Press Release Archives

Study Recommends New International Pact to Avert Possible Conflict on Subsidized Takeovers

Published on April 10, 2008

USCIB_FoundationWashington, D.C., April 10, 2008 – Along with the rise of sovereign wealth funds as major actors in global business and finance, recent high-profile takeover bids by subsidized foreign firms have highlighted a number of emerging challenges in cross-border mergers and acquisitions. What are the implications when a foreign company, backed by financial support from its home government, purchases a U.S. firm? And what actions should be taken to ensure a level playing field while keeping markets open?

This is the focus of a new study published by the United States Council Foundation, the research and educational arm of the United States Council for International Business (USCIB). “Investment Subsidies for Cross-Border M&A: Trends and Policy Implications,” by Gary Hufbauer, Thomas Moll and Luca Rubini, investigates several recent cases of subsidized finance in cross-border M&A transactions and suggests corrective measures to head off the possibility of protectionist overreaction.

“While subsidized M&A or non-transparent sovereign wealth dealings do not pose a ‘clear and present danger,’ so to speak, they merit thoughtful consideration well before a political confrontation occurs,” according to Dr. Hufbauer, who detailed the report’s findings and recommendations at the National Press Club here today.

Dr. Hufbauer is the Reginald Jones senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics. Thomas Moll is a research assistant at the Peterson Institute. Luca Rubini is a lecturer at Birmingham Law School (UK).

The study examines three recent instances where subsidized finance was seen or alleged to have played a significant role in an M&A transaction: the Chinese state-owned oil firm CNOOC’s bid for Unocal, the purchase of several Ingersoll-Rand divisions by Korea’s Doosan Infracore and moves by Electricité de France to expand into a number of new markets abroad.

The authors contend that subsidized M&A, if not restrained by agreed international rules, might breed costly, wasteful emulation as well as protectionist sentiment in major markets – not least the United States – especially when viewed against the sensitivities raised by the growth in sovereign wealth funds.

The appropriate response, they say, is to move toward a multilateral compact on M&A subsidies. Such a pact would be designed to increase government transparency, while drawing a line around what types of subsidies would spur review and limiting the types of retaliatory actions governments could use to counter subsidies. The authors suggest this year’s Group of Eight summit in Japan as an appropriate forum to begin discussions of such a multilateral agreement.

“Proposals to address M&A subsidies should emphasize the benefits of an open investment climate,” stated Dr. Hufbauer. “A multilateral compact will serve as a bulwark against, rather than an incentive for, protectionist legislation.”

Individual copies of the study are available free of charge from the United States Council Foundation (212-703-5063 or news@uscib.org). The study can also be downloaded in PDF format at www.uscouncilfoundation.org.

The United States Council Foundation is a private 501(c)(3) organization affiliated with USCIB. It was organized to undertake educational activities to promote the benefits of a free market economy, to demonstrate and document the role of the corporate private sector in economic growth and social development, and to advance sustainability in environmental management. More information is available at www.uscouncilfoundation.org.

USCIB promotes an open system of global commerce. Its membership includes more than 300 leading U.S. companies, professional services firms and associations whose combined annual revenues exceed $3.5 trillion. As American affiliate of the leading international business and employers organizations, USCIB provides business views to policy makers and regulatory authorities worldwide and works to facilitate international trade. More information is available at www.uscib.org.

Contact:

Jonathan Huneke, VP Communications & Public Affairs, USCIB

+1 212-703-5043 (office), +1 917-420-0039 (mobile) or jhuneke@uscib.org

 

More on the United States Council Foundation

More on USCIB’s Trade and Investment Committee

Montreal to Host Second ICC Arbitration Workshop in North America

Published on April 9, 2008
Spring’s arrival in Montreal should greet those attending the workshop.
Spring’s arrival in Montreal should greet those attending the workshop.

New York, N.Y., April 9, 2008 – Arbitration is increasingly regarded as the preferred way to resolve cross-border business disputes. To help lawyers and business executives better understand the ins and outs of this fast-growing field, the ICC International Court of Arbitration, the world’s best-known arbitral institution, will host a two-day workshop
in Montreal, Canada on international dispute resolution, May 1 and 2 at McGill University.

The court is part of the International Chamber of Commerce, the world business body that has been in the forefront of cross-border dispute resolution since 1923. Designed to provide a better understanding of ICC arbitration and other dispute resolution services, the workshop will showcase practical strategies and tactics for those involved in international arbitration.

Participation from across North America is sought. The workshop will be presented in cooperation with the United States Council for International Business USCIB and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, ICC’s national committees in each country. A welcoming reception for all participants will be held the evening of April 30.

“This is only the second two-day workshop ICC has ever organized in North America, which makes it an event not to be missed,” said J.L. McDougall of Fraser Milner Casgrain LLP, who chairs the Canadian Chamber’s Arbitration Committee. “It is designed to appeal to anyone involved in international arbitration and dispute resolution, including practicing lawyers, corporate counsel, judges, and business people involved in international trade and dispute resolution.”

The hands-on workshop will feature current and former members of the ICC court, practicing arbitrators and representatives of the Court’s Paris-based international secretariat. It is part of continuing effort by Josefa Sicard-Mirabal, ICC’s director of arbitration and ADR for North America, to expand the court‘s educational programming across the United States and Canada.

“The interactivity of this workshop really sets it apart,” according to Ms. Sicard-Mirabal. She said a highlight of the conference will be a mock case, studied with small working groups where participants will take part in a step-by-step examination of the arbitration process.

Since its founding in 1923, the ICC International Court of Arbitration has handled over 15,000 cases. In 2006, almost 600 cases were filed, involving parties in over 100 countries and independent territories. The court itself has an exceptionally broad representation, comprising members from 86 countries. Over the years, ICC has developed a full range of other dispute resolution rules in addition to arbitration to meet the latest international commercial challenges.

A brochure and registration form for the workshop is available at: www.uscib.org/docs/ICC_Arbitration_Montreal_Program.pdf.

The United States Council for International Business (USCIB) is ICC’s American national committee. As American affiliate of the leading international business and employers organizations, including ICC, USCIB provides business views to policy makers and regulatory authorities worldwide and works to facilitate international trade. USCIB’s Arbitration Committee serves as the contact point for the ICC International Court of Arbitration and its multi-faceted dispute resolution services. More information is available at www.uscib.org.

Contact:

Jonathan Huneke, USCIB

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

 

USCIB Dispute Resolution Website

More on USCIB’s Arbitration Committee

Business Leaders Unveil New Strategies to Combat Counterfeiting and Piracy

Published on March 3, 2008
Top members of BASCAP (Business Action to Stop Counterfeiting and Piracy) met today in New York.
Top members of BASCAP (Business Action to Stop Counterfeiting and Piracy) met today in New York.

New York, March 3, 2008 – Industry leaders from around the world today unveiled new strategies to combat counterfeiting and piracy, including a set of urgent recommendations for a global anti-counterfeiting pact being negotiated by major trading countries.  In addition, they called on heads of G8 countries to lead the way in improving national intellectual property enforcement regimes and announced a set of their own in-country initiatives beginning with Canada, Germany, the UK, Russia, China and the United States.  The CEOs also announced plans for a ground-breaking consumer education campaign that will take a global approach to building awareness of the damages caused by counterfeiting and piracy.

The CEOs and senior corporate executives of the International Chamber of Commerce’s BASCAP (Business Action to Stop Counterfeiting and Piracy) initiative met today in New York with the U.S.  Trade Representative Susan Schwab and top representatives of the World Customs Organization (WCO) and World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) to agree on joint efforts to tackle counterfeiting and piracy.  The CEOs called on Ambassador Schwab to move quickly towards completing the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) in cooperation with its trading partners, and pledged their support to work with WCO and WIPO.

With more than 8,000 member companies in over 130 countries, the Paris-based ICC is the largest, most representative private sector association in the world.  It is represented in the United States by the United States Council for International Business (USCIB), its American national committee based in New York.  Top USCIB member representatives took part in today’s BASCAP meeting.

U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab and USCIB President Peter M. Robinson.
U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab and USCIB President Peter M. Robinson.

ICC has pushed for business to become more involved in developing ACTA, which was introduced in October by the U.S., European Union, Japan, Canada, Mexico, South Korea and other countries.  The new agreement would focus on filling the gaps not covered by existing multilateral agreements, including stronger enforcement measures, improved international cooperation and a strong legal framework for intellectual property protection.

“It is a positive step and very encouraging that the U.S., EU, Japan and many other major developed countries have recognized the need for a new multilateral agreement dealing with this critical issue,” said Bob Wright, vice chairman and executive officer of General Electric and co-chair of BASCAP.  “It now is essential that the parties keep the momentum going and move quickly to the next stage of developing a process and drafting the ACTA framework agreement.  BASCAP members and others in the private sector are committed to working closely with governments to support this process.”

ICC and the International Trademark Association (INTA) have teamed up to support ACTA.  “Expectations for ACTA are high,” said Alan C. Drewsen, INTA’s executive director.  “This proposed agreement has the potential to deliver significant improvements in establishing stronger international guidelines and standards, and providing national governments with clear directives for action.”

The two global business organizations today presented a paper outlining their recommendations to Ambassador Schwab.  ICC and INTA will distribute the paper to the leaders of the EU, Japan, Korea, Mexico and other governments, and will work with business organizations around the world to press governments to finalize an agreement.

Ambassador Schwab added: “With ACTA we are aiming to set a new, higher international standard for intellectual property rights enforcement, one that addresses today’s challenges.  Private-public collaboration is a vital component in the fight against counterfeiting and piracy.  That’s why we welcome BASCAP and INTA’s support and continued input as we move forward with ACTA.”

ICC Secretary General Guy Sebban said: “Quite simply, there is a need for a new gold standard to guide government performance on IP enforcement.  We hope that ACTA can emerge as this new standard, especially since the existing regimes just aren’t enough.”

Business Leaders Call for G8 Action

BASCAP executives expressed concern that little concrete action has been taken on promises made at G8 meetings in 2006 and 2007.  “The work program laid out today comes at a critical time.  Counterfeiting and piracy are taking a tremendous toll on the global economy.  The situation is getting worse, not better,” said Jean-Rene Fourtou, chairman of the supervisory board of Vivendi and a BASCAP co-chair.  “While some progress has been made, individual governments need to do more.”

“Today we are calling on G8 leaders to respond to the recommendations by BASCAP prior to the Summit in Germany last year by taking immediate actions to shut down flagrant counterfeit markets and to work with us to find appropriate steps on other recommendations,” said Nobuyuki Idei, BASCAP co-chair, representative director of Quantum Leaps Corporation and former CEO of Sony Corporation.

BASCAP will launch country-based action centers to leverage local business voices and push for tangible actions at the national level.  The initiative will begin this year with Canada, Germany, the UK, Russia, China and the United States.

“Our focus is on setting benchmarks for global performance by governments and companies, framing decisions for policymakers, pushing for the allocation of resources at the highest levels in national governments and improving awareness on a global basis,” said ICC’s Mr. Sebban.

WCO Leader Calls for Cooperation to Stop Flow of Fakes

Border control will be a critical element in strengthening each country’s intellectual property enforcement regime.  Business leaders pledged to support the World Customs Organization’s latest plans to strengthen customs efforts to stop the flow of counterfeit goods across borders.

WCO Secretary General Michel Danet cautioned: “Counterfeiting and piracy continue to increase at an alarming rate.  We have to invent our own future; it’s time to step up our action in collaboration with the private sector and the time is now.”

Business/Government to Cooperate on New Consumer Education Campaign

BASCAP today also announced plans for a new consumer awareness and education campaign that could be used by ICC’s national committees and brand protection groups to spell out the dangers of counterfeit and pirated goods.  BASCAP announced plans to work with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and seek out other government partnerships on the campaign.

WIPO Deputy Director Michael Keplinger said: “We cannot afford to ignore the far-reaching and acute threats posed by the spread of counterfeiting and piracy.  A coherent global response requires coordination and cooperation among all stakeholders − governments in developed and developing countries, intergovernmental institutions, the private sector and consumers.” He added: “Joining forces, the public and private sectors can make great strides in changing perceptions about the seriousness of the problem and we look forward to collaborating with BASCAP companies in taking concrete steps to raise public awareness about the issue.”

The BASCAP Global Leadership Group includes some of the world’s largest companies.  Today’s meeting marked the third time the group has met since the cross-sector initiative was launched by ICC in 2005.

Participants at today’s meeting included:

  • Bob Wright, vice chairman and executive officer, General Electric (U.S.)
  • Nobuyuki Idei, representative director of Quantum Leaps Corporation and former CEO of Sony Corporation (Japan)
  • Jean-René Fourtou, chairman of the supervisory board, Vivendi (France)
  • David Iakobachvili, chairman, WBD Foods (Russia)
  • Jean-François Dehecq, chairman, Sanofi-Aventis (France)
  • Doug Morris, CEO, Universal Music (U.S.)
  • Kevin Havelock, president, Unilever United States (United Kingdom)
  • Blair Westlake, corporate vice president, media & entertainment group, Microsoft (U.S.)
  • Andreas Fibig, senior vice president, U.S. Pharmaceutical Operations, Pfizer (U.S.)
  • Marc-Antoine Jamet, secretary general, LVMH (France)
  • Pat Heneghan, global CEO advisor on anti-illicit trade, British American Tobacco (UK)
  • Guy Sebban, secretary general, International Chamber of Commerce
  • Michel Danet, secretary general, World Customs Organization
  • Michael Keplinger, deputy secretary general, World Intellectual Property Organization
  • Ambassador Susan Schwab, U.S.  trade representative

USCIB promotes an open system of global commerce in which business can flourish and contribute to economic growth, human welfare and protection of the environment.  Its membership includes some 300 U.S.  companies, professional service firms and associations whose combined annual revenues exceed $3 trillion.  As American affiliate of the leading international business and employers organizations, including ICC, USCIB provides business views to policy makers and regulatory authorities worldwide and works to facilitate international trade.

Contact:

Jonathan Huneke

VP Communications, USCIB

+1 212 703-5043 or jhuneke@uscib.org

BASCAP website

More on USCIB’s Intellectual Property Committee

Ukraine to Accept Duty-Free Imports

Published on February 28, 2008

3780_image002New York, N.Y., February 28, 2008 – Ukraine will become the latest country to join the ATA Carnet system, which permits the temporary importation of various types of goods without duties or taxes, as of March 1.  Known as “merchandise passports,” ATA Carnets are an increasingly important tool for businesses engaged in international commerce.

Coupled with the country’s recent agreement to accede to the World Trade Organization, Ukraine’s entry into the Carnet system is a strong signal that the country is committed to promoting economic growth and openness, and to becoming a major European hub for trade, according to the United States Council for International Business (USCIB), which administers the Carnet system in the United States.

“Extension of the Carnet network into the former Soviet bloc nations is a major priority for the worldwide system and particularly for our European counterparts ,” said Cynthia Duncan, USCIB’s senior vice president for Carnet operations. “This will increase access to the Ukrainian market and further meet the demands of U.S. exporters with an interest in the region.”

ATA Carnets are internationally recognized customs documents for temporary duty-free, tax-free import of commercial samples, professional equipment and goods displayed at trade shows.  They are essential for companies seeking to reduce costs and speed global operations.  (The acronym “ATA” is a combination of the French and English abbreviations for “temporary admission.”)

Ukraine will waive import duties on professional equipment, goods for exhibitions and fairs, and commercial samples. ATA Carnets will be accepted for transit operations and postal traffic, but not unaccompanied goods.  ATA Carnets will be guaranteed by the Ukrainian National Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Carnets are honored in over 80 customs territories and can be used for multiple trips during a one-year period.  The global ATA Carnet system is overseen by the Paris-based International Chamber of Commerce.  USCIB administers the Carnet system in the United States, working with service providers Roanoke Trade Services, Inc., and the Corporation for International Business.

In 2007, over 155,000 Carnets were issued worldwide, covering goods valued at almost 12 billion dollars.  Before Ukraine, Pakistan was the most recent addition to the family of nations accepting ATA Carnets, having joined the system in October.

USCIB promotes an open system of world commerce.  As American affiliate of the leading international business and employers organizations, including ICC, it provides business views to policy makers and regulatory authorities worldwide.  USCIB facilitates international trade by issuing and guaranteeing ATA Carnets, by promoting international cooperation in such areas as customs policies and commercial dispute resolution, and through its ICC Books USA unit, which publishes a variety of publications on to international trade and investment.

Contact:

Cynthia Duncan, SVP Carnet Operations, USCIB

(212) 703-5079 or cduncan@uscib.org

More on USCIB’s ATA Carnet Export Service

Ukranian Chamber of Commerce and Industry website

Supreme Court Urged to Review Apartheid-Era Liability Ruling

Published on February 19, 2008

3779_image001Washington, D.C., February 19, 2008 – Groups representing major U.S. and foreign multinational companies have urged the Supreme Court to review a lower court’s ruling paving the way for a massive lawsuit asserting their liability for human rights abuses by the apartheid-era regime in South Africa.  In a friend-of-the-court brief delivered last week, the companies said allowing the ruling to stand would cripple foreign commerce and impinge upon the Executive Branch’s primacy in setting U.S. foreign policy.

“This case is another example of how foreign plaintiffs are misusing the U.S. legal system to further their own causes and extort money from U.S. and foreign multinational companies for simply doing business abroad “  according to Timothy E. Deal, senior vice president with the United States Council for International Business, one of the groups that signed the industry brief.  “What makes the decision of the Second Circuit to remand the case for further proceedings is that companies were following the explicit guidance of the U.S. Executive Branch, suggesting that positive engagement was the best way to promote political change in South Africa.  We call on the Supreme Court to grant the writ of certiorari and prevent this miscarriage of justice.”

The case in question, American Isuzu Motors, Inc., et al. v. Lungisile Ntsebeza, et al., was filed under the Alien Tort Statute, an eighteenth-century U.S. law originally aimed at letting victims of maritime piracy sue for damages resulting from crimes on the high seas.  The statute has been used increasingly of late to target the alleged perpetrators or abettors of human rights abuses, including private companies, for wrongs committed outside the normal jurisdiction of the U.S. courts.

In their brief, the business groups argued that the Second Circuit’s decision, if upheld, would make it impossible for companies to rely on the U.S. government’s foreign policy guidance in determining the legality of trading or investing abroad.  Such a move, they said, would open companies engaged in ordinary foreign commerce to massive potential liability.

“This suit is premised on the theory that myriad businesses ‘aided and abetted’ violations of international law by engaging in ordinary commercial transactions with South Africa that indirectly contributed to that country’s former apartheid regime,” the groups stated in their brief.  “The Executive, however, long ago adopted a policy of commercial engagement with apartheid South Africa.  Private firms relied on that policy when they engaged in trade.  For that and related reasons, South Africa’s current democratic government and the U.S. government have both urged that this suit must be dismissed.”

Other signatories to the industry brief include the National Foreign Trade Council, USA*Engage, the Organization for International Investment and the National Association of Manufacturers.

The Bush administration has also submitted a brief to urging the Supreme Court to review the Second Circuit’s ruling in the case.

Founded in 1945 and based in New York, USCIB promotes an open system of global commerce in which business can flourish and contribute to economic growth, human welfare and protection of the environment.  Its membership encompasses over 300 leading U.S. companies, professional services firms and associations whose combined annual revenues exceed $3.5 trillion.  As American affiliate of several leading global business groups, USCIB provides business views to policy makers and regulatory authorities worldwide and works to facilitate international trade.

Contact:

Timothy E. Deal, SVP Washington, USCIB

+1 202-682-7375 (office) or tdeal@uscib-dc.org

Industry petition to the Supreme Court

New Look for “Merchandise Passport” Service

Published on February 8, 2008

ATA Carnets speed nearly $12 billion dollars in temporary exports worldwide each year

ata_logo083007New York, N.Y., February 8, 2008 – The service that issues and guarantees ATA Carnets – the “merchandise passports” that enable users to get product samples, professional equipment and other temporary exports through customs duty- and tax-free – has unveiled its new logo.

ATA Carnet is a trade service of the United States Council for International Business (USCIB), a private industry body that administers the Carnet system in the United States under charter from the U.S. government.  The new logo, part of an organization-wide re-branding campaign, is designed to clearly reflect the Carnet’s essential role as a passport for trade.

“ATA Carnets are, first and foremost, a practical business tool,” said Cynthia Duncan, USCIB’s senior vice president for Carnet operations.  “They save users time, money and the hassle of getting held up at customs.  We believe our ‘new look’ conveys the practical, no-nonsense approach our users take to global trade.”

Carnets are internationally recognized customs documents for temporary duty-free, tax-free import of commercial samples, professional equipment and goods displayed at trade shows.  Companies around the world use them to reduce costs and speed global operations.  (The acronym “ATA” is a combination of the French and English abbreviations for “temporary admission.”)

ATA Carnets are accepted in over 75 customs territories and can be used for multiple trips during a one-year period.  The global Carnet system , which is overseen by the Paris-based International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), is administered in the United States by USCIB, which issues Carnets out of its New York headquarters and through its two service providers, Roanoke Trade Services and the Corporation for International Business.

Over 155,000 carnets were issued worldwide in 2007, covering goods valued at almost $12 billion.  The worldwide Carnet network is growing, with Pakistan and Chile among the most recent additions to the system and Ukraine slated to join next month.  A country joins the Carnet system by ratifying either the Istanbul Convention or the ATA Convention on temporary imports, and by designating a private-sector body to issue and guarantee Carnets within its territory.

USCIB promotes an open system of world commerce.  As American affiliate of the leading international business and employers organizations, including ICC, it provides business views to policy makers and regulatory authorities worldwide.  USCIB facilitates international trade by issuing and guaranteeing ATA Carnets, by promoting international cooperation in such areas as customs policies and commercial dispute resolution, and through its ICC Books USA unit, which publishes a variety of publications on international trade and investment.

Contact:

Cynthia Duncan, SVP Carnet Operations, USCIB

(212) 703-5079 or cduncan@uscib.org

More on USCIB’s ATA Carnet Export Service

A Green Light for “Green” Tariffs?

Published on January 25, 2008

New study scrutinizes how international trade rules may impact limits on carbon emissions

3771_image001New York, N.Y., January 25, 2008 – Are efforts to limit greenhouse gas emissions under agreements like the Kyoto Protocol compatible with World Trade Organization rules?  As Congress and many European policy makers weigh the imposition of “green” border taxes to punish more carbon-intensive products from abroad, a new report by a leading industry group raises troubling questions about WTO rules and jurisprudence  and their possible application to climate policy.

The study by the United States Council for International Business (USCIB) looks specifically at the issue of whether countries might decide the U.S. has an unfair trade advantage as the result of its decision not to adhere to the Kyoto Protocol.  It is an update of a 2002 paper issued soon after the Bush administration announced its intention not to sign  the Kyoto agreement.

“When we published our original paper six years ago, the issue was largely speculative,” said Timothy E. Deal, USCIB’s senior vice president and the author of the study.  “Back then it was mainly NGOs like Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth Europe that were pushing for a climate border tax as a way to punish the U.S. and other non-Kyoto signatories.  Now we have politicians on both sides of the Atlantic talking more openly about some form of carbon tax regime.”

Two separate bills currently before the U.S. Senate would combine a national cap-and-trade system for reducing carbon emissions with fees or taxes on imports from countries that do not adequately limit such emissions.  Meanwhile, the European Commission has floated the same idea in proposing a new European emissions regime.  Last October, French President Nicolas Sarkozy publicly urged the EU to “examine the option of taxing products from countries that do not respect the Kyoto Protocol.”

The USCIB study looks at pre-existing GATT/WTO jurisprudence on trade and environment, as well as key WTO rulings such as the 1998 Shrimp-Turtle decision.  According to Mr. Deal, that landmark ruling may have opened the door for the use of trade measures to promote environmental objectives based on the way a product is made.

“This issue could cause an absolute train wreck to the multilateral trading system,” said Mr. Deal.    “Clarification of the relationship between multilateral environment agreements and international trade rules, as called for in the WTO’s Doha Development Agenda, may be necessary to avert such a clash.”

Founded in 1945, USCIB promotes an open system of global commerce in which business can flourish and contribute to economic growth, human welfare and protection of the environment.  Its membership encompasses over 300 leading U.S. companies, professional services firms and associations whose combined annual revenues exceed $3.5 trillion.  As American affiliate of several leading global business groups, USCIB provides business views to policy makers and regulatory authorities worldwide and works to facilitate international trade.

Contact:

Jonathan Huneke, VP Communications, USCIB

+1 212-703-5043 (office), +1 917-420-0039 (mobile) or jhuneke@uscib.org

USCIB study: “WTO Rules and Procedures and Their Implication for the Kyoto Protocol”

“Trade Can Save the Climate” (column by USCIB President Peter M. Robinson, Winter 2007-2008)

More on USCIB’s Environment Committee

More on USCIB’s Trade and Investment Policy Committee

WTO website

USCIB Applauds House Passage of Free Trade Agreement With Peru

Published on November 8, 2007

peruWashington, D.C., November 8, 2007 – The United States Council for International Business (USCIB), which represents America’s top global companies, applauded passage today of the U.S.-Peru Free Trade Agreement by the U.S. House of Representatives.

“This agreement will provide improved market access for U.S. manufactured goods, offer new opportunities to the services sector, including financial services providers, and open up Peru’s market to American agricultural exports,” stated USCIB President Peter M. Robinson.

Mr. Robinson also noted that the Peru agreement would give greater security and predictability to U.S. investors operating in that country.  “Especially important in that regard is the strong investor-to-state dispute-settlement mechanism in the agreement, which means that investors will have a neutral forum for adjudication of any disputes,” he said.

“We are hopeful that the U.S. Senate will now move promptly to approve the agreement, which will do much to cement relations with one of our best neighbors in the hemisphere,” stated Mr. Robinson.  He also said USCIB members hoped it would provide a spur to additional market-opening trade agreements at the bilateral and multilateral levels.

USCIB promotes an open system of global commerce in which business can flourish and contribute to economic growth, human welfare and protection of the environment.  Based in New York, its membership includes more than 300 U.S. companies, professional service firms and associations whose combined annual revenues exceed $3.5 trillion.  As American affiliate of the leading international business and employers organizations, USCIB provides business views to policy makers and regulatory authorities worldwide and works to facilitate international trade.

More on USCIB’s Trade and Investment Committee

U.S. Trade Representative’s office fact sheet on the U.S.-Peru FTA

Mark Albers is Elected Vice Chair of USCIB

Published on November 6, 2007
Mark W. Albers of Exxon Mobil Corp.
Mark W. Albers of Exxon Mobil Corp.

New York, N.Y., November 6, 2007 – The United States Council for International Business (USCIB), which represents America’s top global companies, announced that Mark W. Albers, senior vice president of Exxon Mobil Corporation, has been elected a vice chair of the organization.

“Mark Albers exemplifies the global outlook and commitment to policy leadership toward which our members strive,” said USCIB Chairman William G. Parrett.  “We are delighted that he will carry forward ExxonMobil’s strong support for USCIB’s work.”

Mr. Albers was also elected to USCIB’s Board of Trustees and will serve on USCIB’s Executive Committee, which functions as the organization’s board of directors.

Born in Calgary, Alberta and raised in Texas, Mr. Albers joined ExxonMobil in 1979 and has held a variety of managerial positions in development, operations, production and engineering.  Following assignments in Texas and New Jersey, he moved to Esso Australia in 1991 as technical manager, and later operations manager.  He also held positions as the company’s Alaska interests manager and as production manager for the western United States.

In 2001, Mr. Albers became vice president for Africa (Chad/Nigeria) for ExxonMobil Development Company in Houston.  He went on to serve at ExxonMobil headquarters in Irving, Texas as executive assistant to the company’s chairman, prior to becoming president of ExxonMobil Development Company in October 2004.

Mr. Albers is a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, the Institution of Engineers Australia, the CEO Forum, and he serves on the Texas A&M Engineering Advisory Council.  He holds a bachelor’s degree in petroleum engineering from Texas A&M University.

USCIB promotes an open system of global commerce in which business can flourish and contribute to economic growth, human welfare and protection of the environment.  Its membership includes more than 300 U.S. companies, professional service firms and associations whose combined annual revenues exceed $3.5 trillion.  As American affiliate of the leading international business and employers organizations, USCIB provides business views to policy makers and regulatory authorities worldwide and works to facilitate international trade.

USCIB Officers

S.C. Johnson Chairman and CEO to Be Honored by Global Business Group

Published on October 23, 2007
H. Fisk Johnson
H. Fisk Johnson

New York, N.Y., October 23, 2007 – H. Fisk Johnson, Ph.D., chairman and chief executive officer of  S. C. Johnson and Son, Inc., will be honored by the United States Council for International Business (USCIB), which represents America’s top multinationals.  USCIB will present Dr. Johnson with its International Leadership Award at a December 3 gala dinner at the Waldorf =Astoria in New York City.

“Fisk Johnson has demonstrated a personal commitment to leadership in international public policy,” said USCIB Chairman William G. Parrett. “His innovative and progressive vision, at the helm of a company widely recognized for its global corporate citizenship, serves as a model for others.”

Each year since 1980, USCIB has bestowed its top award on a senior business executive in recognition of significant policy leadership in improving the global competitive framework for American business.  Recent recipients of the International Leadership Award include Harold McGraw III of McGraw-Hill, Lee Raymond of ExxonMobil, Jean-René Fourtou of Vivendi Universal and Charles Holliday, Jr. of DuPont.

In 2000, Dr. Johnson became chairman of SC Johnson, and the fifth generation Johnson family leader of the 121-year-old company, a leading manufacturer of household cleaning and many other products.  Since joining in 1987, he has held a broad range of marketing and general management positions, both in the U.S. and globally.

Dr. Johnson, who holds a Ph.D. in applied physics as well as an MBA degree from Cornell University, currently serves as a member of the President’s Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiation.  He also is a member of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development and a director on the board of Conservation International (CI), where he also serves as chairman of the advisory board for CI’s Center for Applied Biodiversity Science.

The annual USCIB award gala draws hundreds of business leaders as well as dignitaries from government and diplomatic circles.  More information on the event is available at www.uscibgala.com.

Founded in 1945, USCIB promotes an open system of global commerce in which business can flourish and contribute to economic growth, human welfare and protection of the environment.  Its membership encompasses over 300 leading U.S. companies, professional services firms and associations whose combined annual revenues exceed $3.5 trillion.  As American affiliate of several leading global business groups, USCIB provides business views to policy makers and regulatory authorities worldwide and works to facilitate international trade.

More on USCIB’s Annual Award Dinner

SC Johnson website