On June 18, 2011, Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Sapiro spoke at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, where she stated that Russia's accession to the World Trade Organization is the U.S.' single highest priority in its economic relationship with Russia, and it is working to help Russia complete accession this year. However, there are still several WTO-inconsistent measures Russia needs to address.
At a May 25, 2011 Senate Finance Committee hearing on the Panama Trade Promotion Agreement, the Administration reasserted its position that it will not submit the implementing legislation packages for the pending free trade agreements with Panama, Colombia, and Korea until it reaches an agreement with Congress on renewing Trade Adjustment Assistance legislation that is consistent with the 2009 expansion of TAA1.
At a May 12, 2011 House Agriculture Committee hearing, U.S. Trade Representative Kirk stated that the Administration has begun technical discussions on the draft implementing legislation for the three pending free trade agreements and noted that they could be approved by August, if Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) has already been passed. Kirk also discussed his plans to work with Korea on U.S. beef import access to the Korean market.
At a May 11, 2011 Senate Finance hearing, Chairman Baucus (D) stated that Congress must enact a long-term extension of Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) in tandem with the pending free trade agreements with Korea, Colombia, and Panama.
The decision to move forward with the pending free trade agreements (FTAs) by the Administration and Congress could help resolve the impasse that has prevented consideration of the rest of the trade agenda, including renewal of the Generalized System of Preferences program.
On April 28, 2011, U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk spoke before the Washington International Trade Association (WITA), where he gave an update on the Administration’s trade agenda, including the three pending free trade agreements, renewal of trade preference programs, and Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations.
During a March 24, 2011 phone call with Russian President Medvedev, President Obama discussed, among other things, the new momentum in Russia’s progress towards joining the World Trade Organization in 2011. President Obama affirmed his support for Russia’s accession into the WTO in 2011 and also affirmed his commitment to work with the Congress to terminate the application of Jackson-Vanik to Russia and establish Permanent Normalized Trade Relations (PNTR) with Russia.
On March 9, 2011, U.S. Trade Representative Kirk testified before the Senate Finance Committee at a hearing on the President’s 2011 trade agenda.
On March 1, 2011, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative posted to its website the President’s 2011 Trade Policy Agenda and 2010 Annual Report, which contains information on his trade priorities, including exports, free trade agreements, trade preferences, intellectual property rights, and enforcement.
On February 8, 2011, Senator Lugar (R)1 introduced S. 309, which would allow the President to repeal the Jackson-Vanik trade restrictions on Moldovan products and authorize the extension of permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) treatment to products of Moldova. (Senator Lugar introduced an identical bill in 2009.)