Customs and Trade Facilitation Archives

ICC and WCO Secretaries General Meet to Talk Business and Customs

Published on January 13, 2015
L-R: John Danilovich (ICC), Kunio Mikuriya (WCO) and Norman Shenk (UPS).
L-R: John Danilovich (ICC), Kunio Mikuriya (WCO) and Norman Shenk (UPS).

International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Secretary General John Danilovich met with World Customs Organization (WCO) Secretary General Kunio Mikuriya at WCO Headquarters in Brussels earlier this week to discuss ways to strengthen the relationship between the world business community and the WCO to facilitate cross-border trade.

Joined by Norman Shenk, chair of the ICC Commission on Customs and Trade Facilitation and UPS vice president of global customs policy and public affairs, Danilovich highlighted the role of the ICC World Chambers Federation in co-administering the ATA Carnet System and cooperating with the WCO in the area of Certificates of Origin.

ICC also supports the WCO with the Business Action to Stop Counterfeiting and Piracy (BASCAP) initiative to stop counterfeited goods at borders and prevent free trade zones from becoming hotspots for illicit trade and organized crime groups.

Discussions included specific challenges that small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) encounter when trading across borders, customs valuation ceilings for goods known as de minimis, rules of origin and the increasing importance of e-commerce and global value chains.

Thanking Mikuriya for making the customs-business cooperation a priority, Danilovich also reaffirmed ICC’s ongoing support for the WCO’s work on trade facilitation and in particular for the implementation of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) that aims to enhance trade flows.

“Given that the agreement deals almost entirely with Customs-related topics, trade ministries, Customs and business must all be involved at country-level to ensure the TFA’s successful implementation,” Danilovich said.

Mikuriya has emphasized on many occasions that Customs and business are natural allies in trade facilitation. Both he and Danilovich will speak at the upcoming Customs and Trade Facilitation Symposium, hosted by ICC and USCIB in Miami from February 22 to 24.

B20 Welcomes G20 Commitments on Growth Job Creation

Published on November 17, 2014
USCIB and ICC Chairman Terry McGraw addresses the G20 Summit in Brisbane, Australia.
USCIB and ICC Chairman Terry McGraw addresses the G20 Summit in Brisbane, Australia.

The B20 business coalition has welcomed G20 commitments to implement an ambitious structural reform agenda which will lift global GDP by more than two per cent above expectations over the next five years and create millions of new jobs.

Richard Goyder, B20 chair, said the international business community welcomed commitments made by G20 leaders in the communiqué and Brisbane Action Plan on infrastructure, human capital, financial regulation, trade and anti-corruption.

During the G20 leaders summit in Brisbane, Australia this past weekend, Terry McGraw, chair of USCIB and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), joined a small group of business leaders in meetings with the G20 leaders and other senior ministers to discuss the B20 recommendations.

The G20 leaders released a final communiqué which includes several items that the B20 has actively supported. The B20 issued a media release commenting on the communiqué that highlights several key elements form the leaders statement:

  • B20 fully supports the G20 Global Infrastructure Initiative, a multi-year work program to lift quality public and private infrastructure investment, particularly the establishment of the Global Infrastructure Hub.
  • On trade, B20 welcomed the G20’s commitment to build a stronger trading system based on a robust and effective World Trade Organization.  Accelerating commitments on trade facilitation was a core recommendation of the B20 this year, so the recent breakthrough on implementation was welcome.
  • Improvements to global supply chains and the reforms outlined in individual country growth strategies to facilitate trade by lowering costs, streamlining customs procedures, reducing regulatory burdens and strengthening trade-enabling services will benefit society broadly.
  • B20 was encouraged by the G20’s commitment to improve transparency in the public and private sectors as corruption is a major obstacle to sustainable economic, political and social development.

The three legs of USCIB’s global network – ICC, the International Organization of Employers and the Business and Industry Advisory Committee to the OECD – all contribute to the B20 process, which provides global business leaders with a forum for producing policy recommendations to be delivered at the annual G20 meeting, reflecting the key role the private sector plays as a driver of strong, sustainable growth.

Read More: ICC Calls on G20 to Maintain Momentum on Growth and Jobs Agenda

Heads of Western Hemisphere ICC Chapters Chart Course for the Future

Published on November 14, 2014
Leaders of ICC’s Americas National Committees meeting with ICC secretary general John Danilovich (back row center, in red tie) with USCIB President Peter Robinson (back row, second from left) in Bogota, Colombia.
Leaders of ICC’s Americas National Committees meeting with ICC secretary general John Danilovich (back row center, in red tie) with USCIB President Peter Robinson (back row, second from left) in Bogota, Colombia.

Leaders of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) national committees in the Americas convened in Bogota, Columbia on Wednesday to review issues and priorities with ICC Secretary General John Danilovich, and to review institutional development within the region.

During the meeting, USCIB’s President and CEO Peter Robinson gave a presentation on the upcoming ICC and USCIB Customs and Trade Facilitation Symposium in Miami in February, which generated interest among attendees. He also covered the ICC’s program of action on trade and investment, supporting high standards in multilateral investment agreements, highlighting the importance of investor protections in trade agreements and stressing the power of national committee collaboration in promoting key issues like the World Trade Organization’s Trade Facilitation Agreement. He also stressed the importance of business input into UN deliberations including the post-2015 Development Agenda and climate change negotiations.

Leaders expressed a desire to improve communication of ICC position statements to governments. Robinson noted that good messaging is important for national committees to raise their visibility with their governments and their members. He and the other national committee heads were grateful for the gracious hosting by the Bogota Chamber of Commerce and the secretary general of ICC-Colombia, Gustavo Andres Piedrahita.

Staff contact: Peter Robinson

World Trade Back on Track – USCIB applauds breakthrough on implementation of WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement

Published on November 13, 2014
President Obama with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the White House in September (White House photo)
President Obama with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the White House in September (White House photo)

New York, N.Y., November 13, 2014 – The United States Council for International Business (USCIB) hailed today’s announcement by the United States and India of a breakthrough to end the impasse over implementation of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA).

“This is very welcome news and paves the way to bring the landmark TFA deal into effect,” said USCIB President and CEO Peter Robinson. “It will provide a big boost to the U.S. and global economies at a critical time. Coupled with the announcement this week of an agreement with China to move forward on expanding the WTO’s Information Technology Agreement, this demonstrates the continued importance of multilateral trade liberalization in the 21st-century global economy.”

Robinson added: “We especially commend U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman and his team for their extraordinary, tireless efforts to find a solution to this frustrating deadlock. This agreement shows again the unique power of American leadership to find creative solutions to some of the toughest problems facing the world today.”

USCIB has pushed hard for resolution of the impasse, which arose in July when India blocked implementation of the TFA in a dispute over its food security measures. It has also worked closely with the International Chamber of Commerce, the world business organization for which USCIB serves as the American national committee, to get the TFA back on track.

ICC Secretary General John Danilovich added: “Coming on the eve of the G20 Summit in Brisbane, Australia, this breakthrough is not only welcome but extremely timely, laying the foundation for G20 leaders to forge ahead with a robust agenda for global growth and job creation.”

USCIB will honor WTO Director General Roberto Azevêdo at its International Leadership Award Dinner on November 19 in Washington, D.C. Ambassador Froman is scheduled to address the dinner.

Under the Trade Facilitation Agreement, which was concluded at last December’s WTO ministerial in Bali, Indonesia. WTO members commit to remove administrative and customs-related barriers to trade, in order to speed shipment of goods across borders. Once implemented, the TFA is expected to spur global economic growth and create some 21 million new jobs – 18 million in developing countries – while adding $1 trillion to global GDP.

Robinson said the business community was committed to helping developing countries implement the TFA. USCIB and ICC plan to hold a joint symposium on customs and trade facilitation this February in Miami.

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 our economy, 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 at www.uscib.org.

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

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USCIB Champions Regional Integration at APEC CEO Summit

Published on November 10, 2014
More: Business Applauds APEC’s Work on Trade Facilitation

L-R: Hai Ling (Mastercard), Peter Robinson (USCIB), Leocadia Zak (USTDA), Peter Sykes (Dow Chemical), Leslie Griffin (UPS) and Anthony Nightingale (Jardine Matheson Holdings Limited
L-R: Hai Ling (Mastercard), Peter Robinson (USCIB), Leocadia Zak (USTDA), Peter Sykes (Dow Chemical), Leslie Griffin (UPS) and Anthony Nightingale (Jardine Matheson Holdings Limited

Thousands of delegates from around the world gathered in Beijing from November 8 to 10 for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation CEO Summit, the most influential and high-level economic dialogue in the region. The summit brings together heads of state, business leaders and economic experts to share their views on how to promote free trade, innovation, growth and integration in the Asia-Pacific.

USCIB President and CEO Peter Robinson and Helen Medina, senior director of product policy and innovation, attended the summit and met with USCIB members and government officials to discuss American business priorities in the region.

Robinson hosted a bilateral discussion with U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs, Charles Rivkin. Company representatives raised several concerns, including the need to move forward on the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP), the importance of bilateral investment treaties, and the need to secure a high standard of intellectual property rights in TPP.

President Obama delivered a speech at the APEC Summit on Monday on U.S. engagement with the Asia-Pacific region and the value of trade and economic integration.

“In the 21st century, the pursuit of economic growth, job creation and trade is not a zero-sum game. One country’s prosperity doesn’t have to come at the expense of another’s,” Obama said. “If we work together, and act together, strengthening the economic ties between our nations will benefit all our nations. That’s true for the nations of APEC, and I believe it’s particularly true for the relationship between the United States and China.”

Global Value Chains and Trade: Strengthening APEC’s Economic Integration

USCIB organized an event, “Global Value Chains and Trade: Strengthening the Backbone for Greater Economic Integration Across APEC,” through the U.S. APEC Business Coalition. The event convened government and business leaders to discuss the role global value chains (GVCs) play in bolstering Pacific Rim economies.

“In our highly interconnected world, participation in GVCs can produce considerable gains,” said Robinson. “According to a report last year by the OECD, WTO and UNCTAD, developing economies with the fastest growing GVC participation have per-capita GDP growth rates two percent above the average. Likewise, countries that attract more foreign direct investment tend to have higher GVC participation levels and to generate more value added from trade.”

Healthy economies require solid transportation infrastructure and modern customs systems. U.S. Trade and Development Agency Director Leocadia Zak explained that USTDA has strengthened global value chains in APEC by targeting projects that secure transportation system upgrades. Customs modernization policies are critical for creating an effective global value chain that promotes international trade.

“The U.S. Trade & Development Agency has been pleased to work with public and private sector partners throughout the APEC region to modernize transportation and customs system networks,” said Zak. “This work has not only demonstrated advanced U.S. technologies, but has also led to more efficient global value chains that enable U.S. goods to flow more freely across and within APEC economies.”

The private sector, particularly logistics providers, has an important role to play in streamline trade and the flow of goods along the value chain. UPS’s senior vice president for international public policy Leslie Griffin noted that logistics providers do more than simply store and move goods, they coordinate traditional logistics competencies with manufacturing, distribution, sales and value-add services like customs clearance.

“Intensifying competition and changing customer demands for goods and services have made global value chains more complex and difficult to manage,” Griffin said. “In this environment, logistics providers have become value chain integrators.”

During the discussion, companies identified a number of obstacles that APEC economies must overcome in order to leverage the benefits of global value chains:

  • forced localization requirements that impede the flow of goods and services;
  • restrictions on cross border data flows, which limit cloud computing and e-commerce;
  • differences in customs procedures, including duplicative document requirements and complicated administrative requirements, which result in multiplied costs and time to reach the market;
  • lack of regulatory transparency and additional regulatory barriers for products or services from country to country.

Robinson also attended a “Women in the Economy” side meeting hosted by USCIB members Microsoft, Chevron and Wal-Mart in coordination with the U.S. APEC Business Coalition. APEC officials reiterated the importance of equal gender participation in the economy, and USCIB will continue to advocate for the inclusion of this issue throughout the work of APEC, as outlined in our priorities.

USCIB recently released its “2015 APEC Priority Issues and Recommendations,” which outlines policies that APEC economies can pursue towards freer trade, greater economic integration, and easier movement of goods and services across borders and along the value chain. USCIB will continue to work within APEC with our business and government partners in the coming Philippines host year to ensure that these issues remain in the agenda.

Staff contacts: Helen Medina and Rachel Spence

More on USCIB’s APEC Working Group

Business Applauds APEC’s Work on Trade Facilitation

The U.S. private sector applauded APEC’s efforts to forge ahead on initiatives to accelerate trade and economic growth through the APEC Alliance for Supply Chain Connectivity (A2C2), amid challenges surrounding implementation of the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Agreement on Trade Facilitation.

In 2010, APEC Leaders committed to achieve a 10 percent improvement by 2015 in the performance of the regional supply chain, as measured by reductions in cost, time, and uncertainty. In 2014, APEC established the A2C2 to leverage outside expertise in helping developing economies improve supply chain performance through targeted, focused capacity building and technical assistance.

In a joint statement, USCIB and the National Center for APEC called the effort “a strong example of the kind of substantive work APEC is doing to improve supply chain performance and help economies implement the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement.”

“U.S. companies and associations trading in the Asia-Pacific have valuable experience moving goods and services seamlessly, quickly, and inexpensively through the region. The A2C2 is an excellent opportunity for the U.S. private sector to lend its expertise to APEC’s supply chain initiative on an ongoing and substantive basis,” said USCIB President and CEO Peter Robinson.

Staff contact: Kristin Isabelli

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ICC & USCIB Customs and Trade Facilitation Symposium: Finding Solutions to Cross-Border Challenges

Published on November 10, 2014

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February 22-24, 2015

The Four Seasons Hotel | Miami, Florida, USA

 

Limiting cross-border friction is increasingly vital to smooth the flow of trade and boost competitive­ness for all business, especially for small and medium sized businesses and emerging industry sectors. This conference brings business, govern­ment, international organizations and operational customs and trade experts together from the world over for an important dialogue on the most effec­tive means to ease the movement of goods and services between countries along supply chains.

Topics Will Include:
  • Best regional practices and global cooperation on
    • single window initiatives
    • de minimis
    • intellectual property rights, and
    • supply chain solutions
  • Balancing security and trade facilitation
  • WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement: implementation and challenges
Click Here for the Program

 

Full List of Confirmed Speakers:
  • Kunio Mikuriya, Secretary General of the World Customs Organization (WCO)
  • Yi Xiaozhun, Deputy Director General of the WTO
  • Gil Kerlikowske, Commissioner, U.S. Customs and Border Protection
  • Harold McGraw, Chairman, McGraw Hill Financial [now S&P Global]; Chairman, ICC; Chairman, USCIB
  • John Danilovich, Secretary General, ICC
  • Mark Linscott, Assistant United States Trade Representative for WTO and Multilateral Affairs
  • Peter Robinson, President and CEO, USCIB
  • Brenda Brockman Smith, Assistant Commissioner, Office of International Trade, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
  • Lev Kubiak, Assistant Director, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations, International Operations, U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
  • Virginia Brown, Director, Office of Trade and Regulatory Reform, USAID
  • Evdokia Moïsé, Senior Trade Policy Analyst,Trade and Agriculture Directorate, OECD
  • James Bacchus, Chair, Global Practice Group, Greenberg Traurig; Chair, ICC Commission on Trade and Investment Policy
  • Judy Lao, Head of Trade Facilitation Programs, Office of Western Hemisphere, Pathways to Prosperity Program, U.S. Department of Commerce; International Trade Administration Market Access and Compliance
  • Luis Eduardo Lara Gutierrez, General Administrator for Foreign Trade Audit, Mexican Tax Administration
  • Dan Duncan, Senior Director, International Affairs, McGraw Hill Financial
  • Gilbert Lee Sandler, Founding Member, Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg P.A.
  • Maritza Castro, Vice President, Head of Customs and Regulatory Affairs, Americas Region, DHL Express USA
  • Oliver Peltzer, Vice Chair, ICC Commission on Customs and Trade Facilitation; Partner, Debelstein & Passehl
  • Frank Reynolds, President, International Projects
  • Rafael Farromeque, Senior Specialist, Head of the Logistics Practice for Latin America, Vice Presidency of Infrastructure, Development Bank of Latin America (CAF)
  • Antoni Estevadeordal, Manager, Integration and Trade Sector, Inter-American Development Bank
  • Eugene Laney, Head of International Trade, DHL
  • Norm Schenk, Vice President, Global Customs Policy & Public Affairs, UPS; Chairman, ICC Customs and Trade Facilitation Commission
  • Ruth Snowden, Executive Director, CIFFA, International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations
  • Jerry Cook, Vice President, Government and  Trade Relations, Hanesbrands; Chair, USCIB Customs and Trade Facilitation Committee
  • Leroy J. Sheffer, Partner, International Trade Advisory Services
  • Cindy Duncan, Senior Vice President, Trade Services, USCIB
  • Simon Schofield, Vice President – European Tax and Corporate Audit, Samsung Electronics
  • Michael Heldebrand, Principal, EY Global Trade, Ernst & Young LLP
  • William Bullard OBE, Corporate Relations Director, DIAGEO WestLAC
  • Sarah Thorn, Senior Director, International Trade, Wal-Mart
  • Denise Coutinho, Senior Manager, Global Trade Strategy, Global Tax and Customs, Cisco
  • Darcy Price, Director, Value Chain Applications, Oracle
Registration Information:
  • You can register online by following this link, or by filling out a registration form.
  • Registration costs are:
    • $550 for USCIB Customs and Trade Facilitation Committee and ICC Customs and Trade Facilitation Commission Members
      • Contact Diana Jack for the Committee and Commission discount code.
    • $600 for all other USCIB and ICC Members
      • Contact Diana Jack for the USCIB and ICC member discount code.
    • $675 early-bird special for non-members – ends January 16
    • $750 regular price for non-members
  • For more information:
Hotel Rooms at the Four Seasons are Sold Out!  Click Here for a List of Nearby Hotels
NEW! NCBFAA NEI Credit
  • NCBFAA NEINow eligible for National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America (NCBFAA) Educational Institute (NEI) Credit!
  • Earn 11.5 CCS or CES credits.
  • You must bring your CCS/CES ID number in order to attend.
Sponsorship Information:
  • For information on how you can become a sponsor:
Sponsored by:
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EY
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With Support From:
Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A.
Enterprise Florida
FCBF
Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce
The Journal of Commerce
Presented by:
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ICC & USCIB Customs and Trade Facilitation Symposium: Finding Solutions to Cross-Border Challenges — Registration Instructions

Published on November 10, 2014

ICC AND USCIB

CUSTOMS & TRADE FACILITATION SYMPOSIUM

FINDING SOLUTIONS TO CROSS-BORDER CHALLENGES

 

Registration Information

 Online Registration:
  • If you received an email invitation from USCIB to one of our events, you already have an Events Portal Account. To activate your account, go to register online and click the “Forgot Password” link to receive your password via email. Then login and register.
  • If your e-mail address is not recognized, you will have to create an account with USCIB, by filling out the Online Events Registration Login Request form.
  • There are discount codes available to the following groups:
    • USCIB Customs and Trade Facilitation Committee members
    • ICC Customs Commission members
    • All other USCIB members
    • All other ICC members
  • Please contact Diana Jack at 202-617-3156 or djack@uscib.org to receive the appropriate discount code if you fall into one of the categories listed above, or if you experience problems registering online.

 

Click here to register online.

 

Registration Form:
  • If you prefer register by fax, email or standard mail, please click here to fill out the registration form.

 

Confirmation emails are sent to registrants shortly after the registration has been received.

If you think you have registered but have not received a confirmation email, please contact Diana Jack at (202) 617-3156 or djack@uscib.org to confirm that your registration has been processed.

ICC Raises Concerns Over WTO Customs Database Misuse

Published on October 28, 2014

The World Trade Organization (WTO) held an informal workshop in Geneva on October 27 about valuation databases and reference pricing serving. The forum provided an occasion to share experiences and perspectives on the use of customs valuation databases. The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) was welcomed as the only non-governmental actor and as the representative of the trade community.

The long-anticipated event was the result of several ICC appeals to the WTO and World Customs Organization (WCO), over the past two years, to address the misapplication of valuation databases to set reference and minimum prices. The closed workshop was attended by approximately 100 participants comprising WTO delegates, representatives of the WCO and Customs agencies.

During the workshop ICC provided business views which offered valuable insights on the use of customs valuation databases. Mark Neville (International Trade Counsellors), a member of the ICC Commission on Customs and Trade Facilitation, raised ICC’s concerns on the proliferating misuse of valuation databases. While acknowledging that these databases can provide a useful tool for risk assessment, Neville recounted traders’ experience and provided a number of country examples in which WTO members were using valuation databases to set reference and minimum prices – a practice prohibited by Article 7 of the WTO Customs Valuation Agreement.

“These practices are in violation of the positive basis of the price actually paid or payable which is the core principle of transaction value under the WTO Customs Valuation Agreement,” said Neville.

The workshop was the first time the WTO discussed the misuse of valuation databases. Following the event ICC will continue to actively engage with the WTO and the World Customs Organization as the issue evolves.

More info at ICC’s website.

Staff contact: Kristin Isabelli

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Customs Agencies and Business Community Join Forces on Trade Facilitation

Published on October 23, 2014

Shipping-ContainersIn the spirit of the strategic partnership between the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the World Customs Organization (WCO), WCO Secretary General Kunio Mikuriya welcomed the ICC Commission on Customs and Trade Facilitation to WCO headquarters in Brussels for its fall 2014 meeting.

The meeting took place on October 16 and 17, and it gathered 50 participants from 20 countries to discuss ICC’s work on trade facilitation. Participants included large multinational companies such as Fedex, Diageo and Samsung, as well as chambers of commerce and business associations representing a large number of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Opening the meeting, Norman Schenk, vice president of global customs policy and public affairs at UPS and chair of the ICC Commission on Customs and Trade Facilitation, emphasized the importance of Customs-Business partnerships. Illustrating the transparent and constructive continuous dialogue between ICC and the WCO, several representatives and experts of the WCO secretariat, including WCO Deputy Director Compliance and Facilitation Heike Barczyk, participated in the commission’s deliberations on reducing barriers to cross-border trade.

Guest speaker Mikuriya recognized ICC as the longest standing partner of the WCO in the context of customs-business cooperation. He encouraged ICC to share its insight in emerging new business models and to provide advice on how border procedures should be improved to support a true business environment.

“Borders divide but customs connect,” he said. Pointing out the increasing significance of global value chains and e-commerce, ICC commission members emphasized the importance of taking into account the experiences of SMEs’ while addressing bottlenecks hampering cross-border trade. Improved border and customs measures could trigger a 60 to 80 percent increase in cross-border SME sales in some economies, according to research. Bringing SMEs into trusted trader programs and allowing them to have a voice will be key to moving forward

Addressing the impasse on ratification of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA), Mikurya said: “Regardless of what happens with the TFA, in the short term we will push for trade facilitation.”

It is noted that while the TFA is a WTO agreement, 85 percent of the articles will have to be implemented by border agencies and the WCO Mercator Program offers a practical framework to ensure consistent implementation. While WTO negotiators are trying to address the political bottlenecks in Geneva, Customs agencies and the business community remain natural allies in enhancing trade facilitation.

“We want to stress the importance of moving forward on trade facilitation regardless of what happens at the World Trade Organization with the TFA,” said Kristin Isabelli, USCIB’s director for customs and trade facilitation. “The WCO will be moving the ball forward on trade facilitation, and we’ll be ready to support them any way we can.”

ICC launched an intense advocacy campaign to mobilize its global business network to push for ratification of the TFA signed in Bali in December 2013. Highlighting the diversity of the members of the commission – both geographically and in ideas and views – the commission chair reconfirmed ICC’s support to work together with customs around the globe to drive economic growth. “ICC can help connect the dots in bringing the different groups together: customs, trade and other government agencies,” said Schenk.

Staff contact: Kristin Isabelli

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USCIB Meets with G20 and B20 Sherpas to Discuss Business Priorities

Published on October 13, 2014

4856_image001Ahead of next month’s Group of 20 (G20) Summit in Brisbane, USCIB met with representatives of the Business 20 (B20) and G20 on October 9 in Washington, DC to discuss the 2014 B20 recommendations and give USCIB members an opportunity to voice their priorities for achieving economic growth and job creation.

The B20 provides global business leaders with a forum for producing policy recommendations to be delivered at the annual G20 meeting, reflecting the key role the private sector plays as a driver of strong, sustainable growth.

Members of the USCIB Trade and Investment Committee and Customs and Trade Facilitation Committee met with Caroline Atkinson, the G20 Sherpa for the U.S. government, Sarp Kalkan, policy advisor at the Union of Chambers and Commodities Exchanges of Turkey and upcoming Turkey B20 Sherpa, and Robert Milliner, the Australia B20 Sherpa. Members broadly supported the B20 recommendations to the G20, which include focused proposals in the areas of trade, infrastructure, human capital, finance and transparency.

Milliner summarized the B20 recommendations and noted that they would play a big role in the G20 agenda coming out of the Brisbane Summit. Trade and infrastructure rank high on the B20’s priorities, and Milliner hoped that governments will agree to establish a proposed “infrastructure hub” that will share information among nations and increase transparency on infrastructure projects.

Atkinson appreciated how focused the B20 recommendations are and explained it is helpful for government leaders to see which reforms business feels would be useful to support growth and jobs. She suggested that U.S. business leaders communicate often with their counterparts in other countries to coordinate their priorities, and she noted that business must engage more often with labor. USCIB plays a part on both counts, through our affiliation with the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) – the world business organization – and theInternational Organization of Employers.

Kalkan noted that during next year’s G20 Summit in Turkey, global infrastructure initiatives will remain at the core of the B20 agenda, as well as trade and investment policies that make it easier for emerging economies to attract foreign direct investment. On that note, the successful passage of the World Trade Organization’s trade facilitation agreement ranks high on the list of business priorities. The B20 also plans to do more work on small- and medium-sized businesses, helping to integrate them into global value chains and increasing their access to finance. Kalkan also noted that will be greater efforts to have the B20 and G20 interact more frequently over the course of the year.

At a similar event on October 8 in Washington, DC, ICC and the Center for Strategic and International Studies brought together Australian and U.S. government officials to discuss expectations for the Australian G20 summit in December.

“We intend to concentrate on advocating for the implementation of the existing stock of B20 recommendations,” Kalkan at the CSIS meeting. “We will do this through extensive consultations with G20 ministers, sherpas and business leaders.”

Staff contact: Robert Mulligan

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