On October 1, WITA hosted the Trade Around the World – U.S. Trade Initiatives panel as part of the 2024 WITA Academy Virtual Intensive Trade Seminar.

Featured Speakers:

Marjorie Chorlins, Senior Vice President, Europe, U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Wendy Cutler, Vice President and Managing Director, Asia Society Policy Institute (ASPI) Washington, D.C. Office; former Acting Deputy U.S. Trade Representative, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative

Eric Farnsworth, Head of the Washington Office of the Council of the Americas and the Americas Society

Florizelle Liser, President and CEO, Corporate Council on Africa

Moderator: Penny Naas, Lead, GMF Allied Competitiveness, German Marshall Fund

Speaker Biographies:

Marjorie A. Chorlins is the senior vice president for Europe at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. She develops policies and executes programs related to trade and investment with Europe. With more than 30 years of experience in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors, Chorlins has focused on forging consensus among competing points of view. She has represented the U.S. government in multilateral trade negotiations, advocated in support of global sales, consulted with multinational corporations on corporate responsibility, and helped foster a robust transatlantic relationship. Chorlins began her federal government service in the office of former Sen. John C. Danforth (R-MO), where she participated in drafting the 1988 Trade Act and the 1989 implementing legislation for the U.S.-Canada Free Trade Agreement. She continued her government service as principal deputy assistant secretary for Import Administration at the Department of Commerce, representing the U.S. in the GATT Uruguay Round and NAFTA negotiations. Chorlins then became director for international trade relations at Motorola Inc. She played a leadership role in early business community efforts to normalize U.S.-China commercial relations and was an early proponent of a balanced approach in addressing commercial, human rights, and environmental priorities. Subsequently, Chorlins served as executive vice president of Business for Social Responsibility, which provides technical assistance on socially responsible business practices. She later rejoined Motorola’s government relations organization as senior director of advocacy and global strategy, leveraging political resources to support the company’s international sales and resolve matters of strategic importance to the corporation. Chorlins also served as director of government and regulatory affairs at Lockheed Martin, where she managed the international portfolio and focused on export control reform and defense trade policy. Chorlins holds an M.A. in international relations and economics from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and a B.A. in French from Wellesley College.

Wendy Cutler is Vice President at the Asia Society Policy Institute (ASPI) and the managing director of the Washington, D.C. office. In these roles, she focuses on leading initiatives that address challenges related to trade, investment, and innovation, as well as women’s empowerment in Asia. She joined ASPI following an illustrious career of nearly three decades as a diplomat and negotiator in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), where she also served as Acting Deputy U.S. Trade Representative. During her USTR career, she worked on a range of bilateral, regional, and multilateral trade negotiations and initiatives, including the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement, the Trans-Pacific Partnership, U.S.-China negotiations, and the WTO Financial Services negotiations. She has published a series of ASPI papers on the Asian trade landscape and serves as a regular media commentator on trade and investment developments in Asia and the world.

Eric Farnsworth is the Head of the Washington office of the Council of the Americas and the Americas Society. He leads with a passion for promoting the importance of the Western Hemisphere for U.S. economic, security, and strategic interests. A recognized expert, he maintains an important policy leadership and advocacy role across a broad range of issues, including U.S. relations, economic development, trade, and energy; Asia-Latin American relations and global governance; and security and democracy. He consults frequently with senior U.S. government and foreign officials and private sector leaders, is a widely sought conference speaker and media commentator, and publishes regularly in leading newspapers and journals.

Prior to the Council, Mr. Farnsworth served in government with the U.S. Department of State, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, and Clinton White House. He also worked with U.S. Senator Sam Nunn (D-GA). His private sector experiences include ManattJones Global Strategies and the Bristol-Myers Squibb Corporation. He has been decorated by the Governments of Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Spain, and is an elected Academic Correspondent of Uruguay.

Florizelle (Florie) Liser is the third President and CEO of CCA. Ms. Liser brings expertise and an extensive network on trade and Africa to her new role, along with a strong track record of working with the private sector to translate policy into action. She is the first woman to lead the Council since its founding in 1993. Ms. Liser joined CCA from the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), where she was the Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Africa since 2003. At USTR, she led trade and investment policy towards 49 sub-Saharan African nations and oversaw implementation of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). Previously, Ms. Liser served as Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Industry, Market Access, and Telecommunications from 2000-2003. She also served as Senior Trade Policy Advisor in the Office of International Transportation and Trade at the Department of Transportation from 1987-2000; worked as a Director in USTR’s Office of GATT Affairs, and served as an Associate Fellow at the Overseas Development Council (ODC) from 1975-1980. Currently, Ms. Liser serves as a re-appointed member of the 2023-2024 Sub-Saharan Africa Advisory Committee for the Export-Import Bank (EXIM) where she previously served from 2019-2021. Ms. Liser also served as co-chair of the Advisory Council for the Millennium Challenge Corporation and has also served as a Board member for the Women in International Trade (WIIT). Ms. Liser holds a M.A. in International Economics from Johns Hopkins University, School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), and a B.A. in International Relations and Political Science from Dickinson College.

Penelope (Penny) Naas is a global public policy leader who designs strategies on international economic issues that sit at the nexus of geopolitics, trade, and climate. She is an adviser for TradeExperettes, a global organization of women trade experts.

Naas has created innovative strategies and solutions for Citigroup and, more recently, for UPS as its president for international public affairs and global sustainability. She opened and was managing director of Citigroup’s first government affairs office in Brussels between 2007 and 2012 before leading UPS’s international team from 2012 to 2019. She started her career at the US Department of Commerce, where she worked for 13 years on international economic issues and advancing the commercial interests of US companies in Europe.

Naas holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and a master’s degree in public policy from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. She is on several boards and has co-chaired the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Trade and Investment.

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On Thursday, February 24, WITA held its Trade & Environment Series and discussed the intersection of industrial subsidies, trade and climate change by focusing on two energy-intensive and trade exposed sectors: steel and aluminum. 

Panelists discussed how like-minded countries can work together to level the playing field on trade while moving toward more environmentally sustainable steel and aluminum production.

WITA Webinar Featuring:

Julia Nielson, Deputy Director, Trade & Agriculture, OECD

Alan Price, Partner and Chair of the Trade Practice, Wiley Rein LLP

Buddy Stemple, Chief Executive Officer, Constellium Rolled Products; Chairman, Board of Directors, Aluminum Association

Moderator: Ken Ash, Visiting Fellow at the Institute for International Trade (Adelaide), and former OECD Director of Trade and Agriculture. He is also a part-time advisor to aluminum associations representing companies in the US, Europe, Japan, and Canada.

SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES 

Julia Nielson: As Deputy Director of the OECD Trade and Agriculture Directorate (TAD), Ms Nielson helps oversee work to develop and communicate evidence-based advice to governments with the aim of helping them improve the domestic and international performance of their policies in the areas of trade, food, agriculture and fisheries.

Ms. Nielson has over 20 years’ experience in multilateral trade and development, strategy and management. She was previously Head of the Emerging Policy Issues Division in TAD, with responsibility for issues including digital trade, and the level playing field. Prior to that, she worked for the World Bank Group (WBG), including in the office of the then-President of the WBG, Bob Zoellick.

Ms. Nielson began her international career in the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, following which she joined the OECD Trade Directorate, working on trade in services. Ms Nielson left the OECD in 2005 to join the Trade Department of the WBG. Ms Nielson holds a Bachelor of Arts Hons (1st class) and a Masters in Foreign Affairs and Trade from the Australian National University.

Alan Price has more than 30 years of experience representing clients in high-profile, complex international trade regulatory matters, including trade litigation involving public and government relations issues. In addition to being chair of the firm’s International Trade Practice, he heads the firm’s antidumping and countervailing duty practice. He also counsels clients on bilateral and multilateral agreements, trade legislation, customs regulation, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) compliance issues, escape clause investigations, and World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute resolution. Regularly rated by Chambers USA as one of the nation’s “Leading Lawyers” in his field, Alan “gets solid results consistently” (2016) and is commended for his “big-picture oriented approach” (2014). Clients have described him as “attentive, responsive and insightful” (Chambers USA 2017) and as “a ‘go to’ lawyer” who is “knowledgeable, efficient and client focused” (The Legal 500 US 2013).

Lloyd A. “Buddy” Stemple, originally from West Virginia earned a B.S. Industrial Engineering and Masters in Business Administration from West Virginia University and a Masters in Practicing Management from McGill University in Montreal.  Buddy began his career in the Aluminium industry in 1979 with Kaiser Aluminium and moved to Alcan Aluminium/Novelis in 1983 where he held various positions in Operations, Human Relations, Sales & Marketing ,up to Vice President & General Manager of Novelis Specialty Product through 2009.   Buddy joined the Oman Aluminium Rolling Company (OARC) in 2010 as Chief Executive Officer and has overseen the establishment of the facility, organization and marketing plans for the company.  OARC is a 140,000 ton per year light gauge rolling facility located in Sohar Oman.   The world class facility provides light gauge aluminium sheet to the food, heat exchanger and construction industries.  In March of 2014, Buddy was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Constellium Ravenswood LCC in Ravenswood WV.    Buddy returned to his home town to lead the Constellium Rolled Products Ravenswood which is an industry leader in aerospace plate, General Engineering plate and Specialty rolled products.

Buddy is also a Director of Pathfinder Bank Holding Company (NASDAQ: PBHC), an Upstate New York Community Bank Holding Company of Pathfinder Bank based in Oswego, NY with assets of $1.2 billion.     He is also a member of the Board of Directors for the Aluminum Association and is currently the Association’s Chairman.   He has also served as the Chairman of the Automotive and Light Truck Group for the US Aluminum Association focusing on vehicle light-weighting with aluminium products.

Ken Ash was Director of Trade and Agriculture at the OECD between 2008 and September 2020, having served as Deputy Director since 1999. Ken led OECD efforts to develop and communicate evidence-based advice to governments with the aim of improving the domestic and international performance of trade, food, agriculture, and fisheries policies. Prior to joining the OECD Ken had extensive experience in the Government of Canada. As Director General, Economic and Policy Analysis (1995-99) he provided strategic policy advice on agriculture and trade policy issues and on government-wide policy and institutional reforms.

Ken is the founder of Ash Global Insights, a consultancy service on international trade and agriculture policies, with a particular emphasis on subsidy reform, value chains, and food systems, and is a Visiting Fellow at the Institute for International Trade, Adelaide.

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On April 29, 2021, WITA discussed the efforts to create a global minimum tax, and related international tax and trade issues.

PROGRAM AGENDA 

Welcome: 10:00 AM (US/Eastern)

• Kenneth Levinson, Executive Director, WITA

• Lilian V. Faulhaber, Professor of Law, Georgetown University Law Center
• Loren C. Ponds, Member, Miller & Chevalier Chartered – former Chief Tax Counsel, Ways & Means Republican
• Bob Stack, Managing Director, Washington National Tax | International Tax Group, Deloitte Tax LLP
• Moderator: Antonia Ferrier, Chief Strategic Communications Officer, CGCN Group

• Q & A with Audience – Webinar attendees are encouraged to use the Q&A function on the Zoom app to submit their questions in real time.

SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES

The post WITA Webinar on Proposals for a Global Minimum Tax appeared first on WITA.

On February 25, 2021, WITA held an event looking into the effects of the pandemic on global supply chains.

The global pandemic, spreading around the world for over a year, has massively disrupted global supply chains. This has undermined the delicate equilibrium at the world’s ports, where the interests of consumers, farmers, and manufacturers meet shipping, air freight, rail, trucking, and logistics.

PROGRAM AGENDA

Welcome

• Kenneth I. Levinson, Executive Director, Washington International Trade Association

Remarks and Panelist Discussion

• Karyn Booth, Partner and Transportation Practice Group Leader, Thompson Hine LLP
• Dr. Noel Hacegaba, Deputy Executive Director / COO, The Port of Long Beach
• Nate Herman, Senior Vice President, Policy, American Apparel & Footwear Association
• Weston LaBar, Chief Executive Officer, Harbor Trucking Association
• Moderator, Lori Ann LaRocco, Sr. Editor of Guests, CNBC Business News, Breaking News/Booking

Followed by: 

• Q & A with Audience Moderated by Ken – Webinar attendees are encouraged to use the Q&A function on the Zoom app to submit their questions in real time.

SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES

Karyn Booth is a partner and leader of Thompson Hine’s Transportation group. Karyn represents US importers and exporters, and 3PLs and NVOCCS, on international ocean shipping and related intermodal transportation matters. She has been at the forefront of major policy reforms and proceedings before the US Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) involving demurrage and detention, passage and implementation of the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 1998, and modernization of the rules governing cargo loss and damage occurring during sea transport. Karyn was counsel to the Coalition for Fair Port Practices which led the efforts at the FMC resulting in a rule on reasonable demurrage and detention practices and was an industry advisor to the US delegation that negotiated the Rotterdam Rules before UNCITRAL. She serves as general counsel to The National Industrial Transportation League, one of the nation’s oldest organizations who serves as the “voice of the shipper” in freight transportation policy matters and is a recent past President of the Association for Transportation Law Professionals.  

Karyn has been consistently recognized for her work in transportation law by Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, The Best Lawyers in America, and Washington, DC Super Lawyers. America’s Leading Lawyers named her “Lawyer of the Year” in Washington D.C. in 2017. 

Karyn’s practice is multi-modal and she is a strategic advisor for companies on compliance with transportation laws and regulations and has extensive experience with contracts involving ocean carriers, 3PLS, NVOCCs, warehouseman and other service providers. Based in Washington, DC, she routinely practices before federal transportation agencies, such as the FMC, Surface Transportation Board (STB), Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). 

Dr. Noel Hacegaba is responsible for managing the day-to-day administration and operations of the Port of Long Beach, North America’s second-busiest container port. Previously, he served as the Port’s Chief Commercial Officer and successfully managed the Port’s commercial operations during a period of significant industry realignment. He led the recovery of its largest terminal following the biggest bankruptcy in shipping line industry history, setting the path for record cargo volumes in 2017 and 2018.

Dr. Hacegaba has more than 24 years of public and private sector experience spanning a variety of industries. Prior to joining the Port, he managed $200 million in contracts for a Fortune 500 company. Dr. Hacegaba is a graduate of the University of Southern California, where he earned degrees in economics (BA and MA), business administration (BS) and planning (MPL). He also earned his doctorate degree in public administration from the University of La Verne.  

He currently serves on the Boards of various industry and non-profit organizations, including the Marine Exchange of Southern California and the Intermodal Association of North America (IANA), where he serves as Chairman of the Board.

Nate Herman oversees AAFA’s government relations department, managing the association’s lobbying, policy, and regulatory affairs activities. Nate leads AAFA’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) program, formulating and implementing CSR policy and representing AAFA and the industry on CSR issues before governments, NGOs, and other key stakeholders. In addition, Nate develops all apparel and footwear industry data and statistics as AAFA’s resident economist.

Prior to joining AAFA, Nate worked for six years at the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration assisting U.S. firms in entering the global market. Nate spent the last two years as the Department’s industry analyst for the footwear and travel goods industries.

Nate received a Masters of Public and International Affairs from the University of Pittsburgh in 1994 and a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and Economics from the University of Delaware in 1992.

Weston LaBar is the Chief Executive Officer of the Harbor Trucking Association and founding President and CEO of Ventures 52 a bespoke Private Equity Advisory focused on early-stage freight technology start-ups. He has a decade of experience as a strategic advisor and executive while managing trade associations, as well as large advocacy and external affairs projects. He is active in local, state, and federal policy making on goods movement and international trade.

As CEO of the HTA, Weston has lead countless initiatives with other stakeholders in the global supply-chain to increase port productivity. The HTA has been an industry leader in developing and adopting technology solutions that create efficiencies with various partners and have become the industry voice for the national drayage community. 

Lori Ann LaRocco is senior editor of guests for CNBC business news. She coordinates high profile interviews and special multi-million dollar on-location productions for all shows on the network. Her specialty is in politics, working with titans of industry. LaRocco is the author of: “Trade War: Containers Don’t Lie, Navigating the Bluster” (Marine Money Inc., 2019) “Dynasties of the Sea: The Untold Stories of the Postwar Shipping Pioneers” (Marine Money Inc., 2018), “Opportunity Knocking” (Agate Publishing, 2014), “Dynasties of the Sea: The Ships and Entrepreneurs Who Ushered in the Era of Free Trade” (Marine Money, 2012), and “Thriving in the New Economy: Lessons from Today’s Top Business Minds” (Wiley, 2010).

LaRocco has been working at the network since 2000. Her track record has garnered the trust and respect from Wall Street rainmakers to Washington. Establishing relationships with some of the best in business, LaRocco’s contacts have told her first of business deals in the billions of dollars, enabling CNBC to break the news first.

Prior to joining CNBC, LaRocco was an anchor, reporter and assignment editor in various local news markets around the country.

Kenneth Levinson is the Executive Director of the Washington International Trade Association (WITA). WITA is Washington’s largest non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to providing a neutral forum in the U.S. capital for the open and robust discussion of international trade policy and economic issues. WITA has over 4,000 members, and more than 170 corporate sponsors and group memberships.

Previously, Ken served as Senior Director for Global Government Affairs for AstraZeneca. Prior to joining AstraZeneca, Ken served as Senior Vice President and COO at the Washington, DC consulting firm of Fontheim International. Ken started his career on the staff of U.S. Senator John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV, where he served as the Senator’s chief advisor for international trade, tax, foreign policy, and national security.

Ken received a Master’s degree in European History from New York University after doing his undergraduate work at the University of Massachusetts, in Amherst. Ken also spent a year studying at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark. Ken and his wife, the Reverend Donna Marsh, live in Bethesda, MD, with their two daughters.

The post WITA Webinar: COVID, Supply Chains and the Crisis at the Ports appeared first on WITA.

9:00 AM: Revitalization and Reform of the WTO with WTO Deputy Director General Ambassador Alan Wm. Wolff

• Featured Remarks by Ambassador Alan Wm. Wolff,Deputy Director General of the WTO, and Co-Acting Director General
• Discussion with:
  • Kenneth Levinson,Executive Director, Washington International Trade Association
  • Terence Stewart,former Managing Partner, Law Offices of Stewart and Stewart, and author of the blog, Current Thoughts on Trade

9:30 AM-10:15 AM: Discussion: Revitalization and Reform of the WTO 

• Ambassador Rufus Yerxa,President of the National Foreign Trade Council and former Deputy Director General of the World Trade Organization
• Simon Evenett,Professor of International Trade and Economic Development and MBA Director, University of St. Gallen, Switzerland
• Jennifer Hillman,Senior Fellow for Trade and International Political Economy, Council on Foreign Relations
• Hiddo Houben,Deputy Permanent Representative, EU Mission to the WTO
•  

10:15 AM: What does a Neo-Progressive Trade Agenda look like? 

• Moderator: Catherine Novelli,President, Listening for America, former Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment
• Beth Baltzan,Founder, American Phoenix Trade Advisory Service and formerly with USTR and the House Ways & Means Committee
• Catherine Feingold,Director, AFL-CIO International Department
• Katrin Kuhlmann,President and Founder, New Markets Lab, and Visiting Professor of Law, Georgetown University Law Center
• Kimberley Botwright,Community Lead, Global Trade and Investment, World Economic Forum

11:15 AM: Closing Keynote and Discussion: Ways & Means Chairman Richard Neal

• Rep. Richard Neal,Chairman, House Ways & Means Committee
• Discussion with Steve Lamar,President and CEO of the American Apparel and Footwear Association, and President of the Board, Washington International Trade Association

12:00 PM: Conference Close

To view more information on the event, please click here. 

The post WITC 2021: Day Two appeared first on WITA.

On November 12th WITA looked at what the U.S. Presidential election might mean for American trade policy in the years to come, with a bipartisan panel of experts who served in senior roles in Congress and the Administration. Welcome and Opening Remarks 

PROGRAM AGENDA

Welcome and Opening Remarks

• Kenneth I. Levinson, Executive Director, Washington International Trade Association

Remarks and Discussion

• Nasim Fussell, Partner, Holland & Knight; and former Chief International Trade Counsel, Senate Finance Committee
• Ambassador Robert Holleyman, Partner, Crowell & Moring LLP and President & CEO, C&M International; and former Deputy USTR
• Brian Pomper, Partner, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, LLP; and former Chief International Trade Counsel, Senate Finance Committee
• Stephen P. Vaughn, Partner, King & Spalding; and former USTR General Counsel, and Acting USTR
• Moderator, Stephanie Lester, Senior Director, Government Affairs, Gap Inc.

Followed by:

• Q & A with Audience – Webinar attendees are encouraged to use the Q&A function on the Zoom app to submit their questions in real time.

Event Close

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On Thursday, May 28, WITA co-hosted a webinar with the Asia Society Policy Institute on WTO and what the organization needs to do to meet the challenges of the 21st Century. 

WITA Webinar Featuring: 

Mark Linscott, Senior Fellow, Atlantic Council/Senior Advisor, The Asia Group and former Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for WTO and Multilateral Affairs

Terence Stewart, former Managing Partner, Law Offices of Stewart and Stewart, and author of the blog, Current Thoughts on Trade

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

Moderator: Wendy Cutler, Vice President, and Managing Director, Washington D.C. office of the Asia Society Policy Institute – Read Wendy Cutler and Nigel Cory’s recent article: Time For An Upgrade: Moving WTO Negotiations Into The Digital World

Webinar Summary:

This webinar discussed the WTO’s process and timeline for finding Roberto Azevedo’s successor as Deputy General, as well as the WTO’s need to go digital. Mark Linscott provided insight on what the selection process looked like back in 2012 when Azevedo was chosen. Linscott also conveyed that last time there was a geographic array of individuals and no geographical red lines in terms of the candidates. Additionally, Linscott noted that Azevedo’s ability to facilitate and not his desire to promote a specific agenda is what ultimately led to his selection.

Terry Stewart offered his thoughts on what the U.S. is looking for in the next Deputy General, stating they are likely looking for a Deputy General that has the capability to find a path forward in what seems to be impassable waters rather than a candidate from a specific geographical location. Stewart also suspects that the U.S. will not put anyone forward, but will be working behind the scenes to encourage certain countries to put forth a candidate.

Nigel Cory expressed that the WTO’s lack of digital readiness has caused some deals nearing the finishing line, such as fishery subsidies, to be delayed. Cory noted that some of this lack of digital readiness is due to some countries reluctance to allow digital negotiations. Wendy Cutler stated that while the finalizing of negotiations necessitates in person interactions, a lot of the early talks can be done digitally.

The webinar concluded with a Q & A session where the panelists responded to questions about why the WTO selection process and deputy general matters, WTO reform, and what it would take for the WTO to move towards digital negotiations.

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WITA Webinar Featuring: 

Ralph Carter, Staff Vice President, Regulatory Affairs, FedEx Corporation

Phil Levy, Chief Economist, Flexport

Curtis Robinhold, Executive Director, Port of Portland

Evelyn Suarez, Principal, The Suarez Firm 

Webinar Summary:

Moderator Evelyn Suarez began by asking the panelists how the pandemic has been impacting trade, which led to a discussion with Phil Levy on recent decreases in the rate of air freight transportation on commercial flights as well as ocean shipping. Curtis Robinhold relayed that marine port tonnage has also declined, and noted a fast dip in automobile imports.

Ralph Carter outlined the changes made within FedEx to ensure the health and safety of the company’s frontline workers by increasing virtual operations while also managing varying regulations employed by countries around the world.

Following the discussion on Covid19’s impact on trade, the panelists answered Evelyn’s questions regarding the future of U.S. trade policy with China and the EU, lessons learned about the importance of each step in the global supply chain, and the overall necessity to adapt new policies, especially those involving technology and virtual communication.

The session wrapped up with a Q&A, and the panelists responded to questions from the Teamsters about worker safety, an inquiry about empty container management following the pandemic, and how future  negotiations with the EU will affect supply chains. 

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On Thursday, April 23rd, WITA co-hosted a webinar with Asia Society Policy Group on the current shortcomings of global supply chains, and how trade policy should respond post-COVID.

The event featured (in order of appearance):

• Wendy Cutler, Vice President and Managing Director of Washington D.C. Office, Asia Society Policy Institute
• Beth Baltzan, American Phoenix Trade Advisory Service and formerly with USTR and the House Ways & Means Committee
• Anabel Gonzalez, Nonresident Senior Fellow, Peterson Institute for International Economics and former Minister of Trade of Costa Rica
• Nicole Bivens Collinson, President, International Trade & Government Relations, Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg P.A.

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On Thursday, April 16, WITA co-hosted a webinar with the Asia Society Policy Institute on the impact COVID-19 has had on global medical supply chains and international trade.

The event featured (in order of appearance):

• Wendy Cutler, Vice President and Managing Director of Washington D.C. Office, Asia Society Policy Institute
• Ambassador Ashok Mirpuri, Singapore’s Ambassador to the United States
• Simon J. Evenett, Professor of International Trade and Economic Development, University of St. Gallen, Switzerland
• Ambassador Rufus Yerxa, President, National Foreign Trade Council

The post WITA Webinar: Beggar Thy Neighbor, Impacts of COVID-19 on Trade and Health Care Supply Chains appeared first on WITA.