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The importance of free trade for the
global renewable fuels market topped the agenda
at a gathering of the Washington International
Trade Association (WITA) on Tuesday, June 6,
until someone mentioned the World Cup of
soccer, which gets under way this Thursday,
June 8, in South Africa. And the chief
representative in North America for the
Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association
(UNICA), Joel Velasco, provided lively input on
both topics.
Joel
Velasco, chief representative in North America
for the UNICA |
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Speaking at
WITA headquarters during the “Trade in the
Americas and World Cup Kickoff Celebration”
panel, Velasco reminded the audience that the
United States is the number one ethanol
producer in the world and is currently chalking
up record exports. “It’s time to lower
trade barriers and give consumers the
opportunity to enjoy lower prices and cleaner
fuels with competition in the ethanol
marketplace,” he
said.
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Joel
and Ana Carolina Lessa, public affairs at
UNICA in North America |
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Velasco also
mentioned that the Brazilian government has
unilaterally eliminated its tariff on
imported ethanol, a major step in the direction
of building a global biofuels marketplace.
“Free trade is a two way street and we are
determined to promote healthy market-based
competition,” he added.
Others in the panel
included Brigid Benitez, Head of the Office of
Institutional Integrity at
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Official Brazilian soccer jersey with the
phrase “Cut the Tariff” |
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the
Inter-American Development Bank (IADB); Sally
Yearwood, Executive Director of the
Caribbean-Central American Action; and Ryan
Hill, Director for Global Policy of the
Information Technology Industry Council
(ITI).
Along with the trade
debate, over 15 embassies, including the
Brazilian embassy, donated official soccer
national team jerseys for a silent auction that
will
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benefit the charity Haiti United,
which delivers soccer equipment and
uniforms to Haiti to help provide quality
recreation opportunities for youth displaced by
January’s earthquake. UNICA donated an
official Brazilian soccer jersey with the
phrase “Cut the Tariff” and the number 54,
in reference to the US$0,54 per gallon tariff
on imported ethanol imposed by the United
States.
UNICA’s presence at the event was made
possible by the UNICA/Apex-Brasil project, a
partnership launched in January of 2008 between
the Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association
and the Brazilian Export Promotion Agency,
within the Federal Development, Industry and
International Trade Ministry. The main
objective of the partnership is to promote
Brazilian sugarcane ethanol throughout the
world as a clean, renewable energy
source.
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