PhRMA and BIO have both requested that the US Trade Representative place the European Union on its watch list in the 2018 Special 301 Report. The Special 301 Report is a yearly review by the US Trade Representative of the… Continue Reading
In its 2018 Special 301 submission, PhRMA targets a number of countries for pricing and reimbursement policies deemed hostile to the pharmaceutical industry. Among these, PhRMA strategically lobbies for the strongest classifications for Canada and Korea — countries dealing with… Continue Reading
We have a complete collection of USTR 301 Reports here: The USTR Special 301 Reports, 1989 to 2024 National Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade Barriers (the annual NTE reports) Below are a few more USTR links, but you can… Continue Reading
In February 2016, the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015 became law, as PL 114-125. Section 609 of the law created a new position in USTR, the “Chief Innovation and Intellectual Property Negotiator.” This position creates a position for a presidential poltical appointee confirmed by the Senate, with the rank of ambassador, replacing the current system where the IP negotiators are civil servants, reporting to political appointees. Continue Reading
Below you will find the daily calendars of Deputy USTR Robert W. Holleyman II from 2014 to 2016. These schedules were obtained by KEI via FOIA request to USTR.
Note: The 2016 calendar ends July 13, 2016, the file date of the FOIA request. Continue Reading
Below you will find the daily calendars of Deputy USTR Micheal Punke from 2013 to 2016. These schedules were obtained by KEI via FOIA request to USTR.
Note: The 2016 calendar ends July 13, 2016, the file date of the FOIA request. Continue Reading
This afternoon USTR published a summary of the negotiating objectives for NAFTA. A press release is here. The summary report is here.
The intellectual property objectives include this welcome statement, which reflects positions taken in the past by USTR, but it not something we took for granted in the Trump Administration, and we are happy to see it.
The latest version of the USTR NAFTA renegotiation hearings schedule is out. USTR has a page for the NAFTA hearings, here, which now has the a link to the witness schedule.
There are 26 panels of witnesses over 2.5 days. Doing the math, each witness seems to have less than 10 minutes, including questions from the panel.
USTR has a request for comments on negotiating objectives for the moderation of NAFTA, docket USTR-2017-0006, and will hold a public hearing on June 27, 2017. KEI filed a set of comments and a request to testify, available here.
KEI’s comments cover an eclectic set of issues.