For more information on how these developments may affect your business, please contact Nicole Bivens Collinson at (202) 730-4956 or via email.
Asia
The Department of Commerce reports that on Aug. 23 the U.S. announced its list of critical sectors and key goods for potential cooperation under the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework Supply Chain Agreement. Sectors include agriculture, chemicals, consumer goods, critical minerals and mining, energy and environmental industries, health industries, information and communication technology, and transportation and logistics.
Sectors and goods notified by the U.S. and other IPEF parties may ultimately be selected as the subject of action plans to identify shared vulnerabilities and opportunities to build supply chain resilience, but the DOC does not anticipate that all of the sectors and goods on its list will be selected, which will be decided by the IPEF Supply Chain Council. The DOC adds that this list can be updated as needed and that it continues to seek related input.
Canada
At an Aug. 28 meeting with Canadian trade minister Mary Ng, U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai welcomed Canada’s recent announcement concerning import tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, steel, and aluminum and both officials stressed the importance of collaboration on issues related to Chinese non-market policies and practices. They also discussed their shared commitment to strengthening North American supply chain resilience, especially for electric vehicles. However, Tai reiterated longstanding U.S. concerns about Canada’s digital services tax and its dairy tariff-rate quota allocation measures.
Argentina
According to the State Department, the U.S. and Argentina signed Aug. 22 a memorandum of understanding to strengthen cooperation on critical mineral supply chains and to promote trade and investment in critical mineral resource exploration, extraction, processing, refining, recycling, and recovery. The MOU sets the direction for further collaboration in critical mineral resource sector governance, investment, and global supply chain security.
Peru
Jose Fernandez, U.S. under secretary of state for economic growth, energy, and the environment, met with Peruvian President Dina Boluarte and government ministers Aug. 28 to promote bilateral trade. Among other things, Fernandez addressed collaboration under the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity on “issues hampering economic prosperity in the region such as supply chain issues, including critical minerals, medical, and semiconductor supply chains.”
Kenya
USTR has tabled proposed text on inclusivity in the negotiations on a U.S.-Kenya Strategic Trade and Investment Partnership. According to USTR, the proposed text commits the two sides to develop and implement cooperative activities to address the barriers faced by traditionally underserved communities to accessing international trade and investment opportunities (e.g., engaging these communities to better understand those challenges as well as collecting and exchanging data, information, experience, and evidence related to a range of relevant initiatives, programs, and policies). The proposed text also includes an article on responsible business conduct that aims to improve cooperation on this issue, including by encouraging enterprises to adopt and implement voluntary best practices of responsible conduct.
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