Kira Yevtukhova Archives

International Chamber of Commerce Reelects Senior Leadership

Published on June 21, 2011
The ICC World Council met this month in Mexico to elect leaders of the world business organization: Gerard Worms (left), ICC chairman, and Harold McGraw III, ICC vice chairman.
The ICC World Council met this month in Mexico to elect leaders of the world business organization: Gerard Worms (left), ICC chairman, and Harold McGraw III, ICC vice chairman.

USCIB’s affiliate the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) has re-appointed Gerard Worms as chairman for a two-year term starting July 1, with ICC Vice ChairmanHarold McGraw III, set to succeed him in 2013.  Mr. McGraw, the chairman, president and CEO of The McGraw-Hill Companies, currently serves as chairman of USCIB.

The ICC World Council made the decision in a meeting following the 7th World Chambers Congress, June 8-10 in Mexico City. ICC Honorary Chairman Victor K. Fung has also been re-appointed for a further one-year term.

More than 70 business members of the ICC World Council – the organization’s main governing body – met to elect the new leaders as well as two new members of ICC’s Executive Board: Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassim bin Mohammad Al-Thani of Qatar and Pedro Aspe
of Mexico.

Read more on ICC’s website.

Business Welcomes Effort to Ease Business Travel in AsiaPacific

Published on May 26, 2011

New York, N.Y., May 26, 2011 – The United States Council for International Business (USCIB), which represents American top companies in leading global forums, issued the following statement today:

USCIB welcomes the introduction of the APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) Act in the U.S. House of Representatives and urges its passage as soon as is practicable. USCIB applauds Representatives Kevin Brady (R-Tex.), Rick Larsen (D-Wash.), Wally Herger (R-Ca.), Joseph Crowley (D-N.Y.) and Dan Lundgren (R-Ca.), for their continued sponsorship of the ABTC.

The Asia-Pacific encompasses the world’s most dynamic and fastest growing region. Its markets are critical to maintaining U.S. competiveness and achieving President Obama’s National Export Initiative goals, and ease of travel is important to businesses wishing to engage in those markets.

Eighteen of the 21 APEC governments already issue the ABTC, giving their frequent business travelers a significant advantage through the ease of shorter immigration lines, visa-free access to some countries and expedited review of visa applications in all participating APEC economies. Without the ABTC, U.S. passport holders are at a disadvantage in entering these countries.

The U.S. is the official host of the APEC meetings in 2011. Passage of the ABTC would be both a welcome symbolic gesture and, even more importantly, a practical commitment both to APEC and to the U.S. business community. Congress should take this opportunity to pass the ABTC Act.

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 from every sector of our economy, with operations in every region of the world. With a unique global network encompassing the International Chamber of Commerce, the International Organization of Employers and the Business and Industry Advisory Committee to the OECD, USCIB provides business views to policy makers and regulatory authorities worldwide, and works to facilitate international trade and investment. More at www.uscib.org.

 

Business Calls on OECD to Promote Updated Guidelines for MNEs in NonAdhering Countries

Published on May 25, 2011

“Convergence of corporate social responsibility standards between countries adhering, and those not adhering, to the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises must be reached in order to create a true level playing field in the markets where multinational companies operate,” said Mr. Winand Quaedvlieg, chairman of the International Investment and MNE Committee at USCIB’s affiliate BIAC, the Business and Industry Advisory Committee to the OECD.

Speaking on the occasion of the 2011 OECD Ministerial Council Meeting, Mr. Quaedvlieg highlighted the OECD business community’s views on ministers’ adoption of the update of the OECD Guidelines. BIAC has been actively involved in the discussions since the beginning of the update. Many different stakeholder views have been expressed, and the final text represents a balanced outcome that BIAC can accept.

“The updated Guidelines introduce substantial new provisions in certain areas such as human rights, due diligence, and supply chains” said Mr. Quaedvlieg. “However, the nature of the Guidelines remain unchanged, namely, that they are voluntary recommendations from governments to companies,

“Naturally, it will take time and effort for companies to become familiar with all of the complexities the updated Guidelines, and then to implement them, but the business organizations in BIAC are committed to fulfilling our role in supporting this implementation process. The OECD needs to do its part by working closely with governments in order to promote in non-adhering countries the introduction of CSR standards comparable to the Guidelines.”

On this occasion, BIAC also issued a statement detailing its views on the updated Guidelines, available here.

Global Economic Climate Brightens Again, ICC/Ifo Survey Reveals

Published on May 18, 2011

The global economic climate is at its brightest since 2007, but there may be trouble ahead, according to the latest quarterly World Economic Survey by USCIB affiliate the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the Munich-based Ifo Institute for Economic Research.

Topping last quarter’s four-year high, the ICC/Ifo world climate indicator reached 107.7 points in April, far above its 1995-2010 average of 96.9. The figure, based on a survey of over 1,000 economists in 120 countries, combines respondents’ increasingly positive appraisals of their countries’ economic situation with their outlook for the next six months, which has dipped slightly while remaining confident.

Despite its overall optimism, the report highlights marked regional variations, and factors that could upset further global economic recovery in the next six months. Public budget deficits were top on the experts’ list of urgent problems, ahead of high inflation and unemployment.

ICC Secretary General Jean-Guy Carrier said: “The ICC/Ifo findings are an encouraging sign that the global economy is still recovering. But they also show growing anxiety about public deficits that have built up since the financial crisis. And if governments struggling to reduce their debts resort to increasing protectionism – there’s a real danger that further global economic recovery could stall. Governments must work together and encourage a multilateral trading system that can allow the global economy to continue regaining strength.”

Click here to read more on ICC’s website.

View graphs of the WES Ifo Survey

Download the full WES Ifo report

ATA video

Published on May 6, 2011

4025_image002CNN news article Lisbon in Fast Forward

A day in the life of the CNN crew using an ATA Carnet to clear Portugal Customs to cover the president’s NATO trip. The news crew, the Carnet and the President all fly on Air Force One.

ATA Carnet – The Passport for Goods

Ad promoting the ATA Carnet, the “passport for goods” issued and guaranteed by USCIB that permits temporary duty-free, tax-free entry of goods for trade shows, professional equipment and other merchandise.

China Embraces Self-Regulation of Marketing

Published on April 14, 2011
USCIB’s Justine Badimon and Chris Martin (second and fourth from left) and Microsoft’s Brent Sanders, Marketing Committee Chair (fifth from left) with members of the China Advertising Association at a 2010 meeting to promote self-regulation.
USCIB’s Justine Badimon and Chris Martin (second and fourth from left) and Microsoft’s Brent Sanders, Marketing Committee Chair (fifth from left) with members of the China Advertising Association at a 2010 meeting to promote self-regulation.

For many years, while the state in China is the key purveyor of law and regulation, the Chinese private sector often works on its own to enforce norms and expectations of government. So it is quite interesting to note that China has embraced self-regulation in the marketing and advertising sector.

In April, as part of the first Global Advertising Week to be held in Beijing in the event’s 58-year history, the China Association of National Advertisers, the China Advertising Association and the China Advertising Association of Commerce jointly adopted the first set of ethical standards for the entire marketing industry in China.

The China Responsible Marketing Code was developed by the three ad industry associations in close consultation with the World Federation of Advertisers, and multinational and Chinese companies. The Code is built on the global advertising code from the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), USCIB’s affiliate. The ICC code serves as baseline model for other countries, requiring that all marketing and advertising communications be legal, decent, honest and truthful. Brands must apply established principles of fair competition and recognize the special care required in marketing to children and young people. The Chinese Code also includes provisions for medical, health product, food, alcohol and cosmetics advertising.

“U.S. business strongly supports Chinese efforts to develop an advertising self-regulatory system,” said Brent Sanders, chair of USCIB’s Marketing & Advertising Committee and associate general counsel at Microsoft. “Building its code on global industry best practices set by ICC is a significant development in bringing the Chinese advertising market into greater coordination with the rest of the world. Furthermore, self-regulation enhances trust between businesses and customers, a vital concern for industry as Chinese consumer demand continues to grow.”

China is forecast to surpass Germany next year as the world’s third-largest advertising market.

USCIB actively contributes to promoting advertising and marketing self-regulation around the world. Currently, USCIB’s Marketing & Advertising Committee is in the final stages of helping to update the ICC’s most recent marketing code. Key new provisions include transparency and control principles around online behavioral advertising for the first time at the global level. Once approved, the ICC’s global standards can then be taken up by regional and national self-regulatory frameworks, as in the case of China and elsewhere.

“The new Chinese Code is not only an opportunity for industry to demonstrate its commitment to ethical marketing practice, it will assist industry to engage the Chinese government as it updates and revises its current advertising laws, a process that has been ongoing,” said Mr. Sanders. “All self-regulatory frameworks build on core laws and regulation.”

Stephan Loerke, WFA Managing Director, adds “I congratulate the Chinese marketing industry on this important step. In a successful consumer-led economy, trust in brand communications is critical. This code is a significant first step towards establishing effective advertising standards in China.”

Self-regulation in marketing and advertising, whether in China or elsewhere in the world, is less about government versus industry than about finding ways to ensure principled commerce. Building trust between consumers and business is clearly on China’s agenda, and that is a good thing.

Staff contact: Jonathan Huneke

More on USCIB’s Marketing and Advertising Committee

USCIB Applauds Progress on Colombia Trade Agreement

Published on April 6, 2011

New York, N.Y., April 6, 2011 – The United States Council for International Business (USCIB), which represents America’s top global companies, welcomed today’s announcement of major progress to finalize the U.S.-Colombia free trade agreement.  It urged swift consideration of the market-opening deal by Congress.

“We commend the Obama administration for making completion of this agreement a top priority,” stated USCIB President and CEO Peter M. Robinson.  “From the business perspective, this agreement will level the playing field, since many Colombian products already enter the U.S. duty-free.  We also believe that the U.S. has a compelling foreign policy interest in supporting a democratic ally like Colombia through enhanced economic ties.”

Once the agreement is ratified, 80 percent of U.S. exports of consumer and industrial products to Colombia would become duty-free, with the remaining tariffs phased out over the next 10 years.  More than half of U.S. agriculture exports to Colombia would also become duty-free, with almost all tariffs eliminated within 15 years.

Mr. Robinson said he was gratified that the agreement’s labor provisions are based on the May 2007 bipartisan trade deal that incorporates the International Labor Organization’s 1998 Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, which was developed at the initiative of USCIB and the other business constituents of the ILO.

“Colombia has clearly demonstrated its willingness to work with the ILO to meet its international commitments,” he stated.  “We encourage the United States to support the role of the ILO to help its member states realize the principles of the ILO Declaration in their national laws.”

Mr. Robinson said USCIB strongly supports ratification of the Colombia, Korea and Panama FTAs, as well as completion of the WTO’s Doha Round and other market-opening initiatives.

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 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 information is available at www.uscib.org.

Contact:

Jonathan Huneke, USCIB

+1 212.703.5043 (office), +1 917.420.0039 (mobile), jhuneke@uscib.org

More on USCIB’s Trade and Investment Committee

ICC Elects New Chairman

Published on March 16, 2011
Gerard Worms
Gerard Worms

The International Chamber of Commerce, USCIB’s affiliate, announced that Gerard Worms, vice chairman of Rothschild Europe and chairman of ICC France, has been named chairman of ICC, succeeding Rajat Gupta, who has requested that his membership on ICC’s Executive Board be suspended.

Having chaired ICC France for the past three years, Mr. Worms brings strong business credentials and excellent contacts with major governments, including in his home country, which will host this year’s G20 Summit.  He is former chairman and CEO of Suez Group, and a commander of the French Legion of Honor.  Mr. Worms has also served as chairman of Banque Indosuez and the insurance group Victoire.

ICC website

ICC-Ifo Survey: Global Economic Climate at Four-Year High

Published on February 16, 2011
More than three-quarters of the economists surveyed agreed that currency wars are a signal of looming protectionist measures.
More than three-quarters of the economists surveyed agreed that currency wars are a signal of looming protectionist measures.

A key world economic confidence measure has reached its highest level since 2007, indicating that economic activity overall is picking up.  This according to the quarterly World Economic Survey, from USCIB affiliate the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the Munich-based Ifo Institute for Economic Research.

The world economic climate indicator rose significantly, after a slight decline in the fourth quarter of 2010, and is now above its long-term average. It rose based on assessments from 1,117 experts in 119 countries who responded to the survey questions on both the current situation, as well as the six-month outlook.

Growth was more broadly distributed in the first quarter of 2011 than in the previous year, according to the survey, while protectionism emerged as a growing concern for experts in light of the threat of currency wars.

“These results are very promising because they point to the type of wide-reaching growth that in the long run leads to sustainable development,” according to ICC Secretary General Jean-Guy Carrier. “However, the threat of greater protectionism worldwide is worrying and remains a very real threat to blocking this growth.”

The indicator reached 106.8, measuring significantly above its long-term average of 96.9, calculated between 1991 and 2010. The global economic outlook was less fuelled by the BRIC countries − Brazil, Russia, India and China, where forecasts are now more moderate − and to a larger extent by encouraging signs from North America.

In the United States, exports, capital expenditures and private consumption were expected to grow, according to the survey’s respondents. These results indicate that the recovery in the U.S. is gaining momentum and that a so-called “double-dip”, or renewed economic downturn, is not likely.

Click here for the full press release on the ICC-Ifo survey and accompanying charts.

More on the International Chamber of Commerce

Ambassador David Gross to Spearhead Global Business Groups Internet Policy Work

Published on February 15, 2011
David Gross
David Gross

New York, N.Y., February 15, 2011 – Ambassador David Gross, the former top State Department official on international communications policy, has been tapped to lead the development and delivery of business views on information technology and Internet policy developments worldwide, according to the United States Council for International Business (USCIB), a top pro-trade group.  Mr. Gross, a partner at the law firm Wiley Rein, has been named the new chair of USCIB’s Information, Communications and Technology Committee.  He succeeds Arthur Reilly, who has retired from Cisco Systems, Inc.

 “We are delighted to have someone of David’s stature leading our work in this area,” said USCIB President and CEO Peter M. Robinson.  “He brings broad worldwide credibility and a deep understanding of the challenges facing the global Internet to our efforts, and he will bolster our representation in the United Nations, the OECD and other forums.  We welcome him and also thank Art Reilly for his energetic, highly professional and effective service as chair these past several years.”

Mr. Gross coordinated international communications and information policy at the Department of State from 2001 to 2009.  He headed U.S. delegations to a number of high-level International Telecommunications Union (ITU) gatherings, led U.S. delegations to three APEC ministerial meetings and was the lead U.S. negotiator in the lead-up to the two-part UN World Summit on the Information Society in Geneva (2003) and Tunis (2005).  Throughout his State Department tenure, Mr. Gross worked closely with industry, including USCIB, in his efforts to provide commercial and policy advocacy on behalf of U.S. companies in markets around the world.

USCIB’s ICT Committee advocates sound international policy to ensure the continued growth of ICTs, emphasizing free and fair competition, minimal government intervention, free information flows and a user orientation.  It works through USCIB’s overseas network of business groups, including the International Chamber of Commerce and the Business and Industry Advisory Committee to the OECD, to secure strong industry representation and input to major multilateral discussions of ICT issues.

“I am eager to step into this new role,” said Mr. Gross.  “I have long respected USCIB as the voice of U.S. business in international policy forums and its active contributions to ICT policy debates.  Industry guidance and leadership will be critical if we are to secure the continued growth and vitality of the Internet and ICTs as a whole.”

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 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, VP Communications, USCIB

+1 212.703.5043 or jhuneke@uscib.org

Mr. Gross’s bio

More on USCIB’s Information, Communications and Technology Committee