Brian Lowry Archives

Asia-Pacific Interactive Tariff Database Launch

Published on January 31, 2011

The business community moves forward with initiative to make trade information in the Asia-Pacific region more widely available.

Washington, D.C., January 31, 2011 –The National Center for APEC (NCAPEC) and the United States Council for International Business (USCIB) are pleased to announce the official launch of the pilot phase of the Asia-Pacific Interactive Tariff Database.The Asia-Pacific Interactive Tariff Database provides business in the Asia-Pacific region with a tool to make cost-saving sourcing decisions based on up-to-date tariff information.

“This database will save Levi Strauss & Co. time and money by organizing information from many of our key trading partners in an easily searchable manner.  Access to accurate and up-to-date information allows us to remain competitive in the global business economy,” noted Laurie Goldman, senior manager of worldwide government affairs and public policy with Levi Strauss & Co.

In 2009 APEC economies agreed to make their customs and tariff information more transparent and available to the public. Members of the business community expressed interest in taking that important progress one step further by creating a robust trade database that would be fully searchable based on Harmonized System classification numbers.

This long-term initiative supported by NCAPEC and USCIB, aims to draw attention to the lack of publicly available information on tariffs and preferential rules of origin which have made it difficult for companies to take full advantage of the many free trade agreements negotiated in the Asia-Pacific region.

“The APEC economies account for 58 percent of all U.S. exports, while our direct investment in the region totals some $820 billion,” said USCIB Executive Vice President Ronnie Goldberg.  “As we seek to increase our competitiveness, create good-paying jobs at home and achieve President Obama’s goal of doubling U.S. exports within five years, companies will need access to new sources of information and market intelligence. This database is an important step in that direction.”

The pilot phase of the Asia-Pacific-wide tariff database is expected to test the concept of the database and obtain feedback and input from participating companies including 3M, Levi Strauss & Co. and Pfizer. The pilot will be active for a period of about six months and is expected to fully launch during the U.S. hosting of APEC in 2011.

“The Asia-Pacific Interactive Tariff Database will improve customs transparency, support export growth and make it easier for companies large and small to do business in the Asia-Pacific region.  It is a concrete example of the work being done in APEC to facilitate trade and to advance economic integration in this dynamic part of the world,” stated Monica Whaley, president of the National Center for APEC.

Integration Point, a global trade compliance solution provider, supplies the platform powering the Asia-Pacific Interactive Tariff Database. As part of the platform, the Integration Point Global Trade Content team maintains up-to-date tariff information such as applied tariff rates, rules of origin, preferential trade treatment and scheduled future tariff rates among other vital sourcing information.

If your company has interest in learning more about how to participate in the pilot phase of the Asia-Pacific Interactive Tariff Database, please contact the following staff at NCAPEC and/or USCIB:

Contacts:

Robert Fiddick, NCAPEC, Program Associate
206-441-9022 or rfiddick@ncapec.org

Justine Badimon, USCIB, Manager, Asia-Pacific, China and EU Affairs
212-703-5062 or jbadimon@uscib.org

 

About NCAPEC
NCAPEC is the only U.S. business association focused exclusively on facilitating American private sector input into the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) process. The National Center functions as a conduit for U.S. businesses into APEC by serving as the Secretariat for the three U.S. executives who are appointed members of the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC).

About USCIB
USCIB promotes open markets, competitiveness and innovation, sustainable development and corporate responsibility, supported by international engagement and prudent regulation.  Its members include top U.S.-based global companies and professional services firms.  With a global network encompassing leading international business organizations, USCIB provides business views to policy makers and regulatory authorities worldwide.

About Integration Point
A leading provider of global trade compliance solutions, Integration Point assists international companies by providing import and export visibility globally, delivering up-to-date global regulatory information and facilitating connectivity to supply chain partners and government agencies around the globe.

www.IntegrationPoint.com or 704-576-3678.

Global Challenges Face Consumer Products Manufacturers

Published on December 15, 2010

Helen Medina, USCIB’s director of life sciences and product policy, participated in the Consumer Specialty Products Association 7th Annual International Affairs Conference — Global Challenges, Trends and Outlook, December 4 and 5 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

The CSPA program covered three areas: a downstream user’s perspective on compliance with the European Union’s REACH program to regulate use of chemicals; new regional product stewardship and trade developments impacting market access in Latin America; and developments at the global level.

The later topic area covered multilateral discussions of the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals, environmental and product sustainability, and consumer product safety.  It included an in-depth panel discussion featuring Ms. Medina on global product strategy and product stewardship in the consumer products industry, and throughout the production chain.

Ms. Medina’s presentation demonstrated how international high-level discussions can impact chemical companies.  Chemicals – and more specifically chemicals in products, and how they can impact human health and the environment – are high on the international agenda, she said.  Although international negotiations may take years to conclude, eventually the outcomes of the talks make their way into national law and regulation.

Consumers, governments and NGOs are increasingly vigilant in requesting that companies disclose information concerning formulations, ingredients and chemicals used in products, Ms. Medina said.  She cited the UN’s SAICM (Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management) as just one of many ongoing discussions related to chemicals and emphasized the importance of becoming involved in the UN’s preparations for the Rio+ 20 conference, which takes place in 2012 and will mark the 20th anniversary of the watershed 1992 Rio Earth Summit.

The main themes of Rio + 20, said Ms. Medina, are the green economy and governance for sustainable development, both of which will undoubtedly touch upon how chemicals are managed. These discussions are extremely important because the conference’s expected final document will most likely be a political one, while possible outcomes range from potential treaty negotiating mandates to institutional changes to promote greater scrutiny of chemicals worldwide.  Additional expectations for business and other non-government actors are a given, she said.

The panel was moderated by John Phillips of Cardno ENTRIX.  Other panelists included Greg Skelton of the American Chemistry Council and Patricia Barone of Unilever.

Staff contact: Helen Medina

More on USCIB’s Product Policy Working Group

CEO Roundtable on APEC

Published on October 27, 2009

As part of the APEC Business Coalition, USCIB has the pleasure to extend an invitation for nominations of a member company CEO for the forthcoming State Department CEO Roundtable on APEC, which is scheduled for January 14, 2010.

The roundtable, to be hosted by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, presents an excellent opportunity to interface with 30 top U.S. company CEOs doing business in the APEC area, as well as top-level U.S. government officials.  The secretaries of the treasury, commerce, transportation, energy, and the U.S. trade representative have attended this roundtable in the past.

Please contact Justine Bareford (jbareford@uscib.org) if you would like to put forward your company’s CEO for consideration for this high-level APEC event.  Nominations must be received no later than November 20.

In other APEC news, this year’s APEC CEO Summit will be held November 12-14 in Singapore.  This event will be attended by the world’s top business leaders as well as leaders from many APEC countries.  President Barack Obama is expected to address delegates at the summit as part of his inaugural visit to Asia.  The two-day summit will focus on addressing the economic crisis and key global issues.

USCIB will be represented at the APEC CEO Summit by our consulting director for APEC affairs, Kimberly McLaughlin.

Staff contact: Justine Bareford

 

APEC Transparency Initiative on Tariffs and Preferential Rules of Origin

Published on October 1, 2009

USCIB’s Project to Support the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economies Transparency Initiative on Tariffs and Preferential Rules of Origin (APEC TITR)

With the proliferation of free trade agreements throughout the Asia-Pacific region, many companies find it increasingly difficult to take full advantage of lower trade barriers due to the lack of publicly available information on tariff rates and preferential rules of origin.  The purpose of the APEC TITR is to address this problem.  In that context, USCIB has proposed the creation of an APEC-wide database of customs information that would be accurate, up-to-date and easily accessible.  We believe that business support is critical to the realization of this objective, and USCIB’s project is designed to generate and demonstrate this support, notably at the next APEC Summit, which will take place this November in Singapore.

At the July 21-22, 2009 meetings in Singapore, APEC trade ministers recognized that the lack of publicly available, accurate, and up-to-date tariff and preferential rules of origin (ROOs) information in the APEC region makes it difficult for economies to take full advantage of the significant amount of trade liberalization that has occurred in the region in recent years. In order to ensure that business has access to basic information on tariffs and preferential ROOs, APEC trade ministers endorsed the APEC Transparency Initiative on Tariffs and ROOs (TITR), and have instructed officials to provide up-to-date and accurate tariff and ROOs information, in English, and in a prominent and central location on their respective economy websites, for public access by the APEC Trade Ministers meeting in 2010, and to develop the APEC Website on Tariff and ROOs (Web TR) by the 2010 APEC Ministers Meeting. They have instructed officials to explore ways to expand this initiative, including through the publication of additional customs-related information.

USCIB’s project supports this initiative and works to advocate to other APEC governments on the merits of the initiative, and to garner the support of other APEC business communities, while collaborating with key business association partners, such as the National Center for APEC (NCAPEC) and the U.S. ASEAN Business Council.  USCIB also supports and manages the activities for the informal steering group of U.S. business members supporting this initiative and exploring ways to expand this initiative.

For more information, please contact: Kimberly McLaughlin, USCIB’s Consulting Director for APEC Affairs, 917-913-1254, kmclaughlin@uscib.org.

Informal business steering group members:

Laurie Goldman, Senior Manager, Worldwide Government Affairs and Public Policy, Levi Strauss

James Min, Vice President International Trade Affairs and Compliance, DHL

Tony Barone, Director Global Logistics Policy, Pfizer Inc.

Alex Parle, Vice President ABAC Relations, NCAPEC

Martin Hutagalung, Regional Director and Manager, US ASEAN Business Council

 

Related Documents

 

Meetings

  • June 17, 2009 in Washington, DC.
  • September 30, 2009 in Washington, DC.
  • November 12, 2009 in Singapore (tbc).  For more information contact Kim McLaughlin at kmclaughlin@uscib.org

 

Related Meetings and Links:

APEC CEO Summit 2009 Nov 12-14, 2009 in Singapore http://www.apec2009.sg/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=100&catid=38

 

Recent USCIB International Affiliates Engagement with APEC

ICC urges expanding the ATA Carnet System to all APEC countries http://www.iccwbo.org/iccdccci/index.html

 

 

 

Business Makes an Impact at Commission on Sustainable Development

Published on May 27, 2009
(Photo: United Nations)
(Photo: United Nations)

On May 15, the 17th Session of the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) concluded two years of negotiations on how to drive forward implementation of Rio and Johannesburg summit commitments in six major development areas – agriculture, land, water, rural development, drought, and Africa.  The two-week summit, which included a high-level session, agreed a set of priorities to expedite the implementation of sustainability measures in the cluster of land and agriculture issues.

USCIB and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) served as the primary business representatives at the CSD, working with the International Agrifood Network, Croplife International and the International Fertilizer Association.  The CSD recognizes nine “major groups,” or important sectors of society, which are expected to contribute their experiences in implementing Agenda 21 and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation, and in identifying future areas for partnership and strengthened implementation.  ICC represents the “business and industry” major group, and has official status in the CSD’s activities.

Business engagement in the CSD session – which was attended by representatives of over 60 governments and numerous non-governmental organizations – emphasized the stake and contribution of a broad range of industries that are concerned in the food value and supply chain, as well as in other promising areas, such as biotechnology, energy and sustainable chemistry.  Business representatives underscored the importance of flexibility to reflect national circumstances, integrated policies that reflect risk assessment and management, sound science and economics.

“We were able to draw attention to the need for a strengthened focus on capacity-building and information-based approaches,” said Helen Medina, USCIB’s director of agriculture, health care and biotechnology.  “One critical element of that is to ensure that intellectual property rights are protected and strengthened.  This year’s CSD deliberations made good progress in providing momentum to international cooperation to address the food crisis, and to advance emerging technologies in other agricultural areas, such as bio-energy and biotechnology.”

The draft text included references to trade, technology, climate change, biodiversity, and the right to food.  Throughout the week, USCIB and ICC met with several with government officials and intergovernmental authorities to stress the importance of advancing measures to accelerate economic recovery and address trade, IPR and biodiversity in their primary forums, such as the World Trade Organization, the World International Property Organization and UN Convention on Biological Diversity.

A copy of the full CSD conclusions text, the ICC discussion Paper on CSD-17 and all Business and Industry interventions can be found on ICC’s website at www.iccwbo.org/policy/environment/id1465/index.html.

Staff contacts: Helen Medina and Norine Kennedy

More on the International Chamber of Commerce

More on USCIB’s Food and Agriculture Working Group

More on USCIB’s Environment Committee

UN Commission on Sustainable Development website

Flu Pandemic Resources

Published on May 16, 2009
Negative stain EM image of the swine influenza A/CA/4/09 (Photo: CDC)
Negative stain EM image of the swine influenza A/CA/4/09 (Photo: CDC)

Following are helpful links to resources from key public authorities, USCIB member organizations and our global network on the ongoing H1N1 flu (swine flu) pandemic.

For information on USCIB’s Health Care Working Group, please contact Helen Medina (hmedina@uscib.org).

World Health Organization:

– H1N1 updates

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

– H1N1 flu page

International Organization of Employers:

– IOE Information to Members on the Current Swine

Influenza A (H1n1) Developments (May 1, 2009)

Baker & McKenzie:

– Employer Response to Pandemic Flu Warnings (April 2009)

– Canada Employer Alert on “Swine Flu” (April 2009)

Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP: –Fragomen Global Update on Swine Flu Responses Worldwide (May 5, 2009)

–Fragomen Global Update on Swine Flu Responses in China (May 8, 2009)

Google

-Google Flu Trends (May 2009): http://www.google.org/flutrends

More on USCIB’s Health Care Working Group

UN Talks on Global Chemicals Database May Impact Broad Swaths of Industry

Published on March 3, 2009

UNEPKimberly McLaughlin, USCIB’s director of product policy, nanotechnology, China, EU, and APEC affairs, recently represented American business in Geneva at a UN Environment Program informal workshop on a proposed global database of chemicals used in articles and products worldwide.  At this gathering of over 100 government, academic and NGO participants, Ms. McLaughlin underscored U.S. business concerns that confidential business information be protected and provided insight into managing the scope of this proposed project, highlighting the diversity and complexity of information across business sectors.

The scope of a chemicals database – which was first proposed last year by the EU, Japan and the Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety as an emerging issue to be addressed in the UN’s Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) process – will be negotiated at the upcoming second session of the International Conference on Chemicals Management, in Geneva May 11 to 15.  USCIB will lead a business delegation, encompassing particularly those downstream chemical users who can be greatly affected by discussions of global chemicals policy.

Sweden has taken the lead in the development of the issue, co-chairing the informal workshop in Geneva, as well as providing a representative to act as the facilitator in the preparation of conference documents to which USCIB has recently submitted comments (available on our product policy resource page, under “recent accomplishments”).  This round of comments on the draft conference documents is expected to close by March 9.

At the Geneva workshop, many NGOs and governments raised the issue of exposure of chemicals from articles and products that are found in computers, textiles, toys and jewelry as well as the problem with the recovery of chemicals from products in waste management.  There were calls for an international harmonized database of chemicals in articles and products throughout the supply chain and extended producer responsibility.  Several participants at the workshop called for an international binding instrument that would lead to a compulsory database of chemicals information in articles all through the supply chain with the hope towards substitution and alternatives.  USCIB is concerned that, if these calls and proposals were to be implemented, there would be a significant impact on companies across numerous industries, regardless of size and nationality.

USCIB is seeking to raise awareness of this issue among its members and global business partners.  Many companies and industries already invest heavily in infrastructure to provide information about the use and exposure of potentially hazardous substances in their products.  These companies and industries also invest significant time and effort in establishing, maintaining and improving product end-of-life recycling and management programs.  USCIB believes it would be valuable to use these experiences as a basis for consideration of additional work, and provide a strong business voice to these ongoing negotiations and future mandate of this project.

Those wishing to learn more should contact Kimberly McLaughlin at kmclaughlin@uscib.org.  The next USCIB Product Policy Working Group meeting is scheduled for March 9 in Washington, D.C., where members will discuss next steps and USCIB engagement in this process.  Members should contact Justine Bareford at jbareford@uscib.org to register.

Staff contact: Helen Medina

More on USCIB’s Product Policy Working Group

SAICM negotiations website

In Davos, USCIB Chairman Unveils Clean Water Initiative

Published on January 26, 2007
USCIB Chairman William J. Parrett of Deloitte (right) with Kurt Soderlund of the Safe Water Network.
USCIB Chairman William J. Parrett of Deloitte (right) with Kurt Soderlund of the Safe Water Network.

At this week’s World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, USCIB Chairman William J. Parrett, chief executive officer of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, announced a joint project between his firm and the Safe Water Network to develop small-scale, community-based solutions to bring safe water to neglected populations.

The 12-month program will target several countries and regions – potentially including Bangladesh, China, India, Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America – where distributed water purification technology solutions are expected to improve community access to clean drinking water.

Mr. Parrett and Kurt Soderlund, the Safe Water Network’s chief operating officer, said the objectives of the program for the next 12 months include:

  • Empowering local communities to improve their living conditions through the deployment of distributed water purification technology
  • Demonstrating alternative models to deploy water purification solutions, including micro-enterprise programs that establish local water entrepreneurs, and social investment programs such as supplying water purification to local health clinics
  • Developing plans that support broad scale deployment of solutions to materially improve the health and living conditions for the millions afflicted by water-borne illnesses.

“Many communities face severe water shortages that hinder their development,” Mr. Parrett said.  “Deloitte member firms are proud to work with the Safe Water Network to help bring what we see as practical solutions to local communities.  The Deloitte network of member firms, including approximately 135,000 people in nearly 140 countries, can bring knowledge and expertise to define local needs, and help deliver technology and other solutions to deliver clean water.”

Nearly 1.1 billion people do not have access to safe drinking water, and 90 percent of deaths from water-related diseases in the developing world today occur in children under five years of age.  “In different ways, at different ages, access to adequate water and sanitation services influences everybody’s health, education, life expectancy, well-being and social development,” noted Mr. Parrett.  “Water is fundamental to human life, community development, and long-term sustainability.”

More on USCIB’s Health Care Working Group

More on USCIB’s Environment Committee

Deloitte website

U.S. Business Urges Revision of European Chemicals Guidelines

Published on September 13, 2006
Proposed EU chemicals legislation could impact downstream users as well as importers.
Proposed EU chemicals legislation could impact downstream users as well as importers.

New York, N.Y., September 13, 2006 – The United States Council for International Business, which represents America’s top global companies, has voiced concern to European Union authorities over proposed implementation guidelines for EU legislation, known as REACH, to regulate over 30,000 chemicals and products made from them.

REACH, which stands for “registration, evaluation, and authorization of chemicals,” is slated to undergo its second reading in the European parliament this fall. As currently drafted, the proposed legislation would affect downstream users and importers as well as chemical manufacturers.

USCIB submitted comments on a draft REACH implementation project or (known as RIP 3.8) that sets out guidance for manufacturers in the implementation of the draft chemicals legislation. It said its comments aimed to help contribute to the workability of rules laying out the obligations under REACH for industries that use chemicals in the manufacture of their products.

“The workability and proportionality of REACH has been raised as a top priority by both the European Commission and Council,” said Andrea Fava, USCIB’s manager of environmental affairs. “However, we are concerned that these guidelines are neither workable nor proportionate.”

USCIB recommended the revision of the proposed guidelines, saying its members are concerned about the workability of the draft from both the compliance and enforcement perspectives. USCIB has also expressed concern that the guidelines go beyond the scope of the draft chemicals legislation.

“We urge that further input be considered and that the guidance for articles be revised to ensure it is consistent with the intent of the draft REACH legislation,” said the USCIB statement.

In 2003 and 2004, USCIB submitted comments to the European Commission on the economic and environmental impact of the REACH proposal. Since then the EU has undertaken an extensive revision of the proposed legislation and is now pushing to finalize REACH in the near future.

USCIB promotes an open system of global commerce in which business can flourish and contribute to economic growth, human welfare and protection of the environment. Its membership includes some 300 leading U.S. companies, professional services firms and associations whose combined annual revenues exceed $3 trillion. As American affiliate of the leading international business and employers organizations, USCIB provides business views to policy makers and regulatory authorities worldwide and works to facilitate international trade.

Contact:
Helen Medina
(212) 703-5047 or hmedina@uscib.org

USCIB comments on on REACH Implementation Project 3.8

More on USCIB’s Environmental Committee