USCIB applauded U.S. Trade Representative Robert B. Zoellick’s announcement of a new U.S. effort to get the World Trade Organization’s Doha Round talks back on track.

“This is a welcome initiative by Ambassador Zoellick,” said USCIB President Thomas Niles. “It illustrates once again how critical U.S. leadership is in bringing forward movement to international trade negotiations.”

The U.S. Trade Representative’s office released a statement in January saying the U.S. “does not want 2004 to be a lost year” for the Doha Round, which was launched in the Qatari capital to much fanfare in 2001.

USTR said Amb. Zoellick had written to over 140 other WTO members, suggesting a “common sense” approach to restarting the talks, which foundered last September at the WTO Ministerial in Cancun, Mexico.

Amb. Zoellick suggested WTO members focus on core market access issues of agriculture, goods and services, as well as trade facilitation and government procurement, while dropping more contentious issues of investment and competition policy, according to USTR. He suggested the outright elimination of agricultural export subsidies by a fixed date, while reiterating the stated U.S. goal of eventually eliminating all trade-distorting subsidies and market access barriers in agriculture.

“This is a trade agenda that American business can heartily endorse,” stated Mr. Niles. “USCIB will work with its partners overseas to rally business support for these goals worldwide.”

In December, both the International Chamber of Commerce and the Business and Industry Advisory Committee to the OECD issued statements last month calling for the relaunch of the Doha Round as an urgent and immediate business priority.

Later, USCIB President Thomas Niles joined a range of global business leaders at a January 26 meeting in Geneva of WTO Director General Supachai Panitchpakdi’s informal business advisory body.

Dr. Supachai outlined his hopes for a resumed Doha Round, with a target of significant progress by early summer. He expressed concern that pending personnel shifts among the key negotiators – and the approaching U.S. election – threatened the hopes for progress. He asked business representatives to encourage their governments to engage seriously in the Doha Round process and to support the WTO in their respective countries.

On substance, Dr. Supachai emphasized the necessity of moving forward on agriculture, noting that developing countries must also provide additional market access, and on industrial goods. He also noted that the problem posed by the so-called "Singapore issues" appeared to have been resolved.

Mr. Niles called attention to the recent BIAC statement supporting resumption of the WTO negotiations, the strong U.S. business support for Ambassador Zoellick's letter, and the importance of commitments on services, trade facilitation and government procurement in the context of the Doha Round talks.

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Mexico and China Top List of Major Barriers to U.S. Telecom – New York, N.Y., January 16, 2004, Mexico’s failure to open its telecommunications market to foreign competition is a top concern for U.S. firms. China, France, Germany and India also failed to comply with their telecom obligations under the World Trade Organization. In comments to the U.S. Trade Representative’s office on the operation and effectiveness of U.S. telecommunications trade agreements, USCIB president Thomas Niles commended the U.S. for its efforts to bring Mexico into compliance with international trade rules, including the 2002 complaint that is presently before a WTO tribunal. But more needs to be done, he said. USCIB emphasized the importance of strong, effective and independent telecom regulatory authorities, with powers necessary to ensure compliance with their decisions. In all markets, such regulatory authorities would enhance compliance with trade commitments and minimize barriers to foreign participation, it said.