The U.S. – Colombia Free Trade Agreement entered into force on May 15, 2012. On May 10, 2022, in partnership with the Embassy and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Tourism of Colombia, WITA held an event featuring a distinguished group of speakers to look back at the last 10 years of U.S.- Colombia trade and relations, and to look forward to the future of the relationship between the U.S. and this important trading partner. 

SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES

Arrow Augerot

Arrow Augerot is the Director of Americas Public Policy at Amazon where she leads a team that advocates on a broad range of international economic issues with the US Government and public policy issues facing Amazon in Canada and Latin America. Prior to joining Amazon, Arrow served as the Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Congressional Affairs (Acting), where she managed USTR’s outreach to Congress and served as the primary point of contact for Members of Congress and their staffs on a variety of issues, most notably the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement.

Before serving in the Office of Congressional Affairs, Arrow was the Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for APEC Affairs & Localization Barriers to Trade from 2008 to 2013. In this capacity, she was responsible for developing and implementing U.S. trade policy in APEC, and advanced work on digital trade and supply chain facilitation issues. She also led an interagency task force to develop and execute a more strategic and coordinated global approach to addressing localization barriers to trade. Also at USTR, Arrow served as Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Korea (2006-2008) and as the Director for Telecommunications and Electronic Commerce Trade Policy (2004-2006). Prior to joining USTR, Arrow held a number of positions at the U.S. Department of Commerce, including senior analyst in the Office of Technology and Electronic Commerce and special assistant to the Under Secretary of International Trade. Arrow received her M.A. in Foreign Affairs/International Political Economy from the University of Virginia and her B.A. in Political Science from The Colorado College. She resides in Washington, DC with her husband and two children.

Jorge Enrique Bedoya

Jorge Enrique Bedoya is the President at the Colombian Farmers Society. He is the former Deputy Minister of Defense for Policy and International Affairs; Former Director of Sustainable  Development and Bavaria Foundation and Former President of Colombian Poultry and Egg Producers Federation (FENAVI). He has a Master of Public Policy at Harvard Kennedy School.

Kevin Brady

U.S. Congressman Kevin Brady is a pro-family, pro-small business conservative who proudly represents the Eighth Congressional District of Texas. 

Widely recognized as a national economic leader, Kevin is only the third Texan in history to chair the powerful House Ways & Means Committee – considered to be the most influential committee in Congress – with control over taxes, international trade, health care, Medicare, Social Security and welfare. 

As Chairman, he led a historic reform of America’s tax code, the first in 30 years. These tax cuts for families and local businesses restored America to the most competitive economy in the world, leading to millions of new jobs, the highest household income and lowest poverty rate in half a century, and a return of U.S. jobs and investment from overseas. 

A champion of free enterprise and American-made energy, Kevin’s first achievement as Chairman was successfully negotiating on behalf of Speaker Paul Ryan for an end to the 40-year ban on selling U.S. crude oil overseas, leading to American energy independence.

His successful initiatives also include the first reform of the IRS in two decades, passage of President Trump’s US-Mexico-Canada trade agreement (USMCA), sweeping reform of Americas’ retirement system in the form of The Family Savings Act, a historic national ban on surprise medical bills, elimination of the ObamaCare individual mandate and the three largest ACA taxes, and making the Research & Development tax credit permanent to ensure research into key medical breakthroughs and technologies occur here in  America rather than in foreign countries. 

He is a recognized national leader in free trade, and while Chairman of the Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee, he helped secure approval of trade agreements with Columbia, Panama and South Korea. In Congress, he has helped successfully secure passage of 13 of America’s 15 free trade agreements, including the USMCA. He was the White House point man for the Central American trade agreement, and in 2016 authored the first successful major reform of trade rules since 9/11 to speed-up secure, legal trade of products across U.S. borders. 

Kevin served as Chairman of the Joint Committee on Taxation and as a member of the Joint Economic Committee of the House and Senate. He has chaired both the Health Care and Trade Subcommittees of Ways and Means. Prior to his election to Congress, Kevin worked as a Chamber of Commerce executive for 18 years and served six years in the Texas House of Representatives, where he was named Top Ten Legislator for Families & Children and one of Five Outstanding Young Texans. Kevin is a Distinguished Alumni of the University of South Dakota. 

Juan Carlos Pinzón Bueno

The Honorable Juan Carlos Pinzón is the Ambassador of Colombia to the United States. Most recently, Pinzón served as Minister of Defense of Colombia for nearly four years. Under his leadership, the armed forces dealt the most severe blows to terrorist organizations and criminal bands, highly degrading their capabilities, structure, and leadership. This resulted in improved security conditions throughout the country and the lowest homicide rate in 35 years. During his tenure, the armed forces’ equipment and training was modernized, the welfare of soldiers and their families was improved, and a transformation plan for the next 20 years was designed. Colombia also became an exporter of security expertise, aiding over 60 nations. Prior to serving as Defense Minister, Pinzón was Chief of Staff to President Juan Manuel Santos (2010–2011) and Vice Minister of Defense (2006-2009). In 2011 the World Economic Forum selected him as a Young Global Leader. He has also served as Senior Advisor to the Executive Director of the World Bank, Vice President of the Colombian Banking Association, Assistant Vice President of Investment Banking at Citibank, Private Secretary and Chief of Staff for the Ministry of Finance, and Economist for Colombia at Citigroup. Pinzón taught economics at the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana and the Universidad de Los Andes. A native of Bogotá, Pinzón received an honorable mention for his outstanding academic performance while earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics. He holds a Master of Science in Economics from the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogotá, and was awarded a scholarship to receive his Master’s in Public Policy from Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. Pinzón also completed advanced courses in international relations and strategic studies at Johns Hopkins University, and in science and technology at Harvard University. 

Everett Eissenstat

Everett Eissenstat serves as the Chair for US and Canada and Global Trade Lead for EGA where he leads a team of policy, political and technical experts to provide business, NGO’s and thought leaders with integrated strategies and counsel on regulatory issues and policymaking including in the areas of automotive, financial services, food and beverage, health, manufacturing, retail, and technology. In addition, He also leads EGA’s Global Trade practice in advising clients seeking to leverage government policies, international institutions, and geopolitical dynamics to achieve their strategic international economic and trade objectives. 

He most recently served as the head of Global Public Policy at General Motors where he was a key advisor to the CEO and led a team of government relations professionals. Prior to joining GM, Everett served as Deputy Assistant to the President for International and Economic Affairs and Deputy Director of the National Economic Council. Reporting to the President, the National Security Advisor, and the Director of the National Economic Council. Everett coordinated interagency policy development and implementation on international economic policy matters. He also served as the President’s personal representative and principal negotiator to the G-7 and G-20 economic summits and led interagency preparations for all international summits, including the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum, the Summit of the Americas, and the United Nations Climate Change Conference (UNCCC).

Previously Everett held key roles in the House, Senate, and the Office of the US Trade Representative. As Chief International Trade Counsel for the Senate Finance Committee (2011-2017 and 2001-2006), he built and led professional international trade policy teams for two chairmen and negotiated and gained the approval of legislation implementing bilateral trade agreements with Korea, Panama, and Colombia 

As Assistant US Trade Representative for the Americas (2006-2011), he led negotiations of comprehensive bilateral free trade agreements with Colombia, Panama, and Peru, as well as the Dominican Republic. He also served as Legislative Director for Rep. Jim Kolbe. He holds a JD, cum laude, from the University of Oklahoma, an MA in Latin American Studies from University of Texas at Austin, and a BS in Political Science and Spanish from Oklahoma State University. 

Hernando José Gómez

Hernando Jose Gomez is the President of Colombia’s Banks Association. He is the former Chief Negotiator of the Free Trade Agreement between Colombia and the U.S., Former Director of National Planning Agency and Co-director of the Colombian National Bank. MA and MPhil in Economics; PhD candidate, Yale University. 

Gonzalo Moreno Gómez

Gonzalo Moreno Gomez is the Executive President of the National Poultry Federation of Colombia. He is the prior Secretary General of the Colombian Association of Flower Exporters. Specialist in Commercial Law and Tax Law; Masters in Private Law of the Universidad de los Andes. 

María Ximena Lombana

María Ximena Lombana is Colombia’s Minister of Trade, Industry and Tourism. She became a lawyer from the Universidad del Rosario, with a master’s degree in International Business Law from the Washington College of Law, which in turn belongs to the American University, and a master’s degree in Commercial Law from the University of Paris II- Panthéon-Assas.

Likewise, the Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism was a professor of Commercial Company Law at the universities of Rosario and La Sabana for 10 years. She has worked as manager of strengthening programs in the National Agency for Legal Defense of the State and also in the Attorney General’s Office.She held the positions of Minister Plenipotentiary at the Colombian embassies in Spain (2014-2015) and France (2003-2005), as well as First Secretary at the Colombian Mission to the United Nations (1998-1999).

She was also Secretary General of the Ministry of the Interior for two years and Bancóldex for three years. Her activities in the private sector include her participation as a partner in the law firms Cremades & Calvo Sotelo and Lombana Villalba Abogados.

Additionally, she has been an Arbitrator of the Arbitration and Conciliation Center of the Bogotá Chamber of Commerce (Commercial Law and Administrative Law), since January 2006. Added to this is her management as a researcher of the Legal Department of the Organization of American States (OEA ) and as an advisor to the Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution of the World Economic Forum (WEF).

Mack McLarty 

Thomas McLarty is the Chairman of McLarty Associates. He co-founded McLarty Associates in 1998 following a distinguished record of business leadership and public service, including various roles advising three US Presidents: Bill Clinton, George H. W. Bush, and Jimmy Carter. Mr. McLarty is also Chairman of the McLarty Companies, a fourth-generation family transportation business.

As President Clinton’s White House Chief of Staff, Mr. McLarty helped enact the historic 1993 deficit reduction package, the North American Free Trade Agreement, the Family and Medical Leave law, and the landmark welfare reform legislation that enabled more than 6.8 million people to move from welfare to work. He also organized the successful 1994 Summit of the Americas in Miami, which ultimately led to his appointment as Special Envoy for the Americas in 1997.

As Counselor to President Clinton, Mr. McLarty advised on a broad range of international and domestic issues. He traveled to the Persian Gulf on the president’s behalf to build financial support for the Bosnian peace process, led the US delegation to the inauguration of South Korean President Kim Dae-jung, and signed the peace accords that brought peace to Guatemala for the first time in three decades. Mr. McLarty planned US participation in the 1998 Summit of the Americas in Santiago, and participated in several G-7 and APEC Summits.

Prior to his government service, Mr. McLarty was Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Arkla, a Fortune 500 natural gas company. During his tenure Arkla grew into the nation’s largest natural gas distributor, with customers in eleven states and significant exploration and pipeline operations. Mr. McLarty was appointed by President Bush to the National Petroleum Council and the Council on Environmental Quality, and he was a member of the St. Louis Federal Reserve Board from 1989 through 1992. Mr. McLarty is a frequent public speaker, and has published numerous articles on US trade and foreign policy. He has served on the boards of many corporate and non-profit institutions including as a Director of Union Pacific and the Acxiom Corporation, and on the boards of the Bush Clinton Katrina Fund, the Council of the Americas, the InterAmerican Dialogue, Ford’s Theatre, and the Center for the Study of the Presidency. In addition, he serves as a Senior International Fellow at the US Chamber of Commerce and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Mr. McLarty is the recipient of the Secretary of State’s Distinguished Service Medal; the highest civilian honors of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, and Venezuela; and the Center for the Study of the Presidency Distinguished Service Award. Mr. McLarty is a summa cum laude graduate of the University of Arkansas.

Representative Gregory Meeks

Representative Gregory Meeks is the Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Congressman Meeks is the first black Member of Congress to serve as Chair of that committee. Meeks is a multilateralist with decades of experience in foreign policy. He believes that the United States should build coalitions around our interests and work with other countries to build a stable and prosperous future.

He is a senior member of the House Financial Services Committee, where he served as the Chairmen of the Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Financial Institutions which oversees all financial regulators such as, FDIC, Federal Reserve and all matters pertaining to consumer credit and the stability of the banking system. Rep. Meeks previously served as a Dodd-Frank conferee. Key provisions in the Wall Street reform law – including its stress testing requirement, the creation of the Office of Minority and Women Inclusion at the financial regulatory agencies, and the requirement that U.S. public companies who use natural resources to report their due diligence in stamping out conflict minerals– were co-authored by Congressman Meeks and remain in the law today. Rep. Meeks introduced a bill that would require government contractors and public companies to submit data on the racial, ethnic, and gender composition of their corporate boards.

Fabrizio Opertti

Fabrizio Opertti is the Manager of the Integration and Trade Sector at Inter-American Development Bank. Mr. Opertti coordinates the sector’s operational program and technical assistance, the support to regional initiatives, policy research agenda and capacity building programs, as well as several public-private policy dialogues and inter-institutional partnerships with international trade and multilateral agencies, with the goal of promoting trade and investment, economic integration and regional cooperation in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC).

Prior to his appointment, he led the Trade and Investment Division (TIN) between 2011 and 2018, where he led the Bank’s support to LAC countries in trade facilitation – including border coordinated management, trade logistics and single electronic windows for trade – as well as goods and services export promotion and international investment attraction operations. Mr. Opertti also led an IDB Group-wide team in the design and implementation of ConnectAmericas, the first social network for business in the region designed to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) carry out more and better international trade and investment transactions. It was launched in March 2014 and currently has over 370,000 business people registered from over 209 countries and territories.

During his 20-year tenure at the Bank, Mr. Opertti has also led the creation and organization of several key IDB’s pan-regional trade events, including the CEO Summit of the Americas (Colombia 2012, Panama 2015, Peru 2018), the Global Services-Outsource2LAC Business Forum (Uruguay 2011, Colombia 2012, Argentina 2013, Guatemala 2014, Mexico 2015, Costa Rica 2017, Argentina 2019 and the virtual version of the forum – O2LAC Virtual 2020), the Asia-LAC Fora (Korea 2007, 2011, 2015, 2017 and 2019; China 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2018; Japan 2013 and 2016), among others.

Mr. Opertti holds an MBA from Johns Hopkins’ School of Business, a master’s in science in Foreign Service from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, and a Bachelor of Arts in International Political Economy from American University.

Marta Lucía Ramírez

Marta Lucía Ramírez is the Vice President and Foreign Minister of Colombia. She is a former senator, former minister of defense and foreign trade, and past presidential candidate. 

Elected Senator of Colombia in 2006, Ramírez introduced legislative initiatives to permit women to attain the rank of General in the Military Forces of Colombia, and to mandate English teaching in schools. Ramírez was Colombia’s first female Minister of National Defence, serving from 2002 to 2003 in the administration of President Álvaro Uribe Vélez, and the second woman in Latin America to hold this title. She has also served as the 6th Minister of Foreign Trade of Colombia, from 1998 to 2002.

In 2009 she resigned from the Senate to run as a candidate for the 2010 Conservative Party’s presidential nomination, finishing third to the eventual Conservative nominee Noemí Sanín Posada. In 2014, she once again ran for the Conservative nomination, this time winning the nomination, but ultimately finishing third in the first round of the 2014 presidential election. Ramirez is also a member of Washington D.C. based think tank, The Inter-American Dialogue. In 2018, Ramírez became the first woman elected to serve as Vice President of Colombia, running on a ticket with Iván Duque Márquez.

Kenneth Smith Ramos

Kenneth Ramos is International Expert in Trade Agreements at AGON. Ken focuses on helping international clients to identify trade and foreign direct investment opportunities derived from the new generation of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) that Mexico has negotiated, such as CPTPP, the MX-EU FTA, and the NAFTA/USMCA. Ken also advises clients who face trade barriers and assists them in developing strategies to obtain or expand access into key international markets, including Mexico.

Prior to joining Agon, Ken served as Mexico´s Chief Negotiator for the modernization of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) that led to the signing of the USMCA. He has been an integral part of Mexico’s negotiating team representing several government agencies, and began his career with the team negotiating the NAFTA in 1992. Ken holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from Georgetown University, and a Master’s degree in International Economics from Johns Hopkins, School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS).

Luis Fernando Restrepo

Luis Fernando Restrepo is the CEO of Crystal S.A.S., a company dedicated to the production and commercialization in Latin America of brands such as Gef, Punto Blanco, Baby Fresh y Galax. With an MBA degree from University of Chicago, he has served as Independent Director of Bancolombia S.A. during 2016. He previously worked at The Marmon Group of Chicago and was part of the Leadership Rotational Program in Chicago at The Rego Company in planning production and Hammond Organ Company in financial accountability.

Ileana Ros-Lehtinen

Former U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) is a Senior Advisor at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP. Previously, she served for almost three decades as a member of Congress representing diverse areas in South Florida.

Rep. Ros-Lehtinen was the Chairwoman emeritus of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). In these roles, she led on pressing foreign policy issues, including championing the advancement of freedom and democracy for all, fighting Islamist extremism; supporting free trade agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea; and imposing sanctions on human rights violators in Venezuela.

Prior to becoming the Chairwoman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Rep. Ros-Lehtinen served as Chair of the Subcommittee on the Middle East and Central Asia; International Operations and Human Rights; International Economic Policy and Trade; and Africa; and as Vice-Chair of the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere.

Rep. Ros-Lehtinen also served on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and was a member of the CIA Subcommittee and the National Security Agency and Cybersecurity Subcommittee.

A strong proponent of education, Rep. Ros-Lehtinen holds multiple education degrees, including an Ed.D. from the University of Miami, and master’s and bachelor’s degrees from Florida International University. She began her career as a Florida certified teacher, and then founded, and served as the principal of, a private bilingual elementary school.

Falvia Santoro

Falvia Santoro is the President of Procolombia and a Lawyer. She has extensive experience in developing and managing institutional relationships with the private sector, strengthening strategic and commercial alliances for fundraising. Her professional experience spans several sectors, from information services consulting, sales in the insurance sector, non-profit institutions, and two presidential campaigns with important achievements in each of them.

Augusto Solano

Augusto Solano is the President of the Association of Flowers Exporters (Asocolflores) He has wide managerial experience in trade associations, agribusiness, banking and government. Member of the Board of Directors of several trade associations, universities and banks in Colombia, and floriculture organizations in the United States and Europe.He completed his MBA studies in The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.

Jim Sutter

Jim Sutter is the CEO of the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC). He grew up on a crop and cattle farm in northeastern Colorado and received a degree in agricultural business / economics from Colorado State University. Jim joined USSEC as CEO in 2010 after over 30 years of industry experience with Cargill, Inc. Since joining USSEC, he has led strategy development to ensure that the organization’s key focus is on differentiating and building a preference for U.S. Soy while also ensuring market access. Jim is active working with various industry associations around the world on behalf of U.S. Soy.

Arun Venkataraman

Arun Venkataraman is the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Global Markets and Director General of the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service. He was appointed by President Joseph R. Biden and confirmed by the U.S. Senate on April 7, 2022, to lead the federal government’s efforts to promote exports abroad and attract inward investment. He was officially sworn in on April 25, 2022.

Venkataraman has over 20 years of experience advising companies, international organizations and the U.S. government on international trade issues. Most recently, he served as Counselor to the Secretary of Commerce, advising the Department on trade and other international economic matters. Before joining the Biden-Harris Administration, Arun was a Senior Director at Visa, leading global government engagement strategy on a range of international policy issues including digital economy, trade, tax and sanctions. He also served as Trade & Investment Policy Advisor at Steptoe & Johnson LLP, where he counseled multinational firms and other organizations on e-commerce, intellectual property rights and U.S. and foreign trade policies.

During the Obama Administration, Venkataraman served as ITA’s first-ever Director of Policy, where he helped shape the U.S. government’s responses to critical challenges faced by firms in the U.S. and in markets around the world, including China and India. He also served in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) where he led the development and implementation of U.S.-India trade policy, for which he received the agency’s Kelly Award for outstanding performance and extraordinary leadership. He also served as USTR’s Associate General Counsel, representing the United States in litigation before the World Trade Organization and in negotiations on international trade agreements. Prior to USTR, Arun was a Legal Officer at the World Trade Organization, and served as Law Clerk for Judge Jane A. Restani at the U.S. Court of International Trade. Born in Coimbatore, India, and raised in Houston, Venkataraman holds a J.D. from Columbia Law School, a Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, and a B.A. from Tufts University.

Davis Warlick

Davis Warlick is the Chairman and CEO of Parkdale Mills, Inc. Since 1916, Parkdale has strived to be the premier yarn spinner in the world. The company’s vision for the future revolves around a perpetually changing supply chain that demands faster response, superior service, and enhanced speed to market. 

The Parkdale family of companies also includes US Cotton, a leading health and beauty aide cotton products company, as well as Parkdale Advanced Materials which makes biodegradable polymers.

Andy holds a business degree from The Citadel. He also is a graduate of the Harvard Business School’s Management Development Program and the National Cotton Council’s Leadership Program. Andy serves on several boards including the National Council of Textile Organizations, National Cotton Council, and Schweitzer-Mauduit. Andy has been inducted into the Citadel Business School Hall of Fame. He has won numerous awards including the Cotton, Inc. 2002 Achievement Award; Honorary Doctor of Business – The Citadel; and Man of the Year – US Textiles 2002.

Andy is committed to rebuilding US manufacturing and fighting trade cheating. He resides in North Carolina with his wife Pamela where they raised 2 children.

Maria Zieba

Maria Zieba is the Assistant Vice President of International Affairs at the National Pork Producer Council (NPPC). She works on NPPC’s trade policy program focusing on opening, maintaining, and increasing market access for U.S. pork. 

Prior to joining NPPC, Maria was a trade policy manager for the National Milk Producers Federation and the U.S. Dairy Export Council, where she worked on various trade issues affecting the dairy industry. Previously, she worked at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service, managing capacity building projects aimed at increasing U.S. agricultural exports to emerging markets. 

Maria serves as a Cleared Advisor on the Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee for Trade in Animals and Animal Products, providing input to USDA and USTR on key issues affecting U.S. pork exports. She also serves on the board of directors for the Association of Women in International Trade and Farmers for Free Trade. 

Maria holds a master’s degree in International Commerce and Policy from George Mason University.  She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Riverside with a double major in Political Science-International Affairs and Spanish.

The post The U.S. Colombia FTA at 10 Years appeared first on WITA.

On Tuesday, March 15, WITA held a webinar looking at the past, present and future of US-Korea trade relations, on the 10th anniversary of the entry-into-force of the U.S. Korea FTA on March 15, 2012.

Featured Speakers: 

South Korea’s Minister for Trade Yeo Han-koo

Ambassador Mark Lippert, the former United States Ambassador to the Republic of Korea

Nigel Cory, Associate Director, Trade Policy, Information Technology and Innovation Foundation

Maria C. Zieba, Assistant Vice President, International Affairs, National Pork Producers Council (NPPC)

Clete Willems, Partner, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld; former Deputy Assistant to the President for International Affairs

Moderator: Deanna Tanner Okun, Managing Partner, AMS Trade LLP; former Chair of the United States International Trade Commission (USITC)

SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES

Yeo Han-koo currently serves as South Korea’s Minister for Trade and is a veteran trade negotiator who has been involved in many of South Korea’s trade negotiations over the last two decades.

Prior to becoming Minister for Trade, Yeo served as a presidential secretary in the Blue House for President Moon Jae-in’s signature New Southern Policy and New Northern Policy. He also has extensive experience in the Ministry of Trade, Industry & Energy where he was appointed to multiple directorships over the past 25 years. Minister Yeo has also worked on climate issues, acting as the World Bank Group’s Senior Investment Policy Officer in the Investment Climate Department between 2010 and 2014.

While serving as the Director of the International Economic & Industrial Policy Bureau for the National Economic Advisory Council in the Presidential Office, Yeo also lectured at the KDI School of Public Policy in South Korea. He has also published multiple works in both English and Korean, including a Harvard Business School case study about the Kaesong Industrial Complex, and a chapter in the World Bank’s “Special Economic Zones.” Yeo has been awarded the International Finance Corporation Performance Award and an Achievement Award from the President of the Republic of Korea, along with many other accolades.

He holds an MBA from Harvard Business School, an MPA from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and a BA in Business Administration from Seoul National University.

Ambassador Mark Lippert is a Senior Advisor and the Korea Chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. He has had a distinguished career in the United States government that spanned approximately two decades and included series of senior-level positions across multiple agencies. From 2014-2017, he served as the United States ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to the Republic of Korea, based in Seoul. He previously held positions in the Department of Defense, including as chief of staff to Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel (2013-2014) and as assistant secretary of defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs (2012-2013), the top official in the Pentagon for all Asia issues. Lippert also worked in the White House as chief of staff to the National Security Council in 2009. Lippert served in the uniformed military. An intelligence officer in the United States Navy, he mobilized to active duty from 2009 to 2011 for service with Naval Special Warfare (SEALs) Development Group that included deployments to Afghanistan and other regions. From 2007 to 2008, he deployed as an intelligence officer with Seal Team One to Anbar Province, Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Earlier in his career, Lippert served as a staff member in the United States Senate, where he worked on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for then-Senator Obama; the Senate Appropriations Committee State-Foreign Operations Subcommittee for Senator Leahy, and for other members of the Senate. His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal for his service in Iraq, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, and the Basic Parachutist Badge. He is also the recipient of the Department of Defense’s Distinguished Public Service Award and the Department of the Navy’s Distinguished Public Service Award. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Stanford University with a B.A. in political science and holds an M.A. in international policy studies from the same institution. He speaks Korean and also studied Mandarin Chinese at Beijing University. Lippert is married to Robyn E. Lippert who serves as a senior vice president at UnitedHealth Group and has two children, Sejun and Sahee. They live in Washington, D.C. with their basset hound, Grigsby.

Nigel Cory is an associate director covering trade policy at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation. He focuses on cross-border data flows, data governance, intellectual property, and how they each relate to digital trade and the broader digital economy. Cory has provided in-person testimony and written submissions and has published reports and op-eds relating to these issues in the United States, the European Union, Australia, China, India, and New Zealand, among other countries and regions, and he has completed research projects for international bodies such as the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation and the World Trade Organization. Nigel is a member of the United Kingdom’s International Data Transfer Expert Council. Cory previously worked as a researcher in the Southeast Asia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Prior to that, he worked for eight years in Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, which included positions working on G20 global economic and trade issues and the Doha Development Round.

Deanna Tanner Okun is the Managing Partner at Adduci, Mastriani & Schaumberg LLP. Deanna is an international trade lawyer providing legal and strategic international trade policy advice to steer companies through the intersection where innovation confronts barriers, such as intellectual property theft, unfair trade practices, or regulatory hurdles.  

Deanna’s practice involves all aspects of unfair trade litigation and trade remedy advocacy. Her Section 337 work includes all stages of litigation at the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) from pre-institution consultation to post-remedy enforcement with Customs and Border Protection (CBP). She also represents companies in Title VII antidumping and countervailing duty investigations before the ITC and Department of Commerce (DOC). In 2017, her client secured the first negative preliminary AD/CVD determination in over seven years. Deanna’s work in trade remedy proceedings on behalf of U.S. companies extends to previously rarely-used trade statutes, including Section 201, 232, and 301 investigations. Deanna participated in one of only two Section 201 investigations in the past twenty years, winning a successful remedy for her client. She works closely with contacts in the executive, judicial, and legislative branches of the government to create innovative solutions to her clients’ legal and business challenges.

Deanna has extensive experience as a top administrator, regulator, enforcer, legislative aide, and lawyer. She served two terms as Chairman during her twelve years of service as a member of the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC). During her tenure as a Commissioner, she ruled on hundreds of cases involving allegations of patent, trademark and copyright infringement as well as other types of unfair acts such as trade secrets. As Commissioner, she was involved in numerous antidumping and countervailing duty investigations and participated in almost all of the recent global safeguard investigations under the Trade Act of 1974, including investigations under Section 201 and the China-specific safeguard investigations under Section 421. Prior to her appointment to the ITC, she served as counsel for international affairs to U.S. Senator Frank Murkowski, Chairman of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee and senior member of the Finance and Foreign Relations Committees, and practiced international trade law with a large DC-based law firm. During her tenure at the ITC, Deanna was nominated to be Deputy United States Trade Representative.

In 2012, Deanna was named the Outstanding Woman of the Year by the Association of Women in International Trade, a chapter of the Organization of Women in International Trade. She has served on the Federal Circuit Advisory Council since 2013. In 2019, for the seventh consecutive year, Managing Intellectual Property named Deanna one of the Top 250 Women in IP. Deanna is also on the 2021-2022 USMCA Binational Panel Roster.

Clete R. Willems is a Nonresident Senior Fellow with the Atlantic Council’s GeoEconomics Center. Mr. Willems is a Partner at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, where he advises multinational companies, investors, and trade associations on international economic law and policy matters. Until April 2019, Mr. Willems was Deputy Assistant to the President for International Economics and Deputy Director of the National Economic Council. In this role, he was a key negotiator with foreign governments, including China and the European Union, and the President’s lead negotiator at the G-7, G-20, and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum. Prior to joining the White House, Mr. Willems was a trade negotiator and WTO litigator at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR). He also worked as Legislative Director for Congressman Paul Ryan (R-WI).

Mr. Willems graduated from the University of Notre Dame (BA) and Georgetown University Law Center (JD).

Maria C. Zieba is the Assistant Vice President of International Affairs at the National Pork Producers Council. Maria works on NPPC’s trade policy program focusing on opening, maintaining, and increasing market access for U.S. pork. 

Prior to joining NPPC, Maria was a trade policy manager for the National Milk Producers Federation and the U.S. Dairy Export Council, where she worked on various trade issues affecting the dairy industry. 

Previously, she worked at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service, managing capacity building projects aimed at increasing U.S. agricultural exports to emerging markets.

Maria serves as a Cleared Advisor on the Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee for Trade in Animals and Animal Products, providing input to USDA and USTR on key issues affecting U.S. pork exports. She also serves on the board of directors for the Association of Women in International Trade and Farmers for Free Trade. 

Maria holds a master’s degree in International Commerce and Policy from George Mason University. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Riverside with a double major in Political Science-International Affairs and Spanish.

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On Monday, January 31st, and Tuesday, February 1st, 2022, WITA hosted its fourth annual Washington International Trade Conference (WITC). This conference brought together leaders in international trade from across the U.S. and around the world to explore the trade landscape and look toward the future of trade.

 Secretary-General Mathias Cormann, Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)

Moderator: Ambassador Kristen Silverberg, President & COO, Business Roundtable; former U.S. Ambassador to the European Union 

Aik Hoe Lim, Director, Trade and Environment Division, World Trade Organization

Kelly K. Milton, Assistant U.S. Trade Representative, Environment and Natural Resources

Ambassador Gloria Abraham Peralta, Costa Rica’s Permanent Representative to the World Trade Organization, Co-Chair, Trade and Environmental Sustainability Structured Discussions (TESSD), World Trade Organization

Moderator: Sarah Stewart, Executive Director, Silverado Policy Accelerator; former Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative, Environment and Natural Resources

Angela Ellard, Deputy Director General, World Trade Organization

Moderator: Ambassador Rufus Yerxa, former Deputy U.S. Trade Representative; former Deputy Director General of the World Trade Organization

Amy P. Celico, Principal Albright Stonebridge Group | Dentons Global Advisors; former Senior Director for China Affairs, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative

Wendy Cutler, Vice President, Asia Society Policy Institute; former Acting Deputy U.S. Trade Representative

Bonnie Glaser, Director of the Asia Program, German Marshall Fund of the United States

Samm Sacks, Senior Fellow, Paul Tsai China Center & New America, Yale Law School

Moderator: Erin Ennis, Vice President, Global Public Policy, Dell Technologies

Ambassador Kirsten Hillman, Canadian Ambassador to the United States

Ambassador Tomita Koji, Japanese Ambassador to the United States

Ambassador Stavros Lambrinidis, European Union Ambassador to the United States

Moderator: Ambassador Susan Schwab, Strategic Advisor, Mayer Brown LLP; former U.S. Trade Representative

Orit Frenkel, CEO, American Leadership Initiative

Ed Gresser, Vice President and Director for Trade and Global Markets, Progressive Policy Institute (PPI)

Jeffrey Kucik, Associate Professor, School of Government and Public Policy at University of Arizona

Chad Thompson, Executive Director for Legal Affairs & Trade, General Motors

Moderator: Sarah Thorn, Senior Director of Global Government Affairs, Walmart

Jon Gold, Vice President of Supply Chain and Customs Policy, National Retail Federation

Phil Levy, Chief Economist, Flexport

Penny Naas, President of International Public Affairs and Sustainability, UPS

Maria Zieba, Assistant Vice President of International Affairs, National Pork Producers Council

Moderator: Ana Swanson, Correspondent, New York Times

Ambassador Sarah Bianchi, Deputy U.S. Trade Representative

Moderator: Ambassador Robert Holleyman, Partner & President & CEO, Crowell & Moring LLP and C&M International; Former Deputy U.S. Trade Representative

The post 2022 Washington International Trade Conference Recap appeared first on WITA.

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Senators James Lankford (R-OK) and Chris Coons (D-DE) have made a name for themselves for their friendship and willingness to work across the aisle on issues of importance to their states and the nation. 

We discussed their views on the use of tariffs as leverage in trade disputes and negotiations, and their legislation, the Import Tax Relief Act – which creates an exclusion process from tariffs on Chinese goods, and is meant to provide relief to American consumers, farmers and firms impacted by the tariffs.

Following the Senators’ presentation was a short panel discussion of the effect tariffs and other trade policies are having on U.S. firms, farmers, workers and employers.

FEATURING

Senator Chris Coons (D-DE)

Senator James Lankford (R-OK)

Moderator: Nicole Bivens-Collinson, President, International Trade and Government Relations, Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A.

PANEL DISCUSSION FEATURING

Laura M. Baughman, President of The Trade Partnership and Trade Partnership Worldwide, LLC

Guy Harari, President, Adisseo North & Central America

Eric Wenberg, Executive Director, Specialty Soya and Grains Alliance

Moderator: Nicole Bivens-Collinson, President, International Trade and Government Relations, Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A.

In a time of inter-party conflict and escalating trade disputes, this WITA event provided an example of the cooperation that will be necessary for reaching trade agreements and fostering economic competition. The event featured Senator James Lankford (R-OK) and Senator Chris Coons (D-DE), two senators who have been known for reaching across the aisle to find common ground and resolve trade issues. Following their discussion, the event featured a panel that further examined the impacts of current trade wars. After welcomes from Kenneth I. Levinson, executive director of WITA, and moderator Nicole Bivens Collinson, President of International Trade and Government Relations at Sandler, Travis, & Rosenberg, the senators introduced their perspectives on current trade issues.  

In his opening statement, Senator Lankford briefly introduced the role of international trade in his home state of Oklahoma, which trades with Mexico and Canada along the Mississippi River. Oklahoma is only one of many states that is affected by tariffs and international trade disputes. Senator Lankford declared that “we as a nation have been free traders before we were a nation,” and that a main rationale for American independence was that the King was inhibiting free trade. In response to a question from the moderator, he added that while recent tariffs were prompted by legitimate concerns about violations such as stolen intellectual property, these tariffs are not an automatic solution for every diplomatic problem. Senator Lankford stated that he supports Trade Representative Lighthizer’s efforts, insofar as he is working toward a goal of low or no tariffs, rather than holding onto reciprocal high tariffs indefinitely.

Following Senator Lankford, Senator Coons gave his opening statement, in which he agreed with Lankford’s stated goal of lowering tariffs in the long-term and making domestic industries more competitive. Senator Coons expressed concern about President Trump’s use of unilateral tariffs as a “weapon of economic conflict,” since this action is costly for American manufacturers and consumers, as well as America’s foreign allies. President Trump’s rhetoric about tariffs implies that they generate revenue for the US at the expense of China, but Coons clarified that Americans are bearing costs of these tariffs. He pointed out that before President Trump’s recent actions, the use of tariffs had been diminished over the last seven decades, which will now make it difficult for the US to justify its increased use of tariffs as a political tool to the WTO. To address these concerns, Senator Coons emphasized the importance of building a bipartisan effort to make the economy more resilient to 21^st century economic and political shocks. Specifically, he proposed three priorities: 1) fix what is broken in the American system, 2) engage with US allies, and 3) find ways to cooperate with China and demonstrate that the US does not intend to prevent China from becoming “a leader on the world stage.”

In the discussion following these statements, the senators and moderator discussed the exclusion process for the 232 and 301 tariffs. Both senators agreed that exclusions should be maintained throughout tariff negotiations, and Senator Lankford stated that the exclusion process places a “needless strain on economic growth” if exclusions cannot be automatically renewed, due to the difficulty of applying for exclusions. Other topics discussed included recent efforts to reassert Congress’ constitutionally mandated power regarding tariffs imposed in the name of national security. Senator Coons likened the 232 and 301 tariffs to a club that the President has swung around to wage economic warfare, and he stated that Congress should be more active in checking the power of the executive when imposing tariffs. Senator Lankford added a mention of Senator Pat Toomey’s (R-PA) efforts to emphasize the need for congressional approval and require that national emergencies be well-defined when invoked by an executive power.  

Additionally, the senators discussed President Trump’s recent tariff threats on Mexico and how they might affect the USMCA process. The moderator noted the unconventionality of Trump’s use of a national emergency to justify tariffs on imports from Mexico. While some members of Congress have expressed confidence that USMCA will be finished by July, Senator Coons predicted a much slower appropriations process because Trump’s recent actions have severely undermined the sense of predictability necessary for reaching an agreement. Already, many policymakers and business owners have been caught off guard by the president’s use of security justifications to achieve economic ends, especially with close allies. Due to these strained alliances, Coons emphasized the importance of bipartisan reexamination of the US’s use of tariffs. Senator Lankford added that in order to reestablish some stability, the Senate and the House must prioritize finishing the USMCA deal and fostering synergy across the aisle.

The moderator then opened up the dialogue to audience questions, which led to discussion of European auto tariffs and the nature of the U.S.-China relationship. Senator Lankford briefly addressed the possibility that Trump might impose auto tariffs on Europe in another effort to use tariffs as a leveraging tool, in response to European blocking of American agriculture. It is possible that a trade battle with Europe would affect the USMCA deal, but the exact impacts on the auto supply chain cannot yet be known. Both senators also addressed U.S.-China relations, with Senator Coons noting that relations are at an “absolutely pivotal turning point,” in which a positive future can come of the current conflicts if frankness, fairness, and trust are prioritized. Senator Lankford stated that current trade issues go beyond any party or administration, and that they will not simply disappear if world leaders fail to resolve them soon. To close the discussion, Senator Coons reminded the audience that many Americans hold genuine grievances about the detrimental impacts of trade disputes on their livelihoods, and that addressing these grievances will require “deliberate action.”

The event continued with a panel discussion on the ground-level, “tactile” impacts of tariffs on manufacturing and farming businesses, many of which rely heavily on international exports. Laura Baughman of The Trade Partnership and Trade Partnership Worldwide, LLC discussed the various “moving parts” that determine the costs of Section 232 and 301 tariffs on American households and manufacturers. The effects of job losses and high prices on certain products filter through the rest of the economy, creating large hits to consumer spending and GDP. She estimated that these costs would increase further if NAFTA were canceled and USMCA failed to pass. Additionally, Baughman discussed the reactions from the current administration to her cost analyses. Many point to the current strength of the economy to undermine arguments against tariffs, but Baughman stated that the costs of tariffs are difficult to observe right now because layoffs will be a delayed effect. Most companies initially respond to higher costs with less visible actions such as reducing hours, 401k contributions, capital investments, and new hires.

Guy Harari of Adisseo North & Central America explained the impacts of tariffs on the supply chain for chicken meat production. Due to 301 List 3 tariffs, it is no longer cost-effective for his company to import certain amino acids that are typically used to increase production capacity. Since tariffs impede the “freedom to source inputs at competitive prices,” consumer prices are driven up as producers struggle to cope with demand. Harari also noted the difficulty of relying on alternate suppliers when importing from China becomes less viable. Due to the high cost of reformulating their supply chain and investing in new plants, poultry producers are forced to cut back production in response to tariffs.

Eric Wenberg of the Specialty Soya and Grains Alliance discussed the impact of tariffs on farms and rural entrepreneurs, particularly on agricultural transportation. American agricultural exports depend on the availability of container equipment, and the trade war with China has created significant market instability for container shipping. He commented that when the US receives fewer exports from China, there are fewer empty containers free for American farmers to fill and schedule, which may eventually reduce demand for American products abroad. To conclude, Wenberg discussed the importance of regulatory fixes to streamline the certification process, as well as provide insurance for communities that rely heavily on farming.

The post Senators Chris Coons and James Lankford on Tariffs and Trade; Panel Discussion on Impacts of the Trade War appeared first on WITA.

To view Bruce Stokes’ presentation slides on American views on Trade in Year Three of the Trump Administration, please click here

Featuring:

Kimberly Ellis, Partner, Monument Advocacy

J.D. Grom, Executive Director, New Democrat Coalition

Robert Moran, Partner, Brunswick Insight

Bruce Stokes, Director of Global Economic Attitudes, Pew Research Center

To view more details about the event, visit the event page here.

The post WITC: Trade Politics in the Age of Trump appeared first on WITA.

Featuring:

Eric Farnsworth, Vice President, Council of the Americas

The Honourable Perrin Beatty, P.C., O.C., Former Canadian Cabinet Minister; President, Canadian Chamber of Commerce

Kenneth Smith Ramos, Former Mexican Chief Negotiator for the modernisation of NAFTA; Partner, AGON

Ambassador Miriam Sapiro, Managing Director, Sard Verbinnen & Co. (SVC)

To view more details about the event, visit the event page here.

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Featuring:

Clete Willems, Deputy Assistant to the President for International Economics and Deputy NEC Director at The White House in a discussion with Michael J. Smart, Managing Director, Rock Creek Global Advisors

To view more details about the event, visit the event page here.

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Featuring:

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What’s Next For The World Trade Organization?

By: Mariana Jo-Bonilla

On November 8th, the Washington International Trade Association hosted the event “What’s Next For The WTO?” featuring a panel of experts that included Terence P. Stewart, Managing Partner at Stewart and Stewart; Ronald Lorentzen, Senior International Trade Advisor at Kelley Drye & Warren LLP; Grant D. Aldonas, Executive Director of the Institute of International Economic Law at Georgetown University; and Dorothy Dwoskin, Principal at d2Strategies examined the future of the WTO and discussed the prospects to reform the organization.

Terence Stewart began the discussion by framing the importance of the WTO within the tremendous changes and technological transformations that have taken place in the global trade system over the past few decades. He used this analysis to highlight his concerns about the trading system, saying that, ”this system contains 20th century rules for a 21st century world …the loss of effective negotiations capabilities within the WTO, since it flows from a consensus-type of approach that historically has worked with a smaller group of countries”. He emphasized how nations are increasingly joining together through meetings to consider some of the issues that the U.S. has with the system and bringing a broader reform to the table. These initiatives are reflected in the EU paper, published last September and the Canadian paper published this October, which highlights the necessity mention to reform the WTO. He emphasized on the “mini-ministerial” meeting in Ottawa where 13 countries gathered to discuss whether there were ideas that they agreed to, to reach out to other countries to see if there could be a reform about these ideas. Furthermore, there have been trilateral initiatives such as U.S.-EU-Japan to help deal with distortions that flow from a state-control economies, like China.

Next to speak was Ronald Lorentzen. He asserted that the WTO matters because, “it is the most efficient way to maximize adherence to a single set of rules to deal with disciplines that affect trade. If you want a baseline that’s going to work for everyone you need something like the WTO”. He believes it is a worthwhile time investment to seek improvements for the WTO. He laid out 2 areas that could cover the reformation of the WTO, these being: 1) Functioning of the current system and 2) Scope and content of agreements. As for the functioning of the system, Ron mentioned 3 pillars that are supposed to be the underpinning of the WTO’s mission: negotiation, implementation and dispute settlement. These pillars are considered fundamental to the WTO’s role, so it is important to know how to implement more rules efficiently. He said it was important to notice that implementation does not only occur domestically, but it can also be applied in the regular work of the committees and the bodies of the organization.

As to the scope and content of agreements, Ron noted that these need to reflect ongoing trade production and political developments. He argued that different factors should be considered. Principal among these are the growing importance of addressing state-led economies, the need to include global value chains and a reconsideration of the founding principles of the WTO.  Ron provided suggestions on what should be done if the WTO is to be reformed. His first suggestion was to establish definitions according to each country’s economic system (state-led or market-oriented). Second, we need to distinguish the difference between state-led economies and developing economies in order to apply fair treatment. Third, Ron talks about trade and competition, how to compete but in a fair manner. Fourth, identify which factors are  not going to change in a state-led economy and which rules the WTO should apply as to not affect others within the system. Fifth, include issues such as subsidies in services, restructure antidumping and countervailing measures to better reflect the reality of global supply chains and take into an account the prevalence of multinational competitors having production facilities situated in different jurisdictions. His final suggestion is to reconsider the founding principles of the WTO.

Next to speak was Grant D. Aldonas, who focused on the political aspects of the reform. He mentioned that if they go back to the GATT, there has always been the factor of “reciprocity” in multilateral and bilateral agreements and relations. Grant also added that there is an assumption to how the US bargained, which is why it is important to know  the perspective the current Administration has on the principle of reciprocity. Grant talked about the actual role of Congress in trade and how their main interest is getting deals for workers in trade agreements. Additionally, he talked about what was on the news that calls for attention such as the Brazil’s President-Elect Bolsonaro and how he is taking a similar approach as President Trump with bilateral trade deals. There is also a deep resistance to what China represents as a deviation from the norms of the system, making the U.S. a victim of the trading system instead of a beneficiary of the trading system. Post-Brexit proposals are not taking into consideration a multilateral perspective either. May of these examples illustrate  several measures that are not reflective of the WTO rules, but rather more bilateral approaches. At the Ottawa meeting, countries didn’t talk about actual reform, but it was only a discussion about what new issues should they include or should they talk about. They acted based on assuming that they had support from other WTO Members on the idea of negotiating under a reciprocal basis, rather than actually identifying whether or not is it possible.

Dorothy Dwoskin  compared Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) in relation to WTO rules, then posed the question, “is it time to look for different kinds of agreements?”. Dorothy noted that FTAs can be negotiated at a plurilateral level but results have to be implemented on a MFN basis. She found it interesting that for the Tokyo Round, like-minded countries got together to discuss subsidies, procurement, licensing, and other issues concerning the countries at that time. She also mentioned that in regard to special and differential treatment countries need to really consider if they still need it. Regarding transparency and notification, countries don’t negotiate in public but all of the documents that are meaningful in the WTO are just job documents, and not necessarily public documents, so other Members can’t see the proposals that have actually been made. One interesting thing that the U.S. has done, according to Dorothy, is the move from e-commerce to digital trade and taken moratorium on customs duties on electronic transmissions and put it at the center at the digital chapter.

During the second round of discussion, Terry mentioned that the likelihood of reform is not bright. He also noted that if the talks move in a multilateral manner, then the MFN principle is an impediment to that because of the existence of “free-riders”. As  for preferential treatment, the EU and Canada papers talk about encouraging countries to graduate themselves or to agree that on new agreements preferential treatment will be based on need and not self-classification. Ron suggested to clarify which agreements they are looking for within the system: market access agreements or rule-based agreements. There is also a need for a deep dive on definitions and labels. Grant talked about how the current U.S. Administration should focus in on one goal,  such as preventing free riding in the agreements. He said there is a way to achieve such goals without bringing the system down. He noted that if the U.S. uses a bilateral approach, it actually reduces the tools and arguments in support of a multilateral system. By pursuing bilateral agreements, they maintain a smaller degree of leverage compared to trying to do the right thing with plurilateral agreements.

At the end of the Q&A with the audience, Dorothy asked what are some of the positive steps that the U.S. can take to initiate examination of long term issues with the WTO. Terry argued that enhanced dispute settlement was crucial to meaningful reform. Ron talked about transparency and forcing countries to show how they come to their decisions. Finally, Grant agreed with Ron on the importance of transparency since it is good for the system because the information provided in the market allows for the political market to work.

Panel Discussion Featuring

Grant D. Aldonas, Executive Director, Institute of International Economic Law, Georgetown University Law Center; former Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade, Department of Commerce

Ronald Lorentzen, Senior International Trade Advisor, Kelley Drye & Warren LLP; former Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Enforcement & Compliance (E&C), Department of Commerce

Terence P. Stewart, Managing Partner, Stewart and Stewart

Moderator, Dorothy Dwoskin, Principal, d2Strategies LLC; Former Assistant USTR for the World Trade Organization (WTO) and Multilateral Affairs, Office of the US Trade Representative

To view more details about the event, click here.

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