Advancing Trans-Pacific Partnership talks, an EU-U.S. trade agreement and trade liberalization through the WTO are the highlights of President Barack Obama’s 2013 Agenda on Trade Policy, released March 1. The 382-page document mentions Trade Promotion Authority just once: “To facilitate the conclusion, approval, and implementation of market-opening negotiating efforts, we will also work with Congress on Trade Promotion Authority. Such authority will guide current and future negotiations, and will thus support a jobs-focused trade agenda moving forward.” Some congressional leaders have criticized President Obama for not stressing TPA enough. “Making TPA a reality requires more than talk, it demands real leadership and action from the President,” said Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, in a statement (here).

The Obama administration announced plans Feb. 20 to combat the theft of U.S. trade secrets; a coordinated effort between government agencies and the private sector with effects that it said will ripple through the administration’s trade agenda. The plan includes an increase in enforcement efforts and a proposed provision in the still-unfinalized Trans-Pacific Partnership that would offer rights holders remedies similar to those under U.S. law, such as criminal prosecutions for trade secret theft, said Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Demetrios Marantis at the announcement.

Trade-related business groups were generally supportive of President Obama's support of trade and infrastructure during his Feb. 12 State of the Union address (see ITT's Online Archives 13021326), they indicated in statements issued after the address.

The White House released a list of completed items as part of the joint U.S.-Canada "Beyond the Border" initiative. The White House press release is (here). The report is (here).

President Barack Obama signed into law HR-6156 Dec. 14, giving Russia and Moldova Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) status. The bill repeals the Jackson-Vanik amendment, which limits U.S. trade with communist countries.

President Obama established an Interagency Task Force On Commercial Advocacy, in an executive order Dec. 6. He said the goal is "to help level the playing field on behalf of U.S. businesses and workers competing for international contracts against foreign firms and to facilitate the growth of sales of U.S. goods and services around the world in support of the National Export Initiative."

President Obama and the leaders of the 10 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations unveiled a new U.S.-ASEAN initiative to expand trade and investment ties at a meeting in Cambodia Nov. 19. The “U.S.-ASEAN Expanded Economic Engagement” (E3) initiative identifies specific cooperative activities to facilitate trade and investment, increase efficiency and competitiveness of trade flows and supply chains throughout ASEAN, and build greater awareness of the commercial opportunities of the U.S.-ASEAN economic relationship, the White House said. Furthermore, the initiative will lay the groundwork for ASEAN countries to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), it said.

President Barack Obama's re-election gives "a degree of credibility and, perhaps, urgency" to the Administration's goal of concluding the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement by the end of June 2013, said David Spooner of Squire Sanders, Washington counsel for the U.S. Association of Importers of Textiles and Apparel (USA-ITA). Spooner analyzed the election's outcome for USA-ITA members.

International Longshoremen's Association members "rejoice in the re-election of President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden," said ILA President Harold Daggett in an open letter. He said the ILA and AFL-CIO worked hard in the presidential race, and ILA members also were "responsible for" Senate victories in Massachusetts, New Jersey, Ohio, Wisconsin, Virginia and elsewhere. "With our Master Contract negotiations still ongoing, it is comforting to all of us that we have retained our friends in the White House, Senate, the House and many State Capitals," Daggett said.

International trade, particularly with China, got an airing during the Oct. 22 Presidential debate, despite the much heavier emphasis on the Middle East and security concerns. President Barack Obama said the U.S. had boosted its exports to China and China's currency was at its most favorable level for the U.S. balance of trade in decades. Republican candidate Mitt Romney said China is in a "silent" trade war with the U.S. and he will label China a currency manipulator "on day one" of his presidency, which he said "allows us to apply tariffs where they're taking jobs."