USCIB Hosts Press Briefing With ICC Leadership

At USCIB’s Board of Directors meeting in Washington, D.C. (L-R): USCIB Vice Chair Dennis Nally (PricewaterhouseCoopers), USCIB Chairman Terry McGraw (McGraw Hill Financial), USCIB President Peter Robinson, ICC Secretary General John Danilovich and BIAC Secretary General Bernhard Welschke. McGraw and Danilovich briefed the media on developments in the G20 and WTO later in the week.
At USCIB’s Board of Directors meeting in Washington, D.C. (L-R): USCIB Vice Chair Dennis Nally (PricewaterhouseCoopers), USCIB Chairman Terry McGraw (McGraw Hill Financial) [now S&P Global], USCIB President Peter Robinson, ICC Secretary General John Danilovich and BIAC Secretary General Bernhard Welschke. McGraw and Danilovich briefed the media on developments in the G20 and WTO later in the week.
On November 21, USCIB’s Washington, D.C. office was the site of a timely media briefing with leaders of the International Chamber of Commerce, who reviewed progress at the recently concluded G20 Summit in Brisbane, Australia as well as the breakthrough on the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement.

ICC Chairman Terry McGraw (who also serves as USCIB’s chairman) and ICC Secretary General John Danilovich spoke about their participation in the Brisbane summit and the process, via the B20 initiative, for ongoing private-sector input to the G20 as its presidency moves to Turkey for 2015.

Joined by USCIB Senior Vice President Rob Mulligan, McGraw and Danilovich also offered business views on the U.S. and global trade agendas, which have newfound wind in their sails in light of recent breakthroughs in the WTO.

As reported by Bloomberg BNA, Danilovich called this period a “timely moment, a pedal to the metal moment,” now that a number of trade-related issues are moving forward, including negotiations on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) and the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). McGraw predicted that negotiations on the TPP would successfully conclude within two months.

Earlier in the week, McGraw chaired meetings of USCIB’s Board of Directors and ICC’s Executive Board. The meetings were timed to coincide with USCIB’s 2014 International Leadership Award Dinner, which honored WTO Director General Roberto Azevedo for his work to seal the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement and advance the multilateral trade agenda.

Staff contact: Jonathan Huneke

USCIB Press Center

International Chamber of Commerce Leaders Paint Rosy Picture for U.S. Trade Agenda

USCIB’s Washington, D.C. office was the site of a timely media briefing with leaders of the International Chamber of Commerce, who reviewed progress on the U.S. Trade Agenda. ICC Secretary General John Danilovich is quoted in an article by Bloomberg BNA.

International Chamber of Commerce Leaders Paint Rosy Picture for U.S. Trade Agenda 

New Speaker Announcement International Leadership Award Dinner

Annual Dinner 2014

2014 USCIB INTERNATIONAL LEADERSHIP AWARD DINNER

Honoring Roberto Azevêdo
Director General
World Trade Organization

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT:

Ambassador FromanAmbassador Michael Froman

United States Trade Representative

We are pleased to announce that Ambassador Michael Froman will give remarks at our 2014 International Leadership Award Dinner.

As U.S. Trade Representative, Ambassador Froman is President Obama’s principal advisor, chief negotiator and representative on international trade and investment issues. He leads the Office of the United States Trade Representative in its work to open global markets for U.S. goods and services, unlock opportunities for Americans, enforce America’s rights in the global trading system and foster development through trade.

Last year was a watershed moment for global trade, as World Trade Organization members concluded a long-awaited global agreement on trade facilitation at their Bali Ministerial. While the agreement has run into roadblocks, global business continues to press for its swift implementation. Join USCIB members and friends as we honor the primary architect of the agreement, WTO Director General Roberto Azevêdo, at our 2014 International Leadership Award Dinner, held for the first time in our nation’s capital.

We hope you will join us on November 19, 2014 at the Four Seasons in Washington, D.C. for a truly memorable evening.

For reservations, please contact Jessica Berti (jberti@uscib.org).

World Trade Back on Track – USCIB applauds breakthrough on implementation of WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement

President Obama with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the White House in September (White House photo)
President Obama with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the White House in September (White House photo)

New York, N.Y., November 13, 2014 – The United States Council for International Business (USCIB) hailed today’s announcement by the United States and India of a breakthrough to end the impasse over implementation of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA).

“This is very welcome news and paves the way to bring the landmark TFA deal into effect,” said USCIB President and CEO Peter Robinson. “It will provide a big boost to the U.S. and global economies at a critical time. Coupled with the announcement this week of an agreement with China to move forward on expanding the WTO’s Information Technology Agreement, this demonstrates the continued importance of multilateral trade liberalization in the 21st-century global economy.”

Robinson added: “We especially commend U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman and his team for their extraordinary, tireless efforts to find a solution to this frustrating deadlock. This agreement shows again the unique power of American leadership to find creative solutions to some of the toughest problems facing the world today.”

USCIB has pushed hard for resolution of the impasse, which arose in July when India blocked implementation of the TFA in a dispute over its food security measures. It has also worked closely with the International Chamber of Commerce, the world business organization for which USCIB serves as the American national committee, to get the TFA back on track.

ICC Secretary General John Danilovich added: “Coming on the eve of the G20 Summit in Brisbane, Australia, this breakthrough is not only welcome but extremely timely, laying the foundation for G20 leaders to forge ahead with a robust agenda for global growth and job creation.”

USCIB will honor WTO Director General Roberto Azevêdo at its International Leadership Award Dinner on November 19 in Washington, D.C. Ambassador Froman is scheduled to address the dinner.

Under the Trade Facilitation Agreement, which was concluded at last December’s WTO ministerial in Bali, Indonesia. WTO members commit to remove administrative and customs-related barriers to trade, in order to speed shipment of goods across borders. Once implemented, the TFA is expected to spur global economic growth and create some 21 million new jobs – 18 million in developing countries – while adding $1 trillion to global GDP.

Robinson said the business community was committed to helping developing countries implement the TFA. USCIB and ICC plan to hold a joint symposium on customs and trade facilitation this February in Miami.

About USCIB:

USCIB promotes open markets, competitiveness and innovation, sustainable development and corporate responsibility, supported by international engagement and regulatory coherence. Its members include U.S.-based global companies and professional services firms from every sector of our economy, with operations in every region of the world. With a unique global network encompassing leading international business organizations, including ICC, USCIB provides business views to policy makers and regulatory authorities worldwide, and works to facilitate international trade and investment. More at www.uscib.org.

Contacts:
Jonathan Huneke, USCIB
+1 212.703.5043, jhuneke@uscib.org

More on USCIB’s Trade and Investment Committee

More on USCIB’s Customs and Trade Facilitation Committee

USCIB Issues Policy Pillars on Foreign Direct Investment

4878_image001New York, N.Y., November 10, 2014 – Foreign direct investment (FDI) is a prime motor of the global economy, boosting job growth and incomes in both home and host countries. What’s more, policy makers increasingly identify FDI as a critical element in financing and delivering innovative solutions to shared global challenges, such as climate change and sustainable development.

In many ongoing trade and investment negotiations as well as other global forums, however, sensible policies to promote cross-border investment are increasingly under broad, politicized attack. To help set the record straight, the United States Council for International Business (USCIB) has issued new “Policy Pillars on Foreign Direct Investment.”

“The time is right for a refresher course on the benefits of FDI,” stated USCIB President and CEO Peter Robinson. “Our members share a fundamental belief in the importance of cross-border trade and investment as engines of growth and human betterment. Yet many fundamental tools to boost FDI are poorly understood or under assault.”

The nine-point USCIB paper, developed under the auspices of the Council’s Trade and Investment committee, presents essential lessons and reminders to policy makers, including:

  • Clear, well-implemented government policies, and strong investment agreements, are essential to attract and retain high-quality FDI.
  • Bilateral investment treaties must protect investments, open up host economies for foreign investment and provide effective rules to settle investment disputes.
  • State-owned enterprises present a range of challenges to home and host countries in crafting effective FDI policies.
  • Governments should provide effective support for both inbound and outbound FDI.
  • National security concerns surrounding specific investments must be dealt with in a clear, limited and non-discriminatory manner.

“Governments and the international community must take positive steps in order to promote and secure high-quality FDI,” said Robinson. “It is increasingly apparent that, in the 21st century, investment is a crucial component not just for the competitiveness of companies, or even of national economies, but for our global society as a whole as we confront a wide range of shared challenges.”

Release of the USCIB Policy Pillars follows participation by Robinson and Shaun Donnelly, USCIB’s vice president for investment policy, in last month’s UNCTAD World Investment Forum in Geneva, as well as a well-attended USCIB/OECD conference last week in Washington, D.C. on new directions in trade and investment policies. It also comes as USCIB is actively presenting the views of business in the UN climate change negotiations and the ongoing elaboration of new UN Sustainable Development Goals.

About USCIB:

USCIB promotes open markets, competitiveness and innovation, sustainable development and corporate responsibility, supported by international engagement and regulatory coherence. Its members include U.S.-based global companies and professional services firms from every sector of our economy, with operations in every region of the world. With a unique global network encompassing leading international business organizations, USCIB provides business views to policy makers and regulatory authorities worldwide, and works to facilitate international trade and investment. More at www.uscib.org.
Contact:

Jonathan Huneke, USCIB
+1 212.703.5043, jhuneke@uscib.org

More on USCIB’s Trade and Investment Committee

USCIB Award Gala Comes to Washington DC

WTO Director General Roberto Azevêdo
WTO Director General Roberto Azevêdo

New York, N.Y., November 6, 2014 – The United States Council for International Business (USCIB), the New York-based group representing America’s leading global companies that works to promote cross-border trade and investment, will celebrate its annual International Leadership Award Dinner gala in the nation’s capital for the first time. The November 19 event, at the Four Seasons Hotel, will honor Roberto Azevêdo, director general of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Azevêdo, a Brazilian career diplomat who took over as head of the WTO in 2013, is the 35th recipient – and the first from the public sector – of the USCIB award, which recognizes vision, international success and excellence in leadership in individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to improving the global framework in which business operates. The event comes as WTO members seek to implement a landmark Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA), agreed at last December’s WTO in Bali, to remove administrative barriers to cross-border trade.

“Roberto Azevêdo has shown vision, courage and tremendous leadership in shepherding the TFA and the rest of the Bali package through to completion,” said USCIB President and CEO Peter Robinson. “The business community is pushing hard for their swift implementation, and the presentation of this award signifies our strong commitment to this goal as well as our appreciation for a job well done.”

The International Leadership Award was presented most recently to Fred Smith of Fedex and Andrew Liveris of Dow Chemical. The annual USCIB award gala draws hundreds of business leaders and dignitaries from government and diplomatic circles. This is the first time in the 35-year history of the event that it has been held outside New York City.

Among those attending this year’s event will be members of executive board of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the world business organization for which USCIB serves as the American national committee. Both USCIB and ICC are currently chaired by Terry McGraw, chairman of McGraw Hill Financial [now S&P Global], who will serve as master of ceremonies for the gala. More information on the event is available at www.uscibgala.com.

USCIB promotes open markets, competitiveness and innovation, sustainable development and corporate responsibility, supported by international engagement and regulatory coherence. Its members include top U.S.-based global companies and professional services firms. With a unique global network encompassing leading international business and employers groups, including ICC, USCIB provides business views to policy makers and regulatory authorities worldwide, and works to facilitate international trade and investment. More at www.uscib.org.

Contact:

Jonathan Huneke, VP Communications, USCIB

(212) 703-5043 or jhuneke@uscib.org

 

More on USCIB’s International Leadership Award Dinner

Private Sector Can Boost Growth in Landlocked Developing Countries – Senior UN Official

Private sector engagement is key to accelerating development in the world’s 32 landlocked developing countries (LLDCs), said delegates at the Second United Nations Conference on LLDCs. This article from All Africa quotes Louise Kantrow, ICC’s permanent representative to the UN.

Private Sector Can Boost Growth in Landlocked Developing Countries – Senior UN Official