For more information on how these developments may affect your business, please contact Nicole Bivens Collinson at (202) 730-4956 or via email.
Americas Partnership
At the first in-person trade ministers meeting under the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity Aug. 1, ministers announced that they had (1) established new committees dedicated to trade and labor and trade and environment and (2) adopted a declaration on good practices for pre-arrival processing that lays out specific goals to more effectively implement the World Trade Organization Trade Facilitation Agreement. Ministers further directed senior officials to take the following actions.
- by Aug. 15 complete the survey of current practices by APEP countries on digital and electronic signatures on forms and documents for trade and, thereafter, identify improvements to facilitate border processes, including cross-border recognition, where appropriate
- by Sept. 15 share the inclusive trade inventory of each APEP country’s programs to support small and medium-sized enterprises involved in trade
- later this fall, convene a virtual meeting to share best practices for inclusive trade and SMEs and discuss next steps for sharing information from the inventory with the public
- by Nov. 1 convene to discuss cooperative activities under the trade and environment and trade and labor committees
- convene a public-private workshop on the medical device sector with the goal of developing trade policy tools for the generation of regional value and supply chains in this sector
- by 2025 develop a program to share each APEP country’s regulatory agenda for key sectors
U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai said work under the APEP trade track “has truly begun, and we are making real progress” on issues like labor standards, trade facilitation, and tackling the climate crisis.
Ecuador
USTR Tai met with Ecuador’s trade minister Sonsoles García July 31 to discuss the agenda under the U.S.-Ecuador Trade and Investment Council, including the July 30 small and medium-sized enterprises dialogue and proposed work by TIC committees focused on trade and labor, trade and environment, and fair trade. They also discussed the agriculture sector, including food security, sustainability, and market access opportunities.
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