USCIB Adopts a Comprehensive Strategy to Renew the WTO E-Commerce Moratorium   

Ahead of the World Trade Organization (WTO) 13th Ministerial Council (MC13) next week, USCIB has been advocating extensively to extend the WTO moratorium on customs duties on electronic transmissions.  

Among these efforts, as reported by Inside US Trade, was a multi-association letter signed by USCIB President and CEO Whitney Baird, along with the presidents and CEOs of other associations such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The letter was sent to U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai, National Security Council’s Jacob J. Sullivan and National Economic Council Director Lael Brainard. 

USCIB also signed a Global Industry Statement urging the WTO to support the continuation of the Moratorium at MC13. The Statement, comprised of nearly 200 groups from more than 20 sectors in 130 countries, was covered by Politico. 

A few WTO members, such as India, Indonesia and South Africa, are threatening to block renewal of the moratorium for policy and political purposes. As such, USCIB joined several industry coalition letters to key government officials in these countries expressing concern about the potential collapse of this longstanding multilateral agreement and how it would negatively impact trade and investment in these economies.   

The letters argue that the moratorium is essential to the interests of millions of local enterprises and workers. The economic studies that analyze the potential impacts of customs duties show that countries hurt themselves by raising barriers and increasing costs for a wide variety of enterprises to access knowledge, information, data, and digital tools needed to compete in the global marketplace. 

For India, customs restrictions on the Internet are at odds with Prime Minister Modi’s vision of a $1 trillion “Digital India” economy. In fact, such restrictions could well cause India’s digital economy to shrink rather than grow given its large share of software development and global data processing activity. If India imposes customs duties on inbound data transfers – coupled with restrictions on outbound data transfers proposed under various other measures – India will isolate itself from the world. 

USCIB President and CEO Whitney Baird and USCIB Senior VP Alice Slayton Clark will be at MC13 in Abu Dhabi next week, where this topic will be a top priority. 

“Allowing the moratorium to expire would be a historic setback for the WTO, representing an unprecedented termination of a multilateral agreement in place nearly since the WTO’s inception – an agreement that has allowed the digital economy to take root and grow,” said Clark. “It risks destabilizing the very fabric of a multilateral trading system already under intense strain.” 

USCIB Helps Facilitate First Digital ATA Carnet at JFK Airport

New York, N.Y., February 21, 2024—The United States Council for International Business (USCIB), the National Guaranteeing Association (NGA) and Issuing Association for the ATA Carnet (aka the “Passport for Goods®”) in the U.S., has facilitated the first ever U.S. digital ATA Carnet (e-ATA) test processing at John F. Kennedy Airport in collaboration with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Roanoke Insurance Group Inc. and Rock-it Cargo. The test will also be done in conjunction with the London Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI) and UK Customs (HMRC), processing the e-ATA for import at London’s Heathrow airport.

“We’re thrilled to launch the official test-phase for e-ATA Carnet processing in the United States,” said USCIB Chief Operating Officer Declan Daly. “With the help of our partners, including CBP, the International Chamber of Commerce World Chamber Federation (ICC WCF), Roanoke, one of our service providers, and Rock-it, we’ve taken a crucial and exciting first step to finally bring the ATA Carnet into the 21st century.”

“U.S. Customs and Border Protection is honored to collaborate with the U.S. Council for International Business and our counterparts in the United Kingdom on this first test of a digital ATA Carnet,” said Francis J. Russo, director of CBP’s New York Field Operations. “Carnets have long been an effective method to control and release materials that are temporarily imported.  Digitizing the process to align with modern technical capabilities will make it far more efficient than continuing to rely on paper,” added Russo.

The test processing was conducted ahead of the TPi Awards Ceremony in London, England, which will be held on February 26th. The Ceremony is the live events industry’s largest celebration, recognizing the feats achieved in the world of live touring in the past 12 months. USCIB selected Rock-it Cargo to participate in the e-ATA Carnet testing phase due to the nature of Rock-it’s business and because Rock-it Cargo is one of the largest ATA Carnet users in the U.S. Rock-it Cargo is a white glove, time critical, freight forwarder focused on live entertainment and TV production, which are highly dependent on ATA Carnets to ensure the show goes on.

Declan Daly (USCIB) and Amanda Barlow (Rock-it Cargo) with the TPi Awards microphones

According to Daly, TPi, Sennheiser and Rock-it Cargo have co-sponsored two bespoke microphones for use during the award ceremony. These microphones were decorated by Perry Meeks, a costume designer with whom Rock-it has worked on many live entertainment tours. The microphones will be hand-carried by Rock-it to the United Kingdom using the first U.S. issued e-ATA Carnet to enter them into the UK for the awards ceremony and then returned to the U.S. post show.

“It’s great that HMRC is at the forefront of piloting digital Carnets alongside our counterparts in the USA, and we’re really pleased to enable the first digital carnet movement between the two countries,” said Sally Beggs, deputy director for Customs Policy and Strategy at HM Revenue and Customs in the UK.

Davor A. McKinley, head of ATA Carnets and Compliance, UK National ATA Carnet Organization (UKNATACO) added, “UKNATACO is delighted that United States Council for International Business (USCIB) chose United Kingdom as the destination for their first ever digital Carnet. This clearly highlights the close working relationship between the two countries and demonstrates that digitalising ATA Carnets will play a pivotal role in strengthening our mutual trade further.”

USCIB has appointed two independent Carnet Service Providers to issue ATA Carnets: Boomerang Carnets and Roanoke Insurance Group Inc.

The ATA Carnet is a unified international Customs document that permits duty-free and tax-free temporary import of goods into over 100 countries and customs territories for up to one year. Annually, the global system issues close to 200,000 ATA Carnets for goods valued at over $25 billion dollars. The e-ATA Carnet (aka digital ATA Carnet), which was first developed by ICC WCF in 2016 and is supported by the WCO (World Customs Organization), aims to digitize ATA Carnets and their lifecycle management process – from issuance and declarations to transactions and claims.

About USCIB
USCIB promotes open markets, competitiveness and innovation, sustainable development and corporate responsibility, supported by international engagement and prudent regulation. Its members include U.S.-based global companies and professional services firms with operations in every region of the world. As the U.S. affiliate of leading international business organizations (such as the International Chamber of Commerce, International Organization of Employers and Business at OECD) and as the only U.S. multi-sectoral advocacy group with standing in the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), USCIB provides business views to policy makers and regulatory authorities worldwide and works to facilitate international trade and investment. USCIB is also the National Guaranteeing and Issuing Association for ATA Carnet in the United States, having been appointed as such by the Department of Treasury Bureau of Customs, now U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), in 1969. USCIB has two authorized service providers who issue ATA Carnet—Boomerang Carnet and Roanoke Insurance Group Inc. More at  www.uscib.org.

Cross-Atlantic Social Partners Convene to Discuss Jobs for a Green Transition 

Ewa Staworzynska (USCIB)

The EU-U.S. Trade and Technology Council (TCC) held a workshop of the Transatlantic Initiative for Sustainable Trade (TIST), titled “Promotion of Good Quality Jobs for a Successful, Just and Inclusive Green Economy,” in Washington DC on January 30. The workshop focused on the promotion of good quality jobs for a successful, just and inclusive green transition. Organizations such as the the International Labor Organization (ILO), Business Europe, AFL-CIO, the European Trade Union Confederation and government agencies from both sides of the Atlantic provided perspectives during the meeting. 

USCIB Director for Corporate Responsibility and Labor Affairs Ewa Staworzynska gave remarks at the workshop, alongside USCIB members Lisa Schroeter (Dow) and Josh Connelly (LinkedIn). Connelly provided relevant data on workforce skilling and the gender gap, highlighting that women are disproportionally impacted by the green transition, due to the lack of parity in the market, especially in the green sector. 

Staworzynska spoke on the issue of supply chain transparency in the context of the green transition, underscoring that supply chain traceability is extremely complex, especially in higher tiers. “American companies have championed supply chain improvements globally, and we count on the U.S. government and the European Union to help sourcing countries tackle root causes of labor risks, such as poverty and informality,” she said. Staworzynska further highlighted that the just transition policies must take into account the realities faced by companies globally in order to be effective. 

“USCIB has had a longstanding engagement at the TCC,” said Staworzynska. “We look forward to highlighting the important work of our members, such as LinkedIn and Dow, and working with the EU and the U.S. to ensure a just and inclusive green transition.” 

Vinblad Speaks on Business and Biodiversity at Columbia University  

L-R: Wendy Hapgood (Wild Tomorrow), Amy Karpati (Columbia University), Jenna Lawrence (Columbia University), Agnes Vinblad (USCIB), Matthias Pitkowitz (EQX Biome)

USCIB Director for Environment and Sustainable Development Agnes Vinblad was invited to participate in an expert panel organized by the Columbia University Climate School Earth Institute in New York City. The event was held under the title, “Solving the Biodiversity Crisis: Strategic & Interdisciplinary Approaches.” Discussions highlighted the importance of biodiversity considerations in sustainable business decisions with a focus on solution pathways and recent policy developments. 

Vinblad’s interventions focused on the international policy dimension and the role of incentivizing industrial policy in spurring and enabling private sector leadership on biodiversity protection. 

The panel was moderated by Wendy Hapgood, Co-founder and COO of Wild Tomorrow, a wildlife conservation non-profit organization dedicated to the protection, restoration and rewilding of threatened habitats to protect biodiversity. In addition to Vinblad, the panel included Amy Karpati, conservation biologist and adjunct professor at Columbia University, Jenna Lawrence, biodiversity specialist and researcher, and lecturer at the Climate School at Columbia University and Matthias Pitkowitz, founder and CEO of EQX Biome – a financial marketplace for nature-based investments.  

Agnes Vinblad

“This excellent discussion served as a great opportunity to speak about USCIB’s engagement in the UN CBD process, and our active participation in the negotiations leading up to the adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF),” said Vinblad.  

“Inevitably, a lot of the conversation centered on Target 15 of the GBF – this is the target that calls for legal, administrative or policy measures to encourage businesses to regularly monitor, assess and disclose their risks, dependencies and impacts on biodiversity. But we also touched upon many other of the targets, for example the conservation target – Target 3 – which seeks to conserve 30% of land, waters and seas by 2030,” she continued.  

USCIB holds official observer status to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (UN CBD). This is the UN treaty under which matters pertaining to biodiversity are negotiated. Through this status, USCIB has been active participants in the UN CBD process for many years and Vinblad led a USCIB delegation to the historic UN CBD COP15 in December 2022 where the GBF was adopted.  

“A key point to note is that while the U.S. is not a Party to the UN CBD, we are seeing a continued increased interest from the U.S. business community to engage on biodiversity topics. One of the primary concerns I am hearing from business is the rapid rollout of numerous different biodiversity reporting standards and frameworks – a key priority for us now is to ensure harmonization to ease the administrative burden for business to free up resources for real implementation,” Vinblad added. 

UN CBD COP16 is scheduled to convene from October 21 to November 1 in Colombia this fall and deliberations will focus on the implementation phase of the GBF.  

Business Provides Input Into Global Forum on Migration and Development

Left to right: Laura McElroy (McDonalds) and Ronnie Goldberg (USCIB)

Business played a prominent role at the 14th Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) Summit, held in Geneva from January 23-25 under the chairmanship of the government of France. USCIB staff and members were well represented among more than 1,000 delegates, including governments from 150 countries, who met to exchange best practices on migration governance.

The 60-strong private sector delegation was organized by the Business Mechanism to the GFMD, which is housed in the International Organization of Employers (IOE) and chaired by Austin Fragomen (Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy).  USCIB members from Deloitte, Oracle, McDonalds, Meta and SHRM, as well as USCIB Senior Counsel Ronnie Goldberg, serve on the Business Mechanism’s Executive Board and participated in the Summit’s roundtable sessions.

According to Goldberg, during the Summit, USCIB and its members advocated for migration pathways to bring talent to fill skills gaps, particularly as they relate to green skills, legal frameworks for responsible recruitment, harmonization of skills recognition systems, better use of technology to encourage innovation and improve migration systems and a public narrative based on facts and economic impacts.

In addition, the Business Mechanism staged a Start Up competition for innovative migration-related applications and contributed substantive papers on Green Borders: Climate Change and Business Mobility, Digital Nomads and Hybrid Work, and Engaging with Employers in Skills Mobility Partnerships.

The GFMD chair has now been assumed by the Government of Colombia.

USCIB Contributes to TCC Stakeholder Session on Electric Vehicle Battery Recycling 

Lisa Schroeter (Dow)

USCIB was a key participant in the U.S.-EU Trade and Technology Council’s (TTC) Transatlantic Initiative for Sustainable Trade (TIST) stakeholder event held in Washington, DC on January 31.   

USCIB Senior Vice President for Trade, Investment and Digital Policy Alice Slayton Clark led a roundtable with the Transatlantic Business Initiative (TBI) on Advancing a Transatlantic Circular Economy: Facilitating Circularity in Electric Vehicles Batteries Towards Better Regulatory Harmonization. USCIB member Lisa Schroeter (Dow) was one of several USCIB Members serving as lead contributors to the circularity discussion.   

The battery roundtable was designed by USCIB and TBI to assist the United States and EU in identifying regulatory challenges and barriers to circularity in EV battery production.  The goal is to encourage better green policy cooperation to further integrate transatlantic value chains and facilitate trade and investment in these areas.  

Alice Slayton Clark (USCIB)

According to Clark, TTC stakeholder sessions are critical to advancing the voice of business, providing private sector insights and ingenuity key to durable policy solutions. USCIB is grateful to be able to engage our companies in open dialogue on policy issues under the umbrella of transatlantic sustainable trade.  

“USCIB appreciated the opportunity for our members to be involved in the TIST with respect to EV recycling,” said Clark. “USCIB advances trade and regulatory coherence and we hope our members’ input at today’s session will help inform policymakers in the U.S. and the EU to achieve a more integrated and resilient transatlantic green marketplace.” 

USCIB Welcomes Peru Into Global “Merchandise Passport” System

New York, N.Y., February 05, 2024—The United States Council for International Business (USCIB), the national guaranteeing and issuing association for the ATA Carnet in the United States, is pleased to welcome Peru as the 80th country to be represented in the ATA Carnet system. The ATA Carnets are critical tools of trade facilitation and export promotion. The ATA Carnet is an international customs document that allows duty- and tax-free temporary admission of goods for up to one year.

The Lima Chamber of Commerce, the national guaranteeing and issuing association (NGA and IA, respectively) appointed by Peru Customs (National Superintendency of Customs and Tax Administration, SUNAT), was accepted as a member of the ATA Carnet international Guarantee Chain during a meeting of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) – World Chambers Federation (WCF) General Council on November 21, 2023.

ATA Carnet operations in Peru will officially begin on April 30, 2024. Peru is the third country in Latin American, after Chile and Mexico, to accept the use of ATA Carnets for temporary admission of goods. The scope of acceptance includes professional equipment and goods to be displayed or used at exhibitions, fairs, meetings and similar events.

In January 2024, USCIB conducted a virtual operational training for the Lima Chamber of Commerce and SUNAT in preparation for the launch of the ATA Carnet system at the end of April.

According to USCIB Chief Operating Officer Declan Daly, who is also vice chair of the World ATA Carnet Council (WATAC), major progress has also been made to advance acceptance and implementation of the System in the Philippines and Saudi Arabia. USCIB is pleased to report NGAs in both countries have been accepted into ICC’s ATA Carnet Guaranteeing Chain. An announcement on the launch of ATA Carnet operations will be made once respective implementation dates are confirmed.

The global ATA Carnet system is overseen and managed by the Paris-based ICC-WCF. USCIB administers the ATA System in the United States.

About USCIB

USCIB promotes open markets, competitiveness and innovation, sustainable development and corporate responsibility, supported by international engagement and prudent regulation. Its members include U.S.-based global companies and professional services firms with operations in every region of the world. As the U.S. affiliate of leading international business organizations (such as the International Chamber of Commerce, International Organization of Employers and Business at OECD (BIAC)) and as the only U.S. multi-sectoral advocacy group with standing in the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), USCIB provides business views to policy makers and regulatory authorities worldwide and works to facilitate international trade and investment. USCIB is also the National Guaranteeing and Issuing Association for ATA Carnets in the United States, having been appointed as such by the Department of Treasury, now U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), in 1969. More at  www.uscib.org.

Celebrating International Day of Women in Multilateralism

New York, N.Y., January 25, 2024—Today, the United States Council for International Business (USCIB) celebrates International Day of Women in Multilateralism.

The United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) formally adopted and declared January 25 as International Day of Women in Multilateralism in 2021. According to ECOSOC, the purpose of this day is to recognize the essential role played by women in the promotion of human rights, peace and sustainable development within the multilateral system. The day advocates for increased representation of women in key decision-making positions that shape and implement multilateral agendas and for ensuring that multilateralism works for women and girls through gender transformative actions and agreements.

“Truly a day to mark,” said USCIB Senior Vice President Norine Kennedy. “I’m so proud to work with my USCIB colleagues to promote American business views throughout the multilateral system and to support inclusive multilateralism.”

USCIB’s Clark Promoted to Senior Vice President

Alice Slayton Clark speaks at the OECD

USCIB Vice President for International Investment and Trade Policy Alice Slayton Clark has been promoted to Senior Vice President, Trade, Investment and Digital Policy. Clark will be working closely with USCIB Senior Vice President for Policy and Global Strategy Norine Kennedy, as well as the rest of senior staff.

Clark joined USCIB in 2021 bringing her considerable experience in trade policy to USCIB’s policy team in Washington DC. Prior to joining USCIB, Clark worked for international law firms and consulting practices, as well as on Capitol Hill.

“Alice has shown herself to be both a DC-savvy policy expert and an excellent international advocate for U.S. business in international trade and investment deliberations during her time at USCIB.  I’m thrilled to share responsibility for leading USCIB’s policy work with her,” said Kennedy.

Baird and Wanner Focus on Trade and Tech at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 

USCIB President and CEO Whitney Baird and VP for ICT Policy Barbara Wanner attended the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas earlier this month. Dubbed the “most powerful tech event in the world,” CES brought together over 130,000 participants, including many USCIB members and representatives of governments from across the globe.  

Whitney Baird (USCIB) and Tanneasha Gordon (Deloitte)

Baird and Wanner had a packed schedule in Las Vegas meeting members and USG officials, including Tanneasha Gordon (Deloitte), Nadia Hansen (Salesforce), Dr. Oliver Campbell (Dell), JoAnn Stonier (Mastercard), Erica McCann (Amazon) and Dr. Vanessa Chan (Department of Energy). They also attended panels and events on AI and the impact on jobs, emerging technologies shaping the tech workforce, privacy and cybersecurity, and sustainability and circularity in tech.  

During a panel on “Trade in Tech. What is it good for? Absolutely Everything!” Baird joined Ambassador Mark Lippert (Samsung), Ambassador Susan Schwab (NFTC) and Dr. Rafaelita Aldaba (Philippine Economic Zone Authority) to discuss how trade policy promote peace and innovation globally.  

“Trade has long demonstrated its benefit in lifting nations out of poverty, promoting shared prosperity, fostering economic interdependence and trust, and providing an incentive for peaceful resolution of disputes,” said Baird. “Technology has a similar unifying effect, through the devices, gadgets and transmissions that inform people and connect cultures and countries around the globe. Trade in technology, therefore, carries a double dividend on peace.” 

Baird also discussed USCIB’s affiliation with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), made possible through Business at OECD (BIAC). She noted USCIB regularly contributes U.S. industry practices and priorities to inform OECD research and policy guidelines. Through its own standing and through our affiliates, USCIB advocates strongly for WTO rules that promote connectivity, the free flow of data with trust across borders, and a permanent moratorium on customs duties on electronic transmissions. USCIB has also pressed for negotiation of two World Trade Organization (WTO) Information Technology Agreements to eliminate all import duties on a wide range of technology products including computers, telecommunications equipment, software and educational devices.   

The “Trade in Tech” session was moderated by Ed Brzytwa (International Trade Consumer Technology Association).  

“This was the first time USCIB attended CES in an official capacity,” said Wanner. “We were delighted by the many opportunities we had for enhanced engagement with U.S. government officials and our own members on topics of significant relevance to our trade and digital policy work. We look forward to more CES events in the future.”