Competitiveness and Innovation Archives

Saudia Arabia and Philippines to Accept ATA Carnets (“Passport for Goods”) This Summer

Published on April 24, 2024

New York, NY, April 24, 2024—The United States Council for International Business (USCIB), the national guaranteeing and issuing association for the ATA Carnet in the United States, has announced that both the Kingdom of Saudia Arabia and the Republic of the Philippines have joined the ATA Carnet system. These countries join a growing list of over 80 countries and customs territories that process the ATA Carnet.

ATA Carnets are critical tools of trade facilitation and export promotion. The ATA Carnet is an international customs document that allows duty- and tax-free temporary admission of goods for up to one year.

ATA Carnet operations in Saudia Arabia will begin on June 1, 2024 and include Carnets for use at exhibitions, fairs, meetings, and similar events.

The Philippines will begin accepting Carnets on July 15, 2024. The scope of Carnet acceptance will include exhibitions, fairs, meetings, professional equipment, and commercial samples.

“USCIB is delighted that Saudia Arabia and the Philippines will be joining the ATA Carnet System this summer,” said USCIB Chief Operating Officer Declan Daly. “The Middle East and Southeast Asia are significant markets for USCIB members and we look forward to working with our counterparts—the Federation of Saudi Chambers and the Philippines Chamber of Commerce and Industry—to expand trade in these regions.”

The global ATA Carnet system is overseen and managed by the Paris-based International Chamber of Commerce World Chambers Federation (ICC-WCF). USCIB administers the ATA System in the United States.

About USCIB

USCIB promotes open markets, competitiveness and innovation, sustainable development and corporate responsibility, supported by international engagement and regulatory coherence. Its members include U.S. based global companies and professional services firms from every sector of the economy, with operations in every region of the world, generating $5 trillion in annual revenues and employing over 11 million workers worldwide. As the U.S. affiliate to several leading international business organizations, including the ICC, IOE, and Business at OECD, USCIB provides business views to policy makers and regulatory authorities worldwide and works to facilitate international trade and development.

USCIB is also the National Guaranteeing and Issuing Association for ATA Carnets in the United States, having been appointed as such by the Department of Treasury, now U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), in 1969. More at  www.uscib.org.

The USCIB Foundation and Business at OECD Hold Preview Event in Paris on Metaverse Project

Published on April 17, 2024

On the sidelines of the biannual OECD Digital Policy Committee Meeting in Paris, Business at OECD (BIAC) and The USCIB Foundation’s metaverse project team hosted a successful report preview event on April 5. OECD delegates and secretariat, as well as various companies, including USCIB members, attended the preview event. Following the event, BIAC and The USCIB Foundation will launch the report in Washington, DC and organize a webinar with relevant experts to present findings in the report.

The roundtable featured remarks from Business at OECD Deputy Executive Director Nicole Primmer, a presentation of the project and preview of the project report findings from Paula Bruening (Casentino Strategies), and comments from the OECD Secretariat, including OECD Global Forum on Technology Lead Elizabeth Thomas Raynaud and OECD Economist/Policy Analyst on Privacy and Data Governance Christian Reimsbach- Kounatze.

According to USCIB Program and Policy Associate on Digital Issues, Nan Schechter, who attended the event, companies are actively exploring the possibilities of the metaverse, as well as trying to understand the novel privacy risks it may raise and how those risks might be addressed.

“BIAC and The USCIB Foundation undertook this project to explore the privacy issues raised by the metaverse and to develop business-oriented evidence regarding the of the OECD Privacy Guidelines’ applicability in this emerging environment, keeping in mind their two-part objective of protecting privacy and fostering cross border data flows,” said Schechter.  “USCIB is thrilled at the exciting potential and relevance of the report as it emphasizes multistakeholder privacy solutions and the increasing importance to data governance in the metaverse.”

 

USCIB Supports Launch of Blue Dot Network to Strengthen Quality Infrastructure Investment 

Published on April 16, 2024
Whitney Baird at the OECD

USCIB President and CEO Whitney Baird spoke during the April 8-9 launch activities for the Blue Dot Network (BDN), a project certification framework that aims to strengthen quality infrastructure investment. The launch activities included a meeting of the Executive Consultation Group, a Leaders’ Dialogue, and the official launch ceremony.  

BDN will certify projects based on robust standards and criteria in economic, environmental, social, and other areas.  The certification applies to infrastructure projects across all major infrastructure sectors including energy, water and sanitation, transport and ICT. It can accommodate projects at different stages of the life cycle, from planning and preparation to construction and operations. Projects developed under a variety of ownership and delivery models (e.g. traditional procurement, public-private partnerships, privatized) can be certified. 

The Blue Dot Network will be hosted at the OECD, but remain an independent entity overseen by the initiative’s Steering Committee governments, currently Australia, Japan, Spain, Switzerland, Türkiye, the United Kingdom, and the United States.  

“There is the potential to make BDN a serious game changer in the infrastructure world. But private sector engagement and creativity is absolutely crucial to any success,” said Baird. “It will take all of us – developers, investors, governments, and communities – to make BDN a success, and we are counting on your support. USCIB is happy to be a part of this process.” 

Baird has been a long-time supporter of the BDN, even prior to her current role leading USCIB.  

“As Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Economic Bureau at the US Department of State, I led our BDN team in its work to develop this initiative,” added Baird. “I traveled, literally, all over the world because the US government believed, and I believed personally, that BDN, if done correctly, could answer a real need for a framework to allow project sponsors and public and private financial institutions to identify good infrastructure projects.” 

USCIB was also on hand for the OECD Infrastructure Forum, immediately following the launch. 

Clark Contributes to US-EU Trade and Technology Council Meeting, Urges Stronger Trade Focus

Published on April 9, 2024
Alice Slayton Clark at the TTC in Leuven, Belgium

USCIB Senior Vice President Alice Slayton Clark was on the ground in Leuven, Belgium the week of April 1 for the sixth, and potentially final, US-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC) meeting. Following intergovernmental and stakeholder discussions, Ministers issued a joint statement on AI, 6G, emerging technology, semiconductors, online platforms, and upskilling, among others.

USCIB was one of few industry representatives at the stakeholder events because of its position as a principal on the Trade and Labor Dialogue (TALD), where select social partners discuss the intersection of transatlantic trade and labor concerns. “We advised on the future of the TALD as a useful mechanism for bringing social partners together to discuss common concerns, but underscored the importance of more robust stakeholder engagement in the TTC writ large and a stronger trade focus,” states Clark.

Much of the discussion surrounding the TTC focused on how to preserve the dialogue between the US and EU given the importance of building strong supply chains and closer collaboration on emerging policy questions and existing irritants. With uncertainty surrounding the outcome of the 2024 elections, policymakers are looking at ways to institutionalize TTC workstreams so they can endure a change in Administrations. According to Clark, this is significant given ongoing geostrategic challenges and the TTC’s success in aligning US and EU economic and national security policies vis-à-vis Russia and China.

Anti-Illicit Trade

Published on April 9, 2024

WHAT’S AT STAKE FOR BUSINESS

Illicit trade is a serious threat that feeds a booming multi-trillion-dollar global illegal economy and harms every market, puts public health and safety at risk, and upends the rule of law and investment climate. It is a threat multiplier that helps fuel transnational crime, corruption, and greater insecurity and instability around the world. Illicit trade results in:

  • Lost revenue and market share;
  • Intellectual property theft, stolen data, and dis-incentivizes innovation;
  • Job displacement for workers and business closures;
  • Increased costs of doing business overseas;
  • Heightened violence and criminality in some markets; and
  • Diminished brand integrity and market reputational value.
USCIB meets with BIAC AITEG delegation to the OECD Working Party on Countering Illicit Trade (WP-CIT) in Paris.
USCIB Staff and Member with Deputy Assistant Sect. of DHS, Office of Policy, Tasha Reid Hippolyte (Left)

CURRENT PRIORITIES

Objectives

  • Illicit Trade in the COVID-19 Crisis Environment. Click here to visit our dedicated page on COVID-19 for messages from our CEO, press releases, member-driven initiatives, and more.
  • Development of Anti-Illicit Trade Committee (AITC) Plan of Action (POA) and focus on key member brand protection concerns and Anti-Illicit Trade (AIT) issues of interest, provided below in alphabetical order:
    • Engagement of China and other Source Markets of Fakes;
    • Targeted Action on Illicit Trade including Counterfeit and Pirated Goods;
    • AIT Enforcement at Free Trade Zones (FTZs);
    • Strengthening Information sharing across sectors and markets; and
    • Address “small parcels” trade in contraband and illicit commodities.
  • Raising public awareness of newly established AITC at USCIB and its commitment to fight illicit trade with U.S. government agencies and U.S. Congress, private sector and business community, international and intergovernmental organizations, and economies and market stakeholders around the world.
  • Active leadership and engagement in Business at OECD and the Business at OECD Anti-Illicit Trade Expert Group (AITEG) and align activities and outcomes.

USCIB AT WORK:

  • At OECD, engage via Business at OECD, on the work of the Task Force on Countering Illicit Trade (TF-CIT) in efforts to address the threats and barriers tied to illicit trade, promoting strategic alliances, and work closely with BIAC and OECD on webinars on illicit trade in the COVID crisis environment.
  • Bridging Partnerships: In APEC, explore possible synergies with OECD and Business at OECD; OECD-APEC collaborations in 2019-2020; and G2B opportunities on fighting illicit trade across markets.
  • At ICC, where relevant, engage in the work of the Business Action to Stop Counterfeiting and Piracy (BASCAP) initiative.
  • In Washington, where we regularly meet with U.S. government officials to educate them on the work of the AITC particularly with the U.S. Departments of Commerce, Homeland Security, Justice, State, and Treasury, White House (National Security Council and Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator), and U.S. National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center.

 

FEATURED DOCUMENTS:

WHO WE ARE

The USCIB Anti-Illicit Trade Committee is composed of USCIB member companies representing a range of business and industry sectors. Priorities are determined that reflect a consensus among the members.

The Committee takes a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary, approach and public-private partnerships, to elevate the fight against illicit trade, particularly related to the work of the OECD’s TF-CIT, corresponding activity by Business at OECD, and the work of the International Chamber of Commerce’s Business Action to Stop Counterfeiting and Piracy (BASCAP) initiative.

Mission

The Committee promotes strong international AIT leadership and advocates for a comprehensive and multi-disciplinary approach to the complex topic of illicit trade including, among others:

  • Business at OECD and Business at OECD Anti-Illicit Trade Expert Group (AITEG)
  • OECD Task Force on Countering Illicit Trade (TFCIT), Governance Directorate
  • APEC and in other strategic international fora in advance of USCIB Partnerships
  • U.S. Departments of Commerce, Homeland Security, Justice, State, and Treasury, White House (National Security Council and Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator), and U.S. National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center.

HOW TO GET INVOLVED

All USCIB members are eligible to participate in the USCIB Anti-Illicit Trade Committee. If you are a member and would like to be added to this committee or if you would like more information on how to become a member, please contact:

Alison Hoiem
Senior Director, Member Services
(202) 682-1291 – ahoiem@uscib.org

USCIB on LinkedIn

Chair

David Luna
President and CEO
Luna Global Networks & Convergence Strategies LLC

Staff

Megan Giblin
Director, Customs & Trade Facilitation
(202) 371-9235 – mgiblin@uscib.org

Staff

Ashley Harrington
Policy & Program Assistant, Washington
202-683-5861 or aharrington@uscib.org

 

USCIB Submits Comments to UN Advisory Body on AI 

Published on April 2, 2024

USCIB has submitted a response to the United Nations Secretary General’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) Advisory Board and its Interim Report: Governing AI for Humanity. This UN report calls for a closer alignment between international norms and how AI is developed and rolled out. The report also proposes to strengthen international governance of AI to reach the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals SDGs.  

USCIB’s response to the report emphasizes the need for a risk-based approach to address any potential negative impacts of AI. USCIB also highlights the potential of AI to address economic and societal inequalities that help realize the SDGs.  

“Many AI innovations have demonstrated great promise to enable economic development,” said USCIB Digital Policy Committee Chair JoAnn Stonier (Mastercard), “We appreciate that the report describes the essential opportunities that may be seized to achieve the SDGs, as well as some of the potential risks that must be addressed to realize these goals.  To ensure this developing science achieves maximum societal benefit, we will continue to look forward to providing commentary and input as the process evolves.”  

According to USCIB, a risk-based approach involves impact assessments of AI technology in the context of specific uses, applications, and scaled deployments, rather than the risk of the technology in the abstract. 

USCIB also cited the EU AI Act, the OECD’s AI Principles, and the US NIST AI Risk Management Framework (RMF) as having risk-based approaches. Importantly, this approach should be applied to both developers and deployers of AI systems while acknowledging that each group has different and distinct roles and responsibilities in AI governance. 

To view USCIB’s response to the UN Advisory Body on AI, please click here. 

USCIB in the Press: USCIB Webcast With KPMG Highlighted in Bloomberg Tax 

Published on April 1, 2024

USCIB was highlighted in a Bloomberg Tax article on March 28 titled “OECD Mulls Using Risk assessment Tool for Global Tax Deal.” USCIB was mentioned in the context of a webinar that USCIB co-hosted with member KPMG.  

The webinar featured Nicole Casey from the OECD’s Center for Tax Policy and Administration. Casey provided comments to USCIB members on the OECD potentially using one of its existing tools to give taxpayers the ability to gain more certainty under the global tax deal.  

The article, written by Lauren Vella, is accessible via subscription to Bloomberg Tax. 

For more information on this webinar, please click here. 

Tax Committee Hosts Webinar on OECD Tax Certainty Program With Member KPMG  

Published on April 1, 2024

Over 500 interested tax experts and the tax press tuned in for a high-level webinar on the practical aspects of the OECD’s International Compliance Assurance Program (ICAP), which is in its sixth year. The discussion was co-sponsored by USCIB and member KPMG co-sponsored this discussion on March 27.  

The webinar, titled Tax Certainty, Shining the Light on ICAP  featured a panel of experts, including the OECD’s ICAP Program Lead Nicole Casey, IRS Senior Advisor, Treaty and Transfer Pricing Operations, Karen Kirwan, Procter & Gamble Senior Vice President, Treasurer and Global Tax Operations Tadd Fowler, KPMG’s National Tax Office Principal Mark Martin and Senior Manager Thomas Bettge, and USCIB Senior Vice President and International Tax Counsel Rick Minor. 

“Martin and Bettge reminded us in one of their articles that ICAP does not provide absolute tax certainty for those taxpayers who volunteer for the program,” said Minor. “They noted that a taxpayer’s reward for participating in ICAP is the chance to present its transfer pricing and international tax positions in a non-confrontational environment and to present them simultaneously to multiple tax authorities that will work through them collaboratively.” 

The webinar can be watched on demand here.

ICC Statement on Using AI in Advertising and Marketing Communications

Published on March 27, 2024

The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) released a statement on the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in advertising and marketing communications. ICC’s position on AI will also be reflected in the upcoming 2024 launch of the revised ICC Advertising and Marketing Communications Code (“the ICC Code”). The ICC Code is a globally applicable, self-regulatory framework, developed by experts across all industry sectors worldwide.

The upcoming revised version of the ICC Code will reiterate and clearly address in the scope that marketers’ responsibilities do not change with the use of AI and marketing communications prepared or delivered using AI must meet the same standards as all marketing communications.

ICC states: the ICC Code covers all forms of commercial marketing communications and is media and technology neutral. It applies to all mediums and platforms including social media, mobile, virtual and marketing communications using AI, as well as new technologies that become available in the future. As such, it serves as a practical resource for practitioners developing and delivering marketing communications, including with the assistance of AI, algorithms, and other automated technologies. Marketers should ensure that the ICC Code is followed whether marketing communications are created, modified or delivered solely by humans or with the assistance of AI, whether in whole or in part. When employing such technologies, marketers must remain at the helm and continue to exercise due care and oversight to ensure that marketing communications are legal, decent, honest, truthful, and that data privacy policies are adhered to. Careful oversight should be in place to ensure that marketing communications do not incite or condone any form of discrimination. Marketers are also encouraged to be mindful of diversity and inclusion in advertising and seek to avoid stereotypes and objectification.”

For the full statement, please click here.

 

USCIB Members Elected to Leadership Roles at BIAC

Published on March 20, 2024

USCIB is pleased to announce that several members have been accepted to leadership positions across Business at OECD’s (BIAC) Committees. The BIAC Executive Board officially voted on nominations on February 19 to accept the following USCIB members:

  • Mark Prince (Amazon) will be Vice Chair of the BIAC Consumer Policy Committee
  • Jesus Alvarado Rivera (AB-InBev) will be Vice Chair of the BIAC Competition Committee
  • Rick Ziegler (UL Solutions) will serve as Vice Chair of the BIAC Consumer Policy Committee

Additionally, BIAC also appointed Kate O’Sullivan, (Microsoft) and Krisztian Katona (Computer & Communications Industry Association) as special advisors to the BIAC Competition Committee.

“We’re thrilled that so many USCIB members have this opportunity to share their experience and expertise to help lead these important BIAC Committees,” said Norine Kennedy, USCIB senior vice president for policy and global strategy. “We have no doubt that they will provide great value in conveying business priorities to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).”