ICC’s Valerie Picard, Paula Baena, and Huidi Feng with Mike Rousek.

Mike Rousek, Vice President, Customs and Trade Facilitation at USCIB, engaged at the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Customs and Trade Facilitation Committee (CTFC) Meeting in Rotterdam, an ICC-organized high-level event on EU Customs reform in Brussels, and in meetings with AmCham EU.

Rousek met with American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) EU to discuss shared issues focused on the planned EU customs reforms and provide an update on the customs landscape in the US on April 13.

Rousek at the port of Rotterdam.

On April 14, Rousek represented USCIB at an ICC-organized meeting with Vanessa Hernandez-Guerrero, Director General for Customs and Taxation Union at the European Commission, and Luisa Santos, Deputy Director General at Business Europe, where speakers highlighted the implications of the EU’s planned wide ranging customs reforms.

Rousek with ICC colleagues at the port of Rotterdam.

Additionally, he represented member interests at the ICC Global Customs Commission meeting focused on the global customs landscape in Rotterdam on April 15. Jeff Bensing, Senior Advisor at USCIB, and Ken Montgomery, Executive Director at Technology Trade Regulation Alliance, briefed participants on the latest World Customs Organization (WCO) Harmonized Systems Committee meetings in March.

On April 16, the ICC Global Customs and Trade Facilitation (ICC GCTFC) members toured the port of Rotterdam to discuss current trade and supply chain challenges facing businesses.

USCIB AITC Chair Jennifer Lane (Amazon), Michael Rousek, AITC Vice Chair Susan Wilson (AITEG Chair), and Emma Brierley (BIAC).

Mike Rousek, Vice President, Customs and Trade Facilitation at USCIB, attended the OECD Working Party on Countering Illicit Trade (WP-CIT) and the 2nd OECD Forum on Countering Illicit Trade from March 16-18 in Paris with a delegation of USCIB members as part of Business at OECD’s (BIAC) contribution to the OECD’s work on anti-illicit trade. The three days of meetings and events highlighted anti-illicit trade issues including the continuing fight against counterfeits, an OECD clean Free Trade Zones (FTZ) certification, combating illicit trade in online marketplaces, and understanding the impact of non-counterfeit illicit products.

The Forum is designed as a platform for aligning values, sharing evidence, and advancing practical solutions that protect legitimate trade, public safety, and economic security. The forum highlighted how modern logistics, digitalization, e-commerce, and small parcels are reshaping illicit trade risks and how organized criminal networks are taking advantage of these developments in their illicit trade activities. Opening remarks were made by OECD Deputy Secretary General Fabrizia Lapecorella, DHS DAS for Trade Policy James Rockas, Co-Chair of the WP-CIT, and Hanni Rosenbaum, Executive Director of Business at OECD (BIAC).

Several USCIB members joined as experts to speak at the forum including a keynote speech from Kebharu Smith (Amazon), and participation by Delphine Dauba-Pantanacce (eBay), Timothy Mohn (Johnson & Johnson), Brian White (Intel), Monica Ramirez (AB InBev), David Luna (IACAIE), and Jeff Hardy (TRACIT).

USCIB also hosted a delegate luncheon focused on e-commerce challenges on March 17, providing an opportunity for government and business representatives to exchange perspectives and strengthen collaboration on combating anti-illicit trade.

Michael Rousek (USCIB).

Mike Rousek, Vice President, Customs and Trade Facilitation at USCIB, attended the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Alliance for Supply Chain Connectivity (A2C2) Regional Roundtable on January 13 in Mexico City.

The A2C2 initiative supports the US government’s efforts to achieve fair and balanced trade across the Asia Pacific. The Roundtable, hosted by the US Government, focused on the supply chain digitalization journey as part of increasing efficiency and building resilience in the region.

A wide range of private sector representatives, including USCIB members, and APEC government experts, discussed the digitalization of trade and customs procedures. Panelists highlighted stakeholder engagement, change management strategies, and skill development as elements of success.

USCIB members Lisa Schroeter (Dow), Sandra Fallgatter (Walmart), and Mario Palacios (Applied Materials) were featured speakers on the Industry Spotlight panel sharing their perspectives on retail, chemicals, and semiconductors in their supply chain digitalization endeavors.

Leah Liston, Director for Customs and Trade Affairs at the Office of the US Trade Representative, hosted the roundtable.

Michael Rousek

USCIB welcomes Michael Rousek as the new Vice President, Customs and Trade Facilitation. Rousek will be based in the Washington DC office and lead USCIB’s Customs and Trade Facilitation and Anti-Illicit Trade Committees.

Rousek brings to USCIB decades of US government experience in international economic policy and trade enforcement. Most recently, Rousek was the Customs and Trade Facilitation Policy lead at the State Department’s Office of Multilateral Trade Affairs, where he was the State representative to the World Customs Organization (WCO), the State lead on WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement implementation efforts, and the Lead on forced labor enforcement coordination efforts. He has served as a CFIUS Team Financial Economist at the State Department’s Office of Investment Affairs and has also served in economic roles at numerous US embassies, including Azerbaijan, Croatia, Indonesia, Germany, and Cambodia. Prior to joining the Foreign Service, Rousek worked at the US Customs Service as an Import Specialist.

Rousek arrives at an opportune time to carry forward the important work of these committees and to engage in setting 2026 policy priorities.

Megan Giblin (USCIB) speaking at the PTO-OECD roundtable event.

The US Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) and OECD hosted a roundtable on the OECD Draft Voluntary Guidelines for Countering Illicit Trade in Counterfeit Goods on Online Marketplaces on June 5.  The event, which aimed to build trust and support for the draft voluntary Guidelines, was announced in the May PTO Federal Register Notice, which also provided a request for written public comments on the OECD’s Draft Voluntary Guidelines on Online Marketplaces.

The US roundtable marks the 1^st national public-private dialogue on these draft guidelines. During the event, eight private sector speakers, including USCIB’s Megan Giblin, Senior Director, Customs and Trade Facilitation, shared organization views on the draft voluntary Guidelines. Giblin was joined by seven other industry representatives including AAFA, INTA, and ITIF.

“USCIB fully supports this US national dialogue and other national level dialogues taking place in the coming weeks or near future,” said Giblin. “These Guidelines are a floor, not a ceiling, for advancing a global set of best practices – something which we do not currently have. … We believe that now is the time to secure agreement on an international set of Guidelines that will help empower market actors to better counter illicit trade – especially in the fast-moving and complex environment of online marketplaces,” Giblin included at the end of her statement.

US PTO’s comment period remains open until June 27. After which time, relevant information will be consolidated and provided to the OECD to help refine the draft voluntary guidelines. At the same time, national dialogues are expected to continue in other OECD member and accession countries.