USTR Weekly E-Newsletter

By Newsroom America Feeds at 20 Jan 2012

Having trouble viewing this email? Click here http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?llr=6lcilzcab&v=001O3CKqe2sPwyo0Qupa-DEZubd-Ox28JUKCKx1pMjigejF_8iECJYQyCF2g5RwuP_tJT0rPBiGqJAI6pKF4DRb_1xZDiy1xKWAWww77nc_GVg1HkAASTVmGSvnEZYuBRAjfrdktry3iWHwD1HlHuiMlQ%3D%3D

seal http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=6lcilzcab&et=1109112982118&s=9878&e=001XfcQ1FH06PLj3sTVS6jTaIzSFzlv5ODbL5Cg63u91xKNEREuK2-kXej6GoXe_fXz7JFmI_AVaWzNwQEWsWEy-7dU4PHxwO4c_j1PaPtFn08=

Office of the U.S. Trade Representative

Ambassador Ron Kirk | Executive Office of the President | www.ustr.gov http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=6lcilzcab&et=1109112982118&s=9878&e=001XfcQ1FH06PLVCq6oszuhAvvDJnrtStSz5fJnLS3LTHXqQxgNMA1rWa9LgKwJs821Ab4LD7cBhIOwJW0HChCPJwy2k8kxgjZVPiQBiKqWThk=

Office of Intergovernmental Affairs & Public Engagement | 202.395.6120 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

January 20, 2012

Volume 118 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Announcements for the Week of Jan. 16-20, 2012 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ambassador Kirk Speaks at the 80th Winter Meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors

January 20 - Today, Ambassador Ron Kirk spoke to the members of the International Affairs Standing Committee at the U.S. Conference of Mayors http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=6lcilzcab&et=1109112982118&s=9878&e=001XfcQ1FH06PKTxQ5YzRS-xz6HzIf5cbXfieeHMQo2LNvG6TDArWeTHvSBfuLJ2-teim8DYFCpYc0cdRd18-3CWmHlsVSs4428sAx_bWfpiQOVZGvvo0Jpj2anDrfr-Ls9D8o3pWVYzac= (USCM) 80th Winter Meeting in Washington, D.C. Mayor Jean Quan, of Oakland, California and Chair of the International Standing Committee introduced him.

Ambassador Kirk discussed President Obama's agenda to create jobs, noting that since the economic recovery began, there have been 22 straight months of private sector job creation. This has resulted in 3.2 million new jobs for American workers. "Manufacturing is not dead in America, manufacturing is alive," stated Ambassador Kirk. The manufacturing sector has seen remarkable growth, one of the strongest periods since the late 1990s, with 334,000 new jobs in the past two years.

Read the full release here http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=6lcilzcab&et=1109112982118&s=9878&e=001XfcQ1FH06PKni72ZS5DJNnqZpgS5-ygL2TLys-hyjhvcrima6JCN8g37e8y_xVTMx_tge6qlWeZ5l0xfEbkA8zTL0RShao0KMrm6XHQQgg2-kdWdhSMH8SDEwltfwANfPQza715kWLaeBiN2RveLPi9JnIk7gi4c_Hww3lgNCt0SmBtj5yKP6juYd68gwt45k5DWVALrIlWSMehr48ui48Z9aCadkOKnLV6U6j7lRdGAOci0E23XqlLHO9j9Dblm. ================================================================================

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

U.S. Appeal in WTO Dolphin-Safe Tuna Labeling Dispute with Mexico

January 20 - Today the United States is filing an appeal in the World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute with Mexico challenging the United States' dolphin-safe labeling measures for tuna products sold in America. On September 15, 2011, a WTO Panel report in this dispute was released, which found that the objectives of the U.S. measures are legitimate; that the measures do not treat Mexico's tuna products any less favorably than tuna products from the United States or other WTO Members; and that any adverse effects felt by Mexican tuna producers from the U.S. labeling requirements are the result of choices made by Mexico's own fishing fleet and canners. However, the Panel also found the U.S. measures to be more trade restrictive than necessary to achieve the objectives of the measures. After careful review and consideration of the Panel report, the United States has decided to file an appeal today.

"Our dolphin-safe labeling measures for tuna products provide information for American consumers as they make food purchasing decisions for their families," said Andrea Mead, Press Secretary for the United States Trade Representative. "Our decision to appeal the WTO ruling in this case demonstrates the commitment of the United States to our dolphin-safe labeling measures."

Read the full release here http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=6lcilzcab&et=1109112982118&s=9878&e=001XfcQ1FH06PLmIkJd5ny5tSKN_0lq7-WeyZAVYJGcndPG0z4Nop9L6KSW6fdwMcK-F2wdiughfQOqM4_ctf2v5gG2JgCkyv3665k84ZtWMwL8F6tGuz_8ir9IeQ1b7sZu9IcnIbvKNtgioNNuw_vralxX9PUP9RKvaJAz_OYbKfz4ttlHJZndUbGNIPomDkfI7Kx-wg7NCL5hJQ6oRyDnDph8H0rK0fxYVfSE7RkdDPgx-uH-tVf8msi39nkiShf_. ================================================================================

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

United States and Saudi Arabia Work to Strengthen Ties, Expand Trade and Investment Relationship

January 18 - Assistant United States Trade Representative for Europe and the Middle East L. Daniel Mullaney and Saudi Deputy Minister of Commerce and Industry for Foreign Trade Abdullah A. Al-Hamoudi this week co-chaired the second meeting of the U.S.-Saudi Arabia Trade and Investment Council.

"The United States greatly values its economic relationship with Saudi Arabia, which is a key strategic partner in the region," said Mullaney. "As part of President Obama's commitment to improve trade and investment integration with and within the Middle East and North Africa, this ongoing dialogue will help to increase trade and investment and improve economic integration in the region."

Read the full release here http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=6lcilzcab&et=1109112982118&s=9878&e=001XfcQ1FH06PKo3tZa2RU6IkGw6B--w7Nt10y7bCiiFb-57c7Yf8pz26JqiDs_LvrxT9UtOSv4P67gxAMKJpLSC-pW564G7Q6bRMIEgFBp0uYGer0rYP7wKN26PKvrBTNKC2bXsXOTsZBD58tYA7rD96N7PsSEmggp2gVWeea_eLD9_3vmSYRocIBvtx8DDJn5OtFi8aFi4RcrZ9fE0RVQ1mOWUk7HO-80kPstbfjugpAYjfqT9wgZhpLqkr7_DMeT. ================================================================================

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

USTR.gov ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ambassador Marantis Travels to Mozambique to Advance Trade and Investment

January 19 - On January 18, Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Demetrios Marantis traveled to Maputo, Mozambique to advance trade and investment relations between the United States and Mozambique. On January 19, Ambassador Marantis co-chaired, with Mozambican Minister of Industry and Commerce Armando Inroga, the third Council meeting of the United States-Mozambique Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA).

The TIFA Council works toward deepening and strengthening commercial ties, and facilitates a high-level dialogue to help increase commercial and investment opportunities by identifying and working to remove barriers to trade and investment flows between the United States and Mozambique.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On Final Day of Official Visit to Mauritius, Ambassador Marantis Meets with Prime Minister Ramgoolam, Delivers a Speech on Trade, and Visits an AGOA Exporter

January 18 - Following yesterday's consultations under the U.S.-Mauritius Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA), Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Demetrios Marantis met with Mauritius Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam. During their lengthy meeting, they discussed a number of issues regarding the U.S. economic relationship with Mauritius and the broader sub-Saharan region, including the extension of the African Growth and Opportunity Act's (AGOA) third country fabric provision, the U.S.-Mauritius Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT), regional integration, and the future of the U.S.-Africa trade and investment relationship beyond the current 2015 end of AGOA preferences.

Ambassador Marantis also delivered a speech, entitled "Paving the Way to Future Growth http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=6lcilzcab&et=1109112982118&s=9878&e=001XfcQ1FH06PKfItmnSLKV5tQ3prHEtOTah_VoSa0gZ_BuhLvGpq_K9P9UXcjQ2cwLFIRg66zdVPeX3bMIGYeUiUoqJsU1uL0Hos-M3c345HtBBb5THHkUOtsb2Bj8pdnLimpiJOiWU2EXdUe_ZjBFzmjWgms69NMx8X4ypca5Kc99OS6iUDlLEHfSWM7sG28P355_viMV-dO4Lg1fzANCQLmWIT1CZ6sN2GMVvz2KtaGaLAU15yGl23smRlGZK2XC," focused on U.S. trade policy for Mauritius and for the sub-Saharan Africa region more broadly. Ambassador Marantis gave the speech at an event hosted by the Mauritius Chamber of Commerce and Industry where he interacted with an audience of about 50 representatives from the business community, academia, and the Mauritian government.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ambassador Marantis Leads Consultations Under the U.S.-Mauritius Trade and Investment Framework Agreement

January 17 - Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Demetrios Marantis began a visit to Mauritius yesterday by leading a high-level U.S. delegation for talks with the Mauritian government under the U.S.-Mauritius Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA). The TIFA establishes a high level forum for advancing a cooperative partnership on trade and investment issues, and this was the fifth TIFA Council meeting with Mauritius. Ambassador Marantis and Mauritian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration, and International Trade Arvin Boolell, opened the meeting with a wide range of government and private sector participants. During the TIFA meeting, the two governments discussed a broad range of issues of importance to the bilateral U.S.-Mauritian trade and investment relationship, including the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), the World Trade Organization (WTO) Doha negotiations and trade facilitation, the ongoing U.S.-Mauritius Bilateral Investment Treaty discussions, intellectual property rights, services trade, information communication and technology (ICT) principles, and trade capacity building, among other issues.

U.S. officials from the Department of State and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) also participated in the meeting. The Mauritian TIFA delegation included government officials from a number of ministries with responsibility for various trade and investment issues on the agenda, as well as others representing industry associations and interests.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Weekly Trade Spotlight: Florida's Exports Support Jobs

January 17 - This week, Chief Agricultural Negotiator Isi Siddiqui will travel to Florida to discuss how agricultural exports are a vital part of Florida's economy. USTR's weekly trade spotlight focuses on how trade benefits Florida's business and workers.

Florida is known for many things. Whether it's for sunny beaches, amusement parks or the everglades, people flock to Florida for a variety of reasons. However, what most people may not know is that Florida is the fourth largest state exporter in the United States.

From agriculture to manufacturing to services, Floridians all across the sunshine state depend on trade for their paycheck. For example, in 2008, jobs supported by Florida's goods exports were estimated to be 168,000 - and these jobs pay 13-19 percent higher than the national average wage.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

IN THIS ISSUE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ambassador Kirk Speaks at the 80th Winter Meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors U.S. Appeal in WTO Dolpin-Safe Tuna Labeling Dispute with Mexico

United States and Saudi Arabia Work to Strengthen Ties, Expand Trade and Investment Relationship ================================================================================

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

USTR.gov ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ambassador Marantis Travels to Mozambique to Advance Trade and Investment

On Final Day of Official Visit to Mauritius, Ambassador Marantis Meets with Prime Minister Ramgoolam, Delivers a Speech on Trade, and Visits an AGOA Exporter

Ambassador Marantis Leads Consultations Under the U.S.-Mauritius Trade and Investment Framework Agreement

Weekly Trade Spotlight: Florida's Exports Support Jobs ================================================================================

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

RECENT EVENTS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ambassador Marantis continued his travel to Africa to advance trade relationships under the United States' Trade and Investment Framework Agreements (TIFAs) with Mauritius and Mozambique

Ambassador Sapiro delivered remarks at an event sponsored by the United States-Egypt Business Council at the United States Chamber of Commerce

Ambassadors Kirk and Sapiro met with the Egyptian Minister of Industry and Foreign Trade, Mahmoud Eisa

Ambassador Kirk attended a White House reception for the United States Conference of Mayors

Ambassador Siddiqui traveled to Florida to meet with citrus growers and stakeholders

Ambassador Kirk met with the Director of the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), David Hinson

Ambassador Siddiqui traveled to Miami, Florida to deliver remarks on the National Export Initiative (NEI) at the Pacer/Ocean World Lines Global Trade Symposium

Ambassador Kirk delivered remarks at a meeting of the International Affairs Standing Committee as part of the United States Conference of Mayors' winter meeting

General Counsel Tim Reif spoke at an event hosted by the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM)

Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) Bill Jackson traveled to Egypt and Tunisia January 8-13 to help raise awareness among businesses in those countries of trade opportunities under the U.S. Generalized System of Preferences (GSP). Jackson made presentations before groups of businessman in five cities - Cairo and Alexandria in Egypt, and Tunis, Sfax, and Siliana in Tunisia - explaining how the GSP program works and encouraging them to make greater use of the program to grow and diversify their trade with the United States. The GSP program promotes economic growth in the developing world by providing preferential duty-free entry to the United States for up to 4,800 products from 129 designated beneficiary countries and territories. ================================================================================

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ask the Ambassador ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Please send us your trade stories at

Share Your Stories http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=6lcilzcab&et=1106186007300&s=0&e=001J-cVcRjoUL9KjYJPmPUlY57fPYQI9b_PpqanY3J1s_iIwtpIVIVLGJgHrOulCsDpcmKJOE3Hi60SWTt38lUGMq74a77JgfqiChlsnSs0AYDKezb7pM2c1Mz-mPXhWAbPFVjdlaNHj0x-rs0IKN3JbA==

or submit questions to Ambassador Kirk at Ask the Ambassador http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=6lcilzcab&et=1106186007300&s=0&e=001J-cVcRjoUL9KjYJPmPUlY57fPYQI9b_PpqanY3J1s_iIwtpIVIVLGJgHrOulCsDpcmKJOE3Hi60SWTt38lUGMq74a77JgfqiChlsnSs0AYDKezb7pM2c1Mz-mPXhWAbPFVjdlaNHj0x-rs0IKN3JbA==. ================================================================================

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Enforcement Newsletter ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sign up today http://visitor.r20.constantcontact.com/manage/optin/ea?v=001qvJffTsWrj9QHLvkeEDeXA%3D%3D&id=previewto begin receiving get our new monthly newsletter dedicated to providing you updates on USTR's enforcement activities. ================================================================================

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Join the conversation at Find us on Facebook http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=6lcilzcab&t=gtcse5iab.0.pfdaf5cab.6lcilzcab.9878&ts=S0716&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fhome.php%3F%23%2Fpages%2FWashington-DC%2FUS-Trade-Representative%2F42542319981 Follow us on Twitter http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=6lcilzcab&t=gtcse5iab.0.qfdaf5cab.6lcilzcab.9878&ts=S0716&p=http%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2FUSTradeRep ================================================================================

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Archives ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The USTR Archives can be found at the bottom margin of

our website http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=6lcilzcab&et=1106186007300&s=0&e=001J-cVcRjoUL9KjYJPmPUlY57fPYQI9b_PpqanY3J1s_iIwtpIVIVLGJgHrOulCsDpcmKJOE3Hi60SWTt38lUGMq74a77JgfqiChlsnSs0AYDc-nEppZ0zz5ComR9Cx3awisYFjgvJfqAnGTc5DWn1pQ==. ================================================================================

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Forward email

Categories:	US Politics and Govt Business Economy White House General US News Trade Federal Government USA News
Tags:	Florida Trade agreements Barack Obama Trade US Trade Representative

USTR Weekly E-Newsletter

MOST VIEWED ARTICLES

NEWSROOM TWITTER

CATEGORIES

ANDROID APP