World Economic Climate Newly Brightens According to Latest ICC/Ifo Survey

Published on May 16, 2012

ICC-Ifo World Economic Survey confirmed a trend towards recovery in the world economy

Results of the ICC-Ifo World Economic Survey, released today, showed a fresh rise in the climate indicator during the second quarter of 2012, reaching 95.0, up from 82.4 in the previous quarter, and confirmed a trend towards recovery in the world economy.

These results are only slightly below the long-term average of 96.7 (1996-2011) for the World Economic Survey, conducted by the Munich-based Ifo Institute for Economic Research and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC).

Economic experts had an especially positive outlook for the next six months, as indicated in the report by a rise to 101.8 from 80.7. This was complemented by a somewhat warmer appraisal of the current situation, increasing to 87.9, from 84.1 in the first quarter of 2012.

“Improved monetary policy has partly been driving a positive outlook for the next six months,” said ICC Secretary General Jean-Guy Carrier. “In many countries, such as China and Brazil, there has been monetary easing in the form of interest rate cuts. In the Eurozone, some progress has also been made, including the establishment of a new permanent financial umbrella European Stability Mechanism (ESM) starting in July this year.”

Click here to read more on ICC’s website.

WTO Video Interview Features ICC ViceChairman and Honorary Chairman

Published on March 27, 2012

The World Trade Organization (WTO) recently interviewed ICC Vice-Chairman Harold McGraw III and ICC Honorary Chairman Victor K. Fung for its online video series “WTO Forum.” Mr. McGraw, president and CEO of The McGraw-Hill Companies, also serves as chairman of USCIB.

In the video interview, WTO spokesman Keith Rockwell asked Mr. McGraw, “What sort of things should the WTO be doing for you and your business?” He then asked Mr. Fung, chairman of the Li & Fung Group, “What can the WTO do to jumpstart the global economy?”

The program was filmed March 14 at the WTO headquarters in Geneva, on the occasion of the first conference on the ICC Business World Trade Agenda. Mr. McGraw and Mr. Fung were among business leaders and trade experts who met in Geneva as part of the ICC initiative that proposes business works together with governments to drive more effective trade talks.

Watch this WTO video interview “What do businesses want from the multilateral trading system?”

ICC Tackles Concerns About CrossBorder Access to Company Data

Published on March 20, 2012

Many companies are expected to meet conflicting requirements

The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) has issued a policy statement pointing out conflicts that can arise between law enforcement requirements and privacy commitments when governments seek access to personal data held by companies across national borders.

Entitled “Cross-border law enforcement access to company data – current issues under data protection and privacy law”, the statement analyzes the issues that can arise in such situations, and makes recommendations that can help ensure respect for both law enforcement interests and those under data protection and privacy laws and commitments.

“Companies that process data in different countries are facing increasing government pressure to comply with law enforcement and regulatory requests that may conflict both with data protection and privacy laws in other countries in which they operate, and with consumer expectations and commitments to business partners,” said Christopher Kuner, Chair of the Task Force on Protection of Personal Data and Privacy, established by the ICC Commission on the Digital Economy.

“While some countries or regions have legal frameworks for reconciling law enforcement requirements with requirements under data protection and privacy law, many do not, and this can cause companies major problems,” Mr. Kuner added. “These sorts of problems are only increasing, given the growth in trans-border data flows.”

Click here to read more on ICC’s website.

More on USCIB’s Information, Communications and Technology Policy (ICT)

Business Trade Experts Work to Break Deadlock in Global Trade Talks

Published on March 16, 2012

L-R: WTO Director General Pascal Lamy, ICC Honorary Chairman Victor K. Fung, USCIB Chairman (and ICC Vice Chair) Harold McGraw III, and ICC Chairman Gerard Worms. — L-R: WTO Director General Pascal Lamy, ICC Honorary
Chairman Victor K. Fung, USCIB Chairman (and ICC Vice Chair) Harold McGraw
III, and ICC Chairman Gerard Worms.

Business leaders and trade experts met in Geneva earlier this week for the first conference on the ICC Business World Trade Agenda, an initiative of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), part of USCIB’s global network. The initiative aims to ensure that business works together with governments to
drive more effective trade talks.

More than 70 business experts, including CEOs, senior corporate executives and representatives of business organizations, together with World Trade Organization (WTO) Director General Pascal Lamy, took part in the event. USCIB was represented by Chairman Harold McGraw III and Senior Vice President Rob Mulligan as well as a number of member executives.

Global business leaders involved in this initiative aimed to define multilateral trade negotiation priorities for business, and to help governments set a trade policy agenda for the 21st century that contributes to economic growth and job creation.

“It is crucial that governments work directly with the global business community to find answers to the current economic crisis,” said ICC Chairman Gerard Worms. “Opening trade and investment offers a stimulus to the global economy and would give business the clear sign that governments will not resort to protectionism.”

For the first time in 60 years, the multilateral trade negotiation process is at a standstill, and after 10 years, the Doha Development Agenda has reached a stalemate. Yet global trade remains a mainstay of the world economy and it is therefore crucial that global trade rules address the needs of the global marketplace.

“Business is especially troubled by the threat of increased protectionism from the world’s major economies. During this economic crisis, governments should be opening markets to stimulate their economies rather than putting up barriers to trade,” Victor K. Fung, chairman of the ICC Business World Trade Agenda initiative and honorary chairman of ICC said.

ICC launched in December 2011 the Business World Trade Agenda at the WTO Ministerial Conference in Geneva, answering the call from G20 leaders at the recent Summit in Cannes for new approaches to trade negotiations. ICC is bolstered by the support it has received from the WTO in engaging business to provide recommendations to advance global trade negotiations.

EU-Style Chemicals Regulation Being Pushed in Various Forums

Published on March 12, 2012

On March 7 in Baltimore, Helen Medina, USCIB’s director of life sciences and product policy, took part in the annual GlobalChem conference, speaking on a panel on “Regulating Chemicals in Products/Articles.” For over 20 years, GlobalChem has provided a forum for discussion of the U.S. Toxic Substances Control Act, equivalent international regulations, and emerging issues and trends in the product stewardship arena.

The panel focused on the increasing pressure for U.S. manufacturers, importers and exporters to meet applicable governmental reporting requirements (including the European Union’s REACH effort), as well as content restrictions such as state chemical-specific laws in the U.S. and the EU’s Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS II) initiative, without knowing fully what chemicals their suppliers have used in making the products they purchase and those used in making or selling their own products. In addition to Medina, the other panelists were Mike Irwin (Procter & Gamble), Andrea Fava (Intel) and Ernie Rosenberg (American Cleaning Institute).

Panelists reviewed increased government reporting requirements and content restrictions, as well as compliance through supply-chain management, and identified the challenges and solutions for companies selling products that incorporate chemicals or components supplied by others. USCIB’s Medina spoke about how the regulation and information-sharing about chemicals in articles are unfolding in the international arena. She described the specific obligations EU REACH sets out for manufacturers of articles, and she called attention to South Korea’s efforts to introduce REACH-style.

Medina also described how the UN efforts, including the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) initiative, are addressing chemicals in products and providing a platform for some to call for increased sharing of environmental information. She warned of the spread of REACH-like approaches outside the EU, the use of SAICM as a platform to facilitate this, and the potential “perfect storm” brewing in various multilateral forums – from June’s Rio+20 conference to the International Conference on Chemicals and Chemicals Management – to validate the inclusion of REACH-style measures in an international treaty built on the SAICM initiative. Medina said the time is now for business to engage with governments in the run-up to Rio+20 and in SAICM discussions in order to shape desired outcomes.

Staff contact: Helen Medina

More on USCIB’s Product Policy Working Group

State Department Seeks Private Sector Expertise Via Franklin Fellows Program

Published on March 12, 2012

The range and complexity of issues facing Americans and the international community is immense. To strengthen their ability to deal with these issues and to involve Americans in creating the policies to confront them, the Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) created the Franklin Fellows Program.

This program provides unique opportunities for experts with a minimum of five years of relevant, professional-level experience to perform a year of public service as Franklin Fellows at the Department of State or USAID. Fellows continue to draw their salary and benefits from recognized employing companies and organizations while they are seconded to State or USAID.

The goal of the program is for Fellows to provide valuable and pertinent advice, views, opinions, alternatives or recommendations on foreign policy and development issues facing the nation, while participating in the implementation of those policies. A number of USCIB member companies have sponsored participating Fellows.

Such critical international security challenges include: bilateral and multilateral diplomacy; foreign assistance implementation; nonproliferation; human rights and democracy promotion; protecting the environment; global women’s issues; terrorism; public diplomacy; consular services to U.S. citizens; promoting trade; war crimes issues; the global scourges of HIV/AIDS and other trans-national diseases; and many more.

Who Is Eligible? The Franklin Fellows Program is open to mid/upper-level professionals from both private-sector and non-profit entities. (It is not open to U.S. government employees.) Applicants must have a minimum of five years of professional-level experience relevant to the requested assignment, be U.S. citizens and be able to obtain a security clearance.

The Franklin Fellows Program welcomes seasoned professionals with a broad range of backgrounds and experiences. In addition to their duties at State or USAID, Fellows may interact via the interagency process with other government and international entities. Fellows will enhance their own knowledge of government and of global issues, gaining valuable professional experience and enriching their nominating organizations and communities upon their return.

For more information on the Franklin Fellows Program, please visit www.careers.state.gov/ff, or contact program coordinator William P. Pope (261-8863 or popewp@state.gov).

European Chambers Bid to Host 9th World Chambers Congress

Published on March 9, 2012

Chambers of commerce from Biarritz, Dublin, Geneva, Gothenburg, Liverpool, Lyon, Manchester, Northern Ireland and Torino have confirmed their bids to host the ICC World Chambers Federation (WCF) 9^th World Chambers Congress upon its return to Europe in 2015. Held every two years in different regions of the world, the World Chambers Congress is the only international forum for chamber of commerce leaders to share best-practice experience, develop networks and learn about new areas of innovation from other chambers, as they face the challenge of remaining relevant to companies in their region. The 8^th
Congress will be held in Doha, Qatar April 22-25, 2013.

“We have been overwhelmed by the enthusiasm of chambers from around the world who have embraced the Congress as their event to reach out and build relationships with their peers, and explore together how chambers are adapting to serve their local business communities,” said WCF Chair Rona Yircali. WCF will announce the winning 2015 Congress host in November. Mr. Yircali added, “The destination chosen by the WCF General Council must address the needs of all our Congress delegates, who come from more than 100 countries.”

World Chambers Federation (WCF)

Global Business Calls for Accelerated Joint Action for Green Growth

Published on March 1, 2012

Executives from the International Chamber of Commerce, part of USCIB’s global network, have put forward principles for a transition toward a green economy at several ministerial roundtables and multi-stakeholder dialogues in Nairobi to provide input to the Rio+20 UN Conference on Sustainable Development in June 2012.

Environment ministers and senior policymakers from more than 80 countries assembled for the 2012 United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) Special Session of the Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum and Global Major Groups and Stakeholders Forum, which took place February 17-22.

Held in conjunction with UNEP’s 40th anniversary celebration, the meetings set out to prepare input on a range of issues, including a green and inclusive green economy, options to strengthen international sustainable development governance, sustainable consumption and production, and several industry-specific topics such as chemicals and waste.

“Business is an important contributor to sustainable development such as through science and technology that lead to innovations and investments for green growth,” Martina Bianchini, chair of the ICC Task Force on Green Economy and vice president, EU government affairs and public policy with The Dow Chemical Company, told a ministerial roundtable and forum.

“It will be crucial to ‘green’ all sectors in all countries and to advance resource efficiency and life cycle approaches,” Ms Bianchini said at the event, which was attended by UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner.

New Study on Benefits of AntiCounterfeiting Trade Agreement

Published on February 29, 2012

Business Action to Stop Counterfeiting and Piracy (BASCAP) – an initiative of the International Chamber of Commerce, part of USCIB’s global network – joined with the International Trademark Association in releasing a study that provides a practical analysis of the importance and benefits of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA).

The study aims to add clarity to the debate on ACTA in Europe by outlining how ACTA promotes EU trade and economic growth, as well as how it protects consumers and EU companies of all sizes against the negative impacts of counterfeiting and piracy.

It provides a detailed analysis of the provisions of ACTA and reaffirms the conclusion that ACTA is fully consistent with the laws of the EU and its member states, citing specific sections that expressly provide for protection of civil liberties, fair processes, privacy and other important fundamental rights and values of the EU.

New Business Guide to the G20 Process

Published on February 28, 2012

Business around the world has an increasingly influential role to provide input to G20 decisions regarding economic growth, job creation and open trade and investment. But what is the G20, and what exactly does it do? A new business guide published by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), part of USCIB’s global network, sets out to help business leaders and policymakers better understand the G20 process and identify the impact that G20 developments may have on global business.

The guide traces the origins of the G20 and explains its transformation into the world’s leading economic forum for international cooperation. It highlights the principal outcomes of the five summits that have taken place since 2008 and takes a targeted look at issues of particular interest for business. Such issues include restoring global economic growth and stability, promoting open trade and investment, reforming the financial sector, addressing the threat of climate change, fighting corruption, and closing the development gap.

“G20 leaders have already demonstrated their willingness to reach out to business and to listen to its advice. It is now up to business to make its voice heard and contribute ideas to help G20 governments achieve their objectives,” writes Marcus Wallenberg, chairman and CEO of SEB (Sweden) and chair of ICC’s G20 Advisory Group, in his preface to the guide.

The guide will be available for purchase from the ICC Books USA online bookstore beginning March 15. Click here for more information.

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