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=1109158780460&s=9878&e=001oPke5u0gFskfY6txbiZzvzehg7K8XX30UpndCKH8Edy6eQ3KqA8i0EKIOM0rI2_thEhXfoPHsJ7vh2e_gJNAj-Cw5fdl4iQdcY4GqoOJtcM=
Office of Intergovernmental Affairs & Public Engagement | 202.395.6120 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
January 27, 2012
Volume 119 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Announcements for the Week of Jan. 23-27, 2012 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I Will Go Anywhere in the World to Open New Markets for American Products"
President Obama gives the State of the Union http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=6lcilzcab&et=1109158780460&s=9878&e=001oPke5u0gFskqyt2SsJevYpsdkn3H00fOQXCLck3GSdS0prjxlJsDntPvWE60nZ4SPNL1n9uR9zp3TaP5FES5HUxiLdVZXj9TMJjH0qaWWfpvOOWdBwO2wg==
January 25 - Did you see President Obama's State of the Union last night? If not, you can watch a clip about trade and exports above. You can also read his remarks below.
"We're also making it easier for American businesses to sell products all over the world. Two years ago, I set a goal of doubling U.S. exports over five years. With the bipartisan trade agreements we signed into law, we're on track to meet that goal ahead of schedule. (Applause.) And soon, there will be millions of new customers for American goods in Panama, Colombia, and South Korea. Soon, there will be new cars on the streets of Seoul imported from Detroit, and Toledo, and Chicago.
"I will go anywhere in the world to open new markets for American products. And I will not stand by when our competitors don't play by the rules. We've brought trade cases against China at nearly twice the rate as the last administration -- and it's made a difference. (Applause.) Over a thousand Americans are working today because we stopped a surge in Chinese tires. But we need to do more. It's not right when another country lets our movies, music, and software be pirated. It's not fair when foreign manufacturers have a leg up on ours only because they're heavily subsidized.
"Tonight, I'm announcing the creation of a Trade Enforcement Unit that will be charged with investigating unfair trading practices in countries like China. (Applause.) There will be more inspections to prevent counterfeit or unsafe goods from crossing our borders. And this Congress should make sure that no foreign company has an advantage over American manufacturing when it comes to accessing financing or new markets like Russia. Our workers are the most productive on Earth, and if the playing field is level, I promise you -- America will always win."
Watch the full State of the Union here http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=6lcilzcab&et=1109158780460&s=9878&e=001oPke5u0gFslk-IwQvCzg_2nFtxeA-t9p5fVGGFQ1Z2XWs19OGa0wiwR3VEpRjNHGiekDBpzb8zQ1npouLp8bvuTAkhqqB4y-CMhz43hu0PZQ03Ki8axj89w-WbscFB3zfK26XZVvAqjeBsnwAH385g==. ================================================================================
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Blueprint for an America Built to Last
During the State of the Union Address, President Obama laid out a blueprint http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=6lcilzcab&et=1109158780460&s=9878&e=001oPke5u0gFsnzDCrfdoJ7XA1ubfcYBdTamNmL5uwipxzCZwxU3pEhe9M6wQ93aEuYbHfHXWqB6hhsIeBLQcneFtY-WYNcYgJiPHv0uPZQseU02t7n3yYB8IfR0tWdiJ3HRYd-1ptFidF8S9iuVwv-tVRxFqw7Z5Yc2oxPbpkd81BrrXrvTcBB8lEGFZo9rwCj48pbk135yQTSVeCRgWaBZA== for an economy that's built to last - an economy built on American manufacturing, American energy, skills for American workers, and a renewal of American values.
The President believes this is a make or break moment for the middle class and those trying to reach it.
What's at stake is the very survival of the basic American promise that if you work hard, you can do well enough to raise a family, own a home, and put enough away for retirement.
The defining issue of our time is how to keep that promise alive. No challenge is more urgent; no debate is more important. We can either settle for a country where a shrinking number of people do really well, while more Americans barely get by. Or we can build a nation where everyone gets a fair shot, everyone does their fair share, and everyone plays by the same rules.
At stake right now are not Democratic or Republican values, but American values - and for the sake of our future, we have to reclaim them.
Read the full blueprint here http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=6lcilzcab&et=1109158780460&s=9878&e=001oPke5u0gFsnzDCrfdoJ7XA1ubfcYBdTamNmL5uwipxzCZwxU3pEhe9M6wQ93aEuYbHfHXWqB6hhsIeBLQcneFtY-WYNcYgJiPHv0uPZQseU02t7n3yYB8IfR0tWdiJ3HRYd-1ptFidF8S9iuVwv-tVRxFqw7Z5Yc2oxPbpkd81BrrXrvTcBB8lEGFZo9rwCj48pbk135yQTSVeCRgWaBZA==. ================================================================================
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Update on Implementation of Trade Agreements with Korea, Colombia, and Panama
January 25 - Please be advised that Assistant U.S. Trade Representative Wendy Cutler will lead a USTR delegation to meet with her counterpart, Korean Deputy Minister for Trade Choi Seok-young, in Los Angeles January 27-28. Cutler and Choi will take stock of the U.S.-Korea trade agreement implementation discussions conducted to date and consult on outstanding issues.
USTR is continuing to receive and analyze materials from Colombia and Panama regarding steps necessary to bring those agreements into force. ================================================================================
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk Announces Progress through U.S.-Japan Economic Harmonization Initiative, Expanding Trade and Market Opportunities for American Producers
January 27 - Today, the United States announced important progress with Japan on a range of trade and regulatory issues as well as on new areas of joint cooperation that will expand job-supporting trade opportunities for producers and consumers in the United States and Japan.
"I welcome the progress we have made through the U.S.-Japan Economic Harmonization Initiative (EHI), which expands job-supporting business and export opportunities for American entrepreneurs, workers, manufacturers, and service providers," said Ambassador Kirk. "Addressing issues of concern and working closely together to advance new areas of cooperation will further deepen our relationship with Japan - a strong ally and our fourth largest export market."
Read the full release here http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=6lcilzcab&et=1109158780460&s=9878&e=001oPke5u0gFslQR8Qv0rD1sAMq2YAprGq6FOVjhfDrPSmPSFcP3m9xpPrzr2QlpTaNiKjG8i1JE9UgKqsMLPRypnqT-so0bBI22c3RXcjQ4Fwf-szMYqZ2EeMLPAey_j34S0e-YQ-_WVXrYaFBmECsE5XVqxr5oz5qL_2nlPwxYL_ozuWsnsQAxxpHYkn9i2ETx3T2LF9GGlPq5rwhN3b7COspAY6NsJsO0bCEVhbh5f8mIakCZUM4SmZhaPI-qKT2. ================================================================================
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Egypt - U.S. Trade and Investment Partnership Promoting Opportunity & Job Creation
January 25 - U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk and Egyptian Minister for Industry and Foreign Trade Mahmoud Eisa met on January 18, 2012. They agreed that greater integration into the global marketplace could help strengthen Egypt's economic competitiveness and therefore its prospects for the investment and sustained growth needed to create job opportunities for Egyptians. With this in mind, officials from the United States and Egypt will jointly develop an Action Plan designed to enhance further the already strong bilateral trade and investment relationship.
The Ministers reaffirmed the commitment of the United States and Egypt to a strong trade and investment partnership, based on the shared objective of increasing the well-being of all our people.
Read the full release here http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=6lcilzcab&et=1109158780460&s=9878&e=001oPke5u0gFskgD2dHW8p35MpH42cE8sfCKmRhNn52vHD-OaqGJfnsTS8gImPZVS4R-40AWVqUlrY5xA_h_cWCXz7cIaS_-3DU0Uq6UzUFtN37iS8HfMU5VdgmcrYk_ehG_J_SC_prhys93EDCkzF4kfLHgapwGXrAlScItpUoerDUsf1Ed6U91HFaH0vzYUSmKfXcUBXe7g7sDLtXypDTSootio-0qwr1kV5yL3IWyfuQO0h_QoOh3TfIVSkBZSPO. ================================================================================
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
United States And Canada Sign A Two-Year Extension Of The 2006 U.S.-Canada Softwood Lumber Agreement
January 23 - Today United States Trade Representative Ron Kirk and Canadian Minister for International Trade Ed Fast signed a two-year extension of the 2006 U.S.-Canada Softwood Lumber Agreement (SLA), so that the Agreement will be in effect through October 12, 2015.
"The Softwood Lumber Agreement is very important for U.S. producers, particularly when both sides of the border are facing weak demand," said Ambassador Ron Kirk. "Trade agreements are about providing a predictable and fair environment for conducting international trade. The 2006 U.S.-Canada Softwood Lumber Agreement has provided just that for both producers and consumers." Ambassador Kirk added, "The Administration's record on softwood lumber demonstrates our steadfast commitment to ensuring fair trade that benefits American businesses and workers. Today, I am pleased to extend this agreement and those benefits for an additional two years."
Read the full release here http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=6lcilzcab&et=1109158780460&s=9878&e=001oPke5u0gFslWvihHRqUs5G3qb9Ehyj7oYcLqF4n4lzvrnl_pWFrPcZqhlLhe4qFOG6goBnI1jkBjJR0jaKhrvhABQ-eGTnO5BAJ_7c0Juoy2fcnSXM8ogJNmpAfW9Z9QAfZfrpUrFW7qcptiyZ9_slPRFyfmDGcixD5z5Q50Pn-v8U1t9LlReXI4U88sND2vnViij3Nu8-rmcO26WCtE6Eyq8p3scHo0MrCqmwk4e5zutsxXoD55n1qLU2KQc8fc. ================================================================================
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Joint Statement from the Meeting of the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Commission
January 23 - The following joint statement was released today at the closing of the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Commission meeting in Miami, Florida.
Anabel González, Minister of Foreign Trade of Costa Rica; Yahaira Sosa representing the Minister of Industry and Trade of the Dominican Republic; Mario Roger Hernández, Vice Minister of Economy for El Salvador; Maria Luisa Flores, Vice Minister of Economy for Guatemala; José Francisco Zelaya, Secretary of State, Office of Industry and Commerce for Honduras; Cristian Martínez, representing the Minister of Development, Industry and Commerce of Nicaragua; and Ambassador Miriam Sapiro, Deputy United States Trade Representative for the United States; are pleased to release the following Joint Statement, highlighting the work accomplished at the second meeting of the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States (CAFTA-DR) Free Trade Commission held on January 23, 2012, in Miami, Florida.
Read the full release here http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=6lcilzcab&et=1109158780460&s=9878&e=001oPke5u0gFsnruX8X4BQb6t8q4USZIpAmB7AfsK0InRYuAu8LyuO3wOHbu3BuEYV9XXJBScR-g0NNtZdcGwolgwM_tVe5l7I3lNo3jT0Vq7y2XNBD_vsUu3mhXRnHZXYDscktpBM88U5q6PvjaKXTihNarL4bxL1kaVBtqPdoLzxtlklLH2S82SFwSut2LWPRzA9dhoPw9TYT6fRgFbNqPkmN1Wp-3A6p4vpJ5Tw7aFgpbgBakr4nfnxj7QwwIRkT. ================================================================================
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
USTR.gov ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ambassador Marantis Concludes Trip to Mozambique with Private Sector Meeting and Visit to Seafood Exporter
January 23 - Following Thursday's Council meeting of the United States-Mozambique Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) in Mozambique, on Friday, January 20, Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Demetrios Marantis met with a group of U.S. and Mozambican company representatives. They discussed the investment climate, opportunities and challenges to doing business in Mozambique, and how Mozambican companies, including women owned small- and medium-sized businesses can export to the United States under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).
After the meeting, Ambassador Marantis visited Pescas do Sul, a medium-sized seafood processing company in Maputo with a staff of about 60 employees. He discussed the importance of Mozambique complying with turtle excluder devices (TED) regulations so companies like Pescas do Sul can participate in the lucrative U.S. market for seafood products. ================================================================================
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
IN THIS ISSUE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
STATE OF THE UNION: "I Will Go Anywhere in the World to Open New Markets for American Products"
STATE OF THE UNION: Blueprint for an America Built to Last
Update on Implementation of Trade Agreements with Korea, Colombia, and Panama
U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk Announces Progress through U.S.-Japan Economic Harmonization Initiative, Expanding Trade and Market Opportunities for American Producers
Egypt - U.S. Trade and Investment Partnership Promoting Opportunity & Job Creation
United States And Canada Sign A Two-Year Extension Of The 2006 U.S.-Canada Softwood Lumber Agreement
Joint Statement from the Meeting of the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Commission ================================================================================
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
USTR.gov ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ambassador Marantis Concludes Trip to Mozambique with Private Sector Meeting and Visit to Seafood Exporter ================================================================================
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
RECENT EVENTS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ambassador Kirk met with the Canadian Minister of International Trade, Ed Fast, concerning softwood lumber
Ambassador Sapiro hosted a meeting of the Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) Free Trade Commission
Ambassadors Kirk and Sapiro met with the United Arab Emirates Minister of Foreign Trade, Sheikha Lubna Bint Khalid Al Qasimi
Ambassador Kirk attended President Obama's State of the Union Address
The Office of the United States Trade Representative convened a two-day public hearing on several worker rights-related country practices petitions under the U.S. Generalized System of Preference (GSP)
Ambassador Sapiro met with the Danish Ambassador to the United States, Peter Taksoe-Jensen
Ambassadors Kirk and Punke are in Davos, Switzerland for the 2012 World Economic Forum (WEF)
Ambassador Siddiqui delivered remarks regarding the Global Food Safety Fund at a conference hosted by the Food and Drug Law Institute
Ambassador Marantis attended a Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Business Coalition and TPP Ambassadors luncheon at the residence of the Australian Ambassador ================================================================================
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ask the Ambassador ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Please send us your trade stories at
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. ================================================================================
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Follow us! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Join the conversation at Find us on Facebook http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=6lcilzcab&t=mrxhq4iab.0.pfdaf5cab.6lcilzcab.9878&ts=S0728&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=mrxhq4iab.0.qfdaf5cab.6lcilzcab.9878&ts=S0728&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
![[D]](/images/tag_delicious.png "Submit to Del.icio.us"){kind=small}
![[Digg]](/images/tag_digg.png "Submit to Digg"){kind=small}
![[FB]](/images/tag_facebook.png "Set status on Facebook"){kind=small}
![[R]](/images/tag_reddit.png "Submit to Reddit"){kind=small}
![[SU]](/images/tag_stumbleupon.png "Submit to Stumble Upon"){kind=small}
![[Tweet]](/images/tag_twitter.png "Set status on Twitter"){kind=small}
![[G]](/images/tag_googlebookmarks.png "Save to Google Bookmarks"){kind=small}
