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During the review period, the United States continued efforts to strengthen the rules-based multilateral trading system, including through new initiatives, as evidenced by the U.S. role in the negotiations to expand the Information Technology Agreement (ITA), as well as the launch of the Environmental Goods Agreement negotiations. (…) In July 2014, the United States and 13 other WTO members, accounting for 86% of global trade in environmental goods, launched the EGA negotiations. Achieving global free trade in environmental goods is a key part of both the President's Climate Action Plan and U.S. trade and environmental policy.

Recently, the United States completed its domestic consultation procedures to enter into EGA negotiations. The United States and 13 other WTO Members announced their intention to start negotiations of an EGA in Davos in January 2014 and in June, shared information about this initiative in the WTO Committee on Trade and Environment. The negotiations were launched in July, with the aim of eliminating tariffs on a broad set of environmental goods.

(…) In July 2014, the United States and 13 other WTO members, accounting for 86% of global trade in environmental goods, launched negotiations on the Environmental Goods Agreement (EGA). In addition to the United States, Australia, Canada, China, Costa Rica, the European Union, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, Switzerland and Chinese Taipei are participating in the negotiations. The EGA aims to eliminate tariffs on a broad set of environmental technologies such as wind turbines, water treatment filters, and solar water heaters. These negotiations will build on a list of 54 environmental goods on which APEC Leaders agreed to reduce tariffs to 5% or less by the end of 2015.

President Obama announced his Climate Action Plan in June 2013, which included a call to work towards global free trade in environmental goods, such as renewable and clean energy technologies. (…)

A number of trade priorities identified for 2013-14 included initiatives at the national, multilateral, bilateral, and regional levels: to (…) advance negotiations including with respect to services, environmental goods, (…) and advance trade policy that reflect U.S. values, noting labour and environmental protection considerations. (…)

Since the last U.S. Trade Policy Review, the United States has achieved significant results on trade and environment matters in multiple fora, including through regional and bilateral trade initiatives. In the TPP negotiations, the United States continued to press for commitments to address environmental issues, including conservation challenges in the Asia Pacific region, such as combating wildlife trafficking and illegal logging and addressing marine fisheries issues, as well as commitments to liberalize trade in environmental goods and services. In the T-TIP negotiations, the Administration is seeking ambitious environmental commitments including those relating to the protection and conservation of wildlife, marine fisheries, and forest resources. The Administration has also continued to prioritize implementation of the free trade agreements currently in force.

(…) In addition, USTR worked with each TPP partner hosting negotiating rounds to plan events open to registered stakeholder participation. These events included briefings from chief negotiators and provided multiple opportunities to provide input into the negotiations, including those with respect to chapters addressing environment, tobacco, investment, pharmaceuticals and intellectual property. (…)

The TPP will address new and emerging trade issues and 21st-century challenges, including issues related to market access, non-tariff barriers, intellectual property, cross-border services, e commerce, investment, competition policy, state-owned enterprises, environment, and labor. In addition, the TPP will cover cross-cutting issues not included in previous trade agreements, such as regulatory coherence.

After signing NAFTA, the United States, Canada, and Mexico concluded supplemental agreements on labor and environment. Under these agreements, the parties are, among other things, obligated to effectively enforce their environmental and labor laws. The agreements also provide frameworks for cooperation among the parties on a wide variety of labor and environmental issues. In connection with NAFTA, the United States and Mexico also agreed to fund a development bank to address environmental infrastructure needs along the U.S.-Mexico border.

The United States, together with Mexico and Canada, have continued efforts to ensure that trade liberalization and efforts to protect the environment are mutually supportive. In 2012, the NAFTA Free Trade Commission (FTC), NAFTA's central oversight body, approved a work plan to strengthen cooperation between the FTC and the North American Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC). Trade officials from the three countries participated in the development of the CEC's 2013-14 work plan, which was formally adopted in July 2013. The work plan focuses on collaborative actions in three areas: greening transportation, tackling climate change while improving air quality, and addressing trade in electronic waste.