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November 30, 2012
OECD Trade Committee Developments
USCIB Senior Vice President Rob Mulligan took part in meetings earlier this month in Paris of the OECD Trade Committee and the BIAC Trade Committee, as well as the OECD Global Forum on Trade. Mulligan was able to raise the issue of forced localization – the range of measures governments impose on foreign investors requiring local content, production and operations as a condition of investing – at senior levels in both organizations and among OECD member governments. Among the key developments was a decision to develop a new BIAC discussion paper on the issue.
Among other important developments:
· For the first time, BIAC was invited to attend the plenary session of the OECD Trade Committee, including a session with the G20 on November 7. The OECD asked BIAC for its views on several issues including trade in services, trade and employment and global value chains.
· During the meeting, BIAC highlighted business concerns about protectionist tendencies (e.g. increase of tariffs, indirect measures, forced localization) and supported the OECD, WTO and UNCTAD in calling on G20 governments to step up efforts to resist protectionism in the face of continuing high unemployment and a weak economic recovery.
· BIAC welcomed the increased role of the OECD in the G20 process, and underlined that together with our members, we look forward to providing business input to the Russian G20 presidency through the B20 and the OECD.
Joining Mulligan at the November 8 OECD Global Forum on Trade was USCIB member Josh Kallmer
(Crowell & Moring), who participated in a panel discussion, “More Competitive Services Markets: What Can We Do?”
Staff contact: Rob Mulligan
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