USTR Releases President's 2010 Trade Policy Agenda and Annual Report

Administration's 2010 Trade Policy Priorities

The Administration's 2010 trade policy priorities include the following (partial list):

Double U.S. exports in 5 years. As part of the National Export Initiative, the President has also set a goal of doubling U.S. exports in the next five years. (See ITT's Online Archives or 02/05/10 news, 10020520, for BP summary of the NEI.)

Pursue TPP Agreement. The Administration will emphasize bilateral relations with major emerging markets, as well as with long-standing key partners, and will pursue regional engagement, particularly the President's intention to negotiate a Trans-Pacific Partnership Free Trade Agreement to access key markets in the Asia-Pacific.

Engage with pending/current FTA partners. It will continue to consult with Congress and the public and to engage with Panama, Colombia and Korea to address outstanding issues. It will also strengthen relationships with current partners such as Canada, Mexico, Japan, and the European Union, and seek to maximize returns on the economic opportunities of existing agreements.

Expand trade through preferences, markets. It will work to expand trade opportunities to stimulate market-led growth in the least developed nations through open markets and preferences such as the Generalized System of Preferences.

Enforce labor, environmental rights. It will strengthen further monitoring and enforcement, bringing cases at the World Trade Organization as necessary. It will increase focus on non-tariff barriers that hinder U.S. exports, and will fully enforce labor and environmental rights in trade agreements.

Liberalize climate-friendly trade. It will support fast-tracking action with willing partners in the WTO's work on liberalizing trade in innovative, climate-friendly goods and services through tariff reductions, and other initiatives.

Doha agreement. It will work toward an ambitious and balanced Doha agreement that liberalizes three core market access areas - agriculture, goods and services. The agenda states that an agreement can be reached if all major economies come to the negotiating table.

China. The Administration will make the U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT), and the Strategic and Economic Dialogue (SED), more effective. Key concerns include China's industrial policy of indigenous innovation, its governmental policy for intellectual property protection, its setting of industrial standards, and its government procurement practices - as they affect technology markets. Concerns about overcapacity in China's steel sector must also be addressed.

Brazil. It will explore options for the creation of a more robust formal framework for trade dialogue between the U.S. and Brazil.

India. In 2010, as part of the Trade Policy Forum, the Administration intends to address key trade irritants and develop cooperative initiatives - especially on issues related to innovation, services, agriculture, market access, and investment. U.S. plans also include work on a commercial space launch agreement and continued negotiation of a Bilateral Investment Treaty.

(See ITT's Online Archives or 10/30/09 news, 09103025, for BP summary of agreements with China during the 2009 JCCT.)

President's 2010 Trade Policy Agenda and 2009 Annual Report available at http://www.ustr.gov/2010-trade-policy-agenda

USTR comments (posted 03/01/10) available at http://www.ustr.gov/about-us/press-office/press-releases/2010/march/kirk-comments-2010-trade-policy-agenda