New Census Report Links Trade Data To Manufactured Products
Erienne Kilgore & Elizabeth Owerbach
The U.S. Census Bureau has released its Manufacturing and International Trade Report (MITR) containing 2012 data, available here. This report unveils a new system of matching import and export data to products by specified manufactured product class. The data are categorized by North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) product code and use official U.S. import/export statistics. The report details the value of product shipments, the total export value of goods, the domestic export value of goods, and the values of general imports and imports for consumption for specified products.
The Census Bureau described this new tool as "a vital resource for businesses that conduct international trade," as it allows firms to track the trade activity of each specified product. The Census Bureau will continue to present trade data in future reports, including the 2013 MITR, which is scheduled for release in August 2015.
USTR Requests Public Input On Intellectual property Review
Szymon Maziakowski & Patrick J. Togni
The office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) has requested comments from the public regarding countries that deny adequate and effective protection of intellectual property rights (IPR). According to the Federal Register notice, written submissions are due by February 6 for most parties, except for foreign governments, whose written submissions are due February 13. In addition to the request for written submissions, USTR has announced a public hearing at the International Trade Commission, scheduled for February 24. Interested parties are instructed to submit notices of intent to appear at the hearing along with their written submissions.
The proceedings are part of USTR's annual Section 301 review, which is required by Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (19 U.S.C. § 2411). In its Section 301 review, USTR surveys the policies and practices of trading partners in order to identify Priority Foreign Countries. Once identified, these countries then become the focus of increased bilateral attention concerning areas of inadequate IPR protection and are covered by USTR's annual Section 301 report.
USTR Issues Reports On China's And Russia's Implementation Of WTO Agreements
Cole Pfeiffer & P. Lee Smith
The office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) recently issued annual reports on China's and Russia's implementation of their obligations under the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreements. USTR's report on China noted the current contentious relationship between the two trading partners. Despite a dramatic increase of U.S. exports to China since China's 2001 accession, the United States has brought 15 WTO dispute settlement cases against China. USTR reports that these cases are due to the Chinese government's interventionism and the large role of state-owned industries in China's economy. Thus, USTR's annual report stresses the importance of China's economic reform. The report suggests that a sustainable and open Chinese economy would decrease trade frictions, increase US exports, and provide a more balanced relationship between the two trading partners.
USTR's report on Russia criticizes the country for using "unjustified and retaliatory trade measures against many of its neighbors." Specifically, the report criticizes Russia's import ban against certain agricultural products from the West. USTR argues that this ban, as well as certain other measures, violate the spirit of WTO principles such as open trade. While USTR charged Russia with violating the spirit of the WTO agreement, it stopped short of threatening dispute settlement action.
