Communication Department Archives

Spring 2016 Member and Staff News

Published on April 5, 2016

USCIB Member Inducted in American Advertising Federation Hall of Fame

Congratulations to USCIB Marketing and Advertising Committee Vice Chair Carla Michelotti, who has been elected to the American Advertising Federation’s Advertising Hall of Fame! Carla, who retired recently as Executive Vice President and General Counsel with Leo Burnett, continues to provide leadership to our work via the International Chamber of Commerce to raise standards and promote best practices in advertising self-regulation worldwide.

USCIB CEO Appointed to IOE Management Board

USCIB CEO and President Peter Robinson at a Press Conference during the COP-20 Conference in Lima, Peru.
USCIB CEO and President Peter Robinson at a Press Conference during the COP-20 Conference in Lima, Peru.

USCIB is pleased to announce that President and CEO Peter Robinson was appointed to the International Organization of Employers Management Board and as IOE vice president for North America. Congratulations to Peter also on his recertification in February by the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) as a Certified Association Executive. ASAE represents more than 21,000 association executives and industry partners who manage leading trade associations, individual membership societies and voluntary organizations both in the United States and around the world. The center for association leadership, ASAE believes associations have the power to transform society for the better.

Staff Changes at ICC NYC United Nations Liaison Office

We are pleased to share changes within the ICC United Nations Liaison office, led by Louise Kantrow, ICC’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations.

In February, Tanya Kar joined ICC’s New York-based team as Program Manager for UN Engagement. Tanya comes to ICC with considerable relevant experience, a Masters Degree in International Affairs with a concentration in Economic Development, teaching experience and internships at the World Bank and UNDP. And, she interned for ICC supporting the work in the lead up to the Rio+20 Conference.

Rachel Sander will continue to act as the ICC Program Associate for UN Engagement. Rachel has been working for ICC on a half time basis while studying for a Masters Degree in International Affairs at the New School. Rachel’s expanded responsibilities will include greater emphasis on our communication activities including working with ICC Headquarters on the preparation of a quarterly newsletter highlighting ICC at the UN and the 2030 Agenda.

Business Welcomes Revised OECD e-Commerce Recommendation

Published on March 31, 2016

Smartphone_mobile_globeThe revision of the 1999 OECD Guidelines for Consumer Protection in the Context of Electronic Commerce (1999), which was initiated in 2014, came to a conclusion with the adoption by the OECD Council on March 24 of a revised Recommendation.

The Business and Industry Advisory Committee (BIAC) to the OECD welcomes the update which takes account of significant evolutions in the technical landscape as well as in consumer habits. From the onset, the BIAC Consumer Policy Task Force contributed actively to the works of the OECD Committee on Consumer Policy, pointing to the benefits of e-commerce and recommending a flexible approach rather than focusing on challenges.

The revised Recommendation will be discussed by ministers and high level experts during the consumer trust panel at the OECD Ministerial on the Digital Economy on June 22 in Cancun, Mexico.

Strong Business Participation at OECD Integrity Week

Published on March 31, 2016

scalesA strong business delegation will participate in the OECD Integrity Forum on April 19-20, which this year will focus on Global Trade Without Corruption. The Forum will bring together different policy communities as well as the private sector, civil society organizations and academia, and will encourage discussion on key issues, such as preventing corruption in customs, protecting supply chains, improving business in emerging markets and countering illicit trade.

The Business and Industry Advisory Committee (BIAC) to the OECD policy group leadership and experts will also be represented as speakers at the Forum. The BIAC Task Force on Anti-Bribery/Corruption will organize a preparatory meeting on the evening of April 18. BIAC will furthermore participate in the Working Party of Senior Public Integrity Officials and in a Symposium on Building integrity for inclusive growth: translating the vision into action which will take place during the OECD Public Governance Committee meeting the same week.

Back-to-back with the Forum, the OECD is organizing a seminar on Enhancing Integrity for Business Development in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Region on April 18 to identify good practices in improving business integrity and actions required to level the playing field for companies, and identify priorities for the OECD MENA work going forward. Please click here for more detailed information.

Waiting a BIT for China

Published on March 31, 2016

Via Politico Pro Trade

Shaun Donnelly, USCIB vice president for investment and financial services, spoke to Politico about the prospects of a U.S.-China Bilateral Investment Treaty as President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jingping are scheduled to meet this afternoon.

Against the backdrop of President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping’s meeting this afternoon, the window is closing on China’s pledge that it would submit an updated market access offer in its investment talks with the U.S. in March. While an offer might have come overnight, Beijing had still not put forward an updated “negative list” offer for the bilateral investment treaty by late Wednesday.

“I understand that a comprehensive, high-standard U.S.-style negative list is a new and daunting proposition for a country like China, which has a long tradition of controlling investment, both domestic and foreign, quite tightly,” said Shaun Donnelly, vice president for investment and financial services at the U.S. Council for International Business.

But it would be disappointing if the two sides missed the opportunity of Xi’s visit to make progress on the talks, he said, even though the Nuclear Security Summit is largely focused on defense and security issues.

Read the full story

Brazil Ratifies Trade Facilitation Agreement

Published on March 30, 2016
Brazil ratifies WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement (Credit WTO)
Brazil ratifies WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement (Credit WTO)

Ratification of the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement, which is estimated to create 21 million jobs and increase global GDP by $1 trillion over the next decade, is a top priority for USCIB. On March 29, Brazil became the 72nd WTO member to ratify the TFA, an agreement that was forged under the leadership of Brazilian WTO Director General Roberto Azevedo, whom USCIB honored with its 2014 International Leadership Award.

In order for the TFA to enter into force, 108 WTO members must ratify the agreement. Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff signed the Trade Facilitation Agreement during a high-level ceremony at the Palacio do Planalto in Brasilia with the attendance of Roberto Azevedo, who is visiting Brazil this week.

During his stay in the country, Roberto Azevedo will visit ICC Brazil – the ICC Brazilian Committee hosted by the Brazilian National Confederation of Industry (CNI) headquarters in Sao Paulo – and meet with CEOs from various sectors to analyze the potential benefits of the Agreement for Brazil.

Applauding this breakthrough development for trade facilitation, ICC Secretary General John Danilovich said: “Implementing the TFA gives Brazil, once one of the world’s fastest growing emerging market, an opportunity to reboot its economy by creating significant export diversification gains and reducing trade costs.”

Read the USCIB Customs Committee TFA one-pager.

Canada Sets Bad Precedent on Transatlantic Investment

Published on March 30, 2016

by Eva Hampl

In May 2009, the European Union launched negotiations with Canada for the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). After five years of negotiations, they successfully concluded in August of 2014, and the Canada-EU summit in September 2014 officially marked the end of the negotiations of the agreement, which promises to remove over 99 percent of tariffs between the two economies. CETA is the first agreement where the EU has negotiated investment provisions drastically different from the long-established language found in European investment treaties, many akin to what is also provided in our U.S. Model Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT). The EU has also been negotiating a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) with the U.S. since 2013. Negotiations on the investment chapter in TTIP resumed only recently, following an extended process and public debate in Europe on investment protection.

Today investment accounts, directly or indirectly, for a significant and growing percentage of cross-border commerce, encompassing vast global supply chains, and businesses rely on strong investment protections for legal certainty in many countries around the world. Accordingly, investment agreements and chapters continue to be of great importance.

Until a few years ago, the public in Europe had not paid much attention to investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS), however has now taken up this cause in an effort to negatively impact agreements such as CETA as well as the TTIP. The widely publicized public debate on ISDS in Europe has been very ideological and emotional in parts, resulting in a politicization of the issue, the response to which was a political solution: “improving” the world of international investment agreements (IIAs), by providing solutions to not quite clearly articulated problems. One such “solution” is the proposal of an international investment court, consisting of a roster of judges, as described in detail in the EU’s proposal for an investment chapter in the context of the TTIP negotiations.

Read the full post at Investment Policy Central

International Business Takes a Stand on International Investment Agreements

Published on March 30, 2016

by Shaun Donnelly

The Business and Industry Committee (BIAC) to the OECD in Paris recently issued a policy paper on “Why International Investment Agreements Matter”.  The paper was issued in connection with a March 14 OECD conference in Paris on International Investment Treaties.  BIAC is the formally-established business consultation network among the 34 OECD member nations. USCIB played a leading role with BIAC in the development of this investment policy paper. As USCIB’s vice president for investment and financial services, I was a panelist at the OECD Conference on Investment Treaties last week.

The BIAC policy paper lays out the importance of strong international investment agreements in promoting and protecting foreign direct investment (FDI) flows, which, in turn, are major drivers of economic growth, job creation and improved competitiveness.  FDI and investment agreements have recently come under increased political attacks from opponents of economic engagement in today’s and tomorrow’s globalized economy.  This BIAC document lays out a clear exposition of views of international business on the importance of FDI and strong investment agreements.

Read the full post at Investment Policy Central

The Future of Manufacturing: Spotlight on Investment

Published on March 29, 2016

ITA_manufacturingWhile economists debate whether the U.S. manufacturing industry has hit a recession or a temporary stall due to low energy prices, one thing appears clear – the future of U.S. manufacturing hinges on its ability to evolve and rethink operating models. In a recent study by Morgan Stanley, nearly 75 percent of U.S. plants are more than 20 years old. With such aging infrastructure, the question must be asked, how will the U.S. regain its place as the leader in manufacturing, and what will future manufacturing plants look like?

Bloomberg will convene federal and state policy makers, and leaders of the manufacturing industry to discuss the imperative facing the U.S. manufacturing industry to innovate and evolve their businesses, and to develop an understanding of the benefits and costs of such efforts.

The Future of Manufacturing: Spotlight on Investment

Tuesday, April 19 | Bloomberg, 1101 K Street NW, Suite 500 | Washington, D.C.

REGISTER NOW
INVITATION CODE: VIPGUEST

Speakers to include Marion C. Blakey, Chairman, President and CEO, Rolls-Royce North America Inc.; Shaun Donnelly, Vice President, Investment and Financial Services, United States Council for International Business; Marcus D. Jadotte, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Industry & Analysis, U.S. Department of Commerce; Vinai Thummalapally, Executive Director, SelectUSA, U.S. Department of Commerce; Jay Timmons, President and CEO, National Association of Manufacturers; and more.

The day’s discussion will examine the most important priorities and opportunities facing American manufacturing. We’ll focus on:

  • how policymakers can drive industry success
  • fostering STEM education and workforce development
  • reinforcing sustainable practices
  • attracting foreign investment and cooperation

Will Trade Overtake Antitrust as the Protector of Due Process?

Published on March 24, 2016

washington-Lincoln-MemorialsThe next meeting of the USCIB Competition Committee will be held in advance of the ABA Antitrust Spring Meeting. In addition to Committee business, the meeting will include an expert panel discussion on the role of trade in antitrust due process issues.

SPEAKERS:

Randolph W. Tritell
Director, Office of International Affairs
Federal Trade Commission

Daniel Watson
Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for North America
Office of the United States Trade Representative

DATE/TIME:

Monday, April 4, 2016
2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. EDT

LOCATION:

Baker Botts LLP
1299 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20004

RSVP:

Eva Hampl
ehampl@uscib.org

Dial-in information provided upon request.

Boao Forum Focuses on G20 Policy Agenda

Published on March 24, 2016

jdboao_sourceWith less than six months to go to the 2016 G20 Summit, a special session of the Boao Forum for Asia brought together leaders from both business and government to discuss policy priorities to support growth and job creation.

International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Secretary General John Danilovich moderated the high-level roundtable, which featured keynote addresses from Wang Shouwen, China’s vice minister of commerce and Thomas Lembong, Indonesia’s minister for trade. A major theme of the discussions was the importance of public-private partnership and dialogue to address key global challenges ranging from weak global growth to climate change.

Commenting at the roundtable on the strategic importance of this year’s G20 process, Danilovich said: “It’s vital that this year’s G20 process develops a comprehensive and credible strategy to reinvigorate trade and global growth… As business, we also look to the G20 to drive forward implementation of the landmark UN agreements which were forged last year on sustainable development and climate change.”

The roundtable explored recommendations being developed by the five B20 task forces on trade and investment, infrastructure, employment, financing and small business (SME) development. The issue of SME growth remains a particular priority for ICC’s global outreach, building on engagement throughout last year’s B20 process which lead to the creation of the World SME Forum.

 Read more from ICC