US International Trade Commission
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U.S. International Trade Commission COMMISSIONERS Daniel R. Pearson, Chairman Shara L. Aranoff, Vice Chairman Deanna Tanner Okun Charlotte R. Lane Irving A. Williamson Dean A. Pinkert Robert A. Rogowsky Director of Operations Robert B. Koopman Director of Economics Address all communications to Secretary to the Commission United States International Trade Commission Washington, DC 20436 U.S. INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION COMMISSIONERS Daniel R. Pearson, Chairman Shara L. Aranoff, Vice Chairman Deanna Tanner Okun Charlotte R. Lane Irving A. Williamson Dean A. Pinkert _______________________________ Robert A. Rogowsky Director of Operations ______________________________ Robert B. Koopman Director of Economics ______________________________ Address all communications to Secretary to the Commission United States International Trade Commission Washington, DC 20436 U.S. International Trade Commission Washington, DC 20436 www.usitc.gov The Year in Trade 2006 Operation of the Trade Agreements Program 58th Report Publication 3927 July 2007 This report was prepared principally prepared by: The Office of Economics James Fetzer, Project Leader JustinoDeLaCruz,Deputy Project Leader Nannette Christ, Kelly Clark, Cindy Cohen, William Greene, Joanne Guth, Alexander Hammer, Walker Pollard, James Stamps, and Edward C. Wilson Office of General Counsel Willliam W. Gearhart and Robin Turner Office of Tariff Affairs and Trade Agreements Naomi Freeman and Dan Shepherdson Office of Investigations Barbara Bryan, Mary Messer, and Andy Rylyk Office of Unfair Import Investigations Anne Goalwin Office of Industries Dawn Heuschel Office of Information Technology Systems Barbara V. Bobbitt Supporting assistance was provided by: Patricia M. Thomas Intern: Dean Gudicello Office of Publishing PREFACE This report is the 58th in a series of annual reports submitted to the U.S. Congress under section 163(c) of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2213(c)) and its predecessor legislation. Section 163(c) of the Trade Act of 1974 states that “the International Trade Commission shall submit to the Congress at least once a year, a factual report on the operation of the trade agreements program.” This report is one of the principal means by which the U.S. International Trade Commission provides Congress with factual information on trade policy and its administration for calendar year 2006. The trade agreements program includes “all activities consisting of, or related to, the administration of international agreements which primarily concern trade and which are concluded pursuant to the authority vested in the President by the Constitution” and congressional legislation. iii ABSTRACT This annual report to Congress provides factual information on U.S. trade policy and its administration for calendar year 2006. Chapter 1 provides an overview of the U.S. economy in 2006 and describes major trends in U.S. trade during the year. Chapter 2 summarizes activities relating to the administration of U.S. trade laws and regulations, including import relief laws, laws against unfair trade practices, and other import administration laws and programs. Chapter 3 focuses on the activities of the World Trade Organization, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum. Chapter 4 provides an overview of activities with respect to U.S. free trade agreements (FTAs) and FTA negotiations during 2006. Chapter 5 addresses selected trade-related activities between the United States and selected major trading partners—the European Union, Canada, China, Mexico, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and Russia. v TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Preface........................................................................ iii Abstract....................................................................... v Abbreviations and Acronyms..................................................... xiii Executive Summary............................................................... xv Chapter 1. Introduction. .......................................................... 1-1 Scope and approach of the report.................................................. 1-1 Overview of the U.S. economy in 2006. ............................................ 1-1 Exchange rate trends......................................................... 1-4 Balance of payments......................................................... 1-4 U.S. trade in 2006.............................................................. 1-6 U.S. merchandise trade by product category. 1-6 Exports................................................................. 1-7 Imports................................................................. 1-7 U.S. merchandise trade with leading partners. 1-8 Chapter 2. Administration of U.S. Trade Laws and Regulations.......................... 2-1 Import relief laws. ............................................................. 2-1 Safeguard actions........................................................... 2-1 Adjustment assistance........................................................ 2-1 Trade adjustment assistance for workers....................................... 2-2 Trade adjustment assistance for farmers....................................... 2-2 Trade adjustment assistance for firms and industries. 2-4 Laws against unfair trade practices................................................. 2-5 Section 301 investigations. ................................................... 2-5 Active cases in 2006. ..................................................... 2-5 Special 301.............................................................. 2-7 Antidumping and countervailing duty investigations and reviews.. 2-9 Antidumping investigations................................................. 2-9 Countervailing duty investigations. .......................................... 2-10 Reviews of outstanding antidumping and countervailing duty orders/suspension agreements............................................................ 2-11 Section 337 investigations. ................................................... 2-12 Other import administration laws and programs.. 2-13 Tariff preferential programs................................................... 2-13 Generalized System of Preferences........................................... 2-13 African Growth and Opportunity Act......................................... 2-15 Andean Trade Preference Act............................................... 2-19 Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act...................................... 2-20 Textile and apparel imports under AGOA, ATPDEA, and CBTPA. 2-22 vii TABLE OF CONTENTS–Continued Page Chapter 2. Administration of U.S. Trade Laws and Regulations–Continued Textile and apparel developments in 2006...................................... 2-22 U.S. textile and apparel imports in 2006..................................... 2-23 U.S.-China textile and apparel trade........................................ 2-25 CAFTA-DR Free Trade Agreement......................................... 2-26 U.S. imports from Vietnam and Vietnam’s accession to the WTO.. 2-27 HHOPE. ............................................................. 2-27 Chapter 3. Selected Trade Developments in the WTO, OECD, and APEC. .............. 3-1 World Trade Organization. .................................................... 3-1 Doha trade negotiations. ................................................... 3-1 Round suspended...................................................... 3-1 G-8 summit meeting. .................................................. 3-1 Impasse reached....................................................... 3-2 Reaction to negotiating impasse. ...................................... 3-2 Informal consultations.................................................. 3-4 General Council. ......................................................... 3-5 Aid for trade initiative.................................................. 3-6 Cotton initiative....................................................... 3-6 Reports on DDA and Geographic Indications Negotiations. 3-6 Integrated framework task force........................................... 3-7 Regional organizations’ assistance to small economies.. 3-7 Provisional transparency mechanism for regional trade agreements.. 3-7 China transitional review mechanism. ..................................... 3-7 Waivers.............................................................. 3-8 Dispute settlement......................................................... 3-9 Consultations and new panels established. 3-9 Appellate Body and Panel reports adopted during 2006 that involved the United States ............................................................ 3-11 Overview......................................................... 3-11 Reports in which the United States was the complainant. 3-11 Reports in which the United States was the respondent. 3-13 Mutually agreed settlements in 2006....................................... 3-15 Membership. ............................................................ 3-16 OECD. ............................................................... 3-16 Trade committee.......................................................... 3-16 Steel committee and steel subsidy negotiations. 3-18 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation.............................................. 3-19 Hanoi action plan......................................................... 3-20 Trade facilitation action plan...............................................