The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative is asking for stakeholder comments to help prepare its annual report to Congress on Russian implementation of its World Trade Organization obligations. Comments are due by Sept. 26, and the interagency Trade Policy Staff Committee will hold an Oct. 10 hearing on the matter. Those obligations include compliance with the WTO Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures and the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights. USTR also asked for comments on Russian progress in acceding to the Information Technology Agreement and the Government Procurement Agreement, both of which are plurilateral agreements under the WTO. USTR is required to include in the report plans to “encourage” Russia to improve these efforts, if the report findings suggest the country is insufficiently meeting its obligations. USTR said stakeholders should submit comments and notifications of intent to testify at the Oct. 10 hearing via www.regulations.gov, USTR-2014-0016.

The U.S. and Myanmar launched consultations to put a labor rights initiative into effect for the Southeast Asian nation by November, leaders from both countries said in a joint Aug. 28 statement. The initiative aims to create a “multi-year strategy for labor reform and capacity building,” the statement said. U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman said during separate remarks in Yangon, Myanmar the initiative will build off substantial progress in labor policy and practice already made in Myanmar . “Myanmar has made initial progress in the right direction on issues ranging from the right to organize to the use of forced labor, including children,” Froman said (here). “Over a thousand unions have registered and more are on their way.” The two countries traded more than $230 billion in goods and services in 2012, but much more progress can be made, added Froman.

The dispute settlement process related to Guatemalan labor conditions and workers’ rights will remain suspended for an additional four weeks as U.S. officials reviewed legal documentation, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said on Aug. 25. The U.S. reserves the right to “reactivate” the process, initiated through the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement dispute mechanism, at any point during the four week period, USTR said. USTR suspended the settlement process in April 2013 after the two countries signed a deal (here) to implement Guatemalan labor reform (see 14030702). The deal provided the U.S. the opportunity to reactive the process in November 2013. USTR did not respond for comment on the consequences that reactivation of the process would have on bilateral trade relations.

U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman is scheduled to travel to the capital of Myanmar on Aug. 24 to attend an Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit, the Office of the USTR said in its weekly schedule. The ASEAN meeting is focused on the protection of migrant workers (here). USTR has no additional public events through Aug. 29.

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative will hold no public events during the week of Aug. 18-22, the agency said in its weekly schedule.

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative is asking for comments to the agency to help it identify significant tariff and non-tariff barriers U.S. companies face when exporting goods. The agency will use the comments to compile its National Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade Barriers, a document that is traditionally released in the early months of each year. Stakeholders should submit comments on all barriers U.S. companies face, notably tariff barriers, government procurement mandates, forced localization barriers, export subsidies, anti-competitive policies that may involve state-owned enterprises, and other barriers. Comments are due by Oct. 29 and should be submitted on http://www.regulations.gov under docket number USTR-2014-0014.

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) is asking for stakeholder comments on Chinese compliance with World Trade Organization commitments, and will convene an Oct. 1 public hearing on the matter. Comments and testimony will be used to compile an annual USTR report on Chinese WTO compliance. The U.S. has claimed victory in a number of recent disputes with China, including the early August WTO appellate body decision to affirm China violated trade rules through its export restraint regime on two rare earth metals (see 14080812). USTR is asking stakeholders to comment and testify on tariff barriers, export regulations, subsidies and other internal policies, along with a number of other barriers. Comments should be submitted on http://www.regulations.gov under docket number USTR-2014-0015. Comments and requests to participate at the hearing are due Sept. 17.

U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Michael Froman again championed the Obama administration’s dedication to dismantling trade barriers for U.S. exports during an Aug. 12 speech before the Washington Council on International Trade in Seattle. Through bilateral negotiations, the administration has removed almost 200 non-tariff trade barriers for agricultural products, said Froman. “And when it comes to enforcing existing agreements, this administration’s track record has no rival,” said Froman. “Since 2009, we have brought 18 disputes in the WTO and have won every one decided so far.” WTO dispute panel decisions often side with both parties in assessing different aspects of a dispute, as it did in a recent duty dispute involving Indian hot-rolled carbon steel flat products (see 14081205). Froman also encouraged U.S. businesses to ramp up efforts to export goods. “Ninety-eight percent of U.S. exporters are small businesses, but only 1% of U.S. businesses currently export -- which means that there are enormous, untapped opportunities for further growth,” he said.

U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman will kick off several events in Washington State on Aug. 12 with an agriculture roundtable, alongside House members Suzan Delbene, D-Wash., and Rick Larsen, D-Wash., the Office of the USTR said in its weekly schedule. Froman will then on Aug. 12 tour the Boeing factory in Everett, Wash., along with other planned public appearances. Acting Deputy USTR Wendy Cutler will then meet with senior Japanese trade negotiator Takeo Mori for two days of Trans-Pacific Partnership auto trade negotiations from Aug. 13-14 in Tokyo, Japan. USTR officials are not scheduled to participate in any public events for the remainder of the week.

Ongoing U.S. free trade negotiations continue to provide a promising opportunity for U.S. agricultural export growth, particularly through the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), said U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman during an Aug. 8 speech in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. TTIP alone is poised to boost soybean, animal feed, pork and other livestock exports, Froman said, adding that the free trade negotiations help to break down non-tariff barriers. “Last year, the Obama administration resolved nearly 200 trade-related barriers involving U.S. agricultural exports, including resolutions that helped increase total U.S. beef exports by 12% and U.S. pork exports to Colombia by 63%. And we’re continuing to make progress on these issues,” he said.