U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman will attend on March 5 a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement meeting with Iraqi Minister of Trade Khairullah Hassan Babakir in Washington D.C., the Office of the USTR said in a weekly schedule press release. Froman will also speak on March 6 at the CBP East Coast Trade Symposium, held at the Washington Hilton Hotel. Acting Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Wendy Cutler will speak on agriculture in the Trans-Pacific Partnership at the Virginia Governor’s Conference on Agricultural Trade on March 7. The three events will be open to the press.

U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Michael Froman discussed on Feb. 27 increasing U.S.-Georgia bilateral trade with Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili in Washington D.C., said USTR. The two countries share a High-Level Dialogue on Trade and Investment. “Froman emphasized that the High-Level Dialogue is intended to explore a range of options for increasing bilateral trade and investment,” said USTR. “He further emphasized that we will work to arrange discussions between technical experts and will reach out to private sector stakeholders for input on priority issues.”

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative is looking to fill the position of assistant U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) for intellectual property and innovation, according to a job listing posted on Feb. 25. The position is currently held by Stan McCoy. A USTR spokeswoman did not respond for comment.

President Barack Obama intends to nominate Robert Holleyman as deputy U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), the White House announced on Feb. 26 in a press release. Holleyman served as president of the Business Software Alliance for more than 20 years before stepping down in 2013 (here). If he is confirmed, Holleyman will replace outgoing deputy USTR Miriam Sapiro (see 14012302).

In order to be successful, the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership must harmonize regulatory functions, create a paradigm for multilateral trade and expand European market access through removing tariffs and liberalizing the service sector, said Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Miriam Sapiro on Feb. 25, speaking at the National Association of Business Economists. "Because U.S. and EU tariffs are already relatively low, the second objective, greater regulatory compatibility, offers the greatest potential for gain. We’re under no illusion that this will be easy. Our differences are long-standing and deeply engrained,” said Sapiro. “Both sides will benefit if [they] are able to eliminate the burden of having to meet two different requirements with a single regulatory objective.”

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative is asking for public comment on the recent South Korean request to establish a World Trade Organization (WTO) Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) in the on-going dispute over U.S. antidumping and countervailing duties on South Korean large residential washers. The South Korean WTO delegation requested the panel during a WTO DSB meeting in January (see 14011419). Comments must be submitted electronically via www.regulations.gov, docket number USTR-2013-0031, on or before March 31. USTR contact: Daniel Stirk at (202) 395-3150.

The U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) decision to invite labor union members to fill Industry Trade Advisory Committee vacancies (see 14022125) represents progress and reform, said AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka in a Feb. 24 statement. The USTR must continue to advance transparency in the trade negotiation process, however, said Trumka. “Our government must provide the American people the information they need in a timely manner so they have an opportunity to influence what is being negotiated in their name,” said Trumka. The decision may be the first time USTR has permitted labor unions to occupy ITAC seats, said an AFL-CIO spokesman. USTR did not immediately respond for comment.

U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman will stay in Singapore until the on-going Trans-Pacific Partnership ministerial concludes on Feb. 25, the Office of the USTR said in a weekly schedule release. Deputy USTR Miriam Sapiro on Feb. 25 will deliver remarks and participate in a public panel discussion on the U.S. trade role in the economic agenda at the National Association for Business Economics Economic Policy Conference in Arlington, Va. Froman on Feb. 26 will meet with Tyson Foods President Donnie Smith and host a call with members of the USTR Trade Advisory Committee System. The Feb. 26 meeting and call are closed to the press.

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) is asking for comments on and nominations for the newly-established Public Interest Trade Advisory Committee. The committee will provide USTR policy advice on public health, international development and consumer protection, while also advising USTR on how trade agreements promote U.S. interests. The comments should focus on the appropriate range of viewpoints that should be included in the committee to ensure the committee contributes valuable, balanced policy advice. The nominees must be U.S. citizens and not employed by the government, among other criteria. Comments are due by March 25. Nominations for initial committee posts are also due by March 25. Comments should be submitted via http://www.regulations.gov, Docket number USTR-2014-0005. Those interested in submitting nominations must submit application materials to USTR staff member Tiffany Enoch at tenoch@ustr.eop.gov.

Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) participant nations Japan and Canada may be unwilling to accept comprehensive market access liberalization in a final trade pact, warned more than 40 U.S. Business Coalition for TPP members in a Feb. 20 letter to U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman. “Both countries seem intent on preserving the status quo for their most protected sectors,” said the letter. “Not only would the tariff barriers that Japan seeks to maintain be unprecedented, but they are in the very sectors that have the greatest potential for future trade growth between the United States and Japan.” Froman is due to attend the next TPP ministerial in Singapore from Feb. 22-25.