ITC Launches Investigations Into Environmental Goods Trade Incentives
The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) recently launched two investigations into trade in environmental goods, it said on April 17. The U.S. aims to formally begin negotiations by June on an environmental goods tariffs agreement at the World Trade Organization (see 14032415). The first investigation will evaluate the economic impact of removing duties on environmental goods, said the release, while the second will focus on the details of specific environmental goods.
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Public comments on the agreement are due to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) by May 5, in preparation for a hearing on the matter a month later (see 14032709). A USTR request in April 2013 prompted the investigations. Prior to the request, USTR notified Congress of its intention to enter negotiations. The ITC will submit a confidential report to USTR for each investigation, the ITC release said.
The ITC will submit the first investigation, Environmental Goods Trade Agreement: Advice on the Probable Economic Effect of Providing Duty-Free Treatment for Imports, to USTR on Aug. 4. The ITC will submit the second investigation, U.S. Environmental Goods Trade, to USTR on Oct. 6. The investigation will examine U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule nomenclature, specific product examples, major U.S. producers, estimated value of U.S. imports and exports, key U.S. export markets, and tariff rates in key environmental goods markets, according to the ITC release.
The ITC will hold a public hearing on the first investigation on May 14, followed by a hearing on the second investigation at an undeclared date. For further information, call 202-205-2000. The agreement seeks to build off an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation pact that aims to reduce to 5 percent or less tariffs on 54 environmental products (here).