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World Trade Online

This Week In Trade

Fourth IPEF round underway in Korea; China Select panel back in action

The fourth Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity negotiating round kicked off in Busan, South Korea, on Sunday, the first meeting since the 14 members in May announced an agreement on supply chain provisions -- with teams hoping to make significant progress on the remaining three pillars.

IN TRADE

China again accused the U.S., and others, of imposing controls that undermine the WTO.

Fri, 3:52 PM

The country’s application will be addressed next week at a ministerial meeting in New Zealand, according to reports.

Fri, 3:12 PM

“The new agreement and the Taiwan Initiative Act again bring familiar issues into focus – this time with bipartisan support for greater congressional intervention but in the context of a tense international relationship that the executive has historically closely controlled.”

Fri, 11:27 AM

The top stories in this week’s weekly.

Fri, 10:24 AM

The commission will hold a public hearing on Dec. 7; the report is due to USTR by Jan. 28, 2025.

Thu, 3:39 PM

In Trade

Mexico urges U.S. to use RRM as tool of ‘last resort’
By Margaret Spiegelman

Mexico’s Economy Ministry on Thursday raised concerns about the U.S.’ use of a novel labor enforcement tool in the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, saying it should be used to “reinforce” rather than “replace” Mexican institutions.

U.S., Mexico to intensify work on steel, aluminum ‘surge’
By Margaret Spiegelman

U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai and Mexican Economy Secretary Raquel Buenrostro have agreed to ramp up efforts to address a rise in steel and aluminum imports from Mexico that has been galling U.S. producers, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said on Thursday.

EU trade committee chair calls for tariffs on U.S. hydrogen
By Oliver Ward

A key EU lawmaker this week called for new tariffs on U.S. hydrogen exports and assailed Inflation Reduction Act subsidies as “illegal,” according to a report from Euractiv, a European media outlet.

Tai: U.S., EU ‘remain committed’ to October deadline for steel talks
By Margaret Spiegelman

U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai on Thursday said she and her European counterpart remained resolved to conclude trans-Atlantic talks on a global steel and aluminum arrangement by October, amid reports that the two sides remain far apart.

Participants in WTO investment facilitation talks announce deal on text
By Hannah Monicken

The plurilateral World Trade Organization talks on investment facilitation are concluding with an agreement on the text, the participants announced on Thursday -- a boon for the organization, though how the deal will be incorporated into WTO rules is not yet clear.

Civil society groups call for IPEF supply chain text, caution developing countries
By Brett Fortnam

Ahead of the fourth Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity negotiating round, set to kick off on Sunday, civil society and labor groups are calling for increased transparency and warning of potential pitfalls of potential IPEF provisions while business groups push for the inclusion of rules from existing deals.

  • U.S. outlines ‘objectives’ for WTO dispute settlement reform

    The U.S. has outlined its objectives for a reformed dispute settlement system at the World Trade Organization – while insisting that true negotiating proposals from Washington remain off the table for now.

  • With several new submissions, WTO negotiators eye revived ag talks

    In attempting to revivify the World Trade Organization talks on agriculture, several countries have put forward new submissions aimed at detangling knotty issues like domestic support and public stockholding as negotiators look to reach an agriculture-related deal at the upcoming 13th ministerial conference.

  • Official: Three years in, USMCA boosting competitiveness, labor standards

    The U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement is offering new channels to boost regional competitiveness and raise labor standards, a senior U.S. trade official said on Wednesday, contending that a growing list of disputes does not “outweigh” productive relations with Mexico and Canada as the agreement enters its fourth year.

  • Industry groups urge USTR to press Mexico on USMCA compliance

    Major U.S. industry groups are urging the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative to ramp up enforcement efforts to ensure Mexico’s compliance with the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement and address what the groups say is an expanding list of violations in areas from energy to telecommunications.