Past Event

Hearing & Discussion on E.U. Trade Barriers for SME’s

Tue. September 24, 2013 09:30 am - 4:30 pm !Ted Weiss Federal Building New York, NY 10007

Help Shape U.S. Trade Policy: EU Trade Barriers

Recently, the United States and European Union began to negotiate a wide-ranging free trade and investment agreement. The U.S. Trade Representative (the President’s cabinet level trade policy official) has requested that the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) perform a study on E.U. trade barriers faced by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from all industries. The study will be used to assist the United States with its negotiations with the E.U. on a wide range of trade policy issues.

The United States Trade Commission and the U.S. Commercial Service have reached out to the European American Chamber of Commerce to assist with an outreach campaign to help publicize a special hearing here in New York City to engage SME's in the Tristate area to participate and share their insights and experience with transatlantic trade and the obstacles they face in their daily business.

Examples of E.U. Trade Barriers
• Content quotas that limit U.S. firms’ sales of audiovisual services in some E.U. countries
• The complex, costly process for registering chemicals under the E.U.’s REACH regulation
• Heavy initial and annual fees for accrediting medical devices

Themes that will be discussed at the hearing include:
E.U.-wide barriers to trade, specific trade barriers in individual E.U. countries, and suggestions on ways to increase U.S. SME exports to the E.U.

Who should participate:
SMEs (fewer than 500 employees) that have experience exporting or trying to export to the E.U. and have faced E.U.-wide trade barriers or individual E.U. country trade barriers.
We strongly encourage our members and their clients to take advantage of this opportunity and to help shape transatlantic trade policy.

AGENDA:
9:30 - 11:30 AM - Morning Session: General Industry
1:00 - 2:30 PM - Afternoon Session: Architectural Industries
3:00 - 4:30 PM - Afternoon Session: Food Industry

REGISTRATION:
For General & Architectural Industries, please contact Bridgette Clark at bridgette.clark[at]trade.gov or 212-471-0600
For Food Industries, please contact KL Fredericks at kl.fredericks[at]trade.gov or 212-860-6200

Note that the ITC will visit Milwaukee to give Wisconsin businesses a chance to report on trade barriers impacting their trade with the E.U.

This program is brought to you in cooperation with our partners: