Vinblad Speaks on Business and Biodiversity at Columbia University  

L-R: Wendy Hapgood (Wild Tomorrow), Amy Karpati (Columbia University), Jenna Lawrence (Columbia University), Agnes Vinblad (USCIB), Matthias Pitkowitz (EQX Biome)

USCIB Director for Environment and Sustainable Development Agnes Vinblad was invited to participate in an expert panel organized by the Columbia University Climate School Earth Institute in New York City. The event was held under the title, “Solving the Biodiversity Crisis: Strategic & Interdisciplinary Approaches.” Discussions highlighted the importance of biodiversity considerations in sustainable business decisions with a focus on solution pathways and recent policy developments. 

Vinblad’s interventions focused on the international policy dimension and the role of incentivizing industrial policy in spurring and enabling private sector leadership on biodiversity protection. 

The panel was moderated by Wendy Hapgood, Co-founder and COO of Wild Tomorrow, a wildlife conservation non-profit organization dedicated to the protection, restoration and rewilding of threatened habitats to protect biodiversity. In addition to Vinblad, the panel included Amy Karpati, conservation biologist and adjunct professor at Columbia University, Jenna Lawrence, biodiversity specialist and researcher, and lecturer at the Climate School at Columbia University and Matthias Pitkowitz, founder and CEO of EQX Biome – a financial marketplace for nature-based investments.  

Agnes Vinblad

“This excellent discussion served as a great opportunity to speak about USCIB’s engagement in the UN CBD process, and our active participation in the negotiations leading up to the adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF),” said Vinblad.  

“Inevitably, a lot of the conversation centered on Target 15 of the GBF – this is the target that calls for legal, administrative or policy measures to encourage businesses to regularly monitor, assess and disclose their risks, dependencies and impacts on biodiversity. But we also touched upon many other of the targets, for example the conservation target – Target 3 – which seeks to conserve 30% of land, waters and seas by 2030,” she continued.  

USCIB holds official observer status to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (UN CBD). This is the UN treaty under which matters pertaining to biodiversity are negotiated. Through this status, USCIB has been active participants in the UN CBD process for many years and Vinblad led a USCIB delegation to the historic UN CBD COP15 in December 2022 where the GBF was adopted.  

“A key point to note is that while the U.S. is not a Party to the UN CBD, we are seeing a continued increased interest from the U.S. business community to engage on biodiversity topics. One of the primary concerns I am hearing from business is the rapid rollout of numerous different biodiversity reporting standards and frameworks – a key priority for us now is to ensure harmonization to ease the administrative burden for business to free up resources for real implementation,” Vinblad added. 

UN CBD COP16 is scheduled to convene from October 21 to November 1 in Colombia this fall and deliberations will focus on the implementation phase of the GBF.  

Business Provides Input Into Global Forum on Migration and Development

Left to right: Laura McElroy (McDonalds) and Ronnie Goldberg (USCIB)

Business played a prominent role at the 14th Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) Summit, held in Geneva from January 23-25 under the chairmanship of the government of France. USCIB staff and members were well represented among more than 1,000 delegates, including governments from 150 countries, who met to exchange best practices on migration governance.

The 60-strong private sector delegation was organized by the Business Mechanism to the GFMD, which is housed in the International Organization of Employers (IOE) and chaired by Austin Fragomen (Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy).  USCIB members from Deloitte, Oracle, McDonalds, Meta and SHRM, as well as USCIB Senior Counsel Ronnie Goldberg, serve on the Business Mechanism’s Executive Board and participated in the Summit’s roundtable sessions.

According to Goldberg, during the Summit, USCIB and its members advocated for migration pathways to bring talent to fill skills gaps, particularly as they relate to green skills, legal frameworks for responsible recruitment, harmonization of skills recognition systems, better use of technology to encourage innovation and improve migration systems and a public narrative based on facts and economic impacts.

In addition, the Business Mechanism staged a Start Up competition for innovative migration-related applications and contributed substantive papers on Green Borders: Climate Change and Business Mobility, Digital Nomads and Hybrid Work, and Engaging with Employers in Skills Mobility Partnerships.

The GFMD chair has now been assumed by the Government of Colombia.

USCIB Contributes to TCC Stakeholder Session on Electric Vehicle Battery Recycling 

Lisa Schroeter (Dow)

USCIB was a key participant in the U.S.-EU Trade and Technology Council’s (TTC) Transatlantic Initiative for Sustainable Trade (TIST) stakeholder event held in Washington, DC on January 31.   

USCIB Senior Vice President for Trade, Investment and Digital Policy Alice Slayton Clark led a roundtable with the Transatlantic Business Initiative (TBI) on Advancing a Transatlantic Circular Economy: Facilitating Circularity in Electric Vehicles Batteries Towards Better Regulatory Harmonization. USCIB member Lisa Schroeter (Dow) was one of several USCIB Members serving as lead contributors to the circularity discussion.   

The battery roundtable was designed by USCIB and TBI to assist the United States and EU in identifying regulatory challenges and barriers to circularity in EV battery production.  The goal is to encourage better green policy cooperation to further integrate transatlantic value chains and facilitate trade and investment in these areas.  

Alice Slayton Clark (USCIB)

According to Clark, TTC stakeholder sessions are critical to advancing the voice of business, providing private sector insights and ingenuity key to durable policy solutions. USCIB is grateful to be able to engage our companies in open dialogue on policy issues under the umbrella of transatlantic sustainable trade.  

“USCIB appreciated the opportunity for our members to be involved in the TIST with respect to EV recycling,” said Clark. “USCIB advances trade and regulatory coherence and we hope our members’ input at today’s session will help inform policymakers in the U.S. and the EU to achieve a more integrated and resilient transatlantic green marketplace.” 

USCIB Welcomes Peru Into Global “Merchandise Passport” System

New York, N.Y., February 05, 2024—The United States Council for International Business (USCIB), the national guaranteeing and issuing association for the ATA Carnet in the United States, is pleased to welcome Peru as the 80th country to be represented in the ATA Carnet system. The ATA Carnets are critical tools of trade facilitation and export promotion. The ATA Carnet is an international customs document that allows duty- and tax-free temporary admission of goods for up to one year.

The Lima Chamber of Commerce, the national guaranteeing and issuing association (NGA and IA, respectively) appointed by Peru Customs (National Superintendency of Customs and Tax Administration, SUNAT), was accepted as a member of the ATA Carnet international Guarantee Chain during a meeting of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) – World Chambers Federation (WCF) General Council on November 21, 2023.

ATA Carnet operations in Peru will officially begin on April 30, 2024. Peru is the third country in Latin American, after Chile and Mexico, to accept the use of ATA Carnets for temporary admission of goods. The scope of acceptance includes professional equipment and goods to be displayed or used at exhibitions, fairs, meetings and similar events.

In January 2024, USCIB conducted a virtual operational training for the Lima Chamber of Commerce and SUNAT in preparation for the launch of the ATA Carnet system at the end of April.

According to USCIB Chief Operating Officer Declan Daly, who is also vice chair of the World ATA Carnet Council (WATAC), major progress has also been made to advance acceptance and implementation of the System in the Philippines and Saudi Arabia. USCIB is pleased to report NGAs in both countries have been accepted into ICC’s ATA Carnet Guaranteeing Chain. An announcement on the launch of ATA Carnet operations will be made once respective implementation dates are confirmed.

The global ATA Carnet system is overseen and managed by the Paris-based ICC-WCF. USCIB administers the ATA System in the United States.

About USCIB

USCIB promotes open markets, competitiveness and innovation, sustainable development and corporate responsibility, supported by international engagement and prudent regulation. Its members include U.S.-based global companies and professional services firms with operations in every region of the world. As the U.S. affiliate of leading international business organizations (such as the International Chamber of Commerce, International Organization of Employers and Business at OECD (BIAC)) and as the only U.S. multi-sectoral advocacy group with standing in the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), USCIB provides business views to policy makers and regulatory authorities worldwide and works to facilitate international trade and investment. USCIB is also the National Guaranteeing and Issuing Association for ATA Carnets in the United States, having been appointed as such by the Department of Treasury, now U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), in 1969. More at  www.uscib.org.

Celebrating International Day of Women in Multilateralism

New York, N.Y., January 25, 2024—Today, the United States Council for International Business (USCIB) celebrates International Day of Women in Multilateralism.

The United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) formally adopted and declared January 25 as International Day of Women in Multilateralism in 2021. According to ECOSOC, the purpose of this day is to recognize the essential role played by women in the promotion of human rights, peace and sustainable development within the multilateral system. The day advocates for increased representation of women in key decision-making positions that shape and implement multilateral agendas and for ensuring that multilateralism works for women and girls through gender transformative actions and agreements.

“Truly a day to mark,” said USCIB Senior Vice President Norine Kennedy. “I’m so proud to work with my USCIB colleagues to promote American business views throughout the multilateral system and to support inclusive multilateralism.”

USCIB’s Clark Promoted to Senior Vice President

Alice Slayton Clark speaks at the OECD

USCIB Vice President for International Investment and Trade Policy Alice Slayton Clark has been promoted to Senior Vice President, Trade, Investment and Digital Policy. Clark will be working closely with USCIB Senior Vice President for Policy and Global Strategy Norine Kennedy, as well as the rest of senior staff.

Clark joined USCIB in 2021 bringing her considerable experience in trade policy to USCIB’s policy team in Washington DC. Prior to joining USCIB, Clark worked for international law firms and consulting practices, as well as on Capitol Hill.

“Alice has shown herself to be both a DC-savvy policy expert and an excellent international advocate for U.S. business in international trade and investment deliberations during her time at USCIB.  I’m thrilled to share responsibility for leading USCIB’s policy work with her,” said Kennedy.

Baird and Wanner Focus on Trade and Tech at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 

USCIB President and CEO Whitney Baird and VP for ICT Policy Barbara Wanner attended the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas earlier this month. Dubbed the “most powerful tech event in the world,” CES brought together over 130,000 participants, including many USCIB members and representatives of governments from across the globe.  

Whitney Baird (USCIB) and Tanneasha Gordon (Deloitte)

Baird and Wanner had a packed schedule in Las Vegas meeting members and USG officials, including Tanneasha Gordon (Deloitte), Nadia Hansen (Salesforce), Dr. Oliver Campbell (Dell), JoAnn Stonier (Mastercard), Erica McCann (Amazon) and Dr. Vanessa Chan (Department of Energy). They also attended panels and events on AI and the impact on jobs, emerging technologies shaping the tech workforce, privacy and cybersecurity, and sustainability and circularity in tech.  

During a panel on “Trade in Tech. What is it good for? Absolutely Everything!” Baird joined Ambassador Mark Lippert (Samsung), Ambassador Susan Schwab (NFTC) and Dr. Rafaelita Aldaba (Philippine Economic Zone Authority) to discuss how trade policy promote peace and innovation globally.  

“Trade has long demonstrated its benefit in lifting nations out of poverty, promoting shared prosperity, fostering economic interdependence and trust, and providing an incentive for peaceful resolution of disputes,” said Baird. “Technology has a similar unifying effect, through the devices, gadgets and transmissions that inform people and connect cultures and countries around the globe. Trade in technology, therefore, carries a double dividend on peace.” 

Baird also discussed USCIB’s affiliation with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), made possible through Business at OECD (BIAC). She noted USCIB regularly contributes U.S. industry practices and priorities to inform OECD research and policy guidelines. Through its own standing and through our affiliates, USCIB advocates strongly for WTO rules that promote connectivity, the free flow of data with trust across borders, and a permanent moratorium on customs duties on electronic transmissions. USCIB has also pressed for negotiation of two World Trade Organization (WTO) Information Technology Agreements to eliminate all import duties on a wide range of technology products including computers, telecommunications equipment, software and educational devices.   

The “Trade in Tech” session was moderated by Ed Brzytwa (International Trade Consumer Technology Association).  

“This was the first time USCIB attended CES in an official capacity,” said Wanner. “We were delighted by the many opportunities we had for enhanced engagement with U.S. government officials and our own members on topics of significant relevance to our trade and digital policy work. We look forward to more CES events in the future.” 

USCIB Meets With OECD to Offer Business Perspectives for OECD’s US Economic Survey

Representatives from the U.S. desk of the OECD’s Economics Department met with USCIB members and staff on January 8 to solicit business input into the next OECD United States Economic Survey. The OECD typically conducts these economic reviews every two years to assess the macroeconomic and structural policy challenges facing economies and offer recommendations.

A robust group of USCIB members participated in the meeting including Rick Johnston (Citi), Jerry Cook (Hanesbrands), Carolina Costa (RELX), Elizabeth Tate (Albright Stonebridge Group) and Cristian Rodriguez-Chiffelle (Boston Consulting Group). They discussed early findings from the OECD analysts that the United States will be experiencing a soft landing with weak economic growth expected in 2024, with GDP project at 1.5 percent, unemployment over 4 percent and abatement of inflationary pressures and wage growth. This led to a conversation about business outlooks on U.S. industrial policies (e.g. CHIPS Act), China trade policy and the impact of tariffs, U.S. retreat from economic globalization, economic security and reduced business voice in economic policy debates.

“As always, USCIB greatly appreciates the opportunity to meet with representatives from the OECD,” said Senior VP for Policy and Global Strategy Norine Kennedy. “As the sole U.S. representative to Business at OECD (BIAC), USCIB is in a unique position to offer invaluable U.S. business perspectives. We are committed to this important analysis and work of the OECD in providing well-informed recommendations to the U.S. government.”

OECD Surveys aim to promote a better understanding of a given country’s economic situation, identify the key challenges facing that country’s authorities and provide recommendations to improve the country’s overall economic performance.

 

Politico Cites USCIB in Article on USTR’s Extension of China 301 Tariffs

Politico’s Weekly Trade newsletter mentioned USCIB’s inclusion in an Americans for Free Trade (AFT) statement: USTR Extension of China Section 301 Tariff Exclusions. Americans for Free Trade (AFT) is a broad coalition of American businesses, trade organizations and workers.

AFT was cited as delivering a rebuke, responding to a decision from USTR to extend tariff exclusions for another five months on 77 medical goods and 352 non-medical products that were scheduled to expire on December 31.

Read more on Politico’s website. Subscription may be required.

USCIB Represents U.S. Business at UN Meetings on Climate (COP28)

USCIB President and CEO Whitney Baird (left) moderates a panel during a US Chamber side event

The 28th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) was gaveled to a close in the late afternoon on December 13 in Dubai, UAE.  

As at all prior Climate COPs in history, USCIB participated actively throughout the two weeks of the conference, constructively advocating for the importance of business inclusion in the UNFCCC process, while closely following the negotiations on a set of key agenda items, including the Global Stocktake, the Just Transition Work Programme and others. The USCIB delegation was headed by USCIB Policy Manager for Environment and Sustainable Development Agnes Vinblad. In addition, USCIB President and CEO Whitney Baird, and USCIB Senior Vice President Norine Kennedy joined Vinblad on the ground for parts of the conference. 

USCIB came to COP28 to support a strong, forward looking political outcome of the first-ever Global Stocktake, setting the stage for robust next-round NDCs that will enable the private sector to serve as core implementation partners and leaders.  

Set against the backdrop of global geopolitical uncertainty, the COP28 Presidency had an immense challenge ahead of them in facilitating a successful process with a strong outcome. Despite these concerns, this year’s Climate COP managed to bring multiple key outcomes and commitments. 

At the conclusion of COP28, 198 Parties agreed on the Dubai package called the “UAE Consensus” – the 23 page Global Stocktake outcome document, encompassing a historical decision on the Loss and Damage fund, the Mitigation Work Programme, Just Transition Work Programme, and unprecedented language pertaining to fossil fuel energy and recognizing the need to, “transition away from fossil fuels in energy systems, in a just, orderly and equitable manner.” 

According to Vinblad, this is the first time in nearly three decades of global climate change conferences, that the COP outcome text includes language on transitioning away from fossil fuels. It is important to recognize that the decision text further references the role of transition fuels, technological solutions such as carbon capture and storage, and the need to ensure energy security.  

“While there are clear gaps in the final decision text, COP28 is already being referred to as one of the most critical UN climate change conferences to date, especially with the conclusion of the very first Global Stocktake,” said Vinblad. “The UAE Consensus makes clear the importance to include all actors in society – including business – to be able to move at the scale and pace needed to speed up mitigation and adaptation efforts, while strengthening resilience and putting a stronger focus on climate finance.” 

COP29 will be hosted in Baku, Azerbaijan and has been dubbed the “finance COP” as governments will have to agree on a new climate finance goal, with the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) being up for decision.