ASEAN-U.S. TIFA WORK PLAN PROPOSALS.

UNCLAS STATE 065718 E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OTRA ETRD SUBJECT: ASEAN-U.S. TIFA WORK PLAN PROPOSALS. SUMMARY 1.Attached are new ASEAN-U.S. Trade and Investment Framework Arrangement (TIFA) work plan proposals for the coming year. USTR officials plan to formally present these proposals to our ASEAN counterparts at the ASEAN-U.S. Senior Economic Officials Meeting (SEOM) on July 14, 2009 in Manila and are providing them to Posts to preview with relevant officials covering ASEAN economic affairs. ACTION ITEM 2.We request that Post meet with relevant government officials responsible for ASEAN affairs in the next week in order to present these proposals to them. Suggested talking points provided in para 8 below. It is our hope that by providing them with the opportunity to review these proposals, they will be prepared to give us detailed feedback at the July 14 ASEAN-United States SEOM meeting. We also would be interested in advance notice of any proposals they may be preparing to table at this meeting. Please provide confirmation and readout of meeting to USTR contact point identified in para 10. Background 3.We are seeking to advance work under the ASEAN-U.S. TIFA. The development of new work plan items for the coming year is an important process under the TIFA, and we are looking forward to feedback from our counterparts on our proposals as well as welcoming new proposals from them. To date, the ASEAN countries have not made any work plan proposals under the TIFA. 4.The new U.S. work plan proposals for this year are intended to support ASEAN integration and further build our trade and investment relations with the region. The proposals are focused largely on trade facilitation-related work, but also include proposals for dialogues of mutual interest, including on trade and environment and between U.S. and ASEAN government officials and business leaders. These proposals are also designed to advance established ASEAN priorities under the ASEAN Roadmap and to dovetail with initiatives that are being pursued in other fora, including under the U.S.-ASEAN Enhanced Partnership and in APEC. 5.The new proposals include: -Bilateral customs/trade facilitation agreements with interested ASEAN countries. -Bilateral agreements on logistics services that would extend intra-ASEAN liberalization in this sector. -Bilateral agreements on digital economy that would promote and extend ASEAN efforts under the e-ASEAN Framework Agreement to liberalize this service sector. -Trade finance dialogue to explore additional cooperation with the U.S. Export-Import Bank, which supports the financing of U.S. exports of goods and services to international markets. -Trade and environment dialogue on a broad range of issues leading to further cooperative work. -Support for development of ASEAN trade repository to enhance transparency of legal and regulatory measures. -U.S.-ASEAN dialogue between senior government officials-senior business leaders. 6.The proposals for agreements are being offered to all ASEAN members, but would be negotiated bilaterally rather than as regional agreements. Doing so will allow us to deal with the Burma question, while advancing trade and investment issues of mutual interest. 7.The ASEAN-U.S. TIFA was concluded in August 2006. Under the TIFA, the United States and ASEAN countries agreed to jointly develop annual work plans that include priority initiatives that would help further build ASEAN-U.S. trade and investment. Solid progress was made on SPS and trade facilitation issues in the initial work plan under the TIFA. Progress in the last year has been limited, however, with ASEAN countries lacking interest and unwilling to dedicate the resources to advance the work plan proposals. We hope the new initiatives will reinvigorate our efforts under the TIFA. 8.Suggested talking points: -Our new work plan proposals under the ASEAN-U.S. TIFA for this year are intended to support ASEAN integration and further build our trade and investment relations with the region. -The proposals are focused largely on trade facilitation-related work, but also include proposals for dialogues on mutual interest, including on trade and environment and between U.S. and ASEAN government officials and business leaders. The proposals include: -Bilateral customs/trade facilitation agreements with interested ASEAN countries. -Bilateral agreements on logistics services that would extend intra-ASEAN liberalization in this sector. -Bilateral agreements on digital economy that would promote and extend ASEAN efforts under the e-ASEAN Framework Agreement to liberalize this service sector. -Trade finance dialogue to explore additional cooperation with the U.S. Export-Import Bank, which supports the financing of U.S. exports of goods and services to international markets. -Trade and environment dialogue on a broad range of issues leading to further cooperative work. -Support for development of ASEAN trade repository to enhance transparency of legal and regulatory measures. oU.S.-ASEAN dialogue between senior government officials and senior business leaders. -We also want to continue the important work on standards that ASEAN and the United States have been doing. -In addition, we hope to continue to make progress on our current work plan agenda items, including relating to the ASEAN Single Window and harmonization of pharmaceutical regulatory approvals. -We are looking forward to feedback from you on our new proposals at the upcoming ASEAN-U.S. Senior Economic Officials meeting in Manila on July 14. -We would welcome and look forward to any new proposals from you as well. 9.Full text of proposals follows. ASEAN-U.S. Trade and Investment Framework Arrangement (TIFA) New Work Plan Proposals The United States proposes the following items for consideration as part of the work plan under the ASEAN- U.S. TIFA. These proposals are intended to support ASEAN integration and help further build ASEAN-U.S. trade and investment relations. They are focused largely on trade facilitation-related work, but also include proposals for dialogues of mutual interest, including on trade and environment and between governments and business. Trade Facilitation Agreement Improved trade facilitation is a key step toward ASEAN trade liberalization and economic integration. According to some academic estimates, each day the transit time for shipment of goods decreases, trade increases by 1 percent. By improving trade facilitation, we also could support ASEAN economic integration, enhance trade and investment between ASEAN and its trading partners, and help ASEAN countries address governance issues. Agreements on trade facilitation between ASEAN countries and the United States would enhance transparency, simplify customs procedures and the treatment of goods in transit, and harmonize procedures and formalities, especially in customs valuation and tariff classification. Such agreements also would support the modernization of trade facilitation brought about by advances in technology. For ASEAN countries, an agreement on trade facilitation would help promote the ASEAN goal of full economic integration by 2015. It also would build on the work ASEAN has already accomplished in the customs area, including moving toward an ASEAN Single Window. In addition, while ASEAN endorsed the APEC model in trade facilitation in 2005, an agreement between ASEAN countries and the United States on trade facilitation would provide ASEAN countries the opportunity to move beyond the model measures to concrete commitments in this area. We would propose an agreement modeled closely on the customs administration and trade facilitation chapter in recent U.S. FTAs, which aims to achieve the following broad objectives: -Set rules and procedures to facilitate expeditious processing and release of goods at the border; -Provide for customs operations that are transparent, efficient and predictable and seek the elimination of unwarranted customs procedural obstacles to international trade; and -Provide for cooperative efforts on enforcement of customs-related issues. Logistics Services Protocol Liberalization of logistics services offers a key step toward ASEAN trade liberalization and economic integration. Logistics costs are a particularly heavy burden for developing countries, especially small, island, and landlocked economies, where cost differentials can exceed tariff levels and undermine comparative advantage in the production of goods. By contrast, access to efficient freight logistics infrastructure and services is an important factor in attracting inward investment in manufacturing. Liberalization of logistics services therefore would support ASEAN economic integration, encourage foreign investment in the region, and enhance the economic efficiency and competitiveness of ASEAN countries. U.S. protocols on logistics services with ASEAN countries would further these objectives by encouraging parties to provide access to important services markets like third-party logistics, distribution, express delivery, and other services included in the ASEAN Roadmap; leading to improved efficiencies and reduced costs for the movement of freight. The specific provisions of the protocol would be drawn from common principles and best practices found in trade agreements or other instruments (e.g., those developed in APEC) and adapted to meet the interests of the parties. Digital Economy Protocol The digital economy is playing an expanding role in international trade, creating new opportunities for companies of all sizes to compete successfully in global markets. ASEAN member countries are well positioned to take advantage of this opportunity based on their ongoing investment in education and information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure. The digital economy presents opportunities to expand exports, to develop and access advanced business services that are essential to a competitive economy, and to promote the ASEAN goals of accelerating economic growth, social progress and cultural development throughout the region. With innovative services increasingly incorporating and dependent on information technology, agreements on digital economy between the United States and ASEAN countries could enhance access to advanced information technology services and electronic commerce. Bilateral protocols between the United States and ASEAN countries would promote the objectives of the e-ASEAN Framework Agreement, including that the people of ASEAN should benefit from the opportunities generated by ICT and electronic commerce and gain access to these new technologies, and that the protocols should facilitate cross border trade and electronic transactions. Such protocols also could encourage the availability of a range of IT-enabled services in ASEAN countries to foster additional productivity enhancements, enable green business models, and create a more modern services infrastructure. In addition to enhancing access for this new form of commerce, both within the region and with external trading partners, protocols between the United States and ASEAN countries also could help to attract foreign investment by demonstrating leadership and a commitment to openness to the new knowledge economy. The proposed protocols would seek to encourage enhanced access to the markets for computer and telecommunications services along with the market for services supplied over ICT networks, while also promoting nondiscrimination of digital products and the free flow of data and electronic transmissions. The specific provisions of the protocols would be drawn from common principles and best practices found in trade agreements or other instruments (e.g., those developed in APEC) and adapted to meet the interests of the parties. Trade Finance Dialogue ASEAN countries have indicated an interest in enhancing trade finance to support the expansion of trade between the United States and ASEAN, especially in the current economic slowdown. As a result of this slowdown, trade between the United States and ASEAN has slowed for the first time in many years. Through the first quarter of 2009, U.S. imports from ASEAN were down 24 percent compared to the same period a year ago and were at their lowest first quarter level since 2004. Similarly, U.S. exports to ASEAN were down in the first quarter of 2009 by 34 percent compared to the same period in 2008 and were at their lowest first quarter level since 2003. Trade finance can potentially help counter this slowdown and revive trade between the United States and ASEAN countries. Trade finance institutions provide access to financial resources to facilitate international trade transactions that might not otherwise occur. By providing the means for buyers in one country to purchase the products they need from sellers in another country, trade finance institutions help to promote trade and support development. We propose the launch of a dialogue on trade finance. Initially, we would envision a discussion of U.S. trade finance institutions, including the Export-Import Bank of the United States, to understand better how U.S. trade finance programs work and to explore opportunities to partner with these institutions. We also would see the dialogue as an opportunity to exchange information between U.S. and ASEAN trade finance institutions to help facilitate trade. As appropriate, the United States also would consider technical assistance to help ASEAN nations establish their own trade finance institutions. Enhanced Trade and Environment Dialogue Consultation on matters related to the interaction between trade and environment is a natural element of an enhanced trade and investment dialogue between ASEAN and the United States. For more than 20 years, ASEAN has developed joint environmental programs and action plans designed to promote environmental sustainability and sustainable natural resource management. Both the United States and ASEAN members recognize the importance of promoting international efforts to achieve shared environmental objectives, as well as the need to pursue trade and environmental policies that are mutually supportive. Trade-related environmental concerns, as well as opportunities for trade-related environmental dialogue are regular topics during U.S. bilateral trade consultations with ASEAN members. Therefore, the ASEAN- U.S. TIFA provides an opportunity to build on these efforts to establish a regular dialogue on trade and environment between the United States and ASEAN. We would propose that the dialogue begin as an informal exchange designed to identify a variety of potential topics and issues of shared interest. Eventually, the dialogue could be institutionalized through an agreement under the TIFA that provides structure and outlines broad objectives. Possible initial topics for the dialogue include: - Wildlife trade, including CITES; - Trade in marine products; - Trade in environmental technologies and services; and - Trade in recyclable materials and remanufactured goods. Trade Repository Enhanced transparency will help reduce costs to companies of doing business. Currently, no single source exists for companies to review and compare trade information, such as tariffs, preference programs, and other regulatory requirements in ASEAN countries. The ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA) calls for the establishment of an ASEAN Trade Repository that shall be made accessible to the public through the Internet. The purpose of such a repository is to provide transparency in the form of easily accessible information for traders to make sound business decisions. As ASEAN is currently considering how to establish such a repository, we propose a dialogue to consider specific ways that the United States could support this important effort. Government-Business Dialogue U.S. and ASEAN business have expressed a strong interest in deepening the government-business dialogue to identify and address issues and concerns, improve communication and establish partnerships. We would propose an annual senior government officials-senior business leaders dialogue under the TIFA. The U.S. business community already is proposing to conduct an ASEAN investment survey, the results of which could be discussed in a meeting under this government-business dialogue. We also would welcome ideas from ASEAN countries and the business community of other issues appropriate for discussion in such a dialogue. Continued Cooperation on Standards Product standards affect an estimated 80 percent of trade. Trade is facilitated when companies do not need to manufacture and test their products to different requirements in different markets. Standards work, including advancing the principles of international standards development such as openness, transparency, consensus, and impartiality, is therefore crucial to ASEAN integration efforts and to further increasing ASEAN-U.S. trade and investment. To this end, the United States proposes continuing this important work with ASEAN. 10.Response to USTR can either be e-mailed or cabled to: USTR Falan Yinug (202-395-6142, falan(underscore)yinug@ustr.eop.gov). USTR is available to answer any questions. Thank you for your assistance. CLINTON