WITA RSS Feed

Governors and Ambassadors World Trade Reception on 24-Feb-12 7:00 PM

Sat, 25 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Governors and Ambassadors World Trade Reception
Start Date: 24-Feb-12 7:00 PM
End Time: 24-Feb-12 9:30 PM
Location: Willard InterContinental Hotel, Washington, DC 20004
Speaker: Host Governors Terry BRANSTAD (IA), Christine GREGOIRE (WA), Steve BESHEAR (KY), and Gary HERBERT (UT); US Trade Representative Ron KIRK; and New Zealand Ambassador Michael MOORE (Speaking on behalf of the 8 TPP Host Ambassadors). With MC John ENGLER, CEO, Business Roundtable (& former Gov of MI)

Event Details:

Host Governor Steve BESHEAR (Kentucky);

Host Governor Terry BRANSTAD (Iowa);

Host Governor Christine GREGOIRE (Washington);

Host Governor Gary HERBERT (Utah);

Host Ambassador Michael MOORE of New Zealand
On behalf of the eight TPP Host Ambassadors

invite you to attend the 2012

Governors and Ambassadors World Trade Reception

Featuring remarks from

United States Trade Representative Ron KIRK

With Master of Ceremonies
Business Roundtable CEO John Engler
Former Governor of Michigan

This exclusive reception is a unique gathering of Governors and other top state officials, select US trade officials, Ambassadors and key embassy personnel from large US trading partners, and businesses reliant on the expansion of international trade. This reception is designed to establish and strengthen the critical personal connections at the highest levels of state government with embassy and industry representatives to lay the foundations for growth in two-way trade, foreign direct investment, and strengthened economic ties.

The World Trade Reception will be on Friday Feb. 24--the evening prior to the NGA Winter Meetings—at the Willard Intercontinental Hotel in downtown Washington DC. State, federal, embassy, and business leaders will gather to make the personal connections needed to lay the foundations for growth in two-way trade, foreign direct investment, and job creation.

Additional Governors expected to attend:

Gov. Bev PERDUE (North Carolina)
Gov. Matt MEAD (Wyoming)

Confirmed State Economic delegations:

Just Added! Alaska

Florida, Illinois, Delaware, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Virginia,

Host Ambassadors from the 8 TPP Nations:

Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, Vietnam

Confirmed Ambassadors with delegations include (33):
Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Cote D'Ivoire, Czech Republic, Guatemala, Kenya, Mali, Moldova, Mozambique, New Zealand, Oman, Peru, Portugal, Republic of Congo, Russia, Senegal, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, Vietnam and Zambia.

Confirmed economic delegations from Embassies of (30):
Angola, Argentina, Belgium, Brunei Darussalam, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Delegation of the European Union, Egypt, France, Germany, Ghana, Guinea, Haiti, Hong Kong Economic Trade Office, Hungary, Israel, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Panama, Philippines, Poland, Quebec Gov. Office, Slovenia, South Africa and the United Kingdom.

Other confirmed VIPs and notables include:

USTR's Chief Agricultural Negotiator, AUSTR for the Americas, AUSTR for Intellectual Property & Innovation, AUSTR for Europe and the Middle East, Commerce Deputy Under Secretary for International Trade, Director of the Trade and Development Agency, EVP of OPIC, President of Ex Im Bank Fred Hochberg, AAPC President & former Missouri Governor Matt Blunt, National Foreign Trade Council, Executive Director of National Lt. Governors Association, Southern Governors Association, Midwestern Governors Assn, National Governors Assn, Council of State Governments, State International Development Organization (SIDO), Small Business Administration International Administrator, Acting Director General US Commercial Service Amb. Chuck Ford, and many more!

Thank you to our World Trade Reception sponsors!

Global Sponsors:
Amgen

Business Roundtable
Dow Chemical Company

Intuit

Microsoft
Pfizer

TIA

Walmart

US Chamber of Commerce

Reception Sponsors

Chevron
PhRMA
Philip Morris International

Target

Interested in sponsoring?

Scroll to bottom of this page for downloadable info and package details in Word and PDF formats;

or contact us at wita@wita.org

Who should attend:

State: Governors and spouses; Lt. Governors and spouses; Secretaries of State, Commerce, and/or Economic Development (or your state’s equivalent); Secretary of Agriculture; key staffers; Director & staff of DC state office.

Federal: Members of Congress and spouses; Cabinet members and spouses; Undersecretaries and Deputy Undersecretaries; Directors of Federal-State Relations in agencies involved with trade.

Embassy: Ambassadors and spouses; Deputy Chiefs of Mission; Ministers of Trade and/or Commerce; Economic Counselors; Agricultural Attaches; key embassy officials.

NGO: Executives from the World Bank; Ex-Im Bank; OPIC; trade associations; etc.

Business: Executive Level; Directors of trade policy and/or global government relations; Directors of Federal and State Government relations. For sponsorship information, please contact WITA Executive Director James Wilkinson at 202-312-1600 or jwilkinson@wita.org .

Business attire.

Parking garages available on F and 14th Streets.

NO WALK-INS. Pre-registration required for all attendees.

PRESS POLICY and GROUND RULES:
PLEASE SEE COMPLETE PRESS ADVISORY WORD DOC AT BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE!!!

While the reception portion of this event is closed to the Press, the Remarks portion of the program will be open to the Press.
Only remarks from the podium will be on the record, and there will be NO Q and A.

All credentialed Press wishing to cover this event must RSVP via email with name, title, organization and contact information including email AND cell phone number, to wita@wita.org no later than COB Wed. Feb. 22 with subject line, "PRESS RSVP"

Credentialed, pre-registered Press will be sent detailed instructions the day prior to the event via email.

Press with questions can email WITA Program Manager Javiera Gallardo at wita@wita.org

********************************************************************************************

HIghlights from last year's inaugaral Governors and Ambassadors World Trade Reception:

Our inaugaral Governors and Ambassadors World Trade Reception featured Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey, Gov. Jack Markell of Deleware, and Gov. Bev Perdue of North Carolina; Host Ambassador Gary Doer of Canada; and Undersecretary for Interational Trade Francisco Sanchez..
Also present were Gov. Rick Snyder of Michigan and Gov. Terry Brandstad of Iowa, 4 other state delegations, as well as 15 Ambassadors and economic delegations from 40 nations around the globe,

Here is a quick video hightlight package!

Governors and Ambassadors Highlights from Washington International Trade A on Vimeo.

Willard InterContinental Hotel

Willard Room

Washington, DC 20004

YTP: Trans-Pacific Partnership Series Kickoff: Private Sector Perspectives on TPP on 28-Feb-12 6:00 PM

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 23:00:00 GMT

YTP: Trans-Pacific Partnership Series Kickoff: Private Sector Perspectives on TPP
Start Date: 28-Feb-12 6:00 PM
End Time: 28-Feb-12 7:00 PM
Location: GE, Washington, DC
Event Details:

Young Trade Professionals is kicking off our TPP series with speakers:

Catherine Mellor

Director for Asia at the Chamber of Commerce

former Ambassador David Nelson

Senior Manager, Government Affairs and Policy at GE

Catherine and David will discuss their experiences in the negotiations from the private sector perspective, highlighting the public input and stakeholder involvement process as well as actions their organizations are undertaking overseas.

GE will graciously host us in their offices at 1299 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Suite 900 from 6:00-7:00 pm on February 28.

Please RSVP to ensure you are able to enter the building. Following the event we will have an informal "debriefing session" over drinks nearby at Elephant & Castle (1201 Penn Ave NW).

1299 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Suite 900

Washington, DC

Trade Rules in the Internet Age on 7-Mar-12 9:00 AM

Wed, 07 Mar 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Trade Rules in the Internet Age
Start Date: 7-Mar-12 9:00 AM
End Time: 7-Mar-12 10:30 AM
Location: Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, Washington, DC 20004
Speaker: Bill REINSCH, President, National Foreign Trade Council; Nuala O'CONNOR KELLY, Senior Counsel, Information Governance & Chief Privacy Leader, GE; Mèlika CARROLL, Senior Director, Global Government Affairs, SalesForce.com; Daniel WEITZNER, Deputy Chief Technology Officer for Internet Policy, The White House (invited.) Moderator: Dorothy DWOSKIN, Microsoft and Member, WITA Board of Directors.

Event Details:

While the Internet has been called the trade route of the 21^st Century, the rules governing the global trading system were written largely during an earlier, analog era. As iPads, Blackberries, cloud services, social and professional networking and other Internet-based applications and devices become more important to companies, individuals and entire economies, calls are increasing to update trade rules for the digital world. What should a modern framework for trade in digital information look like, and how can countries achieve a more open, secure and predictable system for transferring information given different legal regimes and approaches to issues such as privacy and security?

Speakers:

Bill REINSCH, President, National Foreign Trade Council;
Nuala O'CONNOR KELLY, Senior Counsel, Information Governance & Chief Privacy Leader, GE;
Mèlika CARROLL, Senior Director, Global Government Affairs, SalesForce.com;
Daniel WEITZNER, Deputy Chief Technology Officer for Internet Policy, The White House (invited.)

Moderator: Dorothy DWOSKIN, Microsoft and Member, WITA Board of Directors.

Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center

1300 Pennsylvania Avenue NW

Washington, DC US 20004

Deciphering Deemed Exports Webinar on 7-Mar-12 1:00 PM

Wed, 07 Mar 2012 18:00:00 GMT

Deciphering Deemed Exports Webinar
Start Date: 7-Mar-12 1:00 PM
End Time: 7-Mar-12 2:30 PM
Location: Web-Based
Speaker: Scott Gearity

Event Details:

Deciphering Deemed Exports Webinar

Webinar Instructor:
Scott Gearity

Wednesday, March 7, 2012 1:00 PM EST

It is a routine event -- one which happens thousands of times a day across the United States. A foreign national begins work at a US company as an engineer, researcher or scientist. The location could be a technology firm in Santa Clara, a defense contractor in St. Louis or an aerospace company in Tampa, but the question is the same -- is an export control violation imminent? And let's not limit ourselves to employees. The same question may be relevant when considering foreign customers, contractors, suppliers and other visitors.

The deemed export rule is one of the least intuitive aspects of the US export control system. Most people understand that sending something out of the US constitutes an export. Taking the concept a step further, it is not a huge leap to explain that the "something" being exported is defined to include technology subject to either the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) or International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). What is not obvious to most businesses is that a release of technology to a foreign person inside the US is an export. This is the crux of the deemed export rule.

Join us for this webinar and learn how to analyze deemed exports, work through case studies and discuss these questions:

What technology or technical data is subject to the rule?
What sort of information and activities are NOT subject to the rule?
What is the difference between a foreign person and a foreign national?
How should I treat US citizen employees of foreign firms?
How do the EAR and ITAR differ in their concepts and licensing of deemed exports?
What is a Foreign National Review request and when must I submit one?
How do I know if an export license from the Bureau of Industry and Security or Directorate of Defense Trade Controls is necessary and how do I go about obtaining one?
How do I complete the new Part 6 of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Form I-129?
What sort of procedures do I need to avoid violations?

Our Deciphering Deemed Exports Webinar will provide PowerPoint slides and include video and commentary from Scott Gearity, who has been bringing over a decade of consulting, training and corporate export compliance program management experience to bear for his clients.

**Each registrant will receive a copy of the presentation, certificate of completion and access to the webinar recording.

Webinar Details:

Date: Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Time: 1:00 PM EST

Length: 1 hour 30 minutes (Comprised of 1 hour of commentary and 30 minute Q & A session)

Cost: $195 per person (additional employees from the same company/facility $50 each up to 2 employees)

Register for the Deciphering Deemed Exports Webinar:

Web-Based

Does America Win in a Global Economy? A Look at Global Value Chains on 20-Mar-12 8:30 AM

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 12:30:00 GMT

Does America Win in a Global Economy? A Look at Global Value Chains
Start Date: 20-Mar-12 8:30 AM
End Time: 20-Mar-12 10:00 AM
Location: Covington and Burling Conference Center, Washington, DC 20004
Speaker: Jason DEDRICK, Associate Professor, Syracuse University; Hubert ESCAITH, Chief Statistician, WTO; Dr. Robert KOOPMAN, Chief Economist, US ITC; and Sebastien MIROUDOT, Senior Trade Policy Analyst, Trade and Agriculture Directorate, OECD.

Event Details:

Are trade statistics outdated? Export and import statistics seek to measure trade flows between nations. America is a global leader in innovation, but there is a widespread belief that the US doesn’t make anything anymore. In a global economy, export and import statistics only tell part of the picture.

Economists are now trying to develop new ways to more accurately measure where value is created and captured by looking at Global Value Chains (GVC). A GVC describes the full range of activities that firms and workers do to bring a product from its conception to the final customer. These activities include manufacturing, design, production, marketing, distribution, retail and support to the final customer. American workers create billions of dollars in value as part of GVCs, but a lot of that value isn't captured in traditional export and import statistics.

Leading economists from around the world will weigh in on what really is happening in American manufacturing and international trade. Could their work lead to a complete rethinking in how trade is measured and valued?

Speakers:

Jason DEDRICK, Associate Professor, Syracuse University, co-author of “Who Profits from Innovation in Global Value Chains? A Study of the iPod and notebook PCs ”;

Hubert ESCAITH, Chief Statistician, WTO;

Dr. Robert KOOPMAN, Chief Economist, US ITC; and

Sebastien MIROUDOT, Senior Trade Policy Analyst, Trade and Agriculture Directorate, OECD.

Moderator TBA.

Covington and Burling Conference Center

1201 Penn Ave. NW

Washington, DC 20004

Breakfast with Congressman Jim McDermott on 22-Mar-12 9:00 AM

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 13:00:00 GMT

Breakfast with Congressman Jim McDermott
Start Date: 22-Mar-12 9:00 AM
End Time: 22-Mar-12 10:00 AM
Location: Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, Washington, DC 20004
Speaker: Congressman Jim McDERMOTT, D-WA, Ranking Member, House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Trade

Event Details:

Congressman Jim McDermott is the ranking Democratic member of the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on International Trade.
The Congressman will talk about his trade policy priorities for the remainder of this session and projections for beyond. Mr. McDermott's district includes Seattle, the Port of Seattle and its surrounding areas, where international trade plays a prominent role in the local economy.

Special introduction by WITA Board member Amb. John VERONEAU, Partner, Covington and Burling.

Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center

1300 Pennsylvania Avenue NW

Washington, DC US 20004

WITA Spring Fling Happy Hour on 28-Mar-12 5:00 PM

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 21:00:00 GMT

WITA Spring Fling Happy Hour
Start Date: 28-Mar-12 5:00 PM
End Time: 28-Mar-12 8:00 PM
Location: Elephant & Castle - Penn. Ave., Washington, D.C., DC
Event Details:

Join WITA as we take over a section of the bar to the right of the entrance! Hopefully if it's nice we'll be on the patio; just look for the WITA banner.

Free for members and non-members. RSVP optional. Bring your friends!

Elephant & Castle - Penn. Ave.

1201 Pennsylvania Ave NW

Washington, D.C., DC

A Conversation with Six Former USTRs Taking Stock and Assessing Priorities for the 2012 Trade Agenda on 6-Apr-12 10:00 AM

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 14:00:00 GMT

A Conversation with Six Former USTRs Taking Stock and Assessing Priorities for the 2012 Trade Agenda
Start Date: 6-Apr-12 10:00 AM
End Time: 6-Apr-12 12:00 PM
Location: Center for Strategic and International Studies, Washington, DC 20006
Event Details:

A Conversation with Six Former USTRs

Taking Stock and Assessing Priorities for the 2012 Trade Agenda:

April 6, 2012
10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
B1 Conference Center
CSIS 1800 K. St. NW, Washington, DC 20006

Introduction by:

Dr. John Hamre
President and CEO, CSIS

Panel discussion with:

The Honorable Susan C. Schwab
Mayer Brown LLP; University of Maryland

The Honorable Charlene Barshefsky
Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP

The Honorable Michael Kantor
Mayer Brown LLP

The Honorable Carla A. Hills
Hills and Company

The Honorable Clayton Yeutter
Hogan Lovells LLP

The Honorable William E. Brock III
Center for Strategic and International Studies

Moderator:

Meredith Broadbent
Scholl Chair in International Business, CSIS

Last year Congress approved three pending free trade agreements (FTAs) with Colombia, Panama, and South Korea with large bipartisan majorities. This year making progress in the the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations and legislation to upgrade the terms of U.S. trade relations with Russia will be front and center for Congress and the Obama administration. Also on the table are the U.S.-EU High-Level Working Group on Jobs and Growth, the National Export Initiative (NEI), and possibly new sectoral or plurilateral trade proposals addressing services, trade facilitation and information technology products. This distinguished panel will offer important perspectives on managing the opportunities ahead.

To RSVP please contact Lindsay Ross at lross@csis.org

Center for Strategic and International Studies

1800 K Street NW

Washington, DC 20006

Aid & International Development Forum on 6-Jun-12 9:00 AM

Wed, 06 Jun 2012 13:00:00 GMT

Aid & International Development Forum
Start Date: 6-Jun-12 9:00 AM
End Time: 7-Jun-12 4:00 PM
Location: Washington Convention Center, Washington, DC 20001
Event Details:

AID & INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT FORUM

The Aid & International Development Forum (AIDF) is the world leading forum for the humanitarian aid, relief and development sectors which facilitates partnerships, addresses global humanitarian and development issues and encourages the sharing of expertise.

AIDF brings together brings together decision makers from UN, government, intergovernmental organizations, NGOs and the corporate sector who are involved in the delivery of humanitarian aid relief and development.

Conference and Workshop sessions

Conference and Workshop sessions will host moderated panel discussions aimed to address essential elements of aid, relief and development. This year they are separated into four tracks:

1. FOCUS: Partnerships

2. FOCUS: Providing basic human needs

3. FOCUS: Addressing barriers to aid and development provision.

4. FOCUS: Delivery mechanisms & support Services

More than a talking shop, these dialogues engage high level speakers from agencies and organisations central to delivery.

Interactive Zone

The Interactive Zone provides an opportunity for suppliers to demonstrate in a way that the audience can touch, experience and interact with their goods and solutions. Each session lasts an hour and is based on one phase of emergency management: Prevention, Mitigation & Preparedness, Disaster & Response, Recovery & Reconstruction. Procurement managers will provide an advisory panel outlining how the products or services being demonstrated work, what the pitfalls are and will have an opportunity to share information on how best to work with their organisation in each particular phase of the emergency. Presentations will draw on experiences from the field to bring these presentations to life. The area will also host an Innovation Zone: Emerging innovations from SMEs and an exhibitor only session on how can you better your relationships with Procurement Managers.

Pitch Tank

A panel of procurement and logistics professionals from UN, NGO, and government agencies will give invaluable feedback and insights to a select group of companies in these themed sessions on how best to approach and develop working relationships with their organizations and the sector as a whole.

Networking

Catered networking breakfasts, lunches and drink receptions will provide an informal opportunity to cement relationships, build partnerships and enhance cross-sector understanding.

Cluster Zones

The event will be organized into sectors of response or Cluster Zones in line with humanitarian reform that aims to address gaps and strengthen the effectiveness of humanitarian response through partnerships. Each Cluster Zone will reflect a different sector of response and feature dedicated exhibits, networking opportunities, workshops and experiential sessions.

Cluster Zones:

Transport & Logistics
Water & Sanitation
ICTs
Power & Energy Efficiency
Health, Medical & Nutrition
Protection & Security
Finance
Shelter
Education & Training
Food & Agriculture

Washington Convention Center

801 Mount Vernon Place, NW

Washington, DC USA 20001

US Export Controls / Defense Trade Controls Seminar Series on 11-Jun-12 8:30 AM

Mon, 11 Jun 2012 12:30:00 GMT

US Export Controls / Defense Trade Controls Seminar Series
Start Date: 11-Jun-12 8:30 AM
End Time: 14-Jun-12 4:30 PM
Location: Embassy Suites Old Town Alexandria, Alexandria, VA 22314
Speaker: John Black / Greg Creeser

Event Details:

US Export Controls / Defense Trade Controls

WASHINGTON, DC

June 11-14, 2012

SEMINAR VENUE:
Embassy Suites Alexandria-Old Town
1900 Diagonal Road, Alexandria, VA 22314 USA

(SCROLL DOWN FOR REGISTRATION OPTIONS)

Export Administration Regulations (EAR) and International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) Explained: This seminar series provides both novice and experienced export compliance professionals with an in-depth education on regulations administered by the US Departments of State, Commerce & Treasury. Our instructors are widely respected experts in the field of export controls compliance with over 25 years of experience in interpreting and applying the rules. Expect to leave these seminars with an in-depth understanding of what the current rules are and what you need to do to keep your company compliant. Who should attend?

IMPORTANT: In each location, the US Export Controls Seminar runs
the first two days and the Defense Trade Controls Seminar runs the
last two days so that you can easily attend either or both courses.

SEMINAR REGISTRATION:

US Export Controls Seminar:
June 11-12, 2012
View Agenda >>

$1,075.00 - Seminar Tuition
$100.00 - ECOP-EAR Accreditation Test (optional)
$100.00 - Electronic e-Manual (optional)
REGISTER NOW!

Defense Trade Controls Seminar
June 13-14, 2012
View Agenda>>

$1,075.00 - Seminar Tuition
$100.00 - ECOP-ITAR Accreditation Test (optional)
$100.00 - Electronic e-Manual (optional)
REGISTER NOW!

Both Seminars:

June 11-14, 2012

$1,950.00 - Seminar Tuition
$200.00 - ECOP-EAR/ITAR Accreditation Tests (optional)
$100.00 - Electronic e-Manuals (optional)
REGISTER NOW!

Embassy Suites Old Town Alexandria

1900 Diagonal Road

Alexandria, VA USA 22314

Bloomberg Businessweek, 02/22/12, "Global Trade to Expand 7% This Year, HSBC Report Says"

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Global trade will grow 7 percent this year and at an annualized rate of 3.8 percent over the next five years thanks to an earlier economic recovery, HSBC Holdings Plc said today in a report.

The trade forecast suggests grounds for optimism for international businesses, even as economic challenges continue and the world economy is expected to slow this year, the bank said on its HSBC Global Connections report.

Sectors such as steel will support the expansion of trade with a 7.4 percent annualized growth rate forecast in the trading of rolled iron and steel bars over the next five years, the report said.

“Despite the current climate, the overall trend for international trade is positive with growth acceleration sooner than expected from 2014, rather than 2015,” HSBC said in the report. “After 2014 the global economy ends a period of slow growth and contraction and sees an upturn in trade in line with GDP forecasts.”

Trade in North America will expand 72 percent by 2026, with the fastest growing sectors in the next five years being printing machinery, vaccines and blood products, HSBC said.

In Mexico, trade will expand more than 100 percent over the same period, with manufacturing and electronic sectors growing at the fastest pace over the next five years, according to the report.

Click here to read the rest of the article.

22-Feb-12 9:00 AM

Washington Post, 02/17/12, "China’s Vice President Highlights Farm Trade in Iowa Visit"

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 14:00:00 GMT

DES MOINES — The lowly soybean became the unlikely star of U.S.-China diplomacy Thursday during a visit here by Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping.

Xi, who is expected to take over as China’s president next year, talked at length of China’s need for the beans, visited a soybean farm and had officials accompanying him sign agreements for massive shipments this year. He even took a seat on a John Deere tractor.

The visit, part of a highly scripted weeklong U.S. tour, was meant to highlight how U.S. food exports such as soybeans represent a bright spot in a relationship that is otherwise mired in turmoil.

By spending two days in Iowa — during which he also reminisced with old acquaintances and shared toasts with various farming officials — Xi’s message was clear: Despite disagreements between the United States and China over human rights, the appropriate response to bloodshed in Syria, territorial disputes in the South China Sea, and the status of Taiwan, at least the two countries can agree on soybeans.

China is believed to be the ancestral home of the soybean — which is used there in a variety of ways, including in the production of tofu, a major part of the Chinese diet.

Officials traveling with Xi signed agreements to buy more than 8 million tons of soybeans valued at $4.3 billion from the United States; they were working on additional deals Thursday that could result in the purchase of an additional 12 million tons.

U.S. food exports to China have been booming of late, and Iowa was in many ways the perfect venue to highlight the growth. It is the largest U.S. producer not only of soybeans, but also corn and pork.

Last year, China became the biggest customer for U.S. agricultural exports as a whole, with purchases totaling roughly $20 billion.

U.S.-Chinese trade relations outside agriculture have been more contentious. American officials and business leaders have assailed China over intellectual property theft and have been highly critical of its currency valuation and fair-trade practices. Meanwhile, the U.S. trade deficit with China reached $295 billion last year.

On Thursday, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney assailed the Obama administration for its China policy, saying in a Wall Street Journal op-ed that the policy is headed in “precisely the wrong direction” and calling this week’s meetings with Xi “empty pomp and ceremony.”

The Obama campaign responded, pointing out that Romney had invested in China in the past and implying that his sale of those investments had been driven by political motivations. Romney is trying to “have it both ways,” the campaign said.

For Xi, the trip to Iowa — which he visited 27 years ago as a provincial official — was less about politics and more about burnishing his image.

At a symposium Thursday in Des Moines, he recalled his own days toiling in fields during the tumultuous years of China’s Cultural Revolution.

“I was a farmer in China and even worked as a village head,” he said. “Agriculture, rural areas and farmers have a special place in my heart."

Click here to read the rest of the article.

17-Feb-12 9:00 AM

Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, 02/16/12, "Chinese Leader Emphasizes Trade and Economic Cooperation with the U.S."

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 21:00:00 GMT

Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping, who is widely expected to become China’s next president in 2013, met with U.S. officials in Washington, D.C., this week in a visit that emphasized the trade and economic relationship between the two countries. No major developments emerged from the visit, which saw each side reiterate long-standing concerns that are being more fully addressed via mechanisms such as the Strategic and Economic Dialogue and the Joint Committee on Commerce and Trade.

Following Xi’s discussions with President Obama, Vice President Biden and others on Feb. 14 the White House released a joint fact sheet on efforts being undertaken to further strengthen bilateral economic relations. In a nod to the U.S. trade deficit with China, which hit a record $295.5 billion in 2011, the two sides said they “commit to take comprehensive policy measures to achieve more balanced trade and expanded investment in each other’s economies.” The recent growth of U.S. exports to China already exceeds that of total U.S. exports, but Xi said the U.S. should ease its controls on exports of dual-use high-tech goods to China to further improve the trade balance. The joint statement included a U.S. commitment to process in a timely manner specific requests for items China wishes to procure that may be subject to export controls.

Some observers and policy analysts say another way to boost U.S. exports to China would be a more significant appreciation in the value of China’s currency. They argue that Beijing manipulates the yuan to keep Chinese exports cheap and make imports from the U.S. more expensive, which contributes to the burgeoning U.S. trade deficit with China as well as a decline in U.S. employment. Others reject such a direct link, pointing out that the yuan has actually gained about 12% against the dollar over the past 18 months, during which time the trade deficit worsened and the U.S. unemployment rate remained high. In their joint statement the two sides reaffirmed a commitment to “move more rapidly toward more market-determined exchange rate systems and enhance exchange rate flexibility.”

However, currency has become less of a concern for U.S. businesses, which are more worried about things like intellectual property rights violations and discriminatory industrial policies. The joint statement touched on these as well, with China asserting that “technology transfer and technological cooperation shall be decided by businesses independently and will not be used by the Chinese government as a pre-condition for market access.” In prepared remarks Xi added that “the Chinese side has taken steps to address [these types of issues] and will continue to do so.”

Other topics raised in the joint statement include the following.

- China said that in 2012 it will press ahead with the “VAT for business tax” pilot reform and adjust import tariffs at the appropriate time to “increase consumption, accelerate development of the services sector, actively expand imports, promote balanced trade, and satisfy the demands of people’s lives.”

Click here to read the rest of the article.

16-Feb-12 4:00 PM

National Journal, 02/13/12, "TRADE: Obama Budget Reflects White House Focus on Enforcement"

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 18:00:00 GMT

If 2011 was a banner year for trade expansion, President Obama's 2013 budget gives every indication the White House wants to return its focus to enforcement—just in time to woo jilted trade skeptics back for the election season.

Obama's budget proposal would expand the International Trade Administration and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative while also upping funds to ensure fair trade practices at the border. The budget includes $517 million to promote exports and enforce international export laws and $13 million for enhanced customs and border enforcement to tackle the sale of pirated goods.

The budget also includes a small bump in funding for the office of U.S. Trade Representative of $3 million.

Administration officials told Dow Jones that $26 million of those funds would be used to create the Interagency Trade Enforcement Center that was previewed in Obama's State of the Union Address. At the time Republican leaders in the House said they were skeptical of just how effective and cost efficient the consolidation plans would really be.

The proposed agency, which builds on the administration's ongoing trade enforcement agenda, received quick support from big labor groups like the United Steelworkers Union. The group's international president, Leo Girard, preempted the official announcement of the new enforcement group to support Obama's approach to trade law and contrast the approach with GOP presidential candidate, Mitt Romney.

“This President's budget makes an important investment in trade law,” Girard said. “The Republican candidate, Mitt Romney, would jeopardize our successes and reverse course on enforcing the rules. Romney opposed the use of trade laws to support our nation's tire producers, who employ thousands of workers and make great products.”

Click here to read the rest of the article.

13-Feb-12 1:00 PM

World Trade Organization, 02/10/12, "Pascal Lamy speaks on the challenge of feeding 9 billion people"

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 21:00:00 GMT

Director-General Pascal Lamy, in a speech at The Economist Conference “Feeding the World” on 8 February 2012 in Geneva, said “let us get our policy mix right on food production and on trade. We need to ask the difficult questions”. This is what he said:

Ladies and gentlemen,

It is an honour to be here with you today and to share the very timely preoccupation of the Economist — and participants alike — about global food security. Will we be able to feed the world today, and will we be able to feed it tomorrow, is the question.

Back in 2007, the Economist placed a very provocative title on its cover: Is it the “End of Cheap Food,” it asked. I would argue that we need to start by reframing the question if our goal is to achieve long-term food security. Food prices, their ups and downs, or “volatility” as many now like to say, are but a manifestation of the underlying fundamentals of the food market. It is to those fundamentals that we must turn our attention.

To explain. Back in 2008, the world faced what it called a “food pricecrisis”. Since then, prices have started to fall, albeit remaining at a higher plateau than previous years because of, amongst other factors, the nutritional transition that the world is undergoing. But does that mean that the food crisis is over? Does it mean that food security has been attained? It has not. Food prices fell since 2008 only because a global recession kicked-in to depress demand. We must also remember that while higher food prices are bad news for some, they are good news for others — I speak here of farmers. In the late '80s nothing was seen as a bigger catastrophe than low prices, and that’s when many government support programmes started to kick-in.

If our goal is to get to the causes of food “insecurity”, if our goal is to ensure that we have agricultural systems that are able to generate safe and sufficient food, feed and fibre, than we will need to ask broader questions. Perhaps even some troubling ones. But I understand, of course, the temptation of politicians to frame this debate around “price” or “volatility”; after all, high food prices can and have brought governments down.

Let me share with you some of my thoughts, then, on what we ought to be asking, after which I will turn to the international trade picture. First, is it safe that the world’s agricultural food production remains concentrated in only a handful of countries?

Today, five countries produce 70% of the world’s rice, three countries produce 80% of our soybeans, five countries produce 70% of our maize. And this concentration of production is mirrored, if not even accentuated, in international trade. For example, 85% of all soybeans on the international market are exported by only two countries. Surely, we are gambling with our future if we do not improve the agricultural policies that are preventing this sector from taking off in other corners of the globe.

Which takes me straight to Africa; a continent about which we must also ask ourselves some very probing questions. It is 1/7th of the world population, but 1/4th of its under-nourishment! It is also the continent that is experiencing the fastest population growth. Africa is one of the regions of the world with the lowest levels of intra-regional trade in food. When Africa needs food, only 10% of it comes from other African countries, and the rest has to be brought in from elsewhere. Yet in my opinion, Africa is the “missing part of the food security puzzle”. It is the continent with the greatest amount of arable land left fallow. If Africa is seen as a food security problem today, it may very well hold the key to global food security tomorrow.

So here is the question then, what will we do about Africa? A continent that continues to experience very low yields, much below the global average, for many agricultural commodities. Take maize for instance. The global average is 5 tons per hectare, while the African average is 1.8. There are many reasons for this situation: policies to tax farmers, to split the land, limited access to credit, a wanting infrastructure, and rich world agricultural subsidies, are prime amongst them. In fact there is no business more complicated than agriculture, contrary to popular perception that services and manufacturing are somehow more difficult.

If we want to see progress in our food security, we will have to re-examine the many policies that hold this sector back in parts of the world where sun, water and fertile soils abound.

The Brazilian miracle, ladies and gentlemen, can and should be reproduced. In less than 30 years, Brazil turned itself from a food importer into one of the world’s breadbaskets. In those same 30 years, Africa went from being a net food exporting continent to being a net food importer. But there are success stories in Africa too, on which we must build on. Just last week in Addis Ababa I visited the Ethiopian Commodity Exchange and saw how this project, through the greater price transparency that it has brought, is revolutionizing Ethiopian agriculture. Or take Mali’s success story in mangos. With Dutch assistance they overcame the problem of refrigerated transport. The outcome now is that Dutch aid has been progressively replaced by Dutch buyers. And while I have focused on Africa, there are other parts of the world too where a change of policies could turn the situation around.

Let me now come to international trade. International trade plays an important role in global food security. By fostering greater competition, trade allows food to be produced where this can be most efficiently done. With the climate crisis, whose beginnings we are now beginning to witness, it will become imperative that we produce food in the right places, and not where we would be wasting scarce water or other natural resources. As Egyptians like to tell me: if we were to aim for self-sufficiency in food, we would need not one, but many River Niles. And despite what some environmentalists like to say about the “carbon footprint” of international transportation, when the bigger environmental picture is taken into account, it is my firm conviction that trade in food becomes an environmental obligation.

Trade in food, ladies and gentlemen, is also a moral obligation. International trade allows food to move from countries with a surplus to countries with a deficit. It is a “global transmission belt”, if you will. From a purely ethical point of view, it is vital that we allow, and even facilitate, the ability of a country to sell food to another, in particular when that other is suffering from a drought or another natural disaster. Food must travel.

Clicke here to read the rest of the article.

10-Feb-12 4:00 PM

Reuters, 02/09/12, "U.S. businesses urge new agenda at World Trade Organization"

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:00:00 GMT

WASHINGTON, Feb 8 (Reuters) - A top U.S. business group, frustrated with years of stalemate in world trade talks, on Wednesday urged the Obama administration to pursue a new agenda with fewer countries centered on services trade, health care and cross-border digital data flows.

"(We've) tried to come up with what we think is an appropriate agenda as we move away from Doha," said Bill Reinsch, president of the National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC), referring to the round of trade talks launched in late 2001 with the goal of helping poor countries prosper from trade.

The group, which includes big U.S. corporations like Boeing , Caterpillar, Chevron, General Electric , IBM, Microsoft, Oracle, Proctor & Gamble, United Technologies and Wal-Mart, has long pushed for a Doha round agreement among the 153 members of the World Trade Organization that would open markets in agriculture, manufacturing and services.

But those talks have been stalled since at least 2008, with the United States demanding big emerging economies like China, India and Brazil make better offers to open their markets in exchange for manufacturing tariff and farm subsidy cuts Washington was being asked to make.

The NFTC is now pushing the United States to negotiate an agreement among just those WTO countries willing to participate - even if that excludes China, India and Brazil - to liberalize trade in services including insurance, banking, logistics, energy services, telecommunications and express delivery.

It called for similar negotiations in two other areas, health care and clean technology, where the United States has many top-tier firms. And it wants a "digital economy" trade agreement to ensure the secure, predictable and open flow of information across borders.

"We are grateful to the NFTC for producing some concrete, tangible suggestions for a way forward in multilateral trade liberalization. This is exactly the kind of input we need as the U.S. works with other WTO members to consider the best paths for revitalizing the WTO's work," said Carol Guthrie, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Trade Representative's office.

The Obama administration - with a big push from another U.S. industry group, the Coalition of Services Industries - is already discussing the idea of a "plurilateral" services pact with the European Union, Japan, Canada, Chile, Colombia and about a dozen other nations.

Washington believes "services trade is a critically important area to explore, and a plurilateral approach may make the most sense at this juncture. It is notable that there is broad and growing interest in this concept among a group of developed and developing country WTO members," Guthrie said.

Click here to read the rest of the article.

9-Feb-12 11:00 AM

Reuters, 02/07/12, "EU states consider sanctions on Syria central bank"

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:00:00 GMT

(Reuters) - European Union member states are working on a new round of sanctions against Syria, which they hope to conclude by February 27, EU diplomats said on Tuesday.

The sanctions would include a freeze on the Syrian central bank's assets as well as on most transactions with it, they said. The sanctions would also ban the import and export of phosphates, diamonds, gold and other precious metals.

"A new round of financial sanctions is on the table," one diplomat said, adding that they had full backing from France and Germany.

"The sanctions would include freezing assets of the Syrian central bank and banning any transaction with it which is not deemed legitimate... Sanctions would also foresee a ban on imports and exports of phosphates, gold, precious metals and diamonds."

EU member states are also considering a ban on commercial flights to and from Syria, but agreement on this is less likely, the diplomats said.

"A realistic objective would be to get the sanctions agreed by February 27, when EU foreign ministers meet in Brussels, but it could also happen before," said one of the diplomats.

Click here to read the rest of the article.

7-Feb-12 4:00 PM

The Wall Street Journal, 02/06/12, "Japan Seeks U.S. Support to Join Trade Talks"

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:00:00 GMT

Japan's push to enter a broad Asia-Pacific trade pact faces one of its toughest challenges this week: acceptance from Washington. Opposition from American manufacturers and unions, combined with doubts about Tokyo's ability to deliver on promises, could create obstacles.

Japanese trade officials are set to meet their counterparts in Washington on Tuesday to seek approval to join a small but expanding group of nations negotiating to create a regional free-trade bloc. The pact, known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership, or TPP, is a key element of President Barack Obama's effort to boost U.S. exports to prop up economic growth.

Click here to access the rest of the article.

6-Feb-12 10:00 AM

ICTSD, 02/02/12, "Bilateral Trade Deals, Doha in the Spotlight at Davos"

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:00:00 GMT

The annual meeting of the World Economic Forum, held in the Swiss ski resort of Davos, came to a close on Saturday 28 January, with many policymakers making a push for bilateral and regional trade pacts - including an EU-US agreement - in the absence of progress in the Doha Round. WTO members are also set to explore other negotiating approaches this year, in the hopes of eventually moving the ten-year trade talks forward.

Trade ministers meet on sidelines

Ministers from about 20 WTO members, hosted by Swiss economy minister Johann Schneider-Ammann, gathered on Saturday to discuss priorities for the global trade body in 2012.

These meetings have become a regular feature of Davos summits, serving as an opportunity for trade ministers to gather informally and assess the progress of the Doha Round of trade talks, and make plans for the negotiations’ next steps. Last year’s Davos forum saw trade ministers make a concerted push for finishing the Doha talks in 2011 - a goal that, like previous breakthrough efforts in 2006 and 2008, failed to bear fruit.

Going into Saturday’s meeting, few expected anything to have changed in the weeks since December’s WTO Ministerial Conference, where the Doha Round was declared at an impasse and members were urged to explore new negotiating approaches.

“It’s after Davos, perhaps, that things will move in a more significant way to establish some sort of work on some sort of process in the WTO,” one developing country official predicted prior to the informal gathering.

After Saturday’s discussion, US Trade Representative (USTR) Ron Kirk told reporters that there “wasn’t any backtracking from the decision that we reached at our ministerial in Geneva, that we really do need to turn the page and explore new ways of moving forward.”

South African trade minister Rob Davies added that “the idea that we’re going to make some massive breakthrough in a major [Doha] deal is remote, but we can work on some issues and those issues are worth working on.”

Doha: Political energy in ‘short supply’, says Lamy

Despite the impasse in the negotiations, “Doha is not dead,” Australian Trade Minister Craig Emerson told the audience at a panel discussion on the last day of the summit. Though the talks are “alive and unwell,” he continued, “I think there’s enough life in the Doha Round to persist with it,” so long as new approaches are pursued.

One option, Emerson stressed, would be to break the negotiations up into “more manageable parts” as a way to “build confidence” in the Round’s ability to deliver results.

Along similar lines, WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy commented that “you need a lot of political energy to do things multilaterally, and it’s just not available.”

“It’s in short supply, just as it is in climate change and currency arrangements,” Lamy told the audience.

In spite of this, the trade chief continued, “I’m quite convinced after having heard everybody - including ministers today [at the informal side meeting] - that if we leave aside the big battle, the big prize for the moment…there are areas where progress, in a multilateral context, can take place, and this is what we have to test in the coming months.”

However, he cautioned, “please do not expect trumpets and drums in the present macroeconomic circumstances.”

Cameron: “Let’s get some bilateral deals done”

In the absence of movement on the Doha talks, many participants at the high-level forum urged countries to continue pursuing bilateral deals in the meantime.

British Prime Minister David Cameron, in his speech at this year’s event, made a particularly strong push for countries to look beyond the WTO negotiations, which in his view seemed to show little hope - a year afterinsisting that concluding the talks was “a matter of urgency” and having called on countries to put more on the table to do so.

“Last year, at this very forum, world leaders called for an all out effort to conclude the Doha Round in 2011,” Cameron told the audience at this year’s forum. “We said it was the make or break year. It was. And we have to be frank about it. It didn’t work.”

While pushing for countries to pursue bilateral options, Cameron stressed that the importance of the WTO not be forgotten. “Far from turning our back on multilateralism, we need the continued work of the WTO to prevent any collapse back to protectionism, to ensure we take account of the interests of the poorest countries, and to ensure the WTO framework is fit for 21st century trade,” he said.

He added that this would mean moving forward, “perhaps with a coalition of the willing, so countries who want to…can forge ahead with more ambitious deals of their own, consistent with the WTO framework.”

click here to read the rest of the article.

2-Feb-12 9:00 AM

The New York Times, 01/31/12, "In Victory for the West, W.T.O. Orders China to Stop Export Taxes on Minerals"

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:00:00 GMT

HONG KONG — The appeals panel of the World Trade Organizationruled on Monday that China must dismantle its system of export taxes and quotas for nine widely used industrial materials.

The legal setback for Beijing could set a precedent for the West to challenge China’s export restrictions on other natural resources, including rare earthmetals that are crucial to many modern technologies, trade experts said.

In the closely watched case, the trade organization’s Appellate Body, its highest tribunal, ruled that China distorted international trade through dozens of export policies it maintains for bauxite, zinc, yellow phosphorus and six other industrial minerals.

The Appellate Body, reviewing an earlier decision by a W.T.O. dispute settlement panel, said the panel had gone too far in defining why more than three dozen Chinese policies violated free trade rules. But the appeals group said on Monday that the overall effect of China’s export restrictions was harming international trade and the policies would have to be scrapped.

The case was filed in 2009 against China by the United States, the European Union and Mexico.

“This is a major win for the United States,” said James Bacchus, a former chairman and longtime member of the Appellate Body, who now helps lead the global trade practice in the Washington office of the law firm Greenberg Traurig.

Mr. Bacchus predicted that China would comply with the World Trade Organization ruling. Beijing has a strong record of adhering to adverse W.T.O. decisions, recognizing that it needs the access to foreign markets that the trade organization provides.

China’s commerce ministry said in a statement on its Web site that it regretted the ruling but appeared to indicate it would accept it, saying that it would act in accordance with W.T.O. rules to “achieve sustainable development.”

Ron Kirk, the United States trade representative, said in a statement that the ruling was “a tremendous victory” for the United States. “Today’s decision,” he said, “ensures that core manufacturing industries in this country can get the materials they need to produce and compete on a level playing field.”

The case has been one of the most widely watched trade disputes in many years because of the precedents it could set for other, even more crucial natural resources. Those will almost certainly include China’s export quotas on rare earth metals, for which Chinese policies appear to have raised similar legal concerns.

Rare earths, however, were not part of the trade case on which the trade organization ruled Monday. Besides bauxite, zinc and yellow phosphorus, the other six industrial minerals are coke, fluorspar, magnesium, manganese, silicon carbide and silicon metal.

China is the largest or among the largest producers of each of these. The United States, European Union and Mexico accused China of using export taxes and quotas to force international chemical companies and other businesses to move their factories to China to tap these resources.

Those sorts of forced migrations are the reason international trade rules bar export quotas in many cases. Many non-Chinese companies have already been setting up factories in China, for example, to gain access to the crucial rare earth metals used in a wide range of modern technologies, since China began clamping down on rare earth exports in recent years.

China produces over 90 percent of the world’s rare earths, which are used in products including computers, cellphones, hybrid cars and wind turbines.

In defense of those rare earth quotas, China had cited a decades-old legal exception to the W.T.O.’s predecessor, the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, known as GATT. That exception let countries levy export taxes and restrict exports if the limits were aimed at conserving a scarce natural resource or protecting the environment.

But when China joined the World Trade Organization in 2001, it agreed to dismantle virtually all export restrictions, including on industrial raw materials. That agreement superseded the GATT provisions, the appeals group ruled on Monday.

China’s agreement to join the W.T.O. also bars it from imposing export restrictions on rare earths. Yet China has done so anyway for the last five years, invoking the same GATT exception.

While Appellate Body rulings do not form legally binding precedents under international trade law, Mr. Bacchus said it was very unlikely that the trade organization would let China use the environmental argument on rare earths after disallowing the same argument for industrial raw materials.

Click here to read the rest of the article

31-Jan-12 3:00 PM

International Trade Analyst

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Title: International Trade Analyst Description: Prominent International Law Firm seeks International Trade Analyst with at least two years experience running U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) SAS antidumping margins (either as respondent or petitioner, and preferably both), both market economy and non-market economy, as well as petition, response, and verification experience. Analyst will work closely with the firm's lawyers and clients in DOC antidumping and countervailing duty investigations and reviews, in both Washington and abroad. Should have an ability to analyze and interpret financial, economic and/or accounting data and information. SAS certification, experience using data mining and statistical software programs (e.g., SAS, SPSS, and Excel), and DOC experience preferred. Travel to client sites will be required. Ability to write well a strong plus. Excellent benefits. Salary dependent on experience. Required Experience: Education Required: Bachelor's Degree...

Intern

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Title: Intern Description: Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A. is looking for a Spring intern to start immediately to assist the firm’s Trade and Legislative Affairs practice group. ST&R is an international trade and customs law firm concentrating in assisting clients with the movement of goods, personnel, and ideas across international borders. Our International Trade and Government Relations practice group brings together an aggressive team of Washington insiders and international strategists to promote favorable legislative outcomes, impact regulatory actions, and influence international trade policy on behalf of our clients. This is a fast-paced office and the work is very satisfying. Duties: • Research and conduct analyses of domestic and overseas markets and industries as well as the effects of actual and potential U.S. and foreign government policies, regulations and trade regimes • Assist the President of Trade Negotiations and Legislative Affairs in preparing...

Portfolio Manager, Land & Sea Systems

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Title: Portfolio Manager, Land & Sea Systems Description: Defence Trade Office BRITISH EMBASSY BRITISH DEFENCE STAFF WASHINGTON, DC Background: Within the United States, the Defence Trade Office (DTO) - part of the Defence Acquisition and Technology (DAT) team, is responsible for assisting UK industry in the promotion of products and services for use by the US Armed Services and US companies seeking to sell their products to UK Armed Forces. Duties and Responsibilities: Advise UK industry on promoting their products and services in the US by providing information and guidance on the US defence market and how best to access it; who to target in US Government & industry. Advise on International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), Technical Assistance Agreements (TAAs) & visit security clearance and the establishing of US offices or manufacturing facilities. Conduct meetings with industry representatives, often at senior...

Paid Full-Time Internship

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 19:48:21 GMT

Title: Paid Full-Time Internship Description: Paid Full-Time Internship Start Date: February 2012 The Coalition for U.S.-Russia Trade , housed at the U.S.-Russia Business Council, is a non-profit, non-partisan advocacy group of U.S.-based trade associations and corporations committed to strengthening U.S.-Russian commercial ties and preserving the competitiveness of U.S. firms, farmers and workers in the Russian market. The Coalition is the U.S. business community's vehicle for advocating Congressional approval of permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) with Russia in connection with Russia's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO). The Coalition is seeking a full-time intern with Capitol Hill experience to assist the Coalition's Executive Director and Program Coordinator in the day-to-day operations of the Coalition's lobbying campaign. Responsibilities: Monitoring Congressional activity through internet sources, including news sites and...

Research and Policy Intern (Spring 2012)

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 19:44:16 GMT

Title: Research and Policy Intern (Spring 2012) Description: The U.S-India Business Council is CURRENTLY SEEKING A SPRING INTERN. POSITION: Research and Policy Intern (Spring 2012) USIBC is seeking a Research and Policy Intern to assist staff with policy research and analysis, program management and communications. DETAILS OF DUTIES: Research and analyze developments in India's economic policy and assist in the preparation of background briefs, sector updates, press releases and official correspondance. Track relevant U.S. and Indian legislation, calls for comments, and position papers of interest to member-companies. Research the activities of current and potential member-companies and foundations, as assigned. Participate in relevant government and company meetings, as appropriate. Assist staff in the planning and organization of Council events, presentations and missions to India. Assist staff in contact...

Director, International Trade Policy (NAM)

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Title: Director, International Trade Policy (NAM) Description: Address: 1331 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, 6th Fl City: Washington State: DC Website: www.nam.org/About-Us/Careers/Careers-Landing-Page.aspx Email: jobopenings@nam.org Job Level: communications, gov't relations Region: Inside DC Metro Area Job Description: Works with NAM member companies to develop NAM positions on international trade issues and advocates NAM positions with members of Congress, Congressional staff, administration officials and the press. Perform other duties that advance the work of the department. Identifies trade issues affecting U.S. manufacturers and U.S. global manufacturing competitiveness; conducts policy analyses of issues to determine possible effect on NAM member companies. Analyzes trade legislation and determines their effect on NAM objectives. Works with NAM policy organizations to formulate positions on trade issues, particularly the NAM's...

International Trade Associate

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Title: International Trade Associate
Description:

The Washington, DC office of Baker Hostetler is seeking a mid-level associate with 3-5 years of experience in international trade disputes (AD, CVD, Safeguards) before the DOC, ITC and the courts. Experience with customs and export control regulation a plus. Candidates with strong academic credentials and a law degree from a top tier school will be considered. Please send resume and writing sample to Ettastine Williams, Human Resources Manager, Baker & Hostetler LLP, 1050 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20036; ewilliams@bakerlaw.com; or facsimile to (202) 861-1783.

Required Experience:
Education Required:
Planned Duration of Employment: Full Time

Contact info:

Ettastine Williams (Add to Contacts)

Baker & Hostetler LLP

Customs Specialist

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Title: Customs Specialist Description: Broker Power, is a leading publisher of international trade news. We provide up-to-the-minute information on new and changing federal rules and regulations for trade and customs professionals who need to maintain the highest level of expertise in international trade. We are currently seeking a customs specialist to join our team. Responsibilities include monitoring of specific government websites for the purpose of analyzing, prioritizing and summarizing trade date in preparation for publication. Required Experience: Masters in International Commerce & Policy preferred; or Bachelors Degree in International Business and Trade Must have at least 3 - 5 Years experience/working knowledge of US Customs rules and regulations This Job Requires the Follow Skills: Ability to analyze and summarize customs rules and regulations Commitment to accuracy and attention to detail Strong...

Contract Attorney

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Title: Contract Attorney
Description:

Pillsbury LLP is seeking a contract attorney to work with our International Trade practice based in our Washington DC office. The ideal candidate will have 2-4 years of experience in International Trade with experience in antidumping matters particularly related to China. Excellent short-term career opportunity with flexible work arrangements. Please send all inquiries to the Attorney Recruiting Manager at Recruit_DC@pillsburylaw.com.

Required Experience:
Education Required:
Planned Duration of Employment: Contract

Contact info:

Keona Tucker (Add to Contacts)
Fax (202) 663-8007

Pillsbury LLP

2300 N Street, NW

Washington, DC 20037
US

Director, International Affairs

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Title: Director, International Affairs Description: The Director, International Affairs, will assist the Senior Vice President for International in developing and executing an International strategic plan. This will involve organizing and conducting BIO advocacy on key international regulatory, reimbursement and trade issues, working with member companies and other relevant BIO staff. Responsibilities: > Assist Senior Vice President for International in the preparation and implementation of International strategic plan, and in supporting the goals and objectives of BIO's International Section. > Act as BIO point of contact in one or more priority international regions, and organize and implement advocacy plans, working with members, for that region. In particular, work with BIO colleagues and BIO member company staff to formulate appropriate policy responses to key international regulatory, reimbursement, trade health policy...

China Business Development Manager

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 20:00:00 GMT

Desired Position Title: China Business Development Manager Experience: EMPLOYMENT Les Johnson & Associates July 2011 to present Business Development Manager Washington, D.C. · Develop long-term partnership with government agencies and food companies in China; · Assist front line negotiation with Chinese government agencies and companies; · Advise Chinese government agencies and companies in Jiangsu, Shandong, and Zhejiang Provinces in partnership with universities in China, on food safety and education projects. Business Advisory Services, US-China Business Council (USCBC) January 2011 to July 2011 Policy Research Assistant Washington, D.C. · Translated China's 12th Five Year Plan on National Economic and Social Development; ...

Associate, Analyst, Manager

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:00:00 GMT

Desired Position Title: Associate, Analyst, Manager Experience: RESEARCH EXPERIENCE Monterey Institute of International Studies - Monterey, CA - 09/2011 - current Research Assistant to Chair, International Policy Studies · Edit forthcoming article challenging traditional consensus on urban development policy · Analyze model results on relationship between economic growth and urbanization United Nations Conference on Trade and Development - Geneva, Switzerland - 02/2011 - 08/2011 Investment Promotion Intern, Division of Investment and Enterprise · Developed training modules on investment promotion and capacity building · Mapped international investment dispute settlements' effects on African economic strategy · Coordinated high-level meetings on investment in clean energy and green technology · Drafted, edited, and translated trade and investment reports Monterey...

International Manager

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 13:00:00 GMT

Desired Position Title: International Manager Experience: MANAGEMENT SCIENCES FOR HEALTH Arlington, VA Strategic Information Analyst, Business and Resource Department October 2009-May 2010 Tracked and developed procurements from Grants.gov, FedBizOps, Foundations and shared within the organization Communicated for partnerships with donors, strategic discussions, setting up brown bags, and reporting out Oversaw development of marketing packets for the organization Managed and updated business and resource departmental section of the website Maintained database of donor procurements and projects Led, mentored intern's assignments and supported weekly intern management Researched legislative action that affects the international development community Skills: VIRGINIA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY Fairfax, VA Marketing Researcher/Student Services Assistant January 2006-December 2009 Researched...

International Trade Specialist (Latin America)

Sun, 13 Nov 2011 18:00:00 GMT

Desired Position Title: International Trade Specialist (Latin America) Experience: U.S.-MEXICO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, Washington, DC August - December 2011 Trade Representative Intern Promote mutually beneficial trade and investment relationships between the United States and Mexico. - Develop research based White Papers to present to U.S. Congress - Recruit Binational members to chamber for $10,000 - Organize 'Innovation Conference' in Mexico City, Mexico ROYAL SHIPPING LINES, CORP., Miami, FL Consultant July 2009 - August 2010 Conducted problem-solving solutions regarding exporting goods, primarily vehicles, to Latin America in start-up company. - Prepared over 100 custom documents for clients in order to present to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Miami office - Managed implementation of appropriate export software for company which...

Trade Analyst or Economist

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 20:00:00 GMT

Desired Position Title: Trade Analyst or Economist Experience: EMPLOYMENT_________________________________________________________________________ Intern, Washington International Trade Association, Washington, DC, June 2011-Current Primary point of contact for 1500 member professional society Lead teams of volunteers for high profile trade policy events. Communicated often contentious trade policy topics in a non-partisan and neutral manner. Teaching Assistant, University of Virginia Dept. of Economics, Charlottesville, VA, Fall 2009-Spring 2011 Instructed and evaluated over 250 students in 6 sections of Principles of Microeconomics and 6 sections of Principles of Macroeconomics. Communicated and taught complicated economic concepts to students with no economic background Project Intern, Federal Reserve Board of Governors, Washington, DC and Gainesville, FL, Summer 2008 Created the...

International Program Director

Fri, 06 May 2011 15:00:00 GMT

Desired Position Title: International Program Director Experience: U.S. Chamber of Commerce Washington, D.C. Director, Corporate Research 2008-2010 Developed strategies with Chamber executives to increase member contribution levels, gathered intelligence, administered corporate relations database, and managed marketing and fundraising research projects. Directed executive fundraising research briefing process for large-cap businesses, including daily proofreading and editing of more than 3,000 reports for corporate officers over 18 months. Helped raise more than $500,000,000 in member dues over six-year tenure. • Conceived and implemented CRM database filter resulting in improved process efficiencies and intelligence reporting accuracy. Senior Manager, Corporate Analysis 2004-2008 Created targeted, strategic marketing reports to support executive fundraising meetings highlighting Chamber efforts to mitigate legislative, regulatory,...

International Trade Specialist

Wed, 13 Apr 2011 14:00:00 GMT

Desired Position Title: International Trade Specialist Experience: ADIL ELASSALI Tel: 801-706-5442 P.O Box 4868 Washington, DC, 20008 aelassali@gmail.com Summary of Qualifications Professional business, trade and philanthropic specialist with great practical experience in international finance and management; productive managerial experience in project design, implementation and maintenance of multimillion property estate, research and strategic planning; Operations monitoring & evaluation to ensure development and progress; Experienced writer and editor in three languages-Arabic-French and English; Excellent quantitative and qualitative skills; I have the ability to work independently with attention to purpose, quality and timeliness. Effective communicator with excellent research skills, proven written skills and oral communication skills...

Government Relations

Tue, 05 Apr 2011 18:00:00 GMT

Desired Position Title: Government Relations Experience: Ellen has extensive experience as a professional federal lobbyist in the issue areas of energy, manufacturing, finance, international trade, tax, labor, appropriations, and technology. She has an excellent reputation within the DC lobbying community as a person of integrity who takes initiative and advocates successfully for the interests of major corporations with her 16 years of direct lobbying experience and legal expertise. She has a long track record of effectively leveraging her professional network in industry, on Capitol Hill, and within the federal agencies; federal PAC fundraising experience; and knowledge of federal and state compliance laws and regulations to achieve the goals of her employers in a reputable manner. She has constructed and managed a $65,000+ budget. She was the point person to grow a corporate PAC from $65,000 to $175,000 per year, and lead a corporate compliance program that improved the...

Breakfast with Congressman Jim McDermott

WITA Member of the Week

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 13:09:06 GMT

Selina Milligan

Mrs. Milliagan is a China Business Development Manager and her resume can be found on the WITA Career Center or by clicking here.

WITA Staff

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 20:22:02 GMT

James Wilkinson, CAE Executive Director jwilkinson@wita.org 202-312-1600 (office) Executive Director James Wilkinson joined WITA in 2003. He is committed to growing the organization's membership by continuing WITA's programming tradition of offering timely topics, compelling speakers, and premier events. Prior to joining WITA, James managed business development and customer relations for several international educational organizations. Since joining WITA, membership has grown from under 1000 to 1600+ members. In Feb. 2012 he was appointed by US Secretary of Commerce John Bryson to the MD-DC District Export Council (DEC), which is a joint government/industry organization helping SME's in MD and DC to start, or grow, their export operations. James recently earned the prestigious CAE credential (June, 2011) from the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) and his Masters of Organizational Leadership from Gonzaga University, (Dec. 2008.). He...

WITA Board of Directors

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:40:11 GMT

President Steve Lamar, American Apparel & Footwear Association Officers Vice President: Stephanie Lester, Retail Industry Leaders Association Treasurer: Donald Eiss Secretary: Sarah Thorn, WalMart Stores, Inc. Directors Craig Albright, World Bank Dorothy Dwoskin, Microsoft Kimberly Ellis, Monument Policy Group Audrae Erickson, Corn Refiners Association Samuel Gilston, Washington Tariff & Trade Letter Ed Gresser, GlobalWorks Foundation Katrin Kuhlmann, The Aspen Institute Ken Levinson, Advocom Group Linda Menghetti, Emergency Committee for American Trade (ECAT) Cathy Raper, Embassy of Australia Michael Smart, Rock Creek Global Advisors Nicole Venable, Bockorny Group John Veroneau, Covington & Burling Craig Albright currently serves as the World Bank's Special Representative for North America. In this role he is responsible for...

Join YTP!

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:33:30 GMT

If you'd like to join YTP to receive updates and event announcements as part of our email list, just send this membership form to our Communications Officer at events@wita.org
.

Also, please "Like" our Facebook page!

Thank you for your interest! We look forward to meeting you!

YTP Leadership

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 13:28:29 GMT

The YTP Executive Committee consists of nine members, who administer the logistics of the organization, coordinate YTP events and maintain member relations. Members are invited to serve either as officers or in supportive roles. Officer elections take place annually in September, and ad-hoc requests to support leadership are accepted at any time---just send an emial to the officer with whom you're interested in working. YTP Executive Committee: President Andrew Northup, Coalition of Service Industries President Emeritus David Gorgani, Inter-American Development Bank Vice President Andre Nakazawa, United States Senate, Office of Sen. Wyden Budget Coordinator Anish Tailor, Elliott School, George Washington...

About WITA

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 22:18:54 GMT

Overview

WITA is a non-profit, non-partisan organization providing a neutral forum for the open and robust discussion of trade policy and related issues. WITA educates and connects the Washington DC trade community, and is widely recognized as 'Washington's premier trade forum'.
Board of Directors

The WITA Board of Directors are trade professionals who volunteer to create, coordinate, and publicize WITA's programming and related activities, and guide the Executive Director and WITA's staff. Representing the best and the brightest trade minds from industry and government, they work together to preserve WITA's neutral stance while educating and connecting the Washington DC trade community.
WITA Staff

WITA relies heavily on its Executive Director, Program Manager and staff of interns to educate and connect the trade community. Under the guidance and direction of WITA's Board of Directors, WITA's staff create and host 3-5 events per month.
FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions about WITA
Internship

Are you interested in working with WITA? Find out more about internship opportunities.

YTPedia - Trade 101

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 15:24:57 GMT

This guide is designed to help anyone understand the basics of trade. It is important for people to understand some basic terms, so that they are not, like, totally lost. Basic Terms: Andean Group Free trade zone made up in 1967 of Bolivia, Columbia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela Anti-dumping duties Duties imposed on imported products that are determined to be either lower than the price in the home market or lower than the cost of production Anti-trust policy Action taken by governments to prohibit monopolies or unfair control by one firm Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Organization of eighteen countries that have committed to free trade by 2020. CARICOM Free trade area of the Caribbean countries that was formed in 1973. Caribbean Basin Initiative Created by the US in 1983 in order to create business in the Caribbean and Central America. Council of Economic Advisors (CEA) Provides the...

YTP Events

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 13:32:53 GMT

YTP hosts regular trade forums, happy hours/networking events and other events around DC. Events are generally free. To be the first to hear about new events, job postings, and other announcements, please join our newsletter by sending this membership form to ytpmembership@gmail.com! Past Events Include: YTP Labor Issues and Trade Discussion with Timothy Wedding from the USTR office. YTP Happy Hour with staff of the U.S.-China Business Council YTP Happy Hour with with the U.S. Trade and Development Interagency group Russia's Ascension to the WTO forum at the USTR Offices Reception at the Embassy of New Zealand with Ambassador Mike Moore. Click here to see photos of the event! Happy Hour with Doug Goudie, Director of International Trade Policy at the National Association of Manufacturers Happy Hour with Angela Ellard, Chief Trade Counsel for the House Ways and Means Committee Holiday Dinner hosted by former Congressman...

YTP - Young Trade Professionals

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 13:23:05 GMT

Use the links below to learn more about our organization.
Email us with any questions! Youngtradeprofessionals@gmail.com

Click here to see a copy of our Bylaws
Click here for our Informational Flier

YTP Overview
- What is Young Trade Professionals (YTP)?
YTP Leadership
- Learn about YTP's Leadership and how to get involved!
YTP Events
- Check out exciting past, present and future YTP events!
Join YTP!
- Join Young Trade Professionals (YTP) today!
YTPedia - Trade 101
- A guide designed to help anyone understand the basics of trade

Lorem ipsum

2010-04-05T15:49:57Z

Instructor: Instructor

Lorem ipsum

WITA RSS Feed

Governors and Ambassadors World Trade Reception on 24-Feb-12 7:00 PM

YTP: Trans-Pacific Partnership Series Kickoff: Private Sector Perspectives on TPP on 28-Feb-12 6:00 PM

Trade Rules in the Internet Age on 7-Mar-12 9:00 AM

Deciphering Deemed Exports Webinar on 7-Mar-12 1:00 PM

Deciphering Deemed Exports Webinar

Webinar Details:

Date: Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Time: 1:00 PM EST

Length: 1 hour 30 minutes (Comprised of 1 hour of commentary and 30 minute Q & A session)

Cost: $195 per person (additional employees from the same company/facility $50 each up to 2 employees)

Register for the Deciphering Deemed Exports Webinar:

Does America Win in a Global Economy? A Look at Global Value Chains on 20-Mar-12 8:30 AM

Breakfast with Congressman Jim McDermott on 22-Mar-12 9:00 AM

WITA Spring Fling Happy Hour on 28-Mar-12 5:00 PM

A Conversation with Six Former USTRs Taking Stock and Assessing Priorities for the 2012 Trade Agenda on 6-Apr-12 10:00 AM

Aid & International Development Forum on 6-Jun-12 9:00 AM

AID & INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT FORUM

Conference and Workshop sessions

Interactive Zone

Pitch Tank

Networking

Cluster Zones

US Export Controls / Defense Trade Controls Seminar Series on 11-Jun-12 8:30 AM

US Export Controls / Defense Trade Controls

WASHINGTON, DC

June 11-14, 2012

SPONSORED BY: BSG Consulting/ ITC Strategies / Pillsbury Law / MK Data Services MEDIA PARTNERS: The Export Practitioner / WorldECR

SEMINAR REGISTRATION:

US Export Controls Seminar: June 11-12, 2012 View Agenda >>

Defense Trade Controls Seminar June 13-14, 2012 View Agenda>>

Both Seminars:

June 11-14, 2012

Bloomberg Businessweek, 02/22/12, "Global Trade to Expand 7% This Year, HSBC Report Says"

Washington Post, 02/17/12, "China’s Vice President Highlights Farm Trade in Iowa Visit"

Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, 02/16/12, "Chinese Leader Emphasizes Trade and Economic Cooperation with the U.S."

National Journal, 02/13/12, "TRADE: Obama Budget Reflects White House Focus on Enforcement"

World Trade Organization, 02/10/12, "Pascal Lamy speaks on the challenge of feeding 9 billion people"

Reuters, 02/09/12, "U.S. businesses urge new agenda at World Trade Organization"

Reuters, 02/07/12, "EU states consider sanctions on Syria central bank"

The Wall Street Journal, 02/06/12, "Japan Seeks U.S. Support to Join Trade Talks"

ICTSD, 02/02/12, "Bilateral Trade Deals, Doha in the Spotlight at Davos"

The New York Times, 01/31/12, "In Victory for the West, W.T.O. Orders China to Stop Export Taxes on Minerals"

International Trade Analyst

Intern

Portfolio Manager, Land & Sea Systems

Paid Full-Time Internship

Research and Policy Intern (Spring 2012)

Director, International Trade Policy (NAM)

International Trade Associate

Customs Specialist

Contract Attorney

Director, International Affairs

China Business Development Manager

Associate, Analyst, Manager

International Manager

International Trade Specialist (Latin America)

Trade Analyst or Economist

International Program Director

International Trade Specialist

Government Relations

Breakfast with Congressman Jim McDermott

WITA Spring Fling Happy Hour

Trade Rules in the Internet Age

Association of Global Automakers

Diageo

Trans-Atlantic Business Dialogue

Consumer Electronics Association

Business Software Alliance

Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO)

Wiley Rein LLP

**Home- WITA Magazine Featured Content

WITA Member of the Week

WITA Staff

WITA Board of Directors

Join YTP!

YTP Leadership

About WITA

YTPedia - Trade 101

YTP Events

SPONSORED BY: BSG Consulting/ ITC Strategies / Pillsbury Law / MK Data Services
MEDIA PARTNERS: The Export Practitioner / WorldECR

US Export Controls Seminar:
June 11-12, 2012
View Agenda >>

Defense Trade Controls Seminar
June 13-14, 2012
View Agenda>>