade Policy
On Thursday, the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) released the summary of specific negotiating objectives for a trade deal between the UK and US.   Among the USTR’s goals are to increase market access in the UK for US agricultural products, and ensure that “geographical indications” (GIs) do not undermine market access for US … Continue Reading

Ambassador Lighthizer Offers Insights Into Negotiations With China on 301 Tariffs

By Joshua Morey on Posted in Section 301 Investigations, Trade Agreements, Trade Policy
Following President Trump’s announcement of his decision to delay the March 1, 2019 deadline to increase tariffs from 10% to 25% on $200 billion of Chinese goods (i.e., List 3 items), Ambassador Lighthizer testified before the House Ways and Means Committee about the progress that has been made on concluding a binding executive agreement with … Continue Reading

USTR Announces List of Changes Required to U.S. Law in Order to Implement USCMA

By Jennifer McCadney and Greg Mastel on Posted in Trade Agreements, Trade Policy, USMCA
On January 29, USTR Ambassador Lighthizer delivered to Congress a list describing changes to U.S. laws that would be required to fulfill obligations agreed to under the United States Mexico Canada Agreement (USMCA).  This action, taken in accordance with procedures set forth in the Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015 (also known … Continue Reading

US-EU Trade Agreement: Negotiating Objectives Released

By Joshua Morey and Sophie Berner-Eyde on Posted in Market Access, Trade Agreements, Trade Policy
Introduction On 11 January 2019 and 18 January 2019, the United States Trade Representative (“USTR”) and the European Commission (“Commission”) released their respective negotiating objectives for a U.S.-EU trade agreement, potentially marking a new phase in the transatlantic trade relationship.  The release follows from the joint agenda agreed to in July 2018 by European Commission … Continue Reading

United States Seeks Trade Consultations with Peru

By Brooke Ringel on Posted in Market Access, Trade Agreements, Trade Policy
On Friday, January 4, 2019, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) announced that the United States has requested consultations with Peru under the auspices of the U.S.-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement (PTPA) to address an alleged violation by Peru of the environmental chapter of the agreement.  According to USTR, Peru’s recent decision to move … Continue Reading

South Korea Approves Updated Trade Agreement

By Brooke Ringel on Posted in Economics, Market Access, Trade Agreements, Trade Policy
On Friday, December 7, 2018, the South Korean parliament approved a modified version of the U.S.-Korea Trade Agreement, otherwise known as KORUS.  With passage of the renegotiated agreement, Korea is now ready to implement the new terms on January 1, 2019. KORUS first went into effect in 2012, but many in the U.S. business community … Continue Reading

U.S., Canada, and Mexico Sign New NAFTA

By Brooke Ringel on Posted in NAFTA, Trade Agreements, Trade Policy
This morning, on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Argentina, the United States, Canada, and Mexico signed the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).  The new trade deal is slated to replace the 24-year old North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).  Today’s signature date was a critical deadline for the parties because it is Mexican President Enrique … Continue Reading

U.S.-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement: Intellectual Property Provisions for the Modern Age

By Brooke Ringel on Posted in Market Access, NAFTA, Trade Agreements, Trade Policy
On October 1, 2018, the United States, Canada, and Mexico announced that they had reached an agreement to “modernize” the 24-year old North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). When NAFTA came into effect, it created the largest free trade region in the world. Since then, developments in virtually every sector and the advent of cross-border … Continue Reading

Comment Opportunity: U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement

By Brooke Ringel on Posted in Market Access, Trade Agreements, Trade Policy
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) has opened a public comment period in connection with the proposed U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement negotiations.  On October 16, 2018, USTR notified Congress of its intent to enter into trade talks with Japan.  Those discussions cannot begin until mid-January 2019 at the earliest under the requirements of the … Continue Reading

Export Quotas in Mexico’s Future

By Emily Maloof on Posted in Market Access, Section 232 Investigations, Trade Agreements, Trade Policy
On October 15, 2018, chief Mexican trade negotiator Jesus Seade indicated that the United States is seeking to replace Section 232 tariffs on Mexican steel with an export quota program.  Seade stated that a deal regarding any potential export quotas on Mexican steel must be reached in the coming weeks, prior to the December, 1, … Continue Reading

ITC Initiates Investigation of the Likely Impact of USMCA

By Grace Kim on Posted in Economics, Market Access, NAFTA, Trade Agreements, Trade Policy
Last Friday, the U.S. International Trade Commission (“ITC”) formally launched an investigation into the economic benefits of the new U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (“USMCA”) that is to replace NAFTA. Under the Trade Promotion Authority (“TPA”) law, known as the Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015, the ITC must prepare a report that assesses the … Continue Reading

U.S. Opens Trade Talks with EU, Japan, and the UK

By Brooke Ringel on Posted in Market Access, Trade Agreements, Trade Policy
Yesterday, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (“USTR”) officially notified Congress that it would be launching separate trade discussions with the European Union, Japan, and the United Kingdom.  The letters sent to Congress provide notice of the Administration’s intent to negotiate trade agreements with each partner as required by the Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities … Continue Reading

China Lingers in the Background of USMCA

By Joshua Morey on Posted in China, Market Access, NAFTA, Trade Agreements, Trade Policy
As we previously reported, the United States, Canada, and Mexico have reached agreement on the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (“USMCA”) to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement (“NAFTA”), which has governed trade between the three countries since 1994.  Article 32.10 of the agreement requires each country to notify the others of any intention to negotiate … Continue Reading

Trilateral Trade Agreement Reached with Heads of State of Canada, Mexico, and US

By Kathleen Cusack on Posted in Trade Agreements, Trade Policy
On Sunday, the heads of state of Canada and the United States agreed on terms for a new trilateral deal with Mexico.  The agreement, now known as the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement “USMCA,” provides several new updates to its NAFTA predecessor.  The deal’s terms, including those established in August in an agreement between the U.S. and … Continue Reading

United States and Japan to Discuss Bilateral Trade Deal

By Melissa Brewer on Posted in Trade Agreements, Trade Policy
In a joint statement issued yesterday, the United States and Japan announced that the two countries will begin discussions to enter into a bilateral trade deal.  The announcement comes after President Trump and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe attended a Summit Meeting in New York to discuss a host of issues, including trade.  The joint statement highlighted that … Continue Reading

United States and South Korea Sign Updated FTA

By Brooke Ringel on Posted in Economics, Manufacturing, Market Access, Trade Agreements, Trade Policy
On Monday, President Trump and President Moon Jae-in of South Korea signed a revised U.S.-Korea (known as “KORUS”) free trade agreement on the sidelines of the United National General Assembly meeting this week in New York.  In April 2017, President Trump indicated that he wanted to either renegotiate or terminate the then-five year old agreement.  … Continue Reading

President Trump is Expected to Terminate NAFTA Following Agreement in Principle with Mexico

By Kathleen Cusack on Posted in NAFTA, Trade Agreements, Trade Policy
On Monday, August 27, President Trump announced that he intends to terminate NAFTA if discussions with Canada are not finalized by the end of the week.  This news follows the successful negotiation of an agreement in principle for trade between the U.S. and Mexico.  While, according to the USTR, the agreement provides the “most comprehensive … Continue Reading

BREXIT UPDATE: European Commission Warns Importers and Exporters of Goods with Possible UK Origin

By Laura van der Meer and Edouard de Nyary Comandini on Posted in Brexit, Trade Agreements
On 4 June, the European Commission advised economic operators to prepare for the consequences of the United Kingdom leaving the European Union on their imports and exports.   Following the UK’s withdrawal, UK inputs, including materials and certain processing operations, will no longer be considered EU origin for purposes of enjoying preferential treatment.   Whether a particular … Continue Reading

Trump Reconsiders TPP Stance, May Have Renewed Interest in Multilateral Agreement

By Kelley Drye on Posted in Trade Agreements, Trade Policy
Ahead of talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe scheduled for this week, President Trump told a group of governors and lawmakers in a meeting on Thursday, April 12th that the United States was looking to rejoin the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (“TPP”).  President Trump withdrew from the TPP in January, 2017, … Continue Reading

U.S. to Raise “Misleading” Food Labeling Rules in NAFTA Discussions

By Kathleen Cusack and Jennifer McCadney on Posted in NAFTA, Trade Agreements, Trade Policy
The New York Times reported on March 20 that the United States was seeking to table a proposal in the NAFTA negotiations to limit the placement of consumer warnings on food packaging with respect to foods that are high in sugar, salt, or fat.  According to a copy of the negotiating document obtained by the … Continue Reading

Will the U.S. Re-Join the (CP)TPP?

By Kelley Drye on Posted in Trade Agreements, Trade Policy
On February 21, the final version of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (“CPTPP”) was released ahead of its official signing, which is scheduled for March 8, 2018.  The CPTPP reduces tariffs between 11 nations: Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam. The economies of these nations … Continue Reading

Global Trade Flows Are Expanding, But Is There a Reason for Optimism?

By Brooke Ringel on Posted in Economics, Trade Agreements, Trade Policy
Last Friday, the CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis, as part of its World Trade Monitor, reported that global trade flows – the volume of export and imports of goods – was 4.5% higher in 2017 than in 2016.  This is an important finding because it marks the biggest rate of year-in-year expansion since … Continue Reading

Trans-Pacific Partnership: A Final Deal Reached Without the United States

By Brooke Ringel on Posted in Market Access, Trade Agreements, Trade Policy
Earlier this week, the remaining 11 parties to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations announced the conclusion of negotiations and that an agreement will be signed on March 8, 2018.  The parties to the agreement (rebranded as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership) are Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, … Continue Reading
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