BIAC Archives

U.S. Council for International Business Investment Policy Work in OECD’s Business Advisory Process

Published on September 25, 2012

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The United States Council for International Business (USCIB) represents the U.S. business community in the Business and Industry Advisory Committee (BIAC) to the OECD in Paris. Every year BIAC systematically engages over 2100 business representatives from 49 national business organizations from the OECD’s 34 member nations to work together in 37 different policy groups. BIAC’s Investment Policy Committee works actively with the OECD Committee on Investment and Multinational Enterprises (CIME) and other relevant OECD committees and secretariat staff.   USCIB plays a leadership role in BIAC’s Investment Committee and actively engages with the OECD staff on key investment policy issues.

Some recent documents from BIAC’s investment policy work include:

Questions related to BIAC’s Investment policy work should be addressed to:

Shaun Donnelly
Vice President, Investment, Financial Services and Banking
United States council for International Business
1400 K Street, suite 905
Washington, D.C. 20005
Tel: 202-682-1221
E-Mail sdonnelly@uscib.org

OECD-BIAC Briefing Session on FATCA Model Intergovernmental Agreement

Published on September 14, 2012

OECD and the Business and Industry Advisory Committee to the OECD (BIAC) will hold a joint briefing session on the Model Intergovernmental Agreement to Improve Tax Compliance and to Implement FATCA, which will take place at the OECD Headquarters in Paris on September 20.

The briefing session is open to all interested financial institutions, advisors, and BIAC Members generally.

The briefing session will provide business with an opportunity to hear from the architects of the model (developed by the United States, France, Germany, Italy Spain and the United Kingdom) about its background, operation and latest developments.

The model will be presented by Manal Corwin (Assistant Secretary for International Tax Affairs, US Department of Treasury) and Michael Plowgian (Attorney-Advisor, Office of the International Tax Counsel, US Department of Treasury). Participants will also be given an opportunity to ask questions to government representatives from countries involved in the development of the model.

An invitation is available here.

Staff Contact: Carol Doran Klein

More on USCIB’s Taxation Committee

BIAC Participates in Second International Green Manufacturing Summit in India

Published on September 14, 2012

The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), with the support of the Business and Industry Advisory Committee to the OECD (BIAC) and OECD, organized its “2nd Green Manufacturing Summit” in New Delhi.

Bringing together close to 250 high-level representatives of Indian and international business, the Indian government, the OECD as well as other key experts, the Summit provided an excellent platform for a constructive discussion on green manufacturing and complemented Indian efforts of promoting the country as a green manufacturing location.

Speakers included Indian Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Praful Patel, CII Director General Chandrajit Banerjee, Indian and international business experts from a range of different sectors, as well as BIAC and OECD representatives.

The Summit allowed for interactive discussions in several areas, highlighting how growth in manufacturing will be key to ensure inclusive growth and employment creation in India in the coming decades. Discussants also stressed the importance that such growth is sustainable, and that a right balance needs to be found between economic, environmental and social considerations.

In addition, the conference provided an excellent opportunity to exchange views on industry’s best practices, business opportunities, market developments, and new technologies for greener products; ways of greening infrastructure through efficient use of construction material, energy, water and other resources; the chemicals industry’s approach to minimize negative impacts; as well as enabling conditions for green manufacturing processes and concepts that the manufacturing industry has adopted.

Staff Contact: Norine Kennedy

More on USCIB’s Environment Committee

Congressional Report Highlights OECD’s Important Role

Published on August 30, 2012

oecd congressional reportIn July, the Congressional Research Service (CRS), the respected non-partisan research and policy analysis arm of the Library of Congress, published a concise, 10-page report on the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

The OECD is, of course, particularly important and relevant to USCIB and its members, given our unique role as the U.S. affiliate of the OECD’s Business and Industry Advisory Committee (BIAC).  The CRS study is a fair and constructive assessment of a complex – and sometimes misunderstood – organization.

The very readable CRS report reviews the history and structure of the OECD, its committees and secretariat staff, its substantively rigorous “peer review” culture, and its increasingly relevant work in support of the G8 and G20 processes.

The report emphasizes the OECD’s pro-market, pro-growth orientation.  It highlights some of the OECD’s work and international leadership on a range of important issues, include trade and investment, macroeconomic policy, education and job skills, environmental sustainability, anti-bribery, and pro-competitive markets.  Work on critical issues like combating terrorism and anti-money laundering (through the affiliated Financial Action Task Force) and on export credit subsidies (through the Export Credit Arrangement) exemplify the OECD’s unique contribution hosting important niche efforts on critical issues that include both OECD members and non-members.

The OECD is driving progress on tough issues that are important to American companies, including tax policy, privacy, the green economy and investment policy.  It is staying abreast of top-drawer issues, for example through new cross-cutting analytical work to promote “competitive neutrality” between state-owned enterprises and private-sector firms.

In each of these areas, as well as many other areas, USCIB staff and our member company representatives are playing leadership roles through BIAC, as well as directly with the OECD, its members governments, and beyond to help make OECD the unique, global economic think tank that it can and should be.

As reaffirmed in the new CRS report, the United States needs a strong, effective, open and pragmatic OECD.  So does American business.  USCIB is working hard to help make that happen.

Staff contact: Shaun Donnelly

More on USCIB’s Trade and Investment Committee

BIAC Chairman Leads Annual Business Visit to the OECD

Published on April 19, 2012

SLIDESHOW OF PHOTOS FROM THE EVENT

On April 16, Charles P. Heeter, Jr., a USCIB board member and chairman of BIAC, the Business and Industry Advisory Committee to the OECD, part of USCIB’s global network, led the fourth annual business visit to the OECD’s headquarters in Paris.  Executives affiliated with USCIB and several other business groups had the opportunity  for off-the-record exchanges with OECD Secretary General Angel Gurría and other senior officials to discuss OECD’s priorities and its role in coordinating economic policies among its 34 member states and other nations.

Mr. Heeter, a principal with Deloitte LLP, was instrumental in organizing the visit.  Along with BIAC and USCIB, he enlisted support and participation from the TransAtlantic Business Dialogue, the Washington International Business Council and the Geneva-based Council for Multilateral Business Diplomacy.

In addition to Mr. Gurría, the executives met with OECD Deputy Secretary Generals Richard Boucher and Pier Carlo Padoan (who also serves as the OECD’s chief economist), Chief of Staff Gabriela Ramos (who is the OECD’s G20 sherpa), and a number of OECD directors and division chiefs.  Swedish Ambassador to the OECD Anders Ahnlid hosted a dinner in honor of the Business delegation.

Some two dozen business representatives took part in the visit, including executive from USCIB member companies Deloitte, DuPont, Microsoft, Nestle, Pfizer, Siemens, Unilever and the law firm Wiley Rein.  BIAC and USCIB staff were also a strong presence during the visit, with BIAC Secretary General Tadahiro Asami and USCIB Vice President Shaun Donnelly present throughout and co-hosting another dinner for participants.

The visit gave companies first-hand insight into the OECD, its structure and operations, and its work in important areas like financial regulation, international investment policy, the G20 process, anti-corruption Initiatives, global trade, health policy, and labor and social Issues.  It also served as an excellent introduction to the BIAC process, through which business officially consults with the OECD and its member governments on an ongoing basis.

Staff contact: Shaun Donnelly

BIAC website

Business Urges OECD Governments to Act on Regulation

Published on April 11, 2012

BIAC, the Business and Industry Advisory Committee to the OECD, part of USCIB’s global network, welcomed a new OECD recommendation to improve regulatory policy and governance and called for credible government action to effectively implement the recommendation’s principles.

Speaking at a meeting of the OECD Regulatory Policy Committee, BIAC Governance Committee Chair Jens Hedström underlined that now is the time for governments to act seriously. The effective implementation of the new OECD recommendation could not only restore confidence in governments, but also help boost economic growth and create private sector employment.

Mr. Hedström called the OECD recommendation a significant improvement over OECD guiding principles adopted in 2005, and said it provides the organization with an instrument with great potential to assist countries to improve the quality of regulation.

The recommendation rightly emphasizes the principles of open government and consultation with and engagement of stakeholders in the regulatory process, regulatory oversight and political accountability, the use of regulatory impact analysis and, in particular, the consideration of all regulatory costs including indirect costs, and systematic evaluation of regulations after they are adopted.

BIAC said the success of the OECD recommendation will to a large degree depend on its effective implementation in OECD member states and beyond. Mr. Hedström said business is willing to play an active role in this endeavor, and recommends benchmarking as a tool to regularly review the effectiveness and improvements in the implementation of the recommendation within OECD member states.

The text of the OECD recommendation is available at www.oecd.org/dataoecd/45/55/49990817.pdf.

USCIB’s Greene Named to State Department Advisory Body

Published on February 16, 2012
Adam Greene
Adam Greene

Adam Greene, USCIB’s vice president for labor and corporate responsibility, has been named to a State Department advisory body on the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises.  Joining Greene on the panel is Clifford Henry, associate director of corporate sustainable development with Procter & Gamble and chair of USCIB’s Corporate Responsibility Committee.

Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs Jose W. Fernandez announced the new multi-stakeholder advisory panel in January.  The OECD Guidelines are voluntary recommendations from governments to multinational enterprises on responsible conduct in such areas as human rights, labor, environment, and corruption. They are the only multilateral, comprehensive code of conduct, endorsed by 43 national governments.

The new panel will advise the U.S. National Contact Point, a State Department official who leads the United States work under the Guidelines. For more information, please visit www.state.gov/usncp.

Through our affiliation with BIAC, the Business and Industry Advisory Committee to the OECD, USCIB members provided extensive input to the recent revision of the OECD Guidelines.

Staff contact: Adam Greene

More on USCIB’s Corporate Responsibility Committee

More on USCIB’s Labor and Employment Policy Committee

Business Workshop Builds Support for OECD Gender Initiative

Published on February 9, 2012
USCIB’s Ronnie Goldberg (center) and U.S. Ambassador to the OECD Karen Kornbluh (right)
USCIB’s Ronnie Goldberg (center) and U.S. Ambassador to the OECD Karen Kornbluh (right)

Women are a critical resource in facing the challenges of our global economy, both as an emerging market and as a significant pool of human talent. As government policymakers seek new means to energize growth and job creation, BIAC, the Business and Industry Advisory Committee to the OECD, part of USCIB’s global network, along with AmCham France and the OECD, joined together to welcome approximately 100 experts, from business, government and international organizations, to a February 2 workshop on “The Business Case for Women’s Economic Empowerment” at the OECD Conference Center in Paris.

Chaired by BIAC Chairman and USCIB board member Charles Heeter (Deloitte), the workshop provided business perspectives and best practices to the OECD Gender Initiative, a multi-disciplinary program to update indicators, analyze policy experiences and recommend good practices to achieve more gender equality in education, employment and entrepreneurship.  Ronnie Goldberg, USCIB’s executive vice president and senior policy officer, participated in the workshop.

“We are fortunate to live at a time when technology, the internet and mobility enable information sharing, communications and resource allocation that can help advance gender equality,” Mr. Heeter said. “Nevertheless, despite this positive environment and past efforts over decades to advance economic empowerment of women, progress has been slow. Today’s workshop was an important opportunity for business to contribute to OECD efforts to accelerate change on this issue.”

U.S. Ambassador to the OECD Karen Kornbluh and OECD Deputy Secretary General Yves Leterme thanked BIAC and AmCham for the initiative of organizing the workshop, highlighting the importance of business perspective in effective policy development.

“By focusing on ‘the how, not the why’ for creating economic opportunity for women, BIAC’s business workshop has greatly assisted the United States and other OECD member countries in our efforts to show that countries can increase equity and growth by harnessing women’s talents, innovation and leadership,” Ambassador Kornbluh stated.

Staff contact: Ronnie Goldberg

BIAC Announces Joint Workshop on Women’s Economic Empowerment

Published on January 30, 2012

On February 2, BIAC (the Business and Industry Advisory Committee to the OECD, part of USCIB’s global network), along with AmCham France and the OECD, will hold a joint workshop on “The Business Case for Women’s Economic Empowerment” at the OECD conference center in Paris.

Organized as a one-day invitation-only event, the joint workshop aims to provide a business perspective and best practice experience to the OECD Gender Initiative, a multi-disciplinary program to help governments promote gender equality in education, employment and entrepreneurship.

The workshop topics will focus on three main objectives of the meeting including highlighting the business case for women’s economic empowerment through presentation of company case studies and talent management best practices, identifying key public policy issues needed to enable employer best practices and advance women’s economic empowerment, and identifying areas for OECD work to further elaborate on key issues and questions raised by the workshop.

The workshop will facilitate exchanges between senior experts from business, government, academia, international organizations and other stakeholders to provide proactive input to the 2012 OECD Ministerial and Forum to be held in May. USCIB Executive Vice President Ronnie Goldberg will attend, and BIAC Chairman Charles Heeter will address gender diversity in the workplace from an article published in the 2012 OECD Yearbook, entitled “Gender Dividend: An Urgent Economic Imperative.”

Staff Contact: Ronnie Goldberg

More on USCIB’s Labor & Employment Policy Committee

USCIB Welcomes Rep. Camp’s Tax Proposal

Published on October 31, 2011

Washington, D.C., October 31, 2011– The United States Council for International Business (USCIB), a pro-trade group which represents America’s top global companies before the U.S. government and in major international forums, welcomed proposed tax reform measures put forward by Rep. David Camp (R – Mi.), chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee.

“We are pleased to see Chairman Camp’s proposal on tax reform,” said USCIB President and CEO Peter M. Robinson.  “The high rates and worldwide system of taxation of the United States are out of step with the rest of the world.  U.S. business supports efforts to achieve reform of these rules.  Chairman Camp’s proposal represents an important first step.”

Mr. Robinson underscored the importance of maintaining a level playing field for all companies in the context of U.S. tax reform.  “We must ensure that legislative alternatives intended to protect the tax base do not disfavor U.S. companies versus their competitors,” he said.  “We look forward to working with Chairman Camp and other members of Congress and the administration to achieve bipartisan business tax reform.”

Through its affiliation with the Business and Industry Advisory Committee to the OECD, USCIB works closely with the U.S. and other governments to provide business input and promote closer international cooperation on tax matters, including the OECD Model Tax Treaty and the OECD Transfer Pricing Guidelines.

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, including BIAC, 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, jhuneke@uscib.org

More on USCIB’s Taxation Committee