Press Release Archives

New Global Commitment to Tackle Jobs Crisis

Published on June 18, 2009
The ILO’s headquarters in Geneva: governments, employers and trade unions will adopt a Global Jobs Pact at the conclusion of the annual ILO conference.
The ILO’s headquarters in Geneva: governments, employers and trade unions will adopt a Global Jobs Pact at the conclusion of the annual ILO conference.

Geneva and New York, June 18, 2009 – Employers, trade unions and governments have reached a historic global agreement on measures to promote employment and enterprise development during economic recovery, according to the International Organization of Employers (IOE).

The Global Jobs Pact will today be adopted by the International Labor Organization (ILO) annual conference in Geneva – the main United Nations labor and social policy forum.  It will be the first truly global identification of labor and social measures to combat the crisis, which brings together both the developed and developing world.

The Geneva-based IOE is the largest private-sector network in the world, representing national business federations in 140 countries.  It is the leading international business organization on social and labor matters, directly representing business in the ILO and working closely with policy makers at all levels.  The United States Council for International Business (USCIB), based in New York, serves as the IOE’s American affiliate.

USCIB Executive Vice President Ronnie Goldberg, who serves on the ILO’s governing body, helped draft the Global Jobs Pact.  She said it lays out clearly the policy approaches needed to support job creation by the private sector.

“Enterprises of all sizes have been negatively impacted by the crisis, and they all require the right policies to return to growth,” stated Ms. Goldberg.

The Global Jobs Pact directly meets the challenge laid down by G20 governments in April – supporting employment by stimulating growth, investing in education and training and implementing effective labor market policies, while also focusing on the most vulnerable.

“Having agreed measures which can combat the crisis, the hard work now begins,” the IOE said in a statement.  “The challenge for the ILO, international organizations, governments, trade unions and employers, will be translating these ideas into practical measures which actually make a difference on the ground.  The true test of the new pact will be its translation into more jobs in all countries.”

The Global Jobs Pact underlines the key role the private sector must play in any recovery.  It emphasizes the importance of policies that support business survival, entrepreneurship and investment. It also identifies the development of small and medium-sized enterprises, infrastructure development, and the positive role of rural employment, as measures to respond to the jobs crisis.

“The employers of the world are committed to ensuring the global jobs pact translates into more sustainable enterprises and therefore more jobs and a rapid and comprehensive global economic recovery,” stated the IOE.  “The survival of private enterprises will be critical to that recovery.”

The text of the Global Jobs Pact is available on the ILO’s website (www.ilo.org).  Click here to access a copy.

USCIB promotes international engagement and prudent regulation in support of open markets, competitiveness and innovation, sustainable development and corporate responsibility. Its members include top U.S.-based global companies and professional services firms from every sector of the economy, with operations in every region of the world.  With a unique global network encompassing leading international business organizations, including the IOE, USCIB provides business views to policy makers and regulatory authorities worldwide, and works to facilitate international trade and investment.

Contacts:
Scott Barklamb, IOE
+41 22.917.68.02 or barklamb@ioe-emp.org

Jonathan Huneke, USCIB
+1 212.703.5043 or jhuneke@uscib.org

ILO website

IOE website

More on USCIB’s Labor and Employment Committee

ICC Calls on G8 to Avoid Economic Nationalism

Published on June 12, 2009
ICC Vice Chairman Rajat Gupta, Amerigo Gori of ICC Italy and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi
ICC Vice Chairman Rajat Gupta, Amerigo Gori of ICC Italy and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi

Rome and New York, June 12, 2009 – The G8 summit should resist pressures to resort to economic nationalism and should further strengthen international cooperation to meet the challenges posed by the global recession, climate change and product counterfeiting, the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) urged Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi today.

”We stressed to the prime minister the importance of resisting protectionist pressures, which would only lead to a deeper and longer world recession,” ICC Honorary Chairman Marcus Wallenberg said following the private session.

“With the world as economically integrated as it has become over recent decades, any lurch into economic nationalism would dislocate commercial activity even further,” Mr. Wallenberg added.

The Paris-based ICC is the largest, most representative private sector association in the world, with hundreds of thousands of member companies in over 130 countries.  The United States Council for International Business (USCIB), based in New York, serves as ICC’s American national committee.

Meetings between the host of the annual G8 summit and the ICC leadership have become traditional and allow the views of the world business community to be presented at the highest levels. The business views were also detailed in a six-page statement, which was given to Mr. Berlusconi at the meeting.

In addition to Mr. Wallenberg, the ICC delegation included ICC Vice Chairman Rajat Gupta, senior partner emeritus of McKinsey & Company, and Andrea Tomat, chairman of ICC Italy and CEO of Lotto Sport Italia.

The delegation also conveyed to Mr. Berlusconi, who will host the G8 summit in L’Aquila July 8 to 10, the urgent need to increase trade finance on which international trade – the lifeblood of the international economy – heavily depends.

“ICC continues to urge official development banks and export guarantee agencies to significantly expand their trade finance facilities during the global recession,” Mr. Wallenberg said.

ICC leaders again called on the G8 to finally summon the political will to complete the long-stalled Doha Round of trade negotiations, saying the current global crisis made it more urgent than ever to achieve that objective. ICC praised the recent promises by G20 leaders to refrain from raising trade barriers before the end of 2010.

The ICC delegation said that, while there were some hopeful signs that the recession may be bottoming out in some major economies, the immediate priority was to increase demand and credit. It also urged the world’s most industrialized countries to find more effective ways to reduce the growing imbalances in their external current accounts and warned against a mood of regulatory enthusiasm in business sectors where self-regulation is working well.

Tackling climate change

ICC encouraged the G8 to play a leadership role in fighting climate change and expressed strong support for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change that will try to reach a new global agreement in Copenhagen this December to regulate greenhouse gas emissions.

ICC said the new agreement must include all major greenhouse gas emitters and provide business with a clear, stable, and predictable framework to stimulate investment and deploy technology on the necessary scale.

“Climate change is perhaps the best example of a global problem requiring a global solution,” Mr. Gupta said after the meeting. “We are worried, however, by proposals in some countries to enact unilateral trade measures to address concerns arising from differences in climate policy among countries.”

Stopping counterfeiting and piracy

The ICC delegation said that while it was encouraged that product counterfeiting and copyright piracy have become a regular topic on the G8 summit agenda, the problem continues to grow and presents a rapidly increasing danger to society.

“The result is unfair competition for legitimate economic activity and the unchecked growth of an underground economy that deprives governments of revenues for vital public services, dislocates hundreds of thousands of legitimate jobs, and exposes consumers to dangerous and ineffective products, including medicines,” said Mr. Tomat.

ICC called for concrete action in this vital area, including the swift conclusion of an Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement that will set new and higher standards for national and international governmental action to deal with counterfeiting and piracy and the creation of an IPR Customs Taskforce – charging it with the responsibility to establish better operational cooperation amongst G8 customs authorities, support customs capacity-building in developing countries, and share best practices on security controls and free trade zones.

“Strengthening the fight against counterfeiting and piracy at the borders is critical”, said Mr. Tomat.  “Government efforts to strengthen IP enforcement regimes are investments that pay tangible dividends to economic development and society.  Now is the time to increase, not decrease, the resources committed to stopping the illegal trade in counterfeits and piracy.”

ICC has a long-standing working relationship with many intergovernmental organizations, including the World Trade Organization and United Nations agencies.  The core mission of ICC is to promote trade and investment across frontiers and help businesses meet the challenges and opportunities of globalization.

USCIB promotes international engagement and prudent regulation in support of open markets, competitiveness and innovation, sustainable development and corporate responsibility.  Its members include top U.S.-based global companies and professional services firms from every sector of the economy, and with operations in every region of the world.  With a unique global network encompassing leading international business organizations, including ICC, 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

Contacts:
Jonathan Huneke, VP of Communications, USCIB
+1 212 703 5043 or jhuneke@uscib.org

Dawn Chardonnal, ICC Communications Dept.
+33 1 4953 2907 or dcl@iccwbo.org

ICC statement to the G8 leaders

ICC website

G8 Summit 2009 website

USCIB press release: G8 Business Federation Heads Unite on Need to Avoid Credit Crunch (April 29, 2009)

ICC Appoints Seasoned International Executive as New Secretary General

Published on June 3, 2009
New ICC Secretary General Jean Rozwadowski
New ICC Secretary General Jean Rozwadowski

Paris and New York, June 3, 2009 –  Jean Rozwadowski, a businessman with broad international experience, has been named secretary general of the International Chamber of Commerce.

Mr. Rozwadowski was unanimously appointed by the ICC World Council at a meeting in Kuala Lumpur yesterday on the eve of the biennial ICC World Chambers Federation Congress.  He will replace Guy Sebban, who retires on July 1 at the end of his four-year term.

The Paris-based ICC is the largest, most representative private sector association in the world, with hundreds of thousands of member companies in over 130 countries.  The United States Council for International Business (USCIB), based in New York, serves as ICC’s American national committee.

“I am delighted and honoured to be joining such an illustrious organization,” Mr. Rozwadowski said in accepting his position.  “In these times of dramatic and accelerating change, it is more important than ever to strengthen ICC’s mission as the voice of global business in promoting a rules-based multilateral trading system and international cooperation.  Protectionism and other challenges to globalization must be firmly addressed,” he added.

Mr. Rozwadowski, 62, was born in Holland to a Polish father and a French mother and grew up in South Africa. A French national, he has lived and worked on five continents, holding senior executive positions in Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Britain, France, Germany, Singapore, and the United States. He speaks several languages, including English, French, Portuguese, Polish and Spanish.

“My professional experience has allowed me to witness first-hand how international business contributes to making this a better world ─ creating employment, reducing poverty and stimulating education,” he said.

Mr. Rozwadowski’s nomination was approved by the ICC World Council following the recommendation of the ICC Executive Board. The nomination was concluded after a robust global search which started with some 100 names.

“Jean Rozwadowski is the right man at the right time for our organization and for the international business community,” ICC Chairman Victor K. Fung said.  “He will lead ICC at a time of major global shifts when protectionist pressures are increasing and the global recession has sharply reduced international trade.”

“His experience and contacts around the world should be invaluable for us as we move forward in this challenging environment,” Mr. Fung added.

The ICC chairman praised the outgoing secretary general for his role in strengthening the organization. “Guy Sebban, by tirelessly working with all the stakeholder groups inside and outside the ICC organization, made us stronger and more responsive to the needs of international business,” he said.

The selection committee said Mr. Rozwadowski had easily fulfilled the criteria it sought in a new secretary general, namely strong international business experience coupled with a track record in managing change, delivering quality customer service in member-driven organizations, and developing innovative products and solutions to enhance revenue.

It said Mr. Rozwadowski had the personal and business stature necessary to work closely with leaders in business, government and multilateral organizations.

Mr. Rozwadowski was president of the Latin American and Caribbean division of MasterCard between 1999 and 2004.  Previously he was the company’s executive vice president for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, based in Belgium.

Before joining MasterCard, Mr. Rozwadowski held numerous executive positions during a 20-year career with American Express, heading up the Southeast Asia and Middle East divisions, based in Singapore and Bahrain, respectively, and leading American Express operations in Brazil for six years. The new secretary general also served as president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Sao Paolo, Brazil.

Mr. Rozwadowski graduated with a MBA degree from the Amos Tuck School of Business Administration at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire. He earned his undergraduate degree from the Ecole Supérieure de Commerce de Paris.

Mr. Rozwadowski’s wife is Brazilian and they have two children.

USCIB promotes international engagement and prudent regulation in support of open markets, competitiveness and innovation, sustainable development and corporate responsibility.  Its members include top U.S.-based global companies and professional services firms from every sector of the economy, and with operations in every region of the world.  With a unique global network encompassing leading international business organizations, including ICC, 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.

Contacts:
Jonathan Huneke, VP of Communications, USCIB +1 212 703 5043 or jhuneke@uscib.org

Dawn Chardonnal, ICC Communications Dept. +33 1 4953 2907 or dcl@iccwbo.org

ICC website

OECD Tax Conference Tackles Crisis’s Impact on Tax Rules

Published on June 2, 2009
Rep. Charles Rangel (D. – N.Y.) addressed the conference.
Rep. Charles Rangel (D. – N.Y.) addressed the conference.

Washington, D.C., June 2, 2009 – Participants at a major conference on global tax policy organized by the United States Council for International Business and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development addressed new challenges arising out of the ongoing economic crisis.  Over 200 attendees, including senior corporate executives and government officials, met over two days to review the 30-nation OECD’s evolving role in shaping international tax policy.

“OECD initiatives can help rebuild the post-crisis global economy,” said OECD Secretary General Angel Gurría.  “They are aimed at guaranteeing the level playing field, integrity, transparency, fairness and predictability that are the cornerstones of a healthy international economy in which businesses can compete fairly.”  He said the financial crisis would focus policy makers’ attention on tax rules that may encourage “excessive risk-taking.”

House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel (D. – N.Y.) addressed the gathering, observing that he expects tax reform to be a priority for the current presidential term.  He said reduction of corporate tax rates could be part of reform, but only as part of a balanced package that increases overall fairness.  He invited business to enter into a dialogue with Congress to develop useful proposals.  Congressman Rangel also called for greater international cooperation to target tax evasion.

IRS Commissioner Douglas Shulman, providing the conference’s keynote remarks, said the financial crisis showed global interconnectedness in “stark terms.”  He said President Obama‘s tax proposals aimed to promote fairness and reduce tax avoidance.  “Good laws make it easier to do right and harder to do wrong,” he said.

Panels at the conference addressed a range of international tax topics, including bilateral tax treaties, transfer pricing and permanent establishment, attribution of profits and business restructuring.  Jeffrey Owens, director of the OECD’s Center for Tax Policy Administration, said the loss of tax revenue brought about by the ongoing global recession would put pressure on governments to review rules governing transfer pricing, potentially affecting how companies allocate losses among jurisdictions where they operate.

The conference was co-organized by the Business and Industry Advisory Committee (BIAC) to the OECD, which officially represents the view of industry in the Paris-based body.   It was the fourth such event organized by USCIB, the OECD and BIAC.  “This conference has grown into a bit of a springtime tradition for us,” said USCIB President and CEO Peter M. Robinson.  “It’s clear that the critical nature of the OECD’s tax policy work merits regular high-level gatherings with business.”

Supporting organizations included the International Fiscal Association – USA Branch, International Tax Policy Forum, National Foreign Trade Council, Organization for International Investment, Tax Council Policy Institute, Tax Executives Institute, Inc., and the Tax Foundation.

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 at www.uscib.org.

Contact:
Jonathan Huneke, VP communications, USCIB
(212) 703-5043 or jhuneke@uscib.org.

Conference website

More on USCIB’s Taxation Committee

OECD website

Washington Hosts Global Tax Policy Conference

Published on May 19, 2009

U.S. and international officials to discuss key developments at latest OECD event

OECD Tax 2009Washington, D.C., May 19, 2009 – Against the backdrop of renewed attention in Washington on multinational tax issues, company executives and tax counsel have an opportunity next month to learn about the latest international tax policy developments affecting their businesses.  Top officials with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, which is playing an increasingly important role in international tax deliberations, will take part in a two-day conference organized by the United States Council for International Business (USCIB).

“The OECD’s Evolving Role in Shaping International Tax Policy,” June 1 and 2 at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, D.C., is the latest in a regular series of conferences focusing on the OECD’s key role in global tax matters.  The event provides insight into how the Paris-based OECD, which groups the world’s most advanced industrialized nations, influences tax policies worldwide, and how business can engage with it.

“More and more, executives and tax planners are coming to recognize the scope of the OECD’s work, and the importance of an informed, ongoing dialogue with the OECD secretariat and its member states,” according to Lynda K. Walker, USCIB’s vice president and international tax counsel.  “This year’s event provides high-level access to key OECD representatives and influential U.S. policy makers.”

Speakers at the two-day conference will include OECD Secretary General Angel Gurría, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel (D. – N.Y.), IRS Commissioner Douglas Shulman and Jeffrey Owens, director of the OECD’s Center for Tax Policy Administration.  Panels will include numerous other U.S. and OECD officials along with representatives of industry and the legal community.  Topics range from transfer pricing and permanent establishment to attribution of profits and business restructuring.  OECD enlargement, dispute resolution and an open-microphone “Ask the OECD” panel will round out the agenda.

The conference is being co-organized by the Business and Industry Advisory Committee (BIAC) to the OECD, which officially represents the view of industry in the 30-nation body.  Supporting organizations include the International Fiscal Association – USA Branch, International Tax Policy Forum, National Foreign Trade Council, Organization for International Investment, Tax Council Policy Institute, Tax Executives Institute, Inc., and the Tax Foundation.

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.

Contact:
Jonathan Huneke, VP communications, USCIB
(212) 703-5043 or jhuneke@uscib.org.

Conference agenda, registration form and other information

More on USCIB’s Taxation Committee

OECD website

USCIB Honored During World Trade Week

Published on May 18, 2009

Carnet service for temporary exports celebrated on 40th anniversary

USCIB President and CEO Peter Robinson (right) accepts the Commerce Department’s Export Appreciation Award from James Cox, Northeast network director with the U.S. Commercial Service.
USCIB President and CEO Peter Robinson (right) accepts the Commerce Department’s Export Appreciation Award from James Cox, Northeast network director with the U.S. Commercial Service.

New York, N.Y., May 18, 2009 – The United States Council for International Business (USCIB), a leading pro-trade group based in Midtown Manhattan, was honored with the Department of Commerce’s Export Appreciation Award at a breakfast today at Baruch College.  The award, presented as part of the New York-area celebration of World Trade Week, recognized USCIB’s innovative ATA Carnet service for temporary exports.

“We are delighted to receive recognition for this invaluable commercial tool,” said USCIB President and CEO Peter M. Robinson in accepting the award.  “Companies of all sizes use Carnets to operate smoothly across borders.  What’s more, Carnets can help pave the way for new overseas sales, which are more important than ever as we seek to get our economy out of recession.”

Introduced in the United States forty years ago this month, ATA Carnets are internationally recognized customs documents, accepted in 65 countries, that allow for temporary duty-free, tax-free import of commercial samples, professional equipment and goods displayed at trade shows.  USCIB issues and guarantees Carnets in the United States from it’s New York offices and via a nationwide network of service providers.

Companies find “merchandise passports” essential for reducing costs and speeding global operations.  The ATA Carnet system was developed by the International Chamber of Commerce, the world business organization USCIB represents in the United States, and the World Customs Organization.  (“ATA” is a combination of the French and English abbreviations for “temporary admission.”)  More information on ATA Carnets is available at www.merchandisepassport.org.

Originally proclaimed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, World Trade Week is marked in cities nationwide to celebrate international trade’s contributions to the U.S. economy.  The New York-area trade community will celebrate World Trade Week with a full agenda of conferences, educational seminars, global business networking events and an awards breakfast recognizing exemplary contributions in the field.  More information, including a complete roster of events, is available at www.wtwnyc.org.

President Obama, in a proclamation issued by the White House, stated: “The United States is well-positioned to reap the benefits of trade.  America is a leader in the global marketplace and ranks at the top of almost every measure of global competitiveness.  Our businesses, workers, and farmers remain the most innovative, productive, and adaptable in the world.  The United States is also the world’s largest exporter.”

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, 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
(212) 703-5043
jhuneke@uscib.org

World Trade Week NYC website

President Obama’s proclamation: World Trade Week 2009

More on USCIB’s ATA Carnet Export Service

More on USCIB’s Trade and Investment Committee

G8 Business Federation Heads Unite on Need to Avoid Credit Crunch

Published on April 24, 2009

Meeting in Sardinia, they also call for open trade and a concerted effort on climate

Sardinia was host to this year’s G8 Business Summit.
Sardinia was host to this year’s G8 Business Summit.

Santa Margherita di Pula, Italy, April 24, 2009 – Business leaders from the G8 nations gathered in Sardinia yesterday and today to address urgent global economic issues.  Their conclusions and recommendations are contained in a joint declaration that will be presented to the G8 heads of state in preparation for July’s G8 Summit in Abruzzo, Italy.

The G8 Business Summit, hosted by Confindustria, the Italian Confederation of Industry, focused on three pressing issues: responses to the financial and economic crisis, free trade and investment, and the need to tackle climate change.

The United States was represented by William G.  Parrett, chairman of the United States Council for International Business, Harold W.  McGraw III, CEO of The McGraw-Hill Companies and chairman of the Business Roundtable, and Thomas Donohue, president and CEO of the U.S.  Chamber of Commerce.

The business summit is the fourth multilateral meeting to be organized by the main business associations representing the private sector in the countries that make up the G8.  The first G8 Business Summit was held in Berlin in 2007, followed by Tokyo in 2008 and an extraordinary Summit dedicated to the financial crisis, held in December 2008 in Paris.

The main conclusions of the 2009 summit, contained in detail in the G8 Business Summit joint declaration, are:

Response to the financial and economic crisis: Business Leaders addressed the need to find short- and medium- to long-term solutions to address recovery of the real economy by stimulating economic growth, employment, global trade and investment.  The greatest and most urgent efforts must be directed at avoiding and mitigating the impact of a broader credit crunch.  It is crucial to restore companies’ access to finance at reasonable prices.  The need to durably reinforce financial stability requires proper financial market reforms ensuring a suitable balance between better regulation and risk prevention.

Free trade and investment: Business Leaders called for open trade and sound investment policies, which are vital in strengthening economic growth, job creation and industry competitiveness, and are especially important to small and medium companies, severely affected by the credit and liquidity crunch and by increasing limitations on market access worldwide.  The economic situation requires G8 governments to strengthen and publicly renew their full commitment to an open global economy.  The successful conclusion of the Doha Round in 2009 lies at the heart of all possible strategies as it is the most effective way to establish a level playing field at the global level and its positive conclusion would weaken the drifts towards protectionism and isolationism in the global economy.  The delivery of an ambitious and balanced WTO agreement would be a concrete symbol of effective international cooperation and the strongest possible stimulus for the recovery of the global economy and for the growth of developing and less developed economies.  G8 Business also calls for the conclusion of the negotiations for the accession of Russia to the WTO before completion of the Doha Round.

Tackling climate change: the road to Copenhagen.  Business Leaders called for a concerted global effort based on long-term cooperative action as the only way to succeed in tackling the issue of climate change.  The forthcoming Copenhagen UNFCCC conference is a great opportunity to reach a global agreement based on clear, equitable and firm worldwide commitments to emission reduction.  Business accepts its share of the responsibility and has already made major changes in operations including introducing new processes, products and services to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and will continue to tackle climate change.  However, business calls for the full burden of emissions reduction to be shared among all emitters.  Tackling climate change can unleash numerous business opportunities, provided that innovation and technological development are properly encouraged.  To effectively achieve emissions reduction targets, business needs to remain competitive.  Clear, predictable and stable frameworks are essential for long-term planning and investments at national, regional and international levels.  At the same time, policies must be balanced to avoid diverting resources away from innovation and encouraging protectionist barriers to trade.

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, 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, VP Communications, USCIB
Tel: +1 212.703.5043 (office) or +1 917.420.0039 (mobile)
E-mail: jhuneke@uscib.org

G8 business leaders declaration 

G8 Summit official website

More on USCIB’s Trade and Investment Committee

More on USCIB’s Environment Committee

Business, Anti-Poverty and Faith-Based Groups Unite in Support of Open Markets

Published on March 20, 2009

handshakeNew York, N.Y., March 20, 2009 – Faced with rising signs of the damage the global economic crisis is causing in poorer nations, the United States Council for International Business (USCIB), which represents America’s top global companies, and other business groups joined with the anti-poverty and faith-based communities in appealing for U.S. leadership to maintain open markets and keep millions in the developing world from falling back into poverty.

In a joint letter to President Obama and the House and Senate leadership, the organizations noted that it was highly unusual for such disparate groups to join forces on an issue, but that “there are aspects of the current global financial crisis that warrant such common efforts.”  Chief among these is the need to keep markets open and avoid turning inward, they said.

The groups wrote: “The economic welfare of Americans is inextricably linked with the well-being of men, women, and children across the globe.  It is essential, therefore, that the United States reject those policies that will worsen the impact of the current economic crisis on global economic growth and development, particularly with respect to poor nations, and work instead alongside the people of these nations to further their own sustainable development.  By doing so, we ultimately secure our own economic future.”

The letter cited worrisome evidence of the damage the crisis is having on developing countries, with recent reports from the IMF, World Bank and World Trade Organization all pointing to the urgency of the situation.  Sharp decreases in investment flows, export demand, export credits and commodity prices will hit developing countries hard, the groups said, with Africa being especially vulnerable.  The World Bank estimates that each one-percent drop in global economic growth traps 20 million more people in poverty worldwide.

The groups joined in urging the Obama administration and Congress to reaffirm at April’s G20 Summit in London the earlier commitment by G20 nations to reject destructive protectionism.  They also called upon the United States to strive for a successful conclusion of the WTO’s Doha Round that opens major markets for both developed and developing countries, review and reform U.S. trade-preference programs to give special attention to uniquely vulnerable countries, and reinforce the commitment to increase development assistance.

“It is important to remember that at the heart of the global financial system are working families and local communities whose fate is bound together in a globalized economy,” the letter stated.  “Our nation is undergoing severe distress in terms of jobs, businesses and investment that is taking a daily toll on people.  Such problems should motivate us to seek solutions that reject destructive protectionism on the one hand and global indifference to the plight of the poor on the other.”

Groups joining USCIB in signing the appeal included the National Foreign Trade Council, Business Roundtable, Center for Global Development, Emergency Committee for American Trade, the Episcopal Church, ONE, Oxfam America, Progressive Policy Institute, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and World Vision.

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, USCIB provides business views to policy makers and regulatory authorities worldwide, and works to facilitate international trade and investment.

Contact:
Jonathan Huneke, VP Communications, USCIB
Tel: +1 212.703.5043 (office) or +1 917.420.0039 (mobile)
E-mail: jhuneke@uscib.org

Joint letter on Doha Round and development

More on USCIB’s Trade and Investment Committee

Industry Groups Say Union Card-Check Bill Violates Principles of International Law

Published on March 18, 2009

ballot boxNew York, N.Y., March 18, 2009 – The proposed “card-check” bill currently before Congress, which would effectively eliminate secret ballots for employees to form unions, may violate longstanding international legal principles, according to a joint letter from two top industry groups.

The United States Council for International Business (USCIB) and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce have sent a letter to Congress spelling out how provisions of the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) contradict the principles of international labor law as defined by the International Labor Organization (ILO).

“It’s disturbing that labor unions, which for years have pressed for integration of ILO labor standards into U.S. law and trade agreements, would be pushing to introduce a system that violates ILO standards,” said Adam Greene, USCIB’s vice president for labor and corporate responsibility.

USCIB is the American employers representative to the ILO, a tripartite United Nations body with representation from governments, businesses and trade unions that sets international labor standards and works to promote improved labor practices worldwide.  The International Organization of Employers (IOE) is the worldwide organization that coordinates business participation in the ILO.

The joint industry letter highlighted two provisions in the card-check bill, which would modify the National Labor Relations Act.   They would effectively eliminate the secret ballot in union elections and impose a compulsory arbitration scheme to set the terms of initial collective bargaining agreements.  The business groups said these were inconsistent with the ILO’s 1998 Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work.

The ILO calls secret ballot elections the preferred means for workers to select a union, since workers face far less risk of reprisal.  The UN body also discourages compulsory arbitration schemes, saying they interfere with voluntary collective bargaining and freedom of association.

“Congress needs to think long and hard about whether we really want to place the United States so far outside the agreed international norms on this issue,” said Mr. Greene.  “Even prisoners of war, under the Geneva Conventions, are guaranteed the right to a secret ballot when electing their representatives.”

These arguments will be elaborated in more detail in a forthcoming article by attorney Stefan Jan Marculewicz in the IOE’s 2009 International Labor and Social Policy Review.

USCIB promotes international engagement and prudent regulation in support of open markets, competitiveness and innovation, sustainable development and corporate responsibility. 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 the IOE, 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, VP Communications, USCIB
Tel: +1 212.703.5043 (office) or +1 917.420.0039 (mobile)
E-mail: jhuneke@uscib.org

Joint industry letter on Employee Free Choice Act

Article: “Elimination of the Secret Ballot Union Election and Compulsory Arbitration Under The Employee Free Choice Act – A Violation of Fundamental Principles of International Labor Law”

More on USCIB’s Labor and Employment Committee

U.S. Multinational Companies Strengthen the Domestic Economy

Published on March 16, 2009

Study demonstrates how domestic multinationals contribute to American productivity and prosperity

Washington, D.C., March 16, 2009 – A study published today by the United States Council Foundation confirms that – contrary to public belief – U.S. multinationals strengthen the domestic economy by enhancing America’s productivity, leading to job creation and increased compensation for our workers. The study, “How U.S. Multinational Companies Strengthen the U.S. Economy,” published jointly with the Business Roundtable, challenges recent concerns regarding the balance of these corporations’ domestic and international activities.

“The notion that U.S. multinationals have ‘abandoned’ our country by shipping the majority of their operations overseas is not supported by the facts,” said author Matthew J. Slaughter, associate dean of the MBA program and professor of International Economics at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. “We live in a society that is truly interconnected on a global scale. Consumers demand access to goods and services from all over the world. Therefore, the success of these companies increasingly depends on their engagement in the global marketplace. Their leaders must make strategic investment and employment decisions from an international perspective, linking all locations to take advantage of the dynamic world market.”

According to Slaughter, U.S. parent companies account for nearly 25 percent of all private-sector output (measured in terms of GDP), or more than $2.5 trillion.

“U.S. multinational companies are, first and foremost, American companies,” noted Slaughter. “These companies strengthen the American economy through a combination of their domestic activity and their international engagement, which together stimulate capital investment, research and development, and trade. These productivity-enhancing activities, in turn, lead to more job opportunities and to larger average paychecks for millions of American workers.”

Slaughter contends that the central role U.S. multinational companies play in underpinning U.S. economic growth and jobs creation is even more important today as the United States addresses challenges presented by the current economic environment.

“Strong U.S. multinational companies that are able to compete effectively in foreign markets will be better positioned to help lead America out of recession,” said Slaughter.  “By preserving and enhancing the health, vitality and competitiveness of their worldwide operations, U.S. multinational companies can help stem job losses in the United States and, eventually, hire more American workers.”

Additionally, the study found that U.S. multinationals maintain a large presence in America, both relative to the overall domestic economy and relative to the size of foreign affiliates. The worldwide operations of U.S. multinational companies are highly concentrated in America, not abroad in their foreign affiliates. Domestic parent companies accounted for nearly 70 percent of worldwide employment of U.S multinationals, that is, almost 22 million U.S. workers versus 9.5 million at affiliates. This translates into a ratio of nearly 2.3 U.S. employees for every one affiliate employee and represents about 19 percent of total private-sector payroll employment.

Slaughter argues that this global connection has allowed U.S. multinationals to tap into diverse international markets, which have experienced faster growth throughout the past generation than the United States. This foreign-affiliate activity, he believes, helps drive increased domestic employment, worker compensation and capital investments.

“Being globally engaged requires U.S. multinationals to establish operations abroad and expand and integrate these foreign activities with their U.S. parent activities,” said Slaughter. “The idea that this international expansion tends to ‘hollow out’ domestic operations is incorrect. Rather, the success of American operations of these companies depends on success abroad and vice versa. Ultimately, it’s the linkage and right balance of domestic and international operations that increases productivity of these corporations and promotes a higher standard of living for all Americans.”

Foreign affiliates are located primarily in high-income countries that in many ways have economic structures similar to the U.S., not in low-income countries. Affiliates in high-income countries accounted for 79 percent of total affiliate output.

This study was commissioned by Business Roundtable, an association of America’s leading CEOs, and the United States Council Foundation, the educational arm of United States Council for International Business (USCIB).

The full text and findings of “How U.S. Multinational Companies Strengthen the U.S. Economy” can be found by clicking here as well as at www.businessroundtable.org.

USCIB promotes international engagement and prudent regulation in support of open markets, competitiveness and innovation, sustainable development and corporate responsibility. 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, USCIB provides business views to policy makers and regulatory authorities worldwide, and works to facilitate international trade and investment.

Business Roundtable is an association of chief executive officers-ud-736-UD-736 of leading U.S. companies with more than $5 trillion in annual revenues and nearly 10 million employees. Member companies comprise nearly a third of the total value of the U.S. stock markets and pay nearly half of all corporate income taxes paid to the federal government. Annually, they return $133 billion in dividends to shareholders and the economy.

Business Roundtable companies give more than $7 billion a year in combined charitable contributions, representing nearly 60 percent of total corporate giving. They are technology innovation leaders, with more than $70 billion in annual research and development spending – more than a third of the total private R&D spending in the U.S.

Contacts:
Jonathan Huneke, USCIB
(212) 703-5043 or jhuneke@uscib.org

Kirk Monroe, Business Roundtable
(202) 496-3269 or kmonroe@businessroundtable.org

Study: “How U.S. Multinational Benefit the U.S. Economy”

More on the United States Council Foundation

Business Roundtable website