For Immediate Release: March 31, 2010
Contact: Tim Truman (202) 482-3809
ITA Trade Compliance Efforts Remove Barriers to U.S. Exports
WASHINGTON – Enforcement of trade agreements and ensuring U.S. companies have access to foreign markets is a key component of President Obama’s National Export Initiative (NEI). Today, the United States Trade Representative transmitted to Congress the 2010 National Trade Estimate Report that describes significant barriers to U.S. trade and investment faced in the last year. Removal of these barriers would create opportunities to expand exports and support American jobs.
The Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration’s (ITA) Trade Agreements Compliance Program helps U.S. exporters and investors find solutions to overcome trade barriers caused by foreign government policies and works to ensure that foreign countries comply with their trade agreement obligations to the United States.
“The Trade Agreements Compliance Program is essential to ITA’s mission of breaking down foreign barriers and a critical component to achieving the goals of the President’s National Export Initiative of increasing exports to sustain and create jobs in the United States,” said Francisco Sánchez, under secretary of commerce for international trade.
President Obama has instructed the federal government to use every available resource to support the NEI’s goal of doubling American exports during the next five years and supporting two million jobs.
ITA’s Trade Compliance Center (TCC) coordinates efforts and resources within the Department to systematically monitor, investigate and help ensure foreign governments’ compliance with trade agreements to which the United States is a party. It also offers an online trade complaint hotline where exporters can report and obtain assistance in overcoming foreign trade barriers.
“The International Trade Administration stands ready to continue to mobilize its resources to help U.S. exporters and investors resolve market access problems around the world,” Sánchez said.
For additional information about the TCC, please visit www.trade.gov/tcc.
###
International Trade Administration
The International Trade Administration (ITA) is the premier resource for American companies competing in the global marketplace. ITA has 2,100 employees assisting U.S. exporters in more than 100 U.S. cities and 77 countries worldwide. For more information on ITA visit www.trade.gov.
The International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, manages this global trade site to provide access to ITA information on promoting trade and investment, strengthening the competitiveness of U.S. industry, and ensuring fair trade and compliance with trade laws and agreements. External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein. This site contains PDF documents. A PDF reader is available from Adobe Systems Incorporated.