Obama Sends Trade Policy Agenda to Congress
Washington - President Obama, in his 2010 Trade Policy Agenda sent to Congress March 1, pledged the United States will build on existing trade agreements to strengthen the global trading system and uphold American values and commitments around the world.
The president has set a goal of doubling U.S. exports in the next five years to support another 2 million American jobs. The 2010 trade agenda explains how the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), the president's principal adviser on trade issues, will support this initiative through new market openings and trade enforcement.
"Ninety-five percent of the world's consumers live outside the United States, and the president's trade agenda will help to get American workers and businesses access to as many of those customers as possible - in ways that affirm our rights in the global trading system and that reflect American values on worker rights, the environment and open dialogue here at home," said USTR Ron Kirk on March 1. "The priorities in this agenda can work to strengthen the rules-based global trading system on which the nations of the world depend, while opening markets and ensuring that American businesses and workers receive the economic benefits of trade."
Delivery of the agenda to Congress each year by March 1 is mandated by law. USTR is the agency responsible for developing the agenda and for reporting to Congress on the administration's progress on trade issues.
The agenda items highlighted by USTR include the following:
. Support and strengthen a rules-based trading system. The United States strongly supports an ambitious and balanced Doha agreement that liberalizes three core market-access areas: agriculture, goods and services.
. Enforce rights in the rules-based trading system. USTR will strengthen further monitoring and enforcement, bringing cases at the World Trade Organization (WTO) as necessary, will increase focus on nontariff barriers that hinder exports, and will fully enforce labor and environmental rights in trade agreements.
. Enhance U.S. growth, job creation and innovation. The United States will emphasize bilateral relations with emerging markets as well as with long-standing key partners, and will pursue regional engagement, particularly negotiation of a Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement to access key markets in the Asia-Pacific for decades to come.
. Work to resolve outstanding issues with pending free trade agreements (FTAs) and build on existing agreements. Proper resolution and implementation of the pending FTAs with Panama, Colombia and South Korea can bring significant economic benefits. In 2010, USTR will continue to consult with Congress and the public and to engage with these nations to address outstanding issues. It will also strengthen relationships with current partners such as Canada, Mexico, Japan and the European Union.
. Facilitate progress on national energy and environmental goals. Good trade policy can accelerate the success of sound energy and environmental initiatives and can complement sustainable growth. USTR 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.
. Foster stronger partnerships with developing and poor nations. The Obama administration supports expanding trade opportunities to stimulate market-led growth and help improve the lives of people in the least-developed nations. Opportunities created by open markets and preferences such as the Generalized System of Preferences require complementary measures such as technical assistance and market-based and rule-of-law reforms to maximize their benefits, USTR said.
The full text ( http://www.ustr.gov/2010-trade-policy-agenda ) of the president's 2010 Trade Policy Agenda is available on the USTR Web site, as is an audio clip ( http://www.ustr.gov/webfm_send/1693 ) of Ambassador Kirk's statement.
