On May 15th 2016, the Washington International Trade Association partnered with the George Washington University, and the Ronald Reagan Building & International Trade Center to present an Intensive Trade Seminar: Spring Session. This deep dive-one day course covered the topics of Trade Facilitation and Development, International Tax and Competitiveness, Digital Trade, and Customs and Trade Law. Meredith M. Broadbent, Chair of the U.S. International Trade Commission, also gave a keynote luncheon address on USITC’s role in US Trade. The WITA Intensive Trade Seminar provided an in-depth look into critical trade issues, and an overview of how the US Government formulates and enforces trade policy. This event gave attendees a unique opportunity to increase their professional knowledge base and broaden their network of contacts by learning the nuts and bolts of trade policy from career trade policymakers.
This One-Day Intensive Trade Seminar addressed
five important trade issues:
Trade Facilitation and Development
International Tax and Competitiveness
The USITC’s role in US Trade: Overview and Current Issues
Digital Trade
Customs and Trade Law
Trade Facilitation and Development
Speakers discussed the nexus of trade and development, with insights into the role Congress plays in setting trade and development policy. They also looked at the WTO’s Trade Facilitation Agreement, signed in 2013, and discussed how implementation of the Agreement will impact on development.
Session Leaders:
Katrin Kuhlmann, President and Founder of the New Markets Lab, and Lecturer on Law at Harvard Law School and an Adjunct Professor at Georgetown University Law Center.
Presentation found here: Session I Katrin Kuhlmann
Caleb McCarry, Senior Professional Staff, Senate Foreign Relations, and former Cuba Transition Coordinator and the US Department of State.
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| International Tax and Competitiveness
This session provided an overview of the international tax regime, efforts to reform the tax treatment of foreign earnings and investment, and the implications of these policies on the competitiveness of US firms.
Session Leaders:
Gary Clyde Hufbauer is Reginald Jones Senior Fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics. Among other roles, he previously served deputy assistant secretary for international trade and investment policy of the US Treasury; and director of the international tax staff at the Treasury.
Presentation found here: Session III Gary Clyde Hufbauer
Warren S. Payne is a senior advisor in Mayer Brown’s Washington DC office. He joined Mayer Brown from the US House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means, where he served as policy director for the full Committee.
Presentation found here:Session III Warren S. Payne
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| Digital Trade
The Internet and the digital economy is changing the way firms large and small do business in the 21st Century. This session highlighted how the US looks to address the digital trade issues and how policies can better shape the foundation for 21st Century Trade.
Session Leaders:
Amy Porges is a lawyer in private practice with deep experience in digital and internet businesses- software, recorded music, online video and cloud-based services. Amy is also the former Senior Counsel for Dispute Settlement and head of enforcement at USTR, and was Senior Legal Officer and Counsellor in the Secretariat of the GATT.
Presentation found here:Session IV Amy Porges
James Stamps is an international trade economist at the U.S. International Trade Commission. He is currently the new Division Chief of the Advanced Technology and Machinery Division in the ITC’s Office of Industries. James was also the project leader for the USITC’s 2013 and 2014 reports on digital trade.
Presentation found here: Session IV James Stamps
Photos For event photos, click here. |