The U.S. should make export control harmonization a priority as it pursues its Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, ensuring that any restrictions are aligned with member countries and not unfairly hampering American companies, U.S. trade groups told the Commerce Department in comments released this week (see 2203140018). The U.S. could even use the IPEF to create a new multilateral export control regime, some groups said, which could specifically focus on semiconductor equipment or other advanced technologies.

The door is open for Congress to name conferees to negotiate its China package, after both chambers cleared procedural hurdles last week (see 2203290044). Senators expressed optimism Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., would achieve his goal of naming conferees to a formal negotiation before the end of the work period April 8. “We’re going to divide up into areas of jurisdiction, and I’m fairly optimistic,” Senate Commerce Committee ranking member Roger Wicker, R-Miss., said April 1. Asked about the timeline for naming conferees, Senate Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., told reporters: “Soon.”

The U.S. can take several steps to increase its export control pressure against Russia, including expanding certain restrictions to capture a wider range of end-users in Russia beyond the military, said Matt Borman, a senior official at the Bureau of Industry and Security. Borman also stressed that Chinese companies on the Entity List still have much to lose if they aid Russia, including a complete ban from U.S. exports, financing and other services.

The top trade official on the European Commission said that Russia's barbaric invasion of Ukraine revealed how important it was that he and U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai "spent last year fixing some aspects of U.S.-EU relations," and then moved to a forward-looking agenda with the Trade and Technology Council. Tai, who spoke remotely to the Brussels business audience hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce in the EU on March 24, called EC Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis a good friend.

Expect members of the Senate Commerce, Finance, Homeland Security and Foreign Affairs committees to be named as China bill conferees, Senate Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., told reporters after a March 23 hearing.

Private sector and government leaders from around the world talked about what their firms are doing and how the World Trade Organization could be a forum for creating smoother flowing supply chains.

The Senate Commerce Committee passed the Ocean Shipping Reform Act by a voice vote March 22. The bill would shift the burden of proof on unreasonable detention and demurrage to carriers and forbid them from unreasonably declining export shipments. A recent panel at the Capitol revealed that before the COVID-19 pandemic-related supply chain crunch, 20% of containers went back to Asia empty, and now it's 80% (see 2203180050).

The top trade official in the British government and U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai said they want to do even more trade and investment between the two countries, even as a free-trade agreement is not the end goal. Secretary of State for International Trade Anne-Marie Trevelyan had hoped that the Biden administration would continue the free trade negotiations started during the Trump administration, but that has not happened. Marjorie Chorlins, who leads the U.S.-U.K. Business Council at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, also spoke at the March 21 plenary in Baltimore, saying the business community strongly supports more U.S.-U.K. economic cooperation.

Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind., and Rep. Doris Matsui, D-Calif., on March 21 expressed optimism that Congress can begin conference negotiations on its China package before the end of the work period, as planned by Senate leadership (see 2203170075).

The Senate will need to amend the House China package with upper chamber language and send it back to the lower chamber in order to begin conferencing the two measures, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said March 17. Calling it a procedural step, he noted a “small band of Republicans” is standing in the way of “quick action.”