Secretariat TPR |
WT/TPR/S/382 |
S-II§18 |
United States of America |
2018 |
Trade Policy Framework |
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The private and public sector also have a role in the formulation of U.S. trade policy through the trade advisory committee system, established by Congress in the Trade Act of 1974. Congress enhanced the role of this system most recently in the Trade Act of 2002. The system was created (...) The system includes: (...) five general policy advisory committees dealing with environment, labour, agriculture, Africa, and intergovernmental issues; (...) The committees provide information and advice on U.S. negotiating objectives and positions for trade agreement negotiations and other matters arising in connection with the development, implementation, and administration of U.S. trade policy. (...)
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Keywords
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Secretariat TPR |
WT/TPR/S/382 |
S-II§25 |
United States of America |
2018 |
Trade Policy Framework |
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Relevant information
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The United States is renegotiating NAFTA, which came into force on 1 January 1994, with the aim of improving market access for agriculture, expanding investment and intellectual property protections, enhancing regulatory transparency, and including chapters on competition and SMEs, among other things. Through the renegotiation, the Administration has two principal objectives: (a) to modernize the Agreement, including through improved provisions to protect intellectual property and facilitate efficient cross-border trade, among other updates, and through new provisions on digital trade; and (b) to rebalance NAFTA with a view to reducing the U.S. trade deficit with the NAFTA countries. The U.S. Administration's proposals include (...) ensuring strong, enforceable provisions on labour and the environment that will help level the playing field for U.S. workers.
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Keywords
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Secretariat TPR |
WT/TPR/S/382 |
S-II§43 |
United States of America |
2018 |
Trade Policy Framework |
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Relevant information
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International investment agreements are used in the United States to foster foreign investment. These agreements include trade and investment framework agreements (TIFAs), bilateral investment treaties (BITs), and FTAs that contain investment provisions. TIFAs provide frameworks for dialogue on trade and investment issues between the United States and the other parties to the TIFA, and are generally the first step in establishing stronger trade and investment links. The objective of these agreements is to develop opportunities for the United States and partner countries to enhance opportunities for trade and investment. Topics for cooperation usually include: (...) environmental protection; (...)
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Keywords
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Secretariat TPR |
WT/TPR/S/382 |
S-III§3 |
United States of America |
2018 |
Measures |
Regulation affecting movement or transit |
Not specified |
Relevant information
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The United States formally accepted the WTO Agreement on Trade Facilitation (TFA) on 23 January 2015. (…) The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) leads an interagency National Trade Facilitation Committee that organizes coordination and implementation of the TFA as part of its responsibilities to develop, coordinate, and implement trade policy. This is the national committee on trade facilitation for Article 23.2 of the TFA. More than 20 federal agencies participate in the national committee, including (...) the Environmental Protection Agency (...)
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Secretariat TPR |
WT/TPR/S/382 |
S-III§6 |
United States of America |
2018 |
Measures |
Import licences, Other environmental requirements |
Fisheries, Other |
Relevant information
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The Lacey Act (16 U.S.C. §§ 3371–3378) is a conservation law that combats trafficking in wildlife, fish, and plants, and Lacey Act declarations (PPQ Form 505) are required for the importation of certain plants and plant products.
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Keywords
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Conservation
Fish
Wildlife
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Secretariat TPR |
WT/TPR/S/382 |
S-Table-III.3 |
United States of America |
2018 |
Measures |
Internal taxes |
Chemicals |
Relevant information
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Table 3.4 Federal excise taxes
Fund/subject Products
(…)
General funds
(…)
Ozone-depleting chemicals Certain CFC and related chemicals
(…)
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Keywords
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Secretariat TPR |
WT/TPR/S/382 |
S-III§47 |
United States of America |
2018 |
Measures |
Other environmental requirements |
Fisheries |
Relevant information
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The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries) issued its final rule regarding the establishment of a Seafood Import Monitoring Program (SIMP) in December 2016. The Program is set up pursuant to the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Reauthorization Act (MSRA) of 2006 to cover imported fish and fish products at particular risk of illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing and seafood fraud. It requires the importers of record to obtain an annual International Fisheries Trade Permit (IFTP), report data on the harvest of fish and fish products, retain additional supply chain data, and retain the records supporting their import filings for a period of two years. The harvest and landing documentation for U.S. imports (and exports) is filed electronically through the Automated Commercial Environment of the U.S. International Trade Data System (ITDS). SIMP may eventually cover additional seafood products. However, the Program has been introduced for 13 "priority species" identified as particularly vulnerable to IUU fishing or seafood fraud, including tunas (albacore, bigeye, skipjack, yellowfin, and bluefin), swordfish, sharks, Atlantic and Pacific cod, grouper, red snapper, and sea cucumber. Although SIMP is only applicable to imported seafood, similar reporting requirements also apply to domestic capture fisheries and aquaculture. SIMP entered into force for 11 of the 13 species on 1 January 2018. As for the two remaining priority species (abalone and shrimp), the effective date has been delayed for one year, as the enforcement of SIMP for these two species is linked to the establishment of appropriate reporting and/or record-keeping disciplines for the domestic aquaculture production of abalone and shrimp.
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Keywords
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Secretariat TPR |
WT/TPR/S/382 |
S-III§48 |
United States of America |
2018 |
Measures |
Other environmental requirements |
Fisheries |
Relevant information
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Section 607 of the High Seas Driftnet Fishing Moratorium Protection Act (PL 104-43) requires the Secretary of Commerce to provide a biennial report to Congress identifying countries whose fishing vessels are engaged in IUU fishing, or whose fishing activities result in bycatch of certain protected living marine resources, or whose vessels are engaged in shark fishing on the high seas under certain practices. NOAA Fisheries then engages with countries thus identified to seek improvement in their fisheries management and enforcement practices. Following a two-year consultative process, the countries receive either a positive or negative certification that the fishing activities for which they were identified have been adequately addressed. The consequences of a negative certification include U.S. port restrictions and potential import restrictions on certain fish and fish products from the country concerned. [48]
[48] The report to Congress released in January 2017 contained positive certifications for five countries identified in the previous report (Colombia, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Nigeria, and Portugal). NOAA Fisheries addressed a negative certification in a formal communication to the authorities of Mexico on 18 January 2017. Further evidence of action taken provided by the Government of Mexico resulted in a positive certification announced in April 2018 (Addendum to the Biennial Report), for Mexico's 2015 IUU fishing identification. For the next biennial report (June 2019), consultations are ongoing with Ecuador, the Russian Federation, and Mexico regarding the activities of some of their fishing vessels.
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Keywords
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Secretariat TPR |
WT/TPR/S/382 |
S-Table-III.8 |
United States of America |
2018 |
Measures |
Anti-dumping measure / investigation |
Chemicals |
Relevant information
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Table 3.8 EAPA investigations (eligible for public disclosure), 2016-July 2018
Investigation/date of initiation Interim measures Final determination
(...)
Choice Refrigerants: Evasion of the AD duty order on Hydrofluorocarbon Blends from China/5 September 2017 Pending. CBP was unable to determine whether the merchandise imported by LM Supply is subject to the AD order. Accordingly, pursuant to the EAPA, it referred this matter to the USDOC for a determination as to whether the merchandise at issue is within the scope of the AD order. Pending a determination on a scope referral to the USDOC.
(...)
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Keywords
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Secretariat TPR |
WT/TPR/S/382 |
S-III§120 |
United States of America |
2018 |
Measures |
Export licences |
Other |
Relevant information
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Table 3.11 Items subject to export controls, including licensing
Product category Responsible agencies Legal reference
(…)
Fish and wildlife controls; endangered species Department of the Interior, Chief Office of Management Authority 50 CFR 17.21, 17.22, 17.31, 17.32
(...)
Hazardous waste Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery 40 CFR part 262, subpart E
40 CFR section 263.20
40 CFR section 263.22(d)
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Keywords
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Endangered
Hazardous
Waste
Wildlife
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