WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
WT/TPR/M/275 
30 April 2013 
 (13-2284) 
Trade Policy Review Body 
18 and 20 December 2012  
 
 
 
TRADE POLICY REVIEW 
 
UNITED STATES 
 
Record of the Meeting 
 
Chairperson: H.E. Mr. Eduardo Muñoz Gómez (Colombia) 
 
  Page 
 
I. INTRODUCTORY REMARKS BY THE CHAIRPERSON 3 
II. OPENING STATEMENT BY THE REPRESEN TATIVE OF THE UNITED STATES  5 
III. STATEMENT BY THE DISCUSSANT 10 
IV. STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS 13 V. REPLIES BY THE REPRESENTATIVE OF  THE UNITED STATES AND ADDITIONAL 
 COMMENTS  65 
VI. CONCLUDING REMARKS BY THE CHAIRPERSON 73 
 
 
Note:   Advance written questions by WTO Member s and the replies provided by the United States 
are reproduced in document WT/TPR/M/275/Add.1 and will be available online at:  
http://www.wto.org/english/tr atop_e/tpr_e/tp_rep_e.htm.    WT/TPR/M/275 
 Page 3 
 
 
  I. INTRODUCTORY REMARKS BY THE CHAIRPERSON  
1. The 11th Trade Policy Review of the United States was held on 18 and 20 December 2012. 
The Chairperson, H.E. Mr Eduardo Muñoz Gómez (C olombia) welcomed the delegation of the United 
States headed by H.E. Mr Michael Punke, Ambass ador, Permanent Representative to the WTO, and 
the rest of the delegation from Washington and the Geneva mission, as well as the discussant, 
Mr Michael Stone (Hong Kong, China). 
2. The Chairperson recalled the purpose of the Trad e Policy Reviews and the main elements of 
the procedures for the meeting. The report by the United States was contained in document WT/TPR/G/275 and that of the WTO Secretariat in document WT/TPR/S/275. 
3. Questions by the following delegations had b een submitted in writing at least two weeks 
in advance of the meeting and had been transmitte d to the United States delegation: Nigeria; Cuba; 
Brazil; Australia; Pakistan; Norway; Hong Kong, Ch ina; Republic of Korea; Switzerland; Turkey; 
Canada; Singapore; European Union; New Zealand; Colombia; Mexico; Iceland; China; Japan; India; 
Costa Rica; Chinese Taipei; Thailand; Indonesia; Isr ael; South Africa; Ukraine; Argentina; Chile; and 
Dominican Republic. The following delegations had submitted questions in writing after the 
two-week deadline: El Salvador; Cambodia on beha lf of ASEAN; Trinidad  and Tobago; Malaysia, 
Peru; and Ecuador. 
4. The reports drawn up by the United Stat es and the WTO Secret ariat outlined the 
developments in trade policy, together with the trends in the economy and trade, since the last 
Review. The United States had been recovering fro m the financial crisis of the years 2007-2009; 
average growth had been 2.2% and imports and e xports had reached maximum levels. The growth in 
real GDP had been positive in 2010 and in 2011, a lthough the recovery had been somewhat less rapid 
than on other occasions. After falling back during th e financial crisis, imports and exports of goods 
and services had started increasing again. Exports of services, in particular, had grown substantially – 
by 9.2% in 2011 – thereby contributing to the econom ic recovery and the impr ovement in the current 
balance. 
5. It was possible that various policies and meas ures designed to stimulate the economy had also 
had a direct or indirect effect on trade. The financial sector had been reformed, in particular by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer  Protection Act and its regulatory framework. 
The American Recovery and Reinvestment  Act (ARRA) and the Troubled Asset Relief 
Programme (TARP) had continued to support certain  aspects of the economic recovery, albeit to a 
lesser extent. There were on-going initiatives and debates concerning the federal deficit, tax policy 
and "fiscal cliff" issues. 
6. The United States was also continuing its effort s to maximize the benefits of international 
investment, one of the main engines of its econo mic growth. During the review period, investment 
policy initiatives had included a new model bilateral investment treaty and the creation of SelectUSA 
for promoting investment. Although the United States continued to be open for foreign investment, 
there had been mention of certain obstacles that c ould give cause for concern, including the role and 
functioning of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), as well as certain 
laws and regulations that restricted investment in some sectors. 
7. The Review offered Members the opportunity to put questions and exchange views on various 
topics related with trade policy. On the basis of the reports and subsequent questions, the following 
points deserved special attention: 
 Agriculture: The United States' agricultural sector was one of the largest in the world 
and the United States was the world's main agricultural exporter. Agricultural policy WT/TPR/M/275 
Page 4  
 
  and the trade in agricultural products were  especially important. Although there had 
been no substantial changes in agricultu ral policy during the review period, the 
proposed new Agriculture Act had given rise to a series of questions and requests for 
clarification. Moreover, several Memb ers had submitted questions in advance 
concerning regulatory and technical aspects of the agricultural sector, such as 
payment systems, domestic support programmes, insurance, food aid and the use of 
tariff quotas. 
 
 Trade policy: The United States was the world's leading trading nation, which meant 
that its trade policy was of special impor tance for Members and for future trade. 
The United States had progressed with several  bilateral or regional initiatives during 
the review period and had indicated that it had undertaken new initiatives with 
Europe and with the TPP countries; it w as also proposing to consider certain 
preference programmes in the near future. 
 
 Intellectual property: Intellectual property had a central place in the economy of 
the United States and its international trad e profile. The legal, economic and trade 
policy context of intellectual property had continued to evolve during the review 
period. The Leahy-Smith America Invents Act, new regulatory legislation, judicial decisions and the strengthening of enfo rcement were important aspects of 
trade-related intellectual property rights. 
 
 Measures affecting imports, in particular the customs regime, rules of origin, 
other charges affecting imports and tariffs: The United States was maintaining 
a series of measures that some Members regarded as possible barriers to trade or as possibly inconsistent with WTO Agreem ents. It had been pointed out that the 
consequences of requiring the scanning of a ll containers and other security measures, 
the complexity of the rules of origin and marking requirements, the application of the merchandise processing fee and the harbour maintenance tax, and tariff peaks were 
having a significant impact on trade and called for clarification. 
 
 Measures affecting exports: Some initiatives, such as the National Export 
Initiative (NEI), the Export Control Refo rm Initiative (ECR) and the Export-Import 
Bank (Ex-Im Bank) mechanism had generate d much interest, in particular with 
respect to the increase in exports of good s and services during the review period. 
 
 Government procurement: Government procurement was an important market 
for foreign suppliers. Federal government  purchases had amounted to US$517 billion 
in financial year 2010. Some provisions had given rise to concern, in particular the 
provisions encouraging the purchase of domes tic products (Buy American Act), the 
new special consumer taxes, the use of set -asides and the provisions on government 
procurement at the sub-federal level. 
 
 Notifications:  The Secretariat Report indicated that the United States was not 
up-to-date with the notification process.  Some delegations had asked whether 
the United States was intending to submit the outstanding notifications, for example, those relating to services, rules of origin, tariffs, agriculture, and technical barriers to trade.  WT/TPR/M/275 
 Page 5 
 
 
  II. OPENING STATEMENT BY THE REPRESEN TATIVE OF THE UNITED STATES 
8. We take great pleasure in participating in th e eleventh trade policy review of the United 
States.  We are honoured to see the large number of pa rticipants at today's meeting and, in particular, 
to greet so many of my fellow ambassadors.  Tha nk you for the time you are taking to participate in 
this important process. 
9. We especially appreciate the participation of  Michael Stone, Permanent Representative of 
Hong Kong, whom we are honoured to  have as our discussant today.  
10. We also want to acknowledge the Secretariat' s team for their hard work in producing an 
informative report that provides a basis for today's discussion. 
11. The United States places a high value on the trade policy review process, which we believe 
today – more than ever – remains vitally important for promoting greater awareness and 
understanding of Members' trade policies and practi ces.  My delegation has worked diligently to 
answer the multitude of questions that Members submitted – over 1500, from 36 Members.  We 
provided answers to all questions that were submitt ed two weeks prior to today's meeting, as well as 
those within a few days after the deadline.  We  are working hard to respond to the additional 
questions received just last week, and we hope to  have responses for Members as soon as possible. 
12. A central pillar of U.S. trade policy is our enduring commitment to open markets and to the 
rules-based multilateral trading system embodied in the WTO.  International trade and investment 
policies have long played a critical role in the U. S. economy.  This is especially true now, as the 
United States and other Members seek to strengt hen their economies and to address new challenges 
following the shocks of the global economic crisis.   
13. Since the last U.S. Trade Policy Review in 2010, the United States has actively pursued a 
trade policy that supports jobs through trade expans ion, enforcement of trade rules, and enhanced 
international trade relationships.  An important asp ect of these efforts is partnering with developing 
countries to fight poverty and to expand opportunities. 
14. President Obama launched the National Export In itiative nearly three years ago to double 
U.S. exports within five years, reflecting the Un ited States' commitment to trade-driven economic and 
employment growth.  Jobs supported by U.S. expor ts have increased by 1.2 million between 2009 and 
2011.  Central to our multifaceted approach to tr ade policy is the recognition that trade openness 
creates economic growth and suppor ts additional jobs.  As of 2011,  U.S. goods and services exports 
supported 9.7 million jobs in the United States alone.  And imports have helped to expand purchasing 
power, widen the choice for American consumers, and provide valuable inputs into U.S. production in 
global value chains.  In structuring our trade polic y for the future, the United States will continue to 
reinforce the positive link between trade, growth, and jobs.    
15. The United States continues to expand access to its already open market.  In 2011, 
68 countries had the United States as their first, second, or third largest export market.  The current U.S. simple average tariff is 3.5% on a bound basis under the WTO.  When GSP and other tariff 
preferences are taken into account, the U.S. trade- weighted average tariff is 1.34% on an applied 
basis.  In 2011, nearly 70% of all U.S. imports, including those under preference programs, entered the United States duty-free.  U.S. service markets al so remain open to foreign providers and U.S. 
regulatory processes are consistently tr ansparent and accessible to the public. 
16. The United States has remained fo cused on the role that international trade plays in economic 
recovery.  As a result of the United States' open ma rkets, nominal U.S. imports of goods and services 
increased by 36% between 2009 and 2011, to U$2.66 tr illion.  This is equal to U$7.3 billion of WT/TPR/M/275 
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  imports of goods and services per day, or US$5 milli on per minute.  One clear indication of U.S. 
openness can be seen in the fact that  we are the world's largest single-country importer.  Put another 
way, the GDPs of only 4 countries - China, Japan, Germany, and France - exceed the level of U.S. 
imports of goods and services.  In  2011, the United States was the recipient of 17% of global goods 
and services exports, excluding U.S. ex ports and intra-EU exports.    
17. The United States continues to be the world's la rgest recipient of foreign direct investment 
(FDI).  In 2011, the stock of FDI in the United St ates was US$2.5 trillion.  As evidenced from the 
continued high levels of inbound FD I, the United States maintains a very open investment climate and 
is committed to remaining an attractive destination for investment.  
18. The United States is committed to preserving a nd enhancing the WTO's role as the primary 
forum for liberalizing multilateral trade, developing and enforcing global trade rules, and serving as a 
bulwark against protectionism.   
19. That said, the WTO is an institution at a crossroads, particularly its vital function as a forum 
for trade negotiations.  At last year's Minister ial Conference, we all acknowledged that the broad 
Doha Round is at an impasse.  This year, our co llective efforts to "turn the page" in the Doha 
negotiations have created important new opportuniti es.  In our view, this process has provided a 
useful reminder of the important aspects of the institu tion that are not related to the Doha negotiations.  
It has also challenged us to learn from our collectiv e mistakes in Doha and to craft more constructive 
and productive pathways forward on those aspects of the negotiations.     
20. I have heard many contrasting assessments of our  work since MC8.  Frankly, we are excited 
by the new energy we have seen in Geneva this year.  Technical negotiations on a multilateral trade 
facilitation agreement are advancing.   We have been working hard to address development concerns 
and are exploring approaches that can advance parts of the agriculture agenda in a realistic way.  Negotiations are effectively underway to expand th e product coverage of the Information Technology 
Agreement, or ITA, and are picking up steam.  The United States is one of twenty-one developed and 
developing Members who are moving forward with di scussions of a possible international services 
agreement.  Beyond all of this, Members continue  quiet discussions on how to deal with the more 
intractable issues. 
21. We are also proud to have joined others in completing the revised Government Procurement 
Agreement, one of the WTO's existing plurilateral agre ements.  We continue to participate actively in 
negotiations to broaden its membership.  As noted  by the U.S. Trade Representative, Ambassador 
Ron Kirk, the revision to the GPA "demonstrated  the ability of the WTO, through hard work, 
dedicated effort, and the spirit of collaboration and compromise, to reach agreements that strengthen 
and clarify international rules and expand the international trading system."   
22. The WTO demonstrates its value every day thro ugh the work of its standing committees and 
other bodies.  This institutional structure is instru mental in promoting tran sparency of WTO Member 
trade policies as well as monitoring and resisting pr otectionist pressures during a challenging time for 
the global economy.  The United States has attempte d to reenergize the quotidian work of the WTO, 
from pushing for strong results in the Triennial Re view in the TBT Committee, to raising concerns 
with new trade-restrictive measures in the Im port Licensing Committee, Committee on Agriculture, 
and Council for Trade in Goods.  
23. And now we are focused on how we can show th e world that the WTO remains an institution 
that can deliver negotiated results as we prepare fo r the next Ministerial Conference in Bali, just one 
year away.  As we noted at the TNC meeting two weeks ago, Bali is not a deadline, but it will be a 
milestone.  The test will be deeds rather than word s.  The world will be watching to see if the WTO is 
an institution that can deliver.  WT/TPR/M/275 
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  24. Looking beyond Bali, the United States conti nues to believe in the importance of 
liberalization of agriculture, industrial and servi ces trade—the unfinished business of Doha—along 
with an updating of the WTO rule book.  Howeve r, as we have said before, this will not be 
accomplished through sugar-laden, but ultimately ho llow professions of devotion to the DDA.  The 
stalemate we face is based on fundamental issues involving the respective rights and responsibilities 
of Members – particularly emerging players.  If we  are to succeed we will n eed to face up collectively 
to those difficult issues. 
25. Through our work in the WTO, we have also sought to resist protectionism.  Protectionism 
inhibits growth, and as WTO Members, we must remain  vigilant to the most fundamental principle of 
the WTO - promoting the continued openness of markets. 
26. The United States is pleased, too, that in July of this year, we were able to support the 
adoption of a Decision to operationalize the 2002 Guid elines for LDC Accessions.  Since the last U.S. 
TPR, we have collectively welcomed four new Member s to the organization, two of which are LDCs.   
With these accessions, traders around the world are benefitting from increased market access 
commitments and lower tariffs in an even larg er number of markets.  These recently acceded 
countries will benefit from implementing the reform s they agreed to in their accession packages and 
reaping the economic growth that comes from increasing trade.   
27. The United States was also pleased to be a part of  the collective effort to conclude 18 years of 
accession negotiations with Russia, and welcomed the largest country outside the rules-based system, 
to become the 156th Member of the WTO.  Pr esident Obama signed into law the amendment 
terminating the application of the Jackson-Vanik st atute to Russia and Moldova, thereby authorizing 
the establishment of Permanent Normal Trade Relati ons to the goods of both countries.  We look 
forward to applying the WTO Agreement to both Russia and Moldova.    
28. To complement our efforts within the multilate ral system, the United States actively pursues 
regional and bilateral initiatives as part of our broade r efforts to liberalize trade and investment, while 
remaining within the scope of WTO rules.  The United States has created an extensive series of 
high-standard bilateral and regiona l trade agreements that seek to make a positive contribution to the 
dynamic and open global trading system.  
29. Today, the United States is a party to FTAs that are in force with 20 countries.  These FTAs 
build on the foundation of the WTO Agreements, and in many respects, include more comprehensive 
and stronger disciplines.  Since our last review , market opening trade agreements with Korea, 
Colombia, and Panama have entered into force. 
30. The United States has also continued work with its negotiating partners in the Trans Pacific 
Partnership (TPP) to craft a comprehensive, high-s tandard regional, Asia-Pacific trade agreement that 
addresses new and emerging trade issues and 21st ce ntury challenges.  The United States and its TPP 
partners welcomed its newest negotiating partners, Ca nada and Mexico, during the 15th round of 
negotiations, which concluded just last  week in Auckland, New Zealand. 
31. Since our last TPR, the Administration also conc luded its review of the U.S. model bilateral 
investment treaty, or BIT, the results of which will enable the United States to advance its on-going 
BIT negotiations and to consider launchi ng additional new negotiations on BITs.  
32. The United States has also advanced several  new regional initiatives.  We launched the 
U.S.-EU High-Level Working Group on Jobs and Grow th to identify new ways to strengthen our 
economic relationship with Europe.  With our trading partners in the Middle East and Africa, we 
began building new bilateral and regional approaches to promoti ng economic growth through the 
removal of barriers to regional trade and investment .  We have launched a new global initiative to find WT/TPR/M/275 
Page 8  
 
  new and better ways to address the growing challe nge to market access presented by localization 
barriers to trade.  And we continue to work to ad dress barriers to trade and investment through APEC.  
Such efforts should lead to increased job-suppor ting two-way trade for the United States and its 
trading partners and increased regi onal integration and stability.    
33. The enforcement of trade commitments affecting a broad spectrum of goods and services is a 
trade policy priority for our Administration.  B ecause the global trading system only works when all 
partners play by the rules, the United States w ill continue to use dialogue when possible and WTO 
dispute settlement when necessary to insist that markets remain open consistent with WTO rules.  The 
United States will continue vigilant trade enforcem ent efforts at the WTO—wh ile also monitoring and 
enforcing commitments in our bilateral, plurilate ral, and regional trade agreements—to maintain a 
level playing field and to uphold key commitments.   
34. Another key aspect of U.S. trade policy on which the Administration places special emphasis 
is our commitment to partner with developing c ountries to alleviate poverty and to expand economic 
opportunities.  This Administration views trade as a critical component of an integrated approach to development policy.  The United States welcomed the Ministers' statement at MC8, which reaffirmed 
the positive link between trade and development, along with the importance of development as a core 
element of the WTO's work.  
35. We also welcome Members' decision at MC8 to redouble our efforts to make progress in trade 
and development issues in the CTD in Special Sess ion Negotiating Group.  We hope that we continue 
to make progress in pursuing that objective through constructive engagement on these issues in 2013.   
36. Integral to the U.S. goal to promote econom ic opportunities in developing countries are the 
U.S. preference programs, which are the Generalized System of Preferences, the African Growth and 
Opportunity Act, the Caribbean Basin Initiative, and the Andean Trade Preference Act.  Through 
these programs, eligible products enter the Unite d States duty-free from 135 beneficiary developing 
countries. 
37. Recognizing that an open door to the U.S. market is of no use to trading partners without the 
capacity to walk through it, the United States has al so committed substantial resources to trade 
capacity building, being one of the leading donors of Aid for Trade.  This past September, the United States contributed US$1 million for trade-related te chnical assistance to the WTO Global Trust Fund, 
and a further US$150,000 to the WTO's Trade Faci litation Needs Assessment  Trust Fund.  More 
recently, we've just contributed approximately US $115,000 to the Standards and Trade Development 
Facility.  And, at the recent meeting of the WTO Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade, we were 
pleased to announce USAID's new Standards Alliance in  Geneva.  These specific examples are part of 
a much broader U.S. policy of financial support for trade capacity building.  Overall U.S. support for trade capacity building (or "aid for trade" ) since 2001, has now surpassed US$13 billion.  
38. The robust U.S. commitment to supporting deve loping countries' efforts to harness the 
benefits of trade is evident in the expansive m echanisms employed by the United States to deliver 
trade-related assistance.  The United States takes a whole-of-government approach to providing Aid 
for Trade.  USAID, one of our principal providers of trade-related assistance, works closely with the 
Millennium Challenge Corporation, and other U.S.  agencies to provide trade-related technical 
assistance.  A large number of our developing an d least-developed WTO partners have benefitted 
from these various assistance mechanisms, and we will continue to  explore the potential for synergies 
between our assistance efforts and developing country Members' trade-led development.  
39. The United States continues to champion the important capacity-building work on trade 
facilitation, which stands to deliver  considerable benefits to all WT O Members.  The OECD finds that 
reducing global trade costs, one of the principal benefits of trade facilitation reforms, by 1% would  WT/TPR/M/275 
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  increase world-wide income more than US$40 bill ion, 65% of which would accrue to developing 
countries.  The simplification and moderniza tion of customs procedures enhances trading 
opportunities, reduces trade costs for small and me dium sized enterprises, attracts investment, 
improves tariff collection, trade diversificati on, and overall economic gr owth, and helps better 
integrate developing countries, particularly LDCs, in to global supply networks.  To that end, the 
United States supports the on-going WTO trade f acilitation negotiations, and U.S. trade-related 
assistance has supported trade facilitation reforms in  many developing countries and LDCs.  In 
addition to a recent contribution to the WTO to s upport updated needs assessments, the United States 
in November 2011 launched a new initiative, USAID' s Partnership for Trade Facilitation, a flexible 
funding facility dedicated specifically to WTO trade facilitation.    
40. In closing, I would note that U.S. support for open markets and rules-ba sed international trade 
has been a cornerstone of our broader foreign policy for more than six decades.  We are dedicated to 
the WTO as the best hope for preservi ng the work we have all unde rtaken in the past – and for 
building on this work in the future.  The WTO is the only forum for Members to adopt and to help 
ensure implementation of multilateral trade rules.  It retains the potential for undertaking innovative 
initiatives and concluding new trade-opening agr eements, and we look forward to a successful 
Ministerial Conference in Bali in this regard.  We know that we can achieve tremendous benefits for 
all Members with a consistent commitment to strengthening this organization.   
41. We understand and we believe in th e importance of the work that we are all here to do.  We 
are therefore committed to engaging productively and sincerely in this week's review and beyond.  
We look forward to participating in this exchange and we thank yo u all again for your interest and 
attention.    WT/TPR/M/275 
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  III. STATEMENT BY THE DISCUSSANT (M R. MICHAEL STONE (HONG KONG, 
CHINA)) 
42. I am honoured to be the Discussant for this the 11t h TPR of the United States.  It is also a 
daunting task in view of the breadth and extent of  the U.S. engagement in trade and impact of its 
economy and policies on world affairs.  The large numbers of written questio ns asked by Members 
and the full house today attest to the importance of the U.S. to Members and to the Multilateral 
Trading System. 
43. The U.S. was at the ep icentre of the financial crisis that erupted in 2007/08 and which 
continues to cause significant weakness around the globe.  It is to the credit of the U.S. that it has 
shown itself more capable of responding and adju sting to the crisis than many other developed 
economies.  GDP is above the level it was in 2007 /08 and the U.S. continues to grow – although 
rather weakly.   
44. However, major issues remain for the U.S.  Un employment is still unacceptably high, with a 
much increased percentage of long term unemp loyed – a new phenomenon for the U.S.  "Animal 
Spirits" remain subdued, as companies are reluctan t to make significant investment decisions and 
consumers remains cautious.  Much of this is put dow n by commentators to the looming "fiscal cliff" 
– or cliffs, as the Federal debt ceiling will need to  be increased in February/March 2013 too.  It is 
perhaps not so much the magnitude of the cliff – although the cuts and tax increases would very significant – but rather the uncertainty of whether or  not there will be resolution, some kicking of the 
can down the road, or falling off the cliff itself.  It is to be hoped a lasting resolution of the issue will 
be possible, so that all can make the forward pla nning / implementing decisions needed to kick start 
heightened economic activity.  Negotiations w ill no doubt go down to the wire and beyond. 
45. An important strand to fighting the recessi on has been the Fed's use of unconventional 
monetary policy to mitigate its effects – quantitativ e easing, now in phase 3: QE3.  Indeed given the 
Feds action last week, I think we can say we are in QE4.  The efforts of the Fed, and other key central 
banks, are unprecedented and the long term conse quences unknowable.  But the move is certainly not 
without controversy in the trade area for its per ceived knock on effect on currencies (where the U.S. 
dollar has in practice weaked considerably) and for leading to bubbles – the bond market is frequently 
cited.  The continuing effectiveness of QE is also  debated by economists.  No doubt this will be one 
for the history and economic books for many decades to  come – as were the policies in the 1930s.   
46. Finally there is the federal deficit itself whic h exploded to some 11% of GDP in 2009 and in 
2011 still remained at 8.7%.  Total public debt has risen swiftly to some 72% (depending on how you 
measure it) of GDP and without some reforms to either spending and/or revenue generation will 
become seriously problematic.  The looming defic it in entitlement programmes is a key factor behind 
these debt concerns and a driver for trying to take some  action sooner rather than later.  Again this is a 
drag on "animal spirits".  Given the small percenta ge of GDP taken in by the Federal Government 
(about 15% for 2011) and the extent of expenditu re (about 24% for 2011) closing the gap – while 
social entitlements grow each year – will be daunting.   An increase in tax take of "only" 5% of GDP 
implies a 33% tax jump.  It would be interesting to know how the US plans to deal with this 
politically. 
47. All this said, throughout this period of turmoil, th e U.S. has been at the forefront of the efforts 
to keep protectionism at bay and keep markets ope n.  Their leadership in  this role has been 
commendable.  With the re-election of President Obam a, it is to be hoped that this policy and outward 
focus will be maintained and enhanced.  
48. The U.S. is widely acknowledged to have one  of the most open and transparent trading 
regimes – certainly amongst major players: ther e are some notable smaller economies which are  WT/TPR/M/275 
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  perhaps even more open.  The U.S.'s open regime is highly commendable, as has been their steadfast 
rejection of protectionism and advocacy against su ch.  Imports and exports surpassed the 2008 peaks 
in 2010 and 2011, and contrary to  scepticism from many, the policy of doubling of exports in 5 years 
announced by President Obama in 2010 is current ly on track – which would be a remarkable 
achievement if finally achieved.  It would be interesting to learn from the U.S. which specific 
measures taken have contributed mo st to the strengthening of exports, as this could be instructive for 
others.  
49. The U.S. is the largest importer in the world and the largest exporter of services.  It has long 
had a very significant deficit on the goods side and a significant surplus on the services side.  The goods deficit is heavily influenced by trade in pe troleum products but with the projected dramatic 
revival in U.S. home production of both gas and oil (due  to shale gas / oil exploitation) this balance is 
likely to improve significantly over the coming few y ears.  At the same time, the U.S. is having a 
major push to increasing exports.  
50. The U.S. remains the world biggest receiver of FDI - US$228 billion in 2011 – with an 
accumulated stock of US$2.9 trillion reached in 2010.  The debt crisis in Europe – where 6 of the 
8 leading sources of FDI are from – may however put a dent in this and it would be interesting to 
know whether the "Select USA" initiative announced in June 2011 is bearing fruit in diversifying 
sources of FDI. 
51. The United States Trade Representative has prim e responsibility for developing trade policy 
for the Executive branch of government and we are fo rtunate to have their most able Deputy here in 
the form of Ambassador Michael Punke.  There is an interesting interacti on between Congress and the 
President in trade policy, noticeably the granting or other wise of "fast track" procedures to the 
President for negotiating and approval of new agreements. 
52. The latest U.S. Trade Policy Agenda states that the US is committed to preserving and 
enhancing the role of the WTO.  The U.S. report for this TPR states in paragraph 1 that it "maintains an abiding commitment to the rul es based multilateral trading system" and that "the WTO represents 
the multilateral bedrock of U.S. trade policy".  This is to be very welcomed, because in these times of 
greater and greater involvement by all Members in regional or bilateral trad ing agreements, the active 
participation and commitment of leading Members is  essential if the WTO is to retain relevance and 
its negotiating pillar.  In this rega rd, it is perhaps a concern that considerably more space is devoted in 
the U.S. Government Report to regional and bilate ral trade initiatives than to the Multilateral Trading 
System.  In the period under review the U.S. has put into force a number of RTAs (with Colombia, 
Korea and soon Panama) and is ac tively negotiating others, most particularly the Trans Pacific 
Partnership (TPP).  Nevertheless the U.S. is inde ed very active and positive in all aspects of the 
WTO's work and sets a good example in improving the transparency of the system and in general by providing timely notifications under the various ag reements – but with some notable gaps as 
identified in the Secretariat Report. 
53. The U.S. has in place several schemes to assist  developing countries to promote growth and 
development, ranging from their GSP scheme to th e five regional schemes.  Together these account 
for some 3.7% of U.S. imports, and provide a va luable resource and opportunity for the countries 
involved.  The U.S. also has major programme in  aid-for-trade and since 2010 has taken significant 
steps to make the whole effort more coherent and effective. 
54. The investment regime is open and transparent, with free movement of capital and profits.  
However some important restrictions remain in  some economically important areas and it will be 
interesting to read the U.S. answers to questions on those areas.   WT/TPR/M/275 
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  55. On customs procedures, the U.S. has for some  time planned to implement 100% scanning of 
maritime containers and air cargo on passenger airc raft.  Both are of considerable concern to 
Members, as identified in questions and the current lack of clarity on if or when such measures will 
indeed be put into effect.  It is to be hoped the U.S. can quickly clarify matters.  It would also be 
instructive to know if the US has identified the total costs to importers and the public of the 
introduction of these measures, and if cost-and-bene fit analyses of these restrictions – have been 
conducted and made public. 
56. On preferential rules of origin, this is an area of concern for Members, due to their differing 
rules of origin, complexity and l ack of transparency.  The Secret arial Report also notes that U.S. 
industry seems to have been very influential in guidi ng where the preferences fall – or not.  It is also 
noted that the Harbour Maintenance Tax Fund has ha d a significant surplus for many years – and that 
the funds are used outside the highest revenue profits .  Perhaps it is time the U.S. reviewed this tax. 
57. The U.S. remains an active user of Anti-dum ping and Countervailing duty remedies with the 
majority of AD investigations in recent year being in respect of imports from Asia and China.  41% of 
all AD investigations were in respect of the metals industry.  At end 2011, the U.S. had 237 AD 
measures in force, many for over 10 years.  One has to wonder at the continued necessity of some of 
these measures and at their effectiveness. 
58. The U.S. is a major player in many sectors in  both goods and services.  In Agriculture, while 
the total contribution to GDP is less than 1%, it nevertheless amounted to annual production of 
US$372 billion in 2011 and 11% of total exports of goods.  Exports are concentrated in a few 
products: maize, soybean, cotton – with poultry and beef on the animal side.  Interestingly after 
decades of decline, the number of farms started in creasing again in the late 1990's and there are now 
about 2.2 million.  It would be interesting to know if the U.S. has analysed why. 
59. Domestic support to farmers and tariffs regim es for agricultural products are key issues for 
many WTO Members, and support for policies whic h are spread right acr oss the spectrum is 
advanced.  The U.S. is certainly not the worst offe nder on either domestic support or tariffs, and their 
regime compares favourably with many other OCED c ountries.  But it is not without blemish.  Tariffs 
are high on certain specific products, including some  important to some LDCs.  Domestic support 
outside "domestic food aid" has fallen in the peri od under review, mostly due to high current market 
prices for agricultural products.  The OECD produ cer support estimates indicate that US support has 
dropped significantly in the last 10 years or so – to  well below the OECD average.  So I shall not pass 
judgement but rather observe the interplay between Members on this very sensitive area.  But it would 
be interesting to know the latest position on the Farm Bill 2012, which seems mired in Congress, and 
the implications if it is not passed. 
60. In other sectors, the U.S. is generally commenda bly open.  Certainly there are wrinkles: the 
Jones Act, limitations on ownership in air transport, energy and radio, the various Buy America Acts 
and provisions – spring to mind.  But these should no t detract from a regime which generally is very 
open to trade and investment.  In passing I would no te with some regret the short shrift given to 
Services in the Secretariat report.  While I appreciate not everything can be covered, it would have been nice to see more on Services. 
61. In conclusion, I would like to commend the U.S. for its open dynamic economy and liberal 
trade regime.  I would also urge the U.S. to u se its key role to help advance the Doha Round 
Negotiations in whatever ways possible.  WT/TPR/M/275 
 Page 13 
 
 
  IV. STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS 
NIGERIA 
62. Nigeria wishes to note, at the outset, that th e United States economy is the largest in the 
world, and as a result, its trade policies and pr actices could create opportun ities or impose challenges 
that may impact significantly on almost all Members of the WTO.  In that context, it is commendable 
that the United States remains comm itted to preserving and enhancing the WTO's irreplaceable role as 
the primary forum, inter alia , for multilateral trade liberalization and for the development and 
enforcement of global trade rules, as well as a key bulwark against protectionism.  It is also assuring that despite the global challenges, the fundamental features of the U.S. trade policy have remained 
unchanged since the last review.  However, Nige ria believes that increased openness in the United 
States would reaffirm its leadership role, which is crucial in advancing the objectives of the 
multilateral trading system, while concluding the DDA would also enhance market access security for 
the U.S and other exporters.  
63. Nigeria further notes that although the U.S. has emerged quite steadily from the 2007-2009 
economic and financial crisis, growth was slower in  2011 than in 2010.  The U.S. current account 
balance continued to worsen slightly between 2010 and 2011, from US$470.9 billion to 
US$473.4 billion, although the current deficit of 3% of GDP has so far not been a problem.  U.S. 
foreign direct investment inflows remain the largest  in the world; and have continued to play an 
important role in the U.S. economy, with an ac cumulated stock that reached US$2.9 trillion in 2010, 
making an important contribution to U.S. employm ent, R&D and exports.  As Europe is a major 
contributor to U.S. FDI, there is some concern about a prolonged debt crisis in Europe and its 
consequential negative impact on U.S. FDI, according to  the Secretariat report.  It would be useful to 
hear the views of the U.S. on the prolonged debt cris is in Europe and the steps it is taking to mitigate 
any negative impact. 
64. The Services sector continues to be the major ec onomic driver for the U.S. economy, both in 
terms of GDP and employment. U.S. GDP is heavily reliant on the services industries which 
accounted for 70% of U.S. output and the U.S. re mains the world's largest services importer.   
However, there remain concerns in telecommunication services, including other issues that could erode the competitiveness of other players in key ser vices sectors particularly enacted laws or initiated 
actions to increase services exports, especially in the travel and tourism sectors.  It would, therefore, 
be of benefit in knowing how the U.S. plans to ad dress some of these con cerns and what specific 
plans it has in place to further liberalize its services sector, including accommodating the export 
interest of developing countries in the DDA.   
65. Nigeria would like to acknowledge that the United States is a very important Member of the 
WTO; and plays a leading role in the Doha Deve lopment Agenda (DDA) negotiations.  As noted in 
the Secretariat report, the United States is activ e in all aspects of WTO work and has submitted 
22 proposals or communications to the Negotiating Groups, the majority of which relate to the 
Negotiating Group on Market Access.  The United States also contributes to improving the 
transparency of the WTO, its trade rules, and cr eating a clear and effective system by providing 
information through the WTO notification process.   While we commend the tremendous efforts of 
Ambassador Michael Punke and his team, it would be useful to hear what steps the United States is 
taking to address concerns relating to its defensive interests in the Doha Work Programme (DWP), as 
a demonstration of leadership and contribution to  the successful conclusion of the DDA negotiations.  
66. The United States has a long history of providing non-reciprocal preferential trade treatment 
to developing countries, in order to promote econom ic growth and development. The main preference 
programmes include: the Andian Trade Preferen ce Act (ATPA), the Caribbean Basin Economic 
Recovery Act (CBERA), the Caribbean Trade Part nership Act (CBTPA), the African Growth and WT/TPR/M/275 
Page 14  
 
  Opportunity Act (AGOA), and the Haitian Opportun ity through Partnership Encouragement (HOPE) 
Act.  We note from the Secretariat report that the U.S. preference programmes taken together accounted for 3.7% of U.S. imports in 2011, with AGOA accounting for the largest part, at 2.4% of 
total imports or 65.2% of unilateral preferential imports.  Nigeria commends the U.S. for all these 
initiatives, but would still encourage the U.S. to give  priority to expanding the product coverage of 
these programmes. 
67. At the bilateral level, Nigeria and the United States have always shared a close relationship in 
all areas ranging from economic, cultural and political.  Nigeria is the United States' largest trading 
partner in Sub-Saharan Africa.  B ilateral trade volume stands at US$35 billion.  The U.S. is also the 
largest foreign investor in Nigeria, even though t hose investments are mainly confined to the oil and 
gas sector of the economy.  An estimated one m illion Nigerians and Nigerian-Americans live, study 
and work in the U.S., while over 25,000 Americans live and work in  Nigeria.  The relationship is 
deep-rooted and cross-cutting.  Nigeria and the U.S., in spite of the daunting challenges, have 
continued to enjoy robust bilateral relations, in cluding cooperation on important foreign policy goals 
in areas such as international and regional peacek eeping and security; investing in people; economic 
growth; food security and agriculture; science a nd technology; climate change and environment 
sustainability; and the enthronement of th e core values of democratic governance.  
68. To strengthen the trade and investment partne rship between the two countries, Nigeria and 
U.S. trade officials have been meeting regular ly under the U.S.-Nigeria  Trade and Investment 
Framework Agreement (TIFA) Counc il, which was established in 200 0. The Council is responsible 
for monitoring trade and investment relations  and identifying opportunities for expanding and 
diversifying trade, including other important issues and challenges that the two countries may need to address.  Trade officials from Nigeria and the U. S. also use TIFA Counc il meetings to explore 
common objectives such as cooperation in the WTO, trade capacity building an d technical assistance, 
intellectual property protection and enforcement, a nd infrastructure issues.  The two countries also 
signed a Bi-National Commission (BNC) agreement in 201 0, the first of its kind with Africa under the 
Obama Administration.  The establishment of th e Bi-National Commission led to significant 
accomplishments, particularly in the area of fo reign investment and agriculture cooperation. 
69. In conclusion, Nigeria would like to commend the U.S. for its significant technical assistance 
and capacity building support, aimed at assisting developing country Members and LDCs to take 
advantage of the opportunities offered by the multilatera l trading system.  Nigeria thanks the U.S. for 
the answers to our advance written questions, which are being examined in Abuja, and we would seek 
further clarification from the U.S. as appropriate.  We wish the U.S. a successful trade policy review. 
CUBA  
70. The Republic of Cuba takes note of the replies circulated by the United States yesterday 
evening and reserves the right to return to them, considering the very short time they have been 
available to Members. However, it can already be stated that the replies offered do not go deeply 
enough into the substance of our list of questions and, conseque ntly, do not serve our purpose. 
Likewise, after more than ten years of repeated complaints to the Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) 
about the maintenance of a measure incompatible wi th WTO provisions, neither is there any glimpse 
of an intention to comply with th e DSB's recommendations and rulings. 
71. To begin with, we wish to point out that on ce again the United States is twisting the meaning 
of Cuba's questions, in order to keep on evadi ng its legal obligations. Our questions are aimed 
at finding out what is stopping this Member from implementing the recommendations and rulings of 
the DSB, which as long ago as 2002 found that Se ction 211 of the Omnibus Appropriations Act of 
1998 is inconsistent with the TRIPS Agreement a nd with the Paris Convention for the Protection of 
Industrial Property.  WT/TPR/M/275 
 Page 15 
 
 
  72. Nevertheless, the United States is maintaining Section 211 in force in contravention of a 
decision of the WTO's highest judicial authority, in  order to apply it to the detriment of owners of 
Cuban trademarks such as th e Havana Club rum trademark. 
73. We note that several paragraphs of the report are directed, among other things, at 
demonstrating the importance for the United States of the WTO dispute settlement system which "has 
proven valuable to Members as a unique venue fo r the discussion and adjudication of disputes with 
our trading partners" (paragraph 10 of the Unite d States report WT/TPR/G/275). To this end, 
it proclaims itself to be "one of the world's most frequent users of WTO dispute settlement procedures" obtaining favourable outcomes, in pa rticular, in the area of intellectual property 
(paragraph 58 of the United States report). It al so proclaims the importance of creating a global 
trading system where intellectual property is prot ected (paragraph 11 of the United States report and 
paragraph 150 of the Secretariat report) and of ensuring effective implementation of intellectual 
property enforcement obligations (parag raph 170 of the Secretariat report). 
74. Thus, this is a Member that benefits extensively from the WTO's dispute settlement system 
and especially from its rulings in the area of intellectual property. 
75. Consequently, the Government of the Republic of  Cuba considers that the policies described 
above are inconsistent with the longstanding stat e of non-compliance in which the United States finds 
itself in relation to "Section 211". The DS B found that Section 211 is contrary to 
specific WTO provisions, but the United States has ignored that decision by judicially supporting the fraudulent use of the Havana Club trademark by the company Bacardi. 
76. Within the context of the present Review it is important to point out that from 1976 the 
enterprise CUBAEXPORT held and maintained the ownership of the Havana Club trademark 
completely unchallenged, under the procedures estab lished by the United States Patent and Trademark 
Office (USPTO). On that basis the registration was renewed in  1986 and 1996, under a general 
licence for paying the renewal fee, without an y restrictions until Section 211 was adopted. 
Subsequently, CUBAEXPORT was refused a licence to pay the renewal fee and, despite lengthy 
judicial proceedings in various courts over a peri od of six years, the enterprise found itself stripped 
of a right which it had held for 30 years. 
77. Can the Government of the United States set itself up as a model defender of intellectual 
property when on its territory it snatches away th e registration of a trademark from its legitimate 
owner, by preventing compliance with the simple administrative requirement of paying the official 
renewal fee? 
78. Cuba must again denounce the policy of embargo wh ich for more than half a century has been 
applied, in an unfair and discriminatory fashion, to an original Member of the GATT and the WTO, 
with no regard for its rejection by the internati onal community, which for more than two decades has 
been annually expressed in the United Nations Ge neral Assembly as a vote in support of the 
Resolution on the necessity of ending the econom ic, commercial and financial embargo imposed 
by the United States of America against Cuba. 
79. No less of a violation of the rules of international trade is the extraterritorial scope of the 
embargo, which affects not only C uba but other countries as well. Specific examples include the most 
recent extraterritorial measures made public on 11  and 12 December, when the Office of Foreign 
Assets Control (OFAC) of the United States De partment of the Treasury announced that the 
international bank HSBC had been fined US$375 milli on for allegedly violating unilateral sanctions 
imposed by the United States on various countries,  including Cuba. One day later, OFAC itself 
announced the imposition of a new fine amounti ng to US$8,571,634 on the Japanese bank 
Tokyo-Mitsubishi, also for an a lleged violation of the embargo. WT/TPR/M/275 
Page 16  
 
  80. As pointed out by Cuba in previous years, by imposing the embargo the United States is 
violating principles, objectives and rules of the mu ltilateral trading system endorsed by the Marrakesh 
Agreement, insofar as it is impeding the economic  and social development of another Member 
and thereby making it difficult to raise the standard  of living of the Cuban population, at the same 
time as it is adopting discriminatory measures with an extraterritorial impact which are adversely 
affecting other Members of the WTO in their trade relations with our country and with 
the United States itself. 
81. The chief manifestations of the embargo rele vant to this Review are summarized below: 
- It maintains conditions on purchases, mainly of food, from United States companies 
which are onerous and difficult for Cuba to me et, with the persistent threat that the 
licences granted for this purpose can be can celled by OFAC at any time. Likewise, the 
prohibition on granting financing to Cuba is  being maintained and there are no direct 
banking relations between the two countries. 
 
- Where the transport of these products is con cerned, the vessels that participate in this 
service are still prohibited from taking on cargoes in Cuba for other destinations, 
and Cuban vessels are still prohibited from the participating in the shipments. 
 
- For the fourth consecutive year, on 10 September 2012, President Obama extended the 
Trading with the Enemy Act, which not only supports the implementation of the 
embargo measures but also provides the basi s for the President's powers to impose the 
remaining laws and supplementary provisions. 
 
- Likewise, in February 2012, in a notice to Congress, President Obama continued the 
national emergency with respect to Cuba a nd the emergency authority relating to the 
regulation of the anchorage and movement  of vessels which, among other things, 
prohibit the arrival of vessels and pleasure  boats in Cuba, in accordance with the 
mandatory restrictions on travel to Cuba by United States citizens for tourism purposes. 
 82. Moreover, there are a dozen or so other laws, plus the regulations for their implementation 
by OFAC, that remain in force, only the most notorious of which from the standpoint of their implications for trade are mentioned below: 
- Foreign Assistance Act of 1961. Authorizes the President of the United States to 
establish and maintain a total embargo on tr ade between that country and Cuba, by 
means of Presidential Proclamation 3447 which imposed the trade embargo in 1962. 
 
- Tariff Classification Act of 1962. Establishes, inter alia , the withholding of Most 
Favoured Nation status from Cuba. 
 
- Omnibus Foreign Trade and Competitiveness Ac t of l988. Strengthens the restrictions 
on imports from Cuba. 
 
- Cuban Democracy Act of 1992 (known as the Torricelli Act). Establishes restrictions 
on vessels, prohibits trade between United St ates subsidiaries located in third countries 
and Cuba and requires the President of the United States to encourage other countries to restrict their trade and credit relations with our country. 
  WT/TPR/M/275 
 Page 17 
 
 
  - Helms-Burton Act or Cuban Liberty Act of 1996. Codifies all the laws and presidential 
orders relating to the embar go adopted since 1962, reinfor ces the bans on Cuban exports 
and the restrictions on travel from the Un ited States to Cuba, establishes the Importation 
Safeguard against Certain Cuban Products , and implements the well-known Titles III 
and IV to prevent foreign investment in Cuba. 
 
83. It is important to note that this Act makes explicit mention of the opposition of the United 
States to Cuba's entry into the international financ ial organizations. It also states that the President 
is to submit reports, after the first of January of  each year, to the relevant Congressional committees 
on the trade of other countries with Cuba and the assistance with which they provided our country 
during the previous 12 months. 
84. We have no knowledge of the Government of the United States having abandoned the 
controls on the income that Cuba receives from its exports or its pursuit of our assets abroad (property 
and bank accounts). Specifically, we do not know whether it has abolished the inter-agency Cuban 
Nickel Targeting Task Force to reinvigorate the ex isting nickel import certification and control regime 
and analogous cobalt import control regime, called for in the Second Report of the Commission for 
Assistance to a Free Cuba in 2006. Nickel is th e main source of income from merchandise exports. 
85. In addition to all this, in ope n contradiction with the reality and the clean record of our 
foreign policy, the Government of the United States has left Cuba on the list of countries that sponsor 
terrorism. In practice, this has resulted in the intensified harassment of our country's banking and 
financial transactions, by encompassing them within the extraterritorial scope of the embargo and the 
above-mentioned measures for locating and pursui ng funds linked with entities in countries included 
in the list. 
86. Nor should we omit to mention that during 2011 and again in 2012 Cuba continued 
to be confronted by risky and potentially damaging situations created by the intentions of certain 
plaintiffs in actions against the Cuban State brought  in the United States to appropriate Cuban-owned 
trademarks and patents by way of compensation. Th is is going on under cover of the provisions of the 
Terrorism Risk Insurance Act, which was approve d in 2002 and will remain in force until 2014. 
87. Likewise, we are still faced with the situ ation created by the action brought by the 
Bacardi Company to appropriate the Havana Club ru m trademark, under legislation that it promoted 
and managed to get approved in Congress, Section 211. 
88. Important United States trade union organizati ons have testified in Congress about the 
implications of Section 211. They have recommended that it be repealed because of the violations it 
entails and the negative implications that its c ontinuance could have not only for trademarks and 
patents registered by United States companies in Cuba  but also for the credibility of the United States, 
which proclaims itself internationally to be the supreme protector of this intangible property. 
89. The illegal and discriminatory policies applied to  Cuba by the United States, which we have 
briefly described, could lead to actions that go far beyond the mere review of this 
Member's trade policies. 
90. In the face of facts such as these, Cuba has no choice but to express its huge concern 
regarding the maintenance of the credibility not only of the WTO's dispute settlement system but also 
of mechanisms such as those th at concern this Body itself. WT/TPR/M/275 
Page 18  
 
  BRAZIL  
91. Recent overall economic indicators confirm the assessment by the Secretariat's report that the 
economy of the United States has been in "slow but steady recovery since its last Trade Policy 
Review". This is of particular importance given the sheer size of the United States and its share in 
international trade.  
92. Yet, it seems to us that the economic and comme rcial relevance and complexity of the U.S. 
economy could be better reflected in the Secretariat' s report. The report, including its appendix, has 
just 133 pages. This compares with the 167 pages of Brazil's last TPR, 234 for China and 235 for 
India. In our view, differences in review periodic ity would only partly explain this situation.  
93. Responding to sluggish domestic economic conditions, the U.S. adopted expansionary fiscal 
and monetary policies that led to a progressive de valuation of the dollar. The Secretariat's report 
stresses that the U.S. dollar depreciated, in real terms, by about 25% between 2002 and 2008 and 
further depreciated by 16% between 2009 and mid- 2011. The excessive supply of U.S. dollars has 
found its way into other countries in search for either  higher yields or "safe haven", thereby spurring 
artificial and marked appreciation of certain other currencies.  
94. In today's trying economic environment, countries are faced with the challenge of leaving 
their currencies subject to the forces prevailing in la rgely unregulated international financial markets, 
especially when they face limited macro-economi c policy options and currency-driven disruptive 
forces in entire productive sectors. 
95. Concerted multilateral solutions for the currency issue should prevail over the current state of 
uncoordinated policy responses around the world. Brazil w ill continue to work with the U.S. and other 
members both here in the WTO and in other relevant fora to promote a discussion that could lead to a 
joint approach. 
96. Even though the U.S. average tari ff level is relatively low, a considerable number of tariff 
peaks remains for goods exported by developing count ries, such as textiles, apparel and agricultural 
products.  
97. Moreover, despite the limited importance of th e agricultural sector for the US economy - less 
than 1% of GDP – the U.S. has a considerable set of trade-restrictive and distorting measures in place, 
such as: TRQs for products like sugar, tariff peak s, generous domestic suppor t entitlements, insurance 
schemes that insulate farmers from market forces, ex port subsidies, and non-tariff barriers that, in our 
view, do not conform with the SPS Agreement. 
98. U.S. policies on cotton and on export credit guara ntees are emblematic for Brazil. Ten years 
have elapsed since the upland cotton case was first br ought by Brazil to the WTO. The U.S. is yet to 
implement the DSB rulings.  
99. We must not forget that the programs in place are already in breach of the WTO disciplines. 
Some versions of the programs unde r debate would introduce new distortions even under current high 
commodity prices. They would undoubtedly trigger even higher disbursements if commodity prices 
return to historical levels. We worry that the refo rm process of agricultural policies in the U.S. could 
be moving in the wrong direction, especially when one has in mind the objectives set out for the DDA. 
100. I note with satisfaction the Executive Order signe d in January 2012 by President Obama that 
is aimed at improving visa processing and promoting travel and tourism, with particular emphasis on  WT/TPR/M/275 
 Page 19 
 
 
  Brazil and China. This initiative will certainly cont ribute to facilitating trade in services between our 
two countries. This is a very welcome development. 
101. There is not, however, much else to say about the services sector in the U.S. within the 
context of the present Trade Policy Review.  Only tw o services sectors out of so many included in the 
current classification system have been scrutin ized in the report by the Secretariat.  
102. Regarding the financial sector, Brazil remains concerned with the negative effect that the 
assistance provided by the U.S. Government to nati onal financial institutions could have on foreign 
suppliers of financial services. 
103. Bilateral trade amounts to approximately US$50 billion at present. Brazil's trade surplus of 
around US$6 billion turned into a deficit of almost US $4 billion in just five years.  We do believe that 
this shift is largely explained by the strong depr eciation of the dollar relative to Brazil's Real.  
104. A successful Ministerial Conference in Decembe r 2013 and a first harvest of a balanced and 
development oriented set of DDA issues, could be decisive in bolstering the Organization and the 
trading system as a whole at this critical juncture . We sorely need the leadership, engagement and 
commitment that the United States can offer to this Organization and to the on-going multilateral 
negotiations. 
AUSTRALIA 
105. Australia and the United States share extensive interests as trading partners and on trade 
policy, including in multilateral and regional forums such as the WTO, APEC, TPP and the G20.  Bilaterally, the Australia-United States Free Trade Agreement – moving into its ninth year - provides 
the framework to further expand trade and investme nt.  In 2011-12, the United States was Australia's 
third-largest trading partner in goods and services,  with trade valued at around US$60 billion.  The 
United States is also Australia's most significant investment partner, with two-way investment 
totalling about one trillion dollars, of which about US$220 billion is direct investment. 
106. In bilateral trade relations, th ere are always areas where one party would like the other to 
reconsider its approach, notwithstanding our overall close relations.  I would like to take this 
opportunity to highlight a few Australian priorities in relation to U.S. trade policy. 
107. U.S. Government intervention in the agricultura l sector remains a concern.  Australia is 
disappointed to note that there have been no major reform-related changes to agricultural policies in 
the United States since the last Trade Policy Review.  Australia continues to be troubled by tariff and 
non-tariff barriers that the U.S. imposes on a range of agricultural products.  The issues we have with 
U.S. sugar and dairy programs, for example, are long-standing and well known – but there are few 
signs of change.  This is a classic example wh ere prudent reform woul d benefit bilateral and 
international trade, as well as American consumers.   Australia urges the United States to demonstrate 
leadership in agricultural trade po licy reform.  We continue to hope  to see substantial reductions in 
trade distorting domestic support pr ograms in the next Farm Bill. 
108. Australia also encourages the United States to examine the potential for simplifying 
procedures affecting imports, including burdensome ru les of origin, and country of origin, marking 
and labelling rules. Some Australian exporters conti nue to encounter difficulties with the complexity 
of procedures required for access and marketing thei r products in the United States, which is often 
exacerbated by state-level rules and procedures.   
109. Australia encourages the U.S. to revisit its regul ations relating to maritime services, with a 
view to reducing the restrictions faced by providers of such services and producers of maritime WT/TPR/M/275 
Page 20  
 
  vessels.  There should at least be scope for the U.S. to revisit its 1920s vintag e regulations relating to 
maritime services and cabotage. 
110. The U.S. and its trading partners would also benefit from liberalisation of the U.S.' Defence 
procurement arrangements for tho se goods and services which are not of an essential security nature.  
Defence procurement represents almost 65% of tota l U.S. Federal procurement. Restrictions which 
prevent foreign suppliers from competing in this ma rket hamper the U.S.' ab ility to generate cost 
efficiencies in this major area of government expenditure. 
111. Australia would also welcome greater opportun ities for foreign firms to access procurement 
opportunities under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.  
112. Australia, like the U.S., continues to be a strong supporter of the multilateral trading system.  
The outcomes from the 2011 Ministerial Conference provide a solid basis for progressing our 
common interests in this regard and we look forwar d to continued engagement and leadership by the 
United States in the run-up to the ninth WTO Minister ial Meeting.  In this context, we welcome active 
U.S. participation in negotiations on trade facilita tion and encourage a similar focus on other issues 
where progress can be made, including development-related issues. 
113. We also look to the U.S. to play a key role in moving the agriculture negotiations forward.  
U.S. willingness to engage on tariff quota administra tion has been welcome, and we encourage the 
United States to do likewise on export competition i ssues, particularly export credits and food aid 
disciplines, as well as under the domestic support pillar on issues of importance to developing 
countries. 
114. Australia recognizes that these areas present cha llenges and that the United States and other 
WTO Members will all need to make compromises if  outcomes are to be achieved, including in the 
context of the 9th Ministerial Conference next year. 
PAKISTAN 
115. The U.S. being the largest trading nation and the bi ggest import market is of key interest to all 
WTO Members. The status of its economic growth and the degree of openness impacts all other 
economies, no matters how big or small they are.  
116. Although the U.S. economy has shown a positive movement recently, the effects of the 
financial crisis of 2007-08 still exist. Unemploy ment levels and creati on of new jobs is still 
challenging. Economic shocks also being experienced in Europe, East Asia, South Asia and Africa. In 
a globalized world, coherence and mutual support is an important ingredient in the recipe for 
recovery.  
117. Although the U.S. along with other developing countries appears to put more negotiating 
capital through bilateral and regional initiatives to gain market access, we welcome the U.S. 
commitment to the rule based multilateral trading system, which is termed as the bedrock of its trade 
policy.  
118. We are experiencing a paradigm shift in the global economy on many counts. The phenomena 
of the global supply chain have always existed but in the last decade the production process has 
become truly global. This is a 21st century reality to facilitate this process, removal of barriers like 
rules of origin, both preferential and non-preferen tial and other policies like labelling of products 
indicating country of origin are important. The U. S. may like to review these policies to enable 
developing countries to meaningfully participate in a global supply chain.  WT/TPR/M/275 
 Page 21 
 
 
  NORWAY 
119. A few remarks on the bilateral trading relati onship between Norway and the United States. 
The United States is the second largest export ma rket for Norwegian goods and services, following 
the European Union. Total exports amount to abou t US$19 billion, of which services constitute more 
than half, roughly US$10 billion.  Oil and ga s dominate goods exports, whereas transportation 
services constitute the bulk of services exports. 
120. Likewise, again trailing the EU, the United States is the second most important source of 
imports of goods and services into Norway, amounting to about US$11 billion. U.S. exports to 
Norway are dominated by airplanes and commercial services. Recent figures indicate that the deficit 
in the balance of trade of the U.S. vis-à-vis  Norway will decrease by close to 15% from last year to 
this year. 
121. Needless to say, the economic weight of the Un ited States is such that the trading relationship 
Members have with the United States is of great si gnificance to each Member as well as to the world 
economy as a whole. It is therefore with great inter est we have studied the reports and we have also 
submitted some written questions. Allow me to  raise a few points of particular interest. 
122. We agree with the Secretariat report that th e United States is committed to contributing 
constructively and creatively to the functioning of the WTO. In particular, acknowledging that the 
WTO Doha Round is at an impasse, it is committed to fresh and credible approaches to new market-
opening trade initiatives.  
123. The United States is one of the world's largest bilateral contributors to trade capacity building 
initiatives, and is an active partner in the Aid-for-T rade discussions and initiatives. In the Secretariat 
Report it is reported that an evaluation of US AID's trade capacity building programmes was 
completed in late 2010.  One of the findings of  the report showed a statistically significant 
relationship between USAID trade capacity build ing (TCB) obligations and developing country 
exports, indicating that, on a predictive basis, an additional US$1 of USAID TCB assistance is 
associated with a US$42 increase in the value of de veloping country exports two years later. This 
seems to be a remarkable result and it would be inte resting to hear whether you have some data on the 
potential destination of such increased exports. Do es it entail mainly increased exports to the United 
States, or does it lead to an increase in developi ng country exports to other countries generally? 
124. In the Section on State trading enterprises, government corporations, and government 
enterprises the Secretariat explains that The Un ited States has a number of entities that contain 
elements of governmental and corporate organization.  These entities vary considerably in structure, 
finance, and management. There is no single defini tion of a government corporation, and therefore 
they are often enumerated differently depending on their purpose. One entity with the purpose of 
foreign assistance is the Millennium Challenge Corporati on. It is not entirely clear to us whether this 
corporation operates commercially or serve government al functions. It would be interesting to learn 
whether the Millennium Challenge Corporation h as special privileges and/or receives budgetary 
allocations, including how it has evolved over the last few years? 
125. We note that the report from the Secretariat on developments in the services sectors in U.S. 
this time is limited to discussing environmental a nd financial services. Important as these sectors are, 
we miss information and up-dates on transportation and in particular on maritime transport.   
126. Maritime transport is an important facilitator of world trade and around 90% of world trade in 
volume terms is carried by vessels.  Safe, reliable and competitive maritime transport services benefit 
the economy as a whole and are a key factor for the production/consumption of goods and services. WT/TPR/M/275 
Page 22  
 
  127. The development of shipping markets and developm ents of relevant rules and regulations that 
influence these markets are on this background useful information as part of trade policy reviews. We 
kindly ask the U.S. delegation to share with us in formation on developments on this topic since the 
last trade review of the U.S. 
128. Norway expects leadership and responsibility fro m the United States in the WTO. The history 
of this organisation, from GATT '47 through to the launch of the Doha round, has a common thread: 
American will and determination to make this organisation a cornerstone in the global economic 
architecture and multilateralism, aided by ambitious  visions and demands as well as the ability to 
compromise, and the preparedness to carry the burden of true leadership. While the world is changing, 
and leadership must be a shared responsibility, the im portance of this role, and this commitment, is in 
no way diminished. While we recognised that econom ic cooperation must be allowed to follow the 
paths that remain open, we believe the interest of the United States, as well as the global community, 
depend on continuing to show the firmest of commitments to the multilateral trading system.  
129. We are confident that this review will be usef ul both for the United States and their trading 
partners.  
HONG KONG, CHINA  
130. Hong Kong, China and the U.S. have all along enjoyed close economic and trade relations.  
The U.S. is a major trading partner of Hong Kong,  China, ranking in 2011 as our 2nd largest trading 
partner and export market, and our 5th largest source of imports.   
131. We are pleased to note that, despite new challe nges in the global economy, the U.S. has stated 
in its Government Report that it remains comm itted to open, competitive markets and compliance 
with WTO obligations, and that the pursuit of market  opening and trade liberalization continues to be 
at the forefront of U.S. trade policy.  The Secret ariat Report also notes that the U.S. continues to 
support, participate in and pursue trade initiativ es and further liberalization through the WTO 
multilateral trade framework.  We a ppeal to the U.S., a major global trading powerhouse, to lead by 
example and provide renewed efforts to take the DDA negotiations forward, face down domestic 
protectionist pressure and engage in serious domestic reform in the areas where trade distorting measures still exist.   
132. Hong Kong, China is glad to note that the aver age tariff of agricultural products decreased 
slightly to 8.5% in 2012.  We also note that the Current Total Aggregate Measurement of Support 
(AMS) notified by the U.S. has continued to decline.  This is however not so much due to a change in 
US agricultural policy but rising prices of agricu ltural products.  Moreover,  total support under the 
Amber box has increased from 2007 to 2009.  Price- based Special Agricultura l Safeguard has also 
been applied more frequently.  Given the large sh are the U.S. has of world trade of agricultural 
products and the great importance of agriculture in  the DDA especially to developing Members, we 
encourage the U.S. to continue its efforts in liber alising its agricultural sector, which would in turn 
make a critical contribution towards the DDA negotiations. 
133. The U.S. is the world's leading exporter of ser vices.  We welcome the U.S.' role in the 
services negotiations.  We note with keen interest th e evolution of U.S.' domestic laws in the services 
sectors covered in this year's TPR report – in particul ar those in the financial services sector where the 
implication of some of the new rules, such as the Volcker rule, on foreign services suppliers is yet to 
be fully understood.  We are also aware that th ere has not been any movement in some areas of 
concern, such as market opening in maritime transport services and prolonged services MFN 
exemptions maintained by the U.S. government , though these are not covered in the present TPR 
report.  We look forward to continual and closer c ooperation with the U.S. with a view to achieving 
our common goal in pursuing cont inuous and progressive liberalisation in trade in services.  WT/TPR/M/275 
 Page 23 
 
 
  134. We note that the U.S. has continued to move forward on a number of trade facilitating 
initiatives since the last TPR in 2010, including the rules pertaining to customs brokers.  We 
encourage the U.S. to step up its efforts so as to create a more certain and business friendly 
environment for traders. 
135. Hong Kong, China welcomes the U.S.'s active and constructive participation in the WTO 
Trade Facilitation negotiations.  In November 2011, the U.S. announced a funding mechanism to 
support developing countries' efforts to implemen t provisions of the Trade Facilitation Agreement 
currently under negotiation.  We hope that su ch initiatives will contribute towards addressing the 
constraints and concerns of developing countries, a nd consequently help achieve an early conclusion 
of the negotiations. 
136. Hong Kong, China welcomes the U.S. final rule  to end the practice of zeroing, which 
effectively inflates the apparent amount of dumping and may even find dumping where there is none.  
The elimination of this practice is a positive r esponse by the U.S. to address prior findings of 
inconsistency with WTO rules. 
137. Hong Kong, China notes from the Secretariat report that in 2011, 58% of AD and 49% of 
countervailing duty orders were mainta ined as a result of sunset reviews.  Some of the AD duties have 
been in place for over 20 or even 30 years.  While the U.S. maintains that the duties are maintained 
after sunset reviews, it is doubtful whether the reviews truly reflect the economic reality on the 
ground, which will have changed beyond recognition over the long passage of time.  We hope that the 
economic case for maintaining very old AD orders could be critically reviewed, and that the U.S. 
would guard against abusive use of trade defences through unwarranted extension of the measures.  
We also encourage the U.S. to work on more credible rules on sunset reviews. 
138. In 2008, the US enacted the Consumer Product Sa fety Improvement Act to enhance the safety 
of consumer products.  While we appreciate the obj ectives of the Act, we note that it has brought 
considerable practical difficulties for importers a nd manufacturers, domestic and foreign alike, during 
the initial stage of implementation.  We also not e that the law was amended in 2011 which helped 
reduced compliance costs and ease some demanding t esting requirements, and we hope the U.S. will 
seriously continue taking such steps.  
KOREA 
139. The United States has been Korea's major econom ic and strategic partner.  The two-way 
merchandise trade reached over US$100 billion in 2011.   The United States thus marked Korea's third 
largest trading partner, while Korea stands as the Unit ed States' seventh largest trading partner.  Korea 
also invested over US$16 billion in 2011, making the United States the top destination for Korea's 
outbound investment. 
140. The entry into force of the Korea-U.S.  FTA (KORUS FTA) on 15 March 2012 serves as a 
defining moment in our robust bilate ral economic relationship.  Although it is still too early to have a 
full assessment of the effects of the FTA, we have  already witnessed positive signs during the past 
eight months on the bilateral trade and investment  activities.  The KORUS FTA is a comprehensive 
and high-quality trade deal that fully respects and supports the WTO rules.  We expect that this 
landmark agreement will help deepen the alr eady existing ties between the two countries. 
141. The United States has played, and will continue to play, a pivotal role in the global economy.  
As such, its healthy and vibrant economy is impor tant for continued growth of the global economy, 
particularly in the aftermath of the economic cr isis since 2008.  Against this backdrop, it is 
encouraging to note that the U.S. economy is moving in a positive direction quite recently. WT/TPR/M/275 
Page 24  
 
  142. The U.S. economy, however, continues to face challenges of both domestic and international 
ones such as the federal budget deficit, weak housing market and high levels of household debt, as 
indicated in the U.S. report.  In this context,  we welcome that the U.S. Government has been 
implementing a number of policies or measures that ha ve encouraged changes, such as reform of the 
banking and financial sector, budge t re-balancing, reduction of household debt, and an increase in 
business investment. 
143. Turning to the trade policies and practices, we commend the United States for maintaining 
one of the world's most open trade and investment regimes.  In addition, th e United States has been 
vigorously pursuing trade and investment liberaliza tion through bilateral a nd plurilateral initiatives 
which complement multilateral settings. 
144. We have carefully listened to the comments and concerns expressed by Members in their 
advance written questions as well as statem ents made this morning, including, inter alia , issues on 
customs and the trade remedies.  Korea submitted advance written questions, including those related 
to customs procedures, amended regulation on zeroi ng, provisions on conflict minerals contained in 
the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, a nd certain provisions in the Food 
Safety Modernization Act.  We thank the U.S. delegation for providing answers to our questions 
which Seoul is carefully reviewing. 
145. Since the inception of the MTS, the U.S. has supported the open,  transparent and rules-based 
organization and played a crucial ro le in advancing its objectives.  As  we are closely working together 
for the preparation of the MC9 and beyond, Korea c ontinues to expect proactive role of the U.S. 
leadership in various negotiating groups for DDA and non-DDA issues as well as the regular bodies 
of the WTO. 
146. The strong resistance by the U.S. helped forestall a worldwide slide into protectionism. 
Pursuing liberalization on an MFN basis could provi de the U.S. with added advantage of helping 
reduce the future risks of protecti onist measures at home and abroad. 
SWITZERLAND  
147. Bilateral relations: The United States is Switzer land's second most important trading partner 
worldwide. In 2011, our trade amounted to almost US$50 billion, an increase of 23% compared to the 
previous year. Swiss firms invested US$21 billion in th e U.S. last year, equivalent to more than 9% of 
total foreign direct investment flows to the Unite d States. Swiss companies thus supported more than 
430,000 jobs in the U.S. Likewise, the U.S. is the th ird largest investor in Sw itzerland with substantial 
manufacturing, research and management facilities as well as other services activities. 
148. In order to discuss both global and bilateral i ssues, the U.S. and Switzerland have established 
a Joint Economic Commission and a Trade and Investment Cooperation Forum.  
149. Switzerland fully supports measures such as the C ontainer Security Initiative to secure trade. 
We favour prevention and risk analysis but do not  consider that 100% scanning of the 11 million 
containers yearly bound to U.S. ports is feasible without hampering trade.  
150. Despite the reassessment of the World Organi sation for Animal Health in 2007 that Swiss 
farmers face the same 'controlled BSE risk' as the U.S., the U.S. upholds its ban on beef imports from Switzerland. This results in unjustified barriers to trade. 
151.
 This year several Swiss food producers were inspected by the FDA under the Food Safety 
Modernization Act. The excellent collaboration throughout this inspection campaign as well as the 
professionalism of the FDA inspectors was very much appreciated. However, the substantial increase  WT/TPR/M/275 
 Page 25 
 
 
  in the number of inspected premises required a spec ial effort, straining the resources of the inspected 
firms and of the Swiss administration. Taking into consideration both the limited size of our country 
and the long track record of safe food exports fro m Switzerland to the United States, we ask that 
future inspections are limited to the strictly n ecessary to comply with the Food Safety Modernization 
Act. 
152. Turning to market access, I would like to raise the issue of the certification of new foreign 
aircraft repair stations by the U.S. Federal Av iation Administration, which was stopped in 2007. It 
will only be resumed upon the U.S. Transportation Secu rity Administration's publication of a new rule 
covering security requirements for maintenance and re pair work at repair stations certified by the 
FAA in and outside the United States. Switzerland not es with great concern that, as of today, these 
new rules have not yet been published, causing si gnificant losses of business opportunities for foreign 
newcomers.  
153. Finally, Switzerland is particularly encouraged by the U.S. position, presented in 
paragraph 161 of its report that the U.S. will continue to support trade liberalization at the global, 
regional and bilateral level. In th is context, the actions that may follow the recommendations of the 
U.S.-EU High Level Working Group on Jobs and Grow th could have very significant consequences 
for Swiss-U.S. relations. We are therefore looking forward to a continued close cooperation with the 
U.S. under the Swiss-U.S. Trade and Investment Cooperation Forum. 
154. I would like to highlight the very important role the U.S. plays for the multilateral trading 
system; we most welcomed Ambassador Punke's reaffirmation at the last TNC of the U.S. 
commitment to multilateral work in the run-up to Bali and beyond; strong engagement of the largest 
players is necessary to adva nce work in the WTO. 
155. We also welcome the very active role of the United States in the efforts toward promoting 
further liberalization of trade in  information technology products a nd in the plurilateral initiative in 
favour of an ambitious International Services Agreement.  
TURKEY 
156. The U.S. is one of the biggest economies in th e world and an important trading partner for 
many countries, including Turkey. Given the impact of the U.S. trade policies on the world economy, 
its trade regime is closely followed. All in all, the U.S. has to face responsibilities much bigger than 
those of many other countries, is expected to s how leadership on many i ssues, including the areas 
relevant to the WTO.  
157. In its policy statement, the U.S. has reitera ted its commitment to the multilateral trading 
system and "enforcement of global trade rules" wh ich it has contributed substantively to build up over 
the years. We welcome this commitment.  
158. Nevertheless, the U.S.'s limite d progress in implementing decisions of the DSB and Appellate 
Body presents an important contrast on this front, not  only for systemic reasons but also for practical 
reasons since the US is one of the main users of the dispute mechanism of the WTO. We expect the 
US to take action to bring its legislation in to compliance with the decisions of DSB.  
159. The Government's Report also indicates US's view that "the WTO's negotiating arm can and 
must become strong again". We agree with this asse ssment that in recent years the WTO's functions 
weakened on this front due to our joint failure to produce a viable outcome in the DDA for more than 
10 years.  WT/TPR/M/275 
Page 26  
 
  160. In a similar vein, it is discouraging that the US views "prospects of completing a 
comprehensive Doha package as minimal, if not impossible". We must keep in mind that whatever happens to the Doha package and its underlying prin ciple of single undertaking, the issues covered by 
the Doha agenda will be with us fo r a long time, and we need to addr ess them in one way or another if 
we are to achieve our objective of establishing a mo re liberal and predictable trade environment.  
161. The U.S. has undertaken many initiatives in the past  to contribute to the development of many 
countries, We appreciate the U.S.'s on-going commitmen t as stated in the Government report to the 
pursuit of development goals in many less  developed and developing countries.  
162. We are ready to contribute in any way within our  capabilities, and we believe that the starting 
point should be to seek a resolution to the devel opment issues like cotton that are embedded in the 
DDA agenda and have already reached technical matu rity since they are of priority importance for 
developing countries.  
163. The U.S.'s successful mix of economic policies has proved to be effective against one of the 
deepest crisis the world has ever  witnessed. The U.S. economy is now recovering slowly but steadily. 
Its prompt and consistent reacti on through stimulus packages has been one of the main elements in 
preventing the crisis from going any deeper.  While the U.S. is again proving to be the obvious engine of growth for the world, the crisis has also indicated  that we must try to diversify the centre of gravity 
for the world economy.  
164. In the meantime, we noted with satisfaction that  the U.S. has started to phase out some of the 
stimulus programs which at the previous review raised eyebrows due to their possible and potential 
discriminatory effects. While we recognize their pi votal role in ensuring a smooth economic recovery, 
we are very pleased to see that they are being remove d as originally planned. In this respect, we hope 
that as part of such efforts, it will also consider  addressing "Buy American" practices in some of the 
legislation put into place against the crisis. 
165. The Secretariat report points out that the U.S.  trade regime and measures either have not 
changed, or that very few minor modifications have  occurred. We applaud the US for having a simple, 
stable, liberal and transparent trade regi me with average tariff rates of 4.8%.  
166. However, certain sectors where protection is provided are important for many developing 
countries. In this respect, higher level of tariffs in  textile and clothing are important impediments for 
their exporters.  Similarly, the slow pace of harm onious work with the international standardizing 
bodies is also a cause of concern as this raises non- tariff barriers in the case of many products.  
167. Our cooperation with the U.S. is wide and ge tting stronger each day in a number of different 
fields. U.S. companies are among the major investor s in Turkey in various sectors from energy to 
banking. The number of U.S. companies reached 1200  with a total investment of US$8 billion.  
168. Our trade relations with the U.S. are also growin g steadily, but in a very unbalanced way. The 
U.S. is our fourth biggest import source in 2012. It is also our ninth biggest export destination losing by two places compared to the previous review period.  
169. The trade turnover reached US$20 billion by th e end of 2011, increa sing by about 35% over 
the last two years. While our imports reached US $16 billion, our exports are around US$4.5 billion at 
the end of 2011. Specifically, several agricultural products including maize, cotton and soybean as 
well as steel and the products of automotive i ndustries constitute major items in our trade.  WT/TPR/M/275 
 Page 27 
 
 
  170. Further, there are several in stitutional structures like the trade and investment framework 
agreement and the economic partnership committee wh ich meet regularly to discuss bilateral issues, 
and to explore possible ways for improving relations.  
171. The U.S. is one of the most liberal economies a nd open trade regimes in the world. This also 
has resulted in increased attention on domestic regulations and various trade related domestic 
measures like SPS or TBT, and their potential impact on trade.  
172. In this respect, we would like to raise a c oncern with regard to the duration of APHIS 
inspections in the SPS area as approval procedures for exportable food items can be extremely long 
and cumbersome.  
173. While we fully respect the effort s to ensure product safety, we also believe that any measures 
to this effect should be carried out in a time ly manner as we experience long waiting periods in 
getting approval for exportation of some fruits  and vegetables from Turkey. Does the U.S. 
Government have any plan to address the r easons which cause long waiting periods in APHIS 
inspections, and to improve inspection processes of  APHIS with a view to shorten the duration? 
174. The safeguard and dumping remedies is also a nother systemic issue which we would like to 
raise due to its impact on our bilateral relati ons. There are several cases where our exports are 
subjected to anti-dumping remedies for a very long period of time. There is one case where the 
remedy has been in force for more than 30 years. We fully appreciate the importance of establishing a 
fair trading environment. However, in our opinion, such long durations are punitive.  
175. We are also observing with interest the impl ementation of several security measures adopted 
by the U.S. government. While they have not been fully implemented at the borders, we are of the 
view that every effort should be made to implement them in a cost effective and efficient manner.  
176. Furthermore, while we take every possible measu re to ensure that our exporters will comply 
with the Food Safety Modernization Act (FMSA) of the U.S., at the same time, we share the view of 
our exporters that the registration requirement ha s been putting undue burden on companies as they 
have to confront many legal complexities.  
177. We hope that the U.S. government will reconsider  particularly the requirement for renewing 
the registration every two years. In the same vein , we hope that the relevant US agency will soon 
issue the rules and procedures for the Voluntary Qualified Importer Program as it may ease the 
additional costs the companies have to confront. 
CANADA 
178. Canada and the United States share one of the largest and most comprehensive commercial 
trading relationships in the world.  We are each other's largest customers on a single nation basis.  Each day, approximately US$2 billion of goods and ser vices cross our mutual border. Each day, over 
200,000 people cross that border.  In 2011 alone, Canada exported approxima tely US$379 billion in 
goods and services to the United States and imported approximately US$346 billion in return.  We are 
the number one trading partner for 35 of the 50 states of the United States. 
179. Investment from Canada plays a key role in supporting U.S. employment, R&D, and exports.  
In 2011 the stock of Canadian FDI in the United States was nearly US$272 billion and the U.S. stock 
of FDI in Canada totalled almost US$321 billion.  Th e growth in bilateral trade and investment has 
fostered a more integrated economic market with in the framework the WTO and the North American 
Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).  Over half of all U.S. imports from Canada are now intermediate WT/TPR/M/275 
Page 28  
 
  inputs that feed into the U.S. supply chains, suggesting that we are increasingly building things 
together.  
180. The integrated nature of our energy markets helps support the productivity and innovation of 
our enterprises, the participation of our firms in  global value chains, and the creation of a single 
economic environment that allows us to successfully  compete effectively.  Maybe for these reasons, 
we can see intra-EU and intra-American trade as "intermestic". 
181. It is therefore obvious that actions that threaten trade between our two countries can 
undermine the efficiency and competitiveness of businesses on both sides of the border.  Put simply, 
trade barriers that affect adversely imports from Canada affect companies in the United States that 
source Canadian inputs, thereby hurting their own competitiveness.  We do applaud the United States' 
continued support for a strong global trade regime, as evidenced through its sustained engagement 
here at the WTO, as well as through other multilate ral and bilateral trade initiatives.  The reports 
being considered today further demonstrate that  the United States remains engaged actively in 
promoting opportunities for enhanced trade and investment to support global growth. 
182. Although some issues cited in the Secretariat's report - such as the inclusion of "Buy 
America" provisions in U.S. federal and state legisla tion - garner frequent attention, the vast majority 
of our bilateral trade is dispute-free.  Canada and the United States have worked together to mitigate 
trade challenges when they arise, achieving negotiate d solutions such as the February 2010 Canada-
U.S. Government Procurement Agreement, and the 2006 Softwood Lumber Agreement, which, in 
April of this year, was formally extended until 2015. 
183. Given global and regional economic  challenges, and the high de gree of existing Canada-U.S. 
economic integration, we have also pursued joint strategies to strengthen the competitiveness of both 
our nations in trans-border fac ilitation and regulatory cooperation.  The 7 December 2011 Shared 
Vision for Perimeter Security and Economic Compe titiveness announced by our leaders is designed to 
enhance cross-border trade flows, while safeguard ing border security, and a one-year progress report, 
just issued, shows significant progress.  Work is  also proceeding under the Canada-U.S. Regulatory 
Cooperation Council to increase regulatory transpar ency and coordination between both countries. 
184. But support in the United States for open markets and for further trade liberalization 
continues to come under pressure.  The Secretaria t report underlines that economic recovery in the 
United States remains fragile, with growth slow ing in 2011 and projections for 2012 being recently 
revised downwards.  In this context, continued commi tment to further trade liberalization is, perhaps, 
more important than ever before.  Accordingly, we  urge the United States to continue to demonstrate 
its support for increased trade liberalization to creat e the conditions required by workers, industries, 
and communities to compete in the global marketplace .  As many delegations expressed at yesterday's 
review of developments in the global trading syst em in this Committee, it is incumbent on all WTO 
members to refrain from imposing any new trade restri ctions -- even if such measures meet the letter 
of existing international trade obligations, they ar e trade and growth inhibiting. Ambassador Punke 
talked about deeds versus words in the context of Doha.  That applies equally here: the words in his 
remarks were good, but the test will be in th e actions of Congress and by regulatory agencies. 
185. Specifically, for Canada, given the scope and magn itude of our trade and investment with the 
United States, issues and disputes can be expected to arise.  The U.S. Country of Origin Labelling 
legislation is an example.  Canada is pleased that  the United States has now indicated its intention to 
bring this measure into conformity.  We look forw ard to the U.S. making the required changes to the 
relevant statute, which Canada views as necessary to  comply with the decision of the Appellate Body 
and to restore the integrity of North American livestock sector.  WT/TPR/M/275 
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  186. We welcome the traditional leadership shown by the United States as a champion for open 
markets.  During this time of economic turmoil, with  uncertain prospects for significant growth in the 
near term, the pressures for protectionist measures from those who actively express scepticism 
regarding the benefits of international trade are pa lpable.  We urge the second term Administration to 
continue this leadership. 
SINGAPORE 
187. Bilaterally, Singapore and the United States en joy a robust and warm economic relationship 
underpinned by our shared belief in free trade, a rules-based multilateral trading system and open 
markets.  The depth of our economic relations is signified by the U.S.-Singapore Free Trade 
Agreement of 2003, which ventured well beyond the scope of traditional FTAs to include competition 
rules, IPR, and e-commerce.  The United States is  currently Singapore's 5th largest trading partner 
with a total bilateral trade of US$62.72 billion in  2011, while Singapore is the US' sixth largest 
trading partner in Asia, and largest trading partner in ASEAN. 
188. Investments have also grown. In 2010, the U.S.  was Singapore's second-largest foreign direct 
investor, with a total investment stock of US$55 .08 billion, which was an 18.2% increase over the 
previous year.  US investments were in fina ncial and insurance services, manufacturing, and 
wholesale and retail trade.  US companies based in Singapore include both multinational corporations 
and small and medium sized enterprises, representing a diverse range of industries such as biomedical 
science, information-technology, education, and o il and gas.  The United States was the 8th most 
popular destination for Singapore's outward investments, growing by 7.7% in 2010, mainly 
concentrated in manufacturing, financial services and insurance.  
189. In addition to strong two-way trade and i nvestment linkages have grown, Singapore's 
economic relations with the United States are multi-faceted and wide ranging.  Bilateral 
collaborations are augmented by regional and multila teral platforms like ASEAN, APEC and the East 
Asia Summit. Our current engagement on the Tran s-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP), along with 
eight other countries, is aimed at further deepeni ng economic integration in the Asia-Pacific, through 
a high-quality agreement that further liberalises trade in the region.   
190. Singapore values our partnership with the Unite d States which remains the world's largest 
economy, and home to some of the most entreprene urial organizations in the world.  Despite the 
financial crisis and the various challenges and cliff hangers faced, the U.S.' strong capacity for 
innovation and regeneration provides an enduring resilience.  The U.S. economy has shown a slow 
but steady recovery from the global recession since th e last review. GDP growth recorded in both 
2010 and 2011 with trade surpassing the 2008 peak  levels, although unemployment remained 
stubbornly high.  This recovery can be credited to the policies you pursue for domestic and 
international rebalancing, which encouraged export and investment growth.  The continued recovery 
of the U.S. economy, as a key engine of the global economy, is important to all of us.  
191. We welcome one tenet of U.S. policy which was highlighted for its special emphasis on 
expanding economic and trade opportunities for small businesses through the Small Business 
initiative.  Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) ar e critical engines for economic growth and jobs, 
and SMEs that export tend to grow faster than t hose who only deal domestically.  However, due to 
obvious size constraints, SMEs have a harder time navigating international trade measures and 
burdensome customs procedures.  This is why the tr ansparency and predictability provided for by the 
multilateral trading system is so important.  We ar e therefore encouraged by  the Small Business Jobs 
Act of 2010 to help promote small business exports .  We note that U.S. FTAs also provide 
opportunities for SMEs to expand their trade and investment.  WT/TPR/M/275 
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  192. Amidst a challenging and increasingly complex global economy, the world looks to the 
United States, now more than ever, to be outward -looking, and to continue leading as a champion and 
defender of free trade.  In this context, it is essen tial for the United States to  ensure that its trade 
practices reflect its philosophy which highly values free and open trade.  We therefore hope that the 
U.S. will review its use of those trade remedies which are trade restrictive; and reduce barriers to 
foreign investors in sectors like mining and energy, amongst others. Improving transparency in the 
Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S.' d ecision-making process would also be welcomed.  
Like other, we are also concerned that the 100%  scanning requirements for US-bound maritime and 
air cargo run counter to the principles of trade f acilitation, and urge the United States to seriously 
consider adjusting these requirements.  As a small and open economy that also has to deal with the 
unebbing threat of terrorism, Singapore understa nds the United States' emphasis on safety and 
security.  We believe a careful balance can be struck in  risk management, such that they do not lead to 
onerous measures which could become unintended barriers to traders.  
193. As the world continues to grapple with econom ic uncertainty, the United States' commitment 
to, and leadership within the multilateral trading syst em takes on an even greater significance.  It is 
crucial that the U.S. continues to lead by exam ple to ensure that global trade remains free and 
unencumbered as possible, in order to provide the opportunities for trade-led growth to deliver the 
benefits of development growth and jobs.   
194. I would like, in closing, to acknowledge the im portant role which Ambassador Michael Punke 
and his team play in our collective work in Ge neva, including on the DDA.  We share the U.S.' goal 
of a meaningful outcome at MC9 in Bali.  We therefore appreciate the constructive engagement, and 
look forward to the U.S.' continued contributions to  the negotiations in the months ahead because we 
share the goal of meaningful outcome with U.S.  We wish the United Stat es every success in its 11th 
Trade Policy Review. 
EUROPEAN UNION 
195. As stressed by many speakers, the U.S. trad e and economic policies do have an important 
impact on most of the WTO members gathered today in this room and of course on the EU, the U.S. 
being our first trade partner. The U.S. has the capac ity to influence the agenda on many global issues 
and challenges that are of crucial importance for th e wellbeing of people around the world. With this 
specific influence of the United States comes a special responsib ility – hence the importance we 
attach to this Trade Policy Review.  
196. In this perspective the EU is pleased to note that in its Government report, the U.S. shows 
clear and strong support to this organisation, its daily work and also its ambitions for the future of the 
multilateral trading system. This is very important as it goes without saying that the U.S. will – 
together with other Members of course – play a decisi ve role in the preparati on of our next Ministerial 
Conference. At a time when our organisation is at a crossroad, this gives us the confidence that the 
U.S. will once again be able to demonstrat e positive leadership in 2013 and beyond.  
197. As the U.S. also highlighted in its report, th e EU-US trade relation is the largest and most 
open economic relation in the world, providing for a high level of economic inte gration. Together, the 
European Union and the United States account for about  half of the world GDP and about one third of 
total world trade. Transatlantic markets are deep ly integrated through large flows of trade and 
investment.  
198. Recognising this, a High-Level Working Group on  Jobs and Growth was established at the 
EU-US summit in 2011. This High-Level Working Group is currently exploring how best to 
strengthen our transatlantic ties in a way that woul d not only enhance cooperation in relation to third 
countries but would also contribute to foster the role of the WTO multilateral system. The EU is  WT/TPR/M/275 
 Page 31 
 
 
  indeed convinced that the current global ec onomic challenges require  multilateral cooperative 
solutions that the WTO should provide and the EU will continue working to that end also in the 
framework of its bilateral relation with the U.S.  
199. As said earlier, this Trade Policy Review offers an opportunity to address certain important 
developments in the U.S. trade policy since its last re view so allow me, to turn to a few specific trade 
policy measures that have been subject to the EU advanced written questions and that, for some of 
them, are not new.  
200. The EU welcomes the EU-U.S. mutual recognition of each other's trusted traders in the area 
of supply chain security, for both maritime and air tr ansport. We hope that th is success could pave the 
way for addressing our concerns on legislation im posing 100% scanning of cargoes as this has only 
been suspended temporarily.  
201. In addition, the EU has recurrent and well know n concerns in the sanitary and phytosanitary 
area, notably the U.S. import restrictions for de boned EU beef and beef pr oducts on grounds of BSE 
risk, which the U.S. maintains since 1997. This measur e is not in line with international standards set 
by the International Organization for Animal Health (OIE) nor is it substantiated by scientific reasons. 
The EU exporters also face barriers to exports for plant and plant products, some applications for 
which have been pending for more than 20 years. 
202. On agricultural policy, we would like to register our concerns on instruments currently 
envisaged in the future Farm Bill,  as they would seem to lead to an  increase of U.S. trade-distorting 
support. In addition, we wish to warn against the use, and the establishment of new marketing orders 
which could create unnecessary additional delays and costs for imported products, notably by 
imposing testing on all consignments. 
203. Moving on to public procurement, our concern w ith existing Buy American provisions is well 
known by now, but what worries us the most is th at we observe a recurring tendency to include Buy 
American provisions in new or upcoming legislatio n despite G20 commitments to keep markets open. 
In some instances, these provisions are also replicat ed at State procurement level. These send negative 
signals to other trading nations and we have regrettably started to see Buy Local requirements being 
adopted by other countries. And this is somethi ng of a paradox, because in the current economic and 
financial downturn we fail to see how limiting co mpetition could be in the interest of public 
customers, end-consumers or even shrinking public budgets. 
NEW ZEALAND 
204. The United States, as the world's largest economy and a major trading nation, plays a critical 
role in this organisation through the strong contri bution it makes both to setting and maintaining open 
and transparent trade rules, and to promoting a nd achieving further global trade liberalisation.   
205. And as a country that firmly supports the mu ltilateral trading system and the benefits it 
brings, New Zealand appreciates the key role the U.S.  has traditionally played in this regard since the 
inception of the WTO and in the GATT before that.  
206. The United States is New Zealand's third largest trading partner, and this year marks the 70th 
year of diplomatic relations betw een our countries.  We have a rich  and varied relationship that is 
supported by cooperation between businesses thr ough trade in goods and services, investment, 
education and tourism.    
207. Active U.S. participation and leadership in th e WTO, and close engagement with other key 
players and the broader membership to achieve furt her gains in multilateral trade negotiations - as we WT/TPR/M/275 
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  look toward the Bali Ministerial and beyond - rema ins vital to the future wellbeing of this 
organisation. We would commend and further encourage the commitment by the United States to trade liberalisation and the strengthening of the multil ateral trading system as we seek to advance the 
WTO's negotiating function.   
208. As our discussant has pointed out, the United Stat es, in charting a slow but steady recovery 
from the global financial crisis, has turned deliber ately to the opportunities offered through increasing 
global trade. New Zealand notes here the successful progress of the United States National Export 
Initiative, which has shown the valuable impact of  international trade on domestic economic growth 
and job creation, and we are interested in learning more about the United States experience with this 
initiative.  
209. As with many other members, the Secretariat re port also identifies areas where there is room 
for further improvement in trade policy settings. For example in the areas of goods,  as Brazil has 
highlighted,  the  report notes that tariff peaks remain including in sectors such as textiles and apparel, 
and that transparency could be improved through a shift to ad valorem tariffs. 
210. It will come as no surprise that New Zealand also  takes a keen interest in the evolution of 
U.S. agricultural trade policy.  We have followe d the 2012 Farm Bill process with interest and are 
interested in learning more about how the U.S. sees this legislation progressing in coming months.  
We are also interested to know future plans in r espect of policy instrument s such as the Dairy Export 
Incentive Programme, and also in wh at measures the U.S. may be contemplating in order to reverse 
the trend of increasing total Amber Box payments.  New Zealand recognizes the positive progress that 
has been in reforming some distortive agricultura l subsidies over the past decade.  But there are 
clearly a number of questions that remain about pote ntial changes to agricultural policies.  We would 
therefore join other members in encouraging th e United States to pursue much-needed reforms in 
agriculture.  
211. New Zealand also encourages the United States to continue considering ways to bring a 
greater level of transparency to the large number of sub-federal measures and regulations that impact 
on international trade. 
212. Turning to the area of RTAs, in the period u nder review, we note that the United States has 
also ratified and brought into force three free trad e agreements, with Panama , Colombia, and Republic 
of Korea. In addition, the United States has been a participant in negotiations towards a Trans-Pacific 
Partnership, with New Zealand and nine othe r WTO members.  All TPP participants share a 
commitment to concluding a comprehensive, ne xt-generation regional agreement which addresses 
both new and traditional trade issues and 21st century challenges. 
213. Finally, New Zealand appreciates the active role the U.S. plays in the Asia Pacific Economic 
Cooperation (APEC) group to help build consensus ar ound initiatives that could have application far 
beyond the boundaries of the Asia-Pacific. These ini tiatives include a mechanism to report progress 
on fossil fuels subsidy reform, and an agreement by APEC leaders unilaterally to eliminate or reduce 
tariffs on a list of environmental goods. APEC rema ins an important incubator of ideas within the 
Asia-Pacific region that can also help push the global trade agenda forward. 
214. In conclusion, New Zealand welcomes the reaffirmation by the U.S. of its commitment to 
advance multilateral trade liberalization and to fight protectionism. 
COLOMBIA 
215. The United States economy is showing significant signs of recovery by recording an average 
growth in GDP of 2.2% in the years 2010 and 2011,  following the severe contraction of 3.9% in 2009.  WT/TPR/M/275 
 Page 33 
 
 
  However, it is still not achieving the pre-crisis leve ls of dynamism and stability. This situation is 
largely attributable to the fragile condition of th e global economy, but is also a consequence of the 
enormous uncertainty generated by the results of the budgetary negotiations between the Government 
and the Congress of the United States to reduce the fiscal deficit. 
216. Noteworthy among the steps taken to rebalan ce the economy are the efforts to reduce the 
current account deficit, in such a way that growth depends less on dom estic consumption and 
construction and becomes more closely linked with exports and investment. In this connection, in 
2010, the current Government established the Na tional Export Initiative, which seeks to double 
exports in five years, and the Export Contro l Reform Initiative. These measures appear to be 
producing results considering the significant increase in exports in the last two years (16% in 2011). 
217. However, the trade deficit has not fallen, due to the higher value of imports. This result is 
largely attributable to high oil prices. 
218. There were no major changes in the trade po licy of the United States during the review 
period. Tariffs are generally low, but high levels of protection are being maintained in some sectors 
such as agriculture, footwear, and textiles and clothing, sectors of great interest for the 
developing countries. 
219. The agricultural support programmes that form part of the United States' Farm Bill should 
have been reviewed in the second half of 2012; howe ver, that review was pos tponed. Considering the 
huge importance of the United States for world trad e in agricultural products, these programmes have 
notable consequences for global agricultural producti on and trade. We are therefore closely following 
the development and scope of these measures, out of concern that they should not only be consistent 
with multilateral commitments but also directed towards promoting market action as a tool for the 
allocation of resources in the sector. It would theref ore be extremely useful to learn from the United 
States authorities the nature of the policies and prosp ects that are guiding the reform of the Farm Bill. 
220. We recognize the leadership of the United States  in the WTO and its key role in the success 
of the Doha Round negotiations. We are relying on its initiative and contributions to arrive at a viable 
conclusion of the negotiations which, it should be noted, have made substantial progress and need the 
leadership of the world's principa l economies to ensure that the pro cess is successfully concluded. The 
next ministerial meeting in Bali offers a crucial oppor tunity to reaffirm the authority of the WTO over 
the global economy by means of specific commitments  that facilitate trade and give a decisive 
impetus to the Doha Round. 
221. Colombia maintains very dynamic trading rela tions with the United States. Bilateral trade 
exceeded US$34 billion in 2011 and produced a substa ntial trade surplus in favour of Colombia, 
thanks mainly to increased hydrocarbon exports. The Free Trade Agreement signed in 2006, which 
establishes liberalization commitments in, among other things, goods, services, investment, intellectual property, government procurement, tec hnical standards and unfair practices, entered into 
force on 15 May last. We expect these opening-up  commitments not only to  intensify trade and 
investment but also to provide a solid basis for a gr eater diversification of our trade relations, so as to 
promote entrepreneurial creativity and skilled employment, which will ultimately promote the 
economic and social devel opment of our economies. 
MEXICO 
222. The trade policy of the United States was last reviewed in 2009, a year in which the world 
suffered one of the worst ever international economic crises whose c onsequences we are still 
experiencing. We acknowledge the efforts which, si nce then, the Government of the United States has 
been making to stabilize its financial market and stimulate economic growth. WT/TPR/M/275 
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  223. The stabilization measures, such as the funds fo r purchasing the shares of banks and industrial 
corporations and financial stimulus packages, w ill help the economy to r ecover rapidly. All these 
measures, combined with a new regulatory framewo rk for financial transactions, a reduction in the 
household and financial sector debt, and an increas e in business investment, have made it possible for 
GDP to grow at an average rate of 2.2% between  2010 and today. For 2013, the IMF is projecting 
growth of about 2.75%, but this could be threaten ed by the weakness of household balance sheets, the 
relatively restrictive financial conditions, and fiscal consolidation, factors which could prevent more 
dynamic growth. 
224. The 2011 Budget Control Act, which contains me asures for controlling the public deficit, 
could create various risks for economic growth. Th e so-called "fiscal cliff" could result in the 
withdrawal of fiscal resources equivalent to more than 4% of GDP in 2013, which would lead to 
economic stagnation. We have no doubt that the va rious political forces will be able to reach an 
agreement that allows the United States economy to  continue along the path of growth. Given the 
large contribution made by exports to Mexico's ec onomic growth, it is of fundamental importance for 
my country that the United States should maintain a sound and growing economy. 
225. On the other hand, despite ha ving generated 4.4 million jobs since 2010, the United States has 
not been able to create employment opportunitie s for almost 9% of its labour force, nor has 
it succeeded in getting back to the employment levels th at existed before the crisis. This is one of the 
main challenges that will have to be faced in th e next few years. We applaud the recent announcement 
of measures by the Federal Reserve to drastically reduce unemployment, although we consider that it 
is also necessary to apply expansionist fiscal measures that help to create infrastructure and 
production capacity, while the deficit is being re duced by cutbacks in expenditure under other 
headings. 
226. As for foreign trade, it has shown itself to be  increasingly dynamic. Imports and exports of 
goods, which rose in 2010 and 2011, have manage d to exceed the maximum levels of 2008. 
However, the trade deficit expanded during these year s, albeit without reaching the levels of 2008. 
The United States is the world's leading exporter of  services and its export levels made it possible to 
increase the trade surplus in 2011. In  any event, the trade balance is not an indicator of a country's 
economic health. The problem is when the extern al imbalances are the reflection of internal 
imbalances. 
227. For Mexico, the behaviour of the United States  economy is of fundamental importance, since 
on it depends to a large extent the performance of  Mexico's own economy. There is an historical 
integration between the economy of the United St ates and that of my own country, which was 
doubtless strengthened by the entry into force of the NAFTA in 1994. Currently, the United States 
and Mexico, together with nine other countries of the Asia-Pacific region, are participating in the 
negotiation of an ambitious Trans-Pacific Partnershi p trade agreement, which will serve to make our 
trade relations even closer. 
228. The United States continues to be our main tr ading partner. In 2011, the United States 
received a substantial share of Mexico's exports  while, for the United States, Mexico was its 
third-biggest export market for goods, after the Eur opean Union and Canada. To mention just a few 
figures, since the entry into force of the NAFTA, there has been an approximately fivefold increase 
in Mexican exports to the United States. 
229. In 2011, exports of goods from Mexico to the United States amounted to about 
US$274 billion, a figure which makes my country its fourth-biggest supplier, after only China, the 
European Union and Canada. Moreover, the Unite d States continues to be our leading foreign 
investor. In 2011, it was the source of 55% of foreign investment in Mexico.  WT/TPR/M/275 
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  230. With regard to tariff protection, the MFN rat es applied by the United States have remained 
stable for several years. In 2012, the simple average rate was 4.7% and that applied to the agricultural 
sector 8.5%. We are concerned about  the high level of protection for the agricultural sector provided 
through domestic support programmes,  which have increased in recent years, in both the green and 
amber boxes. According to the OECD's 2011 ag ricultural policy review, support for producers 
represented 7% of total agricultural income in 2010 , which is low compared with the OECD average 
(18%). However, the absolute value of the estim ated support was the highest among the countries that 
make up the OECD (US$133 billion in 2010). 
231. In relation to the longstanding trade dispute which we have had with the United States 
concerning road transport, Ambassa dor Fernando de Mateo does not wish to have to request the return 
of the truck he gave to Ambassador Punke in this very Body when b ilateral road trade was liberalized. 
It is clear that the programme is not working as it should and the sword of Damocles is hanging over it in the form of the pressure exerted by interest groups defending their incomes to the detriment of 
trade. 
232. In relation to the dispute over tomatoes, we hope  that the negotiations which began in January 
last year will succeed in keeping the channe ls open for exports of Mexican tomatoes to 
the United States. Tomatoes are the main ag ricultural product exported from Mexico to 
the United States. Hence the importance of maintaining the commitments allowing free trade in this product. 
233. Concerning the Doha Round, as my delegation h as been repeating in the various bodies of 
this Organization, Mexico is ready to step up the pace in order, with other Members, to achieve the 
objectives set out in the Elements for Political Guid ance of the Eighth Ministerial Meeting, including 
continuing to explore different ne gotiating approaches to advance the Round in those areas in which 
progress can be achieved as a contribution to the conclusion of the single undertaking. In this 
connection, Mexico considers it fundamental that at the Bali Ministerial Conference we are able to 
produce a first deliverable and we therefore urge all Members to do their utmost for a substantial first 
result at next December's Bali Ministerial Conference , a task for which the leadership of the United 
States will be crucial. 
ICELAND 
234. This is now your 11th review, underlining the significance of the United States economy for 
global trade and growth. I welcome your "abiding commitment" to the multilateral trading system, to 
quote directly from your national report. This will cer tainly be needed in the months and years ahead, 
as all of us will be required to translate rhetoric in to specific deeds if we are to sustain any hope of 
advancing the Doha Agenda. I certainly look forward to  working closely with you to achieve that aim. 
235. Many states claim to have a special relationship with the United States, and Iceland certainly 
falls into that category. A relationship once domi nated by military defense during the Cold War has 
gradually evolved into a much broader and mature cooperation. Outside of Europe, the United States 
is our most important trading partner. The numbers say it all. Trade in merchandise goods accounts for 11% of imports and 3. 7% exports; and trade in services account  for 12.4% of imports and 18% of 
exports. The latter can be increased further throu gh, for example, the U.S. led initiative for a 
plurilateral services agreement. Along with some ot her really good friends, we have high hopes that 
this process will lead to an ambitious ou tcome fully compatible with the GATS. 
236. The U.S. is also one of the largest foreign i nvestors in Iceland, primarily in the aluminum 
sector but also increasingly in the tourism sector, where we now welcome more than 50,000 U.S. 
visitors annually. The framework for this coopera tion was further bolstered in 2009 with the signing 
of a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement.  WT/TPR/M/275 
Page 36  
 
  237. But every relationship has its challenges and we are no different. In our case, there are two 
specific and enduring points of friction. The first is the U.S. import prohibition on eider down. We're talking about small time production by local farmer s that have developed an inspired system of 
harvesting shed feathers of the Eider duck in a su stainable fashion; one that is recognized by WTO 
members throughout the world. Given the lack of scien tific evidence to justify such an import ban, we 
would ask the United States to reconsider its position.    
238. The second is the so-called E-visa program, wh ich the United States extends to some – but 
not all – WTO members. This means that investors and traders from countries like ours are at an 
automatic disadvantage compared to others. We w ould ask the U.S. about its plans to extend the 
E-visa program or at least ensure a level playing field for all WTO members.  
239. Finally, our U.S. friends questioned Iceland's whal ing policy at our last trade policy review in 
November. I am tempted to return the favor, given th at their overall catch is much bigger than ours, 
but I will refrain for now. 
CHINA 
240. Among the Trade Policy Reviews of all Members, this Review for the U.S. obviously arouses 
most interests and participation. The reason is very clear. For long Members and this organization 
holds high expectations on the U.S. that it would take  the lead to respect the WTO rules, to safeguard 
the global economy by resisting protectionism, to st rengthen the function of this organization through 
DDA and to bring benefits to developing  countries while harvesting its own.  
241. The Government Report of the U.S. for this Re view tried to respond to these expectations by 
stating that the U.S. trade policy pursues market opening and trade liberalization, the U.S. remains 
committed to preserving and enhancing the WTO' s irreplaceable role as the primary forum for 
multilateral trade liberalization, for the developmen t and enforcement of global trade rules, and as a 
key bulwark against protectionism.  
242. However, in many Members' view, it is a questi on whether the practice of the U.S. in the past 
two years have lived up to its statements of polic y orientation. One case that has precipitated such 
questions is, when strong leadership of the U.S. is  most needed at the multilateral front, the U.S. 
seemed to have deviated from the policy orienta tion as it stated. Regional and bilateral initiatives 
obviously have prioritized over multilateral initiati ves. We do not know whether it is just a 
coincidence, or a true manifestation of this view that the Government Report of the U.S. prepared for 
this review does devote more pages to regional and bilateral efforts than to its multilateral work.  
243. Meanwhile, though the U.S. has achieved a co mparatively transparent and open trading 
regime, there are still numerous areas where improveme nt is much needed. Thes e include some issues 
that are of particular concern to developing countri es and LDCs and of systemic significance to this 
organization.  
244. Agriculture is definitely one of such issues. As noted in the Secretariat Report, the U.S. is for 
long the biggest agriculture exporter with a large ag riculture trade surplus. But regrettably, such a 
performance of the U.S. agriculture  has been attributed to enormo us domestic support. Members all 
demand that this distortion must be addressed to level playing field for farmers from developing 
countries. On this, Cotton should be particularly  mentioned, which vividly demonstrate how key 
interests of developing countries are seriously undermined. 
245. On tariffs, the Secretariat Report noted that, wh ile 37% of the U.S. tariff lines are duty free, 
7% of them are tariff peaks, mostly on products of interests to developing countries, such as textiles 
and clothing, agricultural products and footwear.   WT/TPR/M/275 
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  246. It is also well-known in this house that the U. S. has problematic record in bringing its laws 
and practices into compliance with the rulings of  the DSB. The importance of the U.S. behaving 
responsibly in this pillar of the multilateral trading system can never be overstated.  
247. I will refrain from going further with all the details  of our concerns, which are reflected by the 
questions we raised. Just to name a few, such con cerns include the abuse of trade remedies, refusal of 
investment projects based on ideological reasons, di scriminative export contro l regime and practices, 
selective quarantine measures and regulatory measures with restrictive impact on trade in services. 
248. Finally, please allow me to come back to the U.S. role in this organization, particularly in the 
DDA negotiations. Now the dust of the election season has settled, the economy is witnessing a 
momentum of recovery, albeit slow, and the employm ent shows some signs of improvement. It is our 
sincere hope that, with the improvement of both do mestic political and economic  situation, our U.S. 
colleagues could reprioritize the multilateral system  and reengage in the DDA in a more proactive 
approach. We welcome the encouraging statements of  the U.S. recently on their willingness to play a 
leading role for credible deliverables by MC9 and on  their firm commitment to continue to work for 
the conclusion of the whole DDA afterwards.  
249. China and the U.S. are important partners to each other, both bilaterally and multilaterally. 
Today and tomorrow, the China-U.S. Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade will hold its 23rd 
Session in Washington, and some of the issues and concerns we raised during this review will also be 
discussed there. Places are different, but the aspiratio n is common, that we look forward to continuing 
our cooperation with the U.S. to find solutions for all these issues. 
JAPAN 
250. While welcoming the moderate recovery in the U.S., given the downside  risks to the outlook 
stemming from external and domestic uncertainties as well as the systemic importance of the U.S. to 
the global economy, we are of the view that removing the uncertainty rooted by the "fiscal cliff" is 
critical. Also, it is important to restore medium term  fiscal sustainability with a balanced approach to 
consolidation. 
251. Then, on trade policy front, Japan commends the U. S. efforts for trade liberalization through 
FTAs with its trading partners as well as its vari ous initiatives here in Geneva. Also, Japan highly 
appreciates its endeavor to resist protectioni st pressure, in and outside of the country. 
252. While recognizing that the U.S. amended the DOC rule to abandon the use of zeroing in 
compliance with the decision of the DSB, Japan still has concerns with several U.S. anti-dumping 
practices such as Sunset reviews: the longest meas ure against Japanese export is 34 years old, and the 
average length of measures is 18 years. Japan request s the U.S. to avoid the simple rollover of the 
measures and to immediately revoke  the unjustifiably long measures. 
253. Intellectual Property. Japan appreciates the U.S. for the improvement of its patent system with 
the promulgation of the new law, in September 2011.   Japan particularly welcomes the improvements 
on various issues with which it had been raising con cerns for many decades, including first-to-invent 
system, the reexamination system, and Hilmer Doctrine. 
254. Japan has concerns on the possible strengthening of the regulations by the introduction of 
FDA Food Security Act, enacted last year.  The Act contains some ambiguous provisions where 
implementing laws and regu lations have not been prepared by the time such provisions entered into 
force. Some other provisions, which will enter into force in the near future, contain heavy regulations, 
such as the introduction of the requirement of so called "Hazardous Analysis and Risk-Based 
Preventive Controls," which may heavily affect th e operations of food processing facilities outside of WT/TPR/M/275 
Page 38  
 
  the U.S., including those in Japan.  The U.S. is re quested to enhance transparency and predictability 
through making public in advance th e relevant laws and regulations so  that foreign companies will be 
able to make preparations in advance.  
255. Fourth, maritime transport. Japan is concerned about the new requirement to fully examine all 
the containers destined to the U.S., which will be  introduced no later than July 2014. While Japan 
understands the objective of the anti-terrorist measure , it is expected that such measures will not be 
overly trade restrictive. 
256. In addition, Japan continues to request the U.S. to eliminate the obligation in the Jones Act to 
use US made ship for the cabotage.   
257. Finally, procedure to extend visas.  When Japan ese working in the U.S. renew their visas, 
they must go back to Japan or go to other countries ou tside of the U.S. to apply the renewal at the U.S. 
Embassy or Consulate office in charge.  These procedures are cumbersome and are creating some 
negative operational effect to some of the Japanese companies. Japan requests the U.S. to improve the 
system so that foreigners can apply their visa renewals within the U.S. 
INDIA 
258. As the world's largest economy with a GDP of US$15 trillion, merchandise trade worth 
US$3.7 trillion and cumulative FDI of US$2.9 trillion, the U.S. is the single most important player on 
the global economic scene. Given its size and linka ges, any developments in the U.S. economy are 
bound to have repercussions for the rest of the world.  We are, therefore, encouraged to note that the 
U.S. economy continued to make slow but steady r ecovery from the recession of 2009 recording an 
average annual growth rate of 2.2.% during the period under review, driven largely by consumer 
spending, private investment and exports. Though un employment continued to be high at 9%, the U.S. 
economy added over 4 million jobs du ring this period. Rebalancing remained an important policy 
priority, with increased focus on exports and inv estment for achieving balanced growth. The National 
Export Initiative launched in 2010 to  double exports by the end of 2014, pushed U.S. exports to a 
historic high of 13.8% of the GDP.  
259. We recognize that despite th ese positive signals, the U.S. economy continues to remain 
vulnerable to global economic conditions. A number of fiscal stimulus measures were implemented 
by the U.S. to mitigate the impact of the cris is. While some of these measures are winding down, 
others continue to play an important role in th e ongoing recovery like the American Recovery and 
Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) and the Troubled Asset Relief Programme (TARP) of 2008. We 
hope that these measures will be lifted once the U. S. economy settles down into a more predictable 
growth path.   
260. The U.S. is India's third largest trading partne r with a total bilateral trade of approximately 
US$60 billion recorded in 2011-12 reflecting a 30% incr ease over the previous year. It is also the 5th 
largest investor in India with cumulative investments of US$10.8 billion in steel, business services, automobiles, electricity generation and banking.  Indo-U.S. relations have become increasingly 
broad-based covering cooperation in a wide range of trade and commercial areas.  
261. However, a few areas of systemic concern pers ist. Several new laws have been implemented 
or are in the process of being implemented by the U.S. which could have serious implications for its 
trading partners. These include: (i) The FDA Food  Safety Modernization Act which imposes a 
considerable administrative and cost burden on  food exporters, (ii) The Foreign Account Tax 
Compliance Act which would require Foreign Financ ial Institutions (FFIs) to report information on 
U.S. accounts to the IRS increasing compliance cost s as well as acting as a market access barrier 
(iii) The Foreign Manufacturers Legal Accountability Act requiring foreign manufacturers to register  WT/TPR/M/275 
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  a U.S. based agent and consent to personal jurisdic tion in federal and state courts which could prove 
prohibitively expensive and shut out SMEs from ex porting to the U.S., and (iv) The James Zadroga 
Health and Compensation Act which seeks to cr eate a federal excise tax on foreign entities.  
262. The Buy America provisions of the American  Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009 
(ARRA) impose a domestic content requirement for infrastructure projects. Domestic content requirements are also imposed by many cities and water utilities asking for 100% domestically 
manufactured materials. 
263. The U.S. maintains TRQs on several agricultu ral products and significant tariff peaks in 
sectors such as footwear, leather, textiles and clothi ng as well as in agriculture, which impact exports 
from India. Though the simple average U.S. tariff rema ins relatively low at 4.7%, the tariff structure is 
quite dispersed and complex. 37% of tariff lines  are duty free while 7% have peaks like tobacco 
where tariff is as high as 350%.  
264. On the TBT side, technical regulations a nd conformity assessment procedures are quite 
complex and set out in a number of laws, regulat ions and guidelines. We encourage the U.S. to 
recognize and implement international standards which would help reduce regulatory barriers to trade.  
265. There is a lack of uniformity in the U.S. rules of origin for non-preferential trade and we urge 
the U.S. to harmonize them. The increasing number of FTAs has led to further proliferation of 
differing rules of origin, their complexities and lack  of transparency. Furthe r, intensive border checks 
which require 100% scanning and pre-screening of ma ritime containers add to the transaction time 
and cost of shipments.  
266. We believe that the U.S. initiatives to promote TRIPS plus obligations, like the 
Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) and the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), tend to 
undermine the TRIPS agreement and the multilateral trading system. 
267. India had posed several questions to the U.S.  delegation and is thankful for the replies 
received. We would like to highlight a few of th e bilateral concerns here. The U.S. decision to 
substantially increase the visa fee for H1B and L1 visas for companies under the 50:50 rule, is having 
adverse consequences for Indian IT companies based in the U.S. and is preventing more investments 
and scaling up.  
268. Further, the application of SPS measures is ha mpering exports of agricultural products like 
basmati rice and Indian fruits to  the U.S. We urge the U.S. to fix specific MRLs based on scientific 
studies to enable the smooth export of these pr oducts from India. Additionally, India remains 
interested in a revised TRQ allocation regime fo r tobacco, as the present one prevents exporters like 
India from competing and accessing the quota on an equal footing.  
269. I would like to emphasize the extremely important role of the U.S. in the WTO and in the 
DDA negotiations. We hope the U.S. will demonstrat e the necessary political will and leadership in 
the coming months to deliver on the development di mension of the Doha Round and help to conclude 
it. 
COSTA RICA 
270. Costa Rica wishes to stress the contribution of  the United States and its leadership towards 
"preserving and enhancing the WTO's irreplaceable role as the primary forum for multilateral trade 
liberalization", as stated in its trade policy progr amme. Costa Rica values the joint work of our 
delegations in the various areas of operation of th e WTO, in particular services, the Information 
Technology Agreement and trade facilitation. WT/TPR/M/275 
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  271. Certainly, Costa Rica and United States are count ries that are very close, with mature trade 
and investment relations that have been strengthe ned and are continuing to expand as a result of the 
entry into force in Costa Rica of the CAFTA-DR on 1 January 2009. The United States is Costa Rica's 
main trading partner. Thus, in 2011 it was the d estination for 38% of our exports and the source of 
48% of our imports. Between 2000 and 2011, bilateral trade grew at an average annual rate of 6%. 
272. At the same time, the United States is the ma in source of the foreign direct investment 
received by Costa Rica. In 2011, some 61% of the foreign direct investment flows entering Costa Rica came from the United States. 
273. I would like to draw particular attention to various aspects of the Secretariat report and the 
report of the Government of the United States: 
 We welcome the recovery experienced by the economy of the United States. Although this 
recovery has been slow, the economy is show ing encouraging signs, thanks to increases in 
consumer spending, business fixed investment  and exports. Howeve r, the federal budget 
deficit, which is still at high levels (between 8 and 9% of GDP), continues to give cause for 
concern. 
 
 There has been a notable increase in exports  of goods and services which, despite the 
difficulties of the world economy, are again reaching record levels. 
 
 The United States maintains one of the most open trade regimes, with an MFN average tariff 
of 3.5%, or 1.34% if the duties applied unde r preference schemes are taken into account. 
 
 Even though the merchandise trade of the Unite d States still shows a substantial deficit, the 
services trade balance continues to register a growing surplus. 
 
 It is worth underlining the contribution of the United States to Aid for Trade and the active 
role it has played in that initia tive in the WTO. In this context, we would like to stress the 
initiatives undertaken by the United States in trad e facilitation, in particular those carried out 
in conjunction with the countries of Central Am erica with the aim of addressing the priority 
requirements in the area of customs, logistics and supply chains, and technical standards. In 
addition, we welcome, among other things, th e announcement by the United States in 
November 2011 of the Partnership for Trade F acilitation, a flexible funding mechanism that 
will support developing countries' efforts to  implement provisions of the WTO trade 
facilitation agreement curre ntly under negotiation. 
 
 The Secretariat report notes that since the last Review there have been no major changes in 
United States agricultural policies. In view of its relative importance fo r trade in agricultural 
products, Costa Rica urges the United States to  consider the potential impact on world 
markets of its policy decisions in this sector and to ensure that its future legislation does not 
reverse the progress made with the ag ricultural trade reform process. 
274. Costa Rica has submitted a series of questions to  the United States in the context of this 
Trade Policy Review, on topics such as financial ser vices, investment promotion, tariff nomenclature, 
quantitative restrictions and import prohibitions, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, competition 
and environmental services. We appreciate the attent ion it has given them and will carefully study its 
replies.  WT/TPR/M/275 
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  SEPARATE CUSTOMS TERRITORY OF TAIWAN, PENGHU, KINMEN AND MATSU 
275. Given its extremely important role in shaping in ternational trade relations and influencing the 
rate of global economic growth, the Separate Cu stoms Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and 
Matsu is very pleased to have heard today that  the U.S. economy has rebounded and maintained a 
slow but steady recovery since the last Trade Polic y Review. We are also pleased to have assurances 
from the U.S. government of its intentions to con tinue pursuing trade liberalization that enhances the 
rules-based trading system, while at the same time  maintaining open market policies that are widely 
beneficial to all WTO Members. The determination by the United States to resist protectionism and 
explore new avenues for trade expansion that cont ribute to both economic recovery and job creation, 
is very welcome news indeed. However, we are s till concerned at the increased frequency of use by 
the U.S. of trade remedy measures, such as anti-dum ping, and the fact that trade restrictions still 
remain in place in some areas. 
276. We are glad to see progress by the U.S. in addressing its current domestic fiscal and debt 
challenges, which threaten its ability to take full advantage of future innova tion and new investment 
opportunities.  As globalization continues to redu ce the significance of national boundaries across the 
world, the United States' domestic fiscal and debt  issues become more closely interlinked with 
fluctuations in the global capital market, which drives the new areas of competitiveness. We very 
much hope that, through the far-reaching measures  being implemented by the U.S. Government, 
conditions will soon be in place for both the U.S. and the world's economy to return to a period of renewed growth and dynamism. 
277. On the multilateral front, we welcome the U.S. 's reaffirmation of its firm commitment to 
compliance with WTO obligations, and to its leader ship role in the multilateral trading system. We 
ourselves have been working, together with the U. S., on fresh approaches, as instructed by the 8th 
Ministerial Conference, to exploring further libera lization in areas such as Services and the ITA. We 
have also seen evidence of some convergence on trade facilitation and development issues emerging 
among Members recently.  Looking ahead to the Bali Mi nisterial Conference at the end of next year, 
the U.S.'s strong commitment to this organization and its leadership role will be a key factor in 
Members' upcoming work to develop a deliverable package to the MC9, which will hopefully be the 
stepping stone to final completion of the Doha negotiations.    
278. The Separate Customs Territory of Ta iwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu enjoy a 
long-standing and fruitful cooperative relationship w ith the U.S. on investment and trade, and we 
work closely together in numerous ways to e xpand industrial cooperation a nd related activities. The 
U.S. is our third largest trading partner and our larg est source of FDI.  We are the U.S.'s 10th largest 
trading partner, and the second biggest consumer ma rket for U.S. agricultural products on a per capita 
basis.  
279. We look forward to further strengthening our economic cooperation with the U.S. in the 
future, through continued bilateral dialogue and mu ltilateral negotiations.  We have already addressed 
a number of questions to the U.S. in writing on sp ecific aspects of trade policy in which we have 
particular interests or concerns. Thank you very mu ch for your responses received today, which we 
shall study carefully and return to later if necessary. 
THAILAND 
280. Thailand fully associates itself with the A SEAN statement previously delivered by 
Ambassador Kwok Fook Seng of Sing apore.  We welcome the clo ser economic cooperation between 
ASEAN and the United States through the launch  of the ASEAN-US Trade and Investment 
Framework Agreement or TIFA and the Expanded Economic Engage ment (or E3) initiative. This 
promising future closer tie between ASEAN and th e United States has been confirmed recently by WT/TPR/M/275 
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  Undersecretary Robert D. Hormats of Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment with 
Bloomberg Hong Kong on 7 December 2012.  Under secretary Hormats also st ated that ASEAN will 
be an important recipient of American exports under President Obama's National Export Initiative. 
281. Thailand appreciates our bilateral trade relationshi p with the United States.  The U.S. is our 
third trade partner, after Japan and China, with  total trade value in 2011 at US$35.18 billion, 
increasing from 2010 by 13.92%.  The United States is our third biggest export market and the import 
value from the U.S. ranks fourth for Thailand.  
282. President Obama's visit to Thailand in Nove mber confirms our bilateral longstanding 
relationship, and our diplomatic relationship will celebrate the 180t h anniversary next year.  The 
discussions between President Obama and Prime Mini ster Shinawatra during his visit covered wide 
range of issues, from trade and investment, globa l economic stability and sustainability, and regional 
peace and securities, to name a few. 
283. As indicated in the Secretariat Report, the Un ited States' economic recovery has been slow 
but steady, but that does not push back her role in multilateral trading system.  We appreciate the 
United States' active participation in all areas of the DDA negotiations, her global and regional 
preference programmes for developing countries, and trade-related technical assistance.   
284. Thailand would like to express some of our con cerns regarding the measures and policies of 
the United States, for instance, the latest modifica tion of the "zeroing" practice which still allows the 
use of zeroing where appropriate, the application of  the Lacey Act which could potentially harm trade 
of developing countries, and the high average tariff on agricultural products and some major 
agricultural policies. 
INDONESIA 
285. Indonesia thanks the U.S. delegation for the in formative replies to our written questions for 
further examination. Indonesia nevertheless remains concern with some of U.S. Trade Policies that 
are yet in line with its obligations to the WTO ru les, mainly on clove cigarettes and palm oil.  
286. On U.S.-Clove Cigarettes case, the U.S. and Indonesia had agreed to follow-up the decision 
of Panel and Appellate Body on 24 April 2012. We understand that the U.S. is still working on the 
follow up of the decision as informed during th e DSB meeting yesterday. While the U.S. has 
reasonable period to implement the WTO rulings un til 24 July 2013, Indonesia is closely following 
the progress of the implementation and looking forwar d to seeing the United States to act consistently 
with the recommendations and rulings made  by the Appellate Body and Panel.  
287. On the palm oil issue, The U.S. Environmenta l Protection Agency (EPA) has recently issued 
a preliminary Notice of Data Availability (NODA) indicating that biodiesel and renewable diesel from Indonesia's palm oil, do not meet the lifecycle gr eenhouse gas (GHG) reduction thresholds, which is 
set by the U.S. renewable fuel standard (RFS).  
288. The introduction of this threshold standard in the U.S. trade related policy has been a great 
concern of Indonesia, as it may contribute to a trad e barrier. As one of the biggest exporters of 
palm-based products in the world, such measures wi ll affect significantly our export to U.S. As we 
understand that the analysis is still preliminary,  Indonesia has also shown its full cooperation by 
submitting information to contend EPA  preliminary analysis. Indonesia hopes that the final decision 
shall base on scientific evidence. 
289. Indonesia is confident that the United States will en sure its trade related policies to be in line 
with the WTO provisions. We acknowledge the import ant role of the United States in strengthening  WT/TPR/M/275 
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  the multilateral trading system and therefore it is very  pertinent in contributing to the deliverables of 
MC-9 in Bali as well as the overall conclusion of DDA.  
ISRAEL  
290. Israel welcomes Ambassador Michael Punke as he ad of delegation, as well as the rest of the 
delegation of the United States, to their Trade Policy Review. 
291. The United States is one of Israel's main trad ing partners for many years.  We are looking 
forward to continued and prosperous relations for many years to come. 
292. For this exercise, we have submitted some ques tions relating to a few sectors. We thank the 
U.S. for their replies, which we will study carefully. 
293. Israel wishes them a very successful Trade Policy Review. 
SOUTH AFRICA 
294. The United States is one of South Africa's key trading partners. In 2011, the U.S. ranked 2nd 
as the destination for South Africa' exports globall y and ranked 3rd as our leading import partner.  
295. South Africa is the U.S.' 4th largest trade partne r in Africa after Nigeria, Algeria and Angola, 
but is its largest non-oil trade partner.  
296. Total bilateral trade has been on an irregular grow th pattern for the past five years. The peak 
of US$14 billion was registered in 2008 but dec lined somewhat the following year due to the global 
economic crisis. Since then, bilateral trade ha s been growing significantly and it stood at 
approximately US$11 billion in 2011,  as the U.S. economy recovers. 
297. Two-way investments between South Africa and the United States have been steadily 
increasing.  In 2011, Walmart invested US$2.4 b illion into the South African economy through the 
acquisition of a leading consumer goods retailer, Massmart. Various other U.S. companies have 
invested in South Africa over the years and their presence in South Africa has been the source of 
much needed job creation.  
298. There are currently a number of South African companies active in th e United States market 
and these firms are active in diverse sectors ranging from consumer goods to mining and to information communication technology.  
299. South Africa and the U.S. have over recent year s strengthened our bilateral engagement via a 
number of economic and investment cooperative di alogues and fora. Two of these fora are set up 
under the auspices of the Africa Growth and Oppo rtunity Act (AGOA) on the one hand, and the 
Southern Africa Customs Union (SACU)/US Trad e, Investment, Development and Cooperation 
Agreement (TIDCA), between the SACU and the US , on the other. The TIDCA provides a framework 
for formal interaction between South Africa and the customs union, SACU and the U.S.  
300. On Aid for trade, we commend the U.S. ' ev aluation of USAID's trade capacity building 
programmes in late 2010.  From the perspective of th e African continent, we encourage further efforts 
in this regard, under President Obama's strategy fo r development, the Presidential Policy Directive on 
Global Development. 
301. We note that the initiation of anti-dumping inves tigations increased in 2011.  However we are 
hopeful that, in light of the trend of a reducing per centage of imposition of final measures in 2011, as WT/TPR/M/275 
Page 44  
 
  well as recent regulatory amendments on the use of zeroing, this is indicative of a trend of more 
circumspect application of trade remedy measures by  the U.S. authorities. We observe however with 
some concern, the perpetuation of many trade re medy measures notwithstanding the carrying out of a 
sunset review process, which has resulted in about 58 % of orders being maintained. We regard this as 
still a very high percentage of orders remaining unre voked, particularly in light of the length of time 
some of these orders have been in place. 
302. We also note that according to the secretariat, a number of government stimulus measures still 
support certain industries, such as automotives and ba nking. We encourage the U.S. to phase out these 
measures which potentially have significant trade distortive effects. 
303. We note that the Secretariat report highlights that there remain a number of restrictions to 
foreign investment in certain areas, and points out that certain information-gathering, monitoring, 
reporting, and disclosure procedures can also have an impact on foreign investment. Furthermore, a 
2009 Congressional Research Service report observes th at a number of federal laws or regulations act 
as barriers or otherwise restrict foreign investment in several areas, including maritime, aircraft, mining, energy, banking, to name a few. The secr etariat report also states that the Committee on 
foreign investment in the U.S., or CFIUS, rece ived and undertook an increasing number of notices 
and investigations between 2009 and 2011. We would ur ge the U.S. to take steps to relieve some of 
these foreign investment hurdles and restrictions, to facilitate more investment into the U.S. economy. 
304. We are furthermore concerned to note with regard to rules of origin, the secretariat report 
notes that these are considered to be very complex,  non-transparent and vary significantly product-by 
product.  As ourselves and other AGOA beneficiary countries too have faced the challenge of being 
limited in utilization of the preference mechanis m as a result of such stringent rules of origin 
requirements, we would like to see a simplificati on of these rules, particularly to allow countries 
benefitting under the U.S. preference schemes to be  able to take full advantage of market access 
opportunities.  
305. We also note the secretariat report highlights th e U.S.' strict use of SPS measures. We would 
similarly urge the U.S. to simplify its SPS requirement s, particularly to facilitate the free flow of 
affected products of interest to particular ly developing country exporters under AGOA and the 
preference schemes.  
306. There are several other specific features of the U.S.' trade and investment regime which are of 
particular interest to South Africa, including the services sector. Notwithstanding the limitation of analysis in the Secretariat report to only two servi ces sectors in the U.S., we have submitted detailed 
questions on some of these and others aspects to th e U.S. delegation, via the secretariat. We thank the 
U.S. delegation for their comprehensive answers in this regard, which are being reviewed in capital. 
UKRAINE 
307. During these two years the United States, like all of us, has been facing new challenges 
imposed by the world economic recession and at th e same time - new opportunities.  The U.S. has 
been implementing a number of interesting initiatives to promote trade and exports, which is a useful 
know-how to help particularly sm all businesses overcome hardships.   
308. Openness and transparency of the U.S. trade regime, business climate, governmental policies 
and measures used to foster private enterprise and competition have been key contributing factors to 
the efficiency of the U.S. economy and trade, ability  to counteract crisis, encourage investment, job 
creation, growth and development. These measures he lped the U.S. recover quickly from the crisis of 
2007–2009, though some of them  still cause concerns.     WT/TPR/M/275 
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  309. We all know the U.S. dedication and contribut ion to the multilateral system, especially to 
strengthen transparency principle - the number of notifications is impressive and exemplary - above one thousand TBT&SPS notifications during these two years. Though notifications in some areas are outstanding. 
310. Nevertheless, we associate ourselves with the concerns expressed by the Members today. I 
would like to point out to some issues of concer n for Ukraine as regards the U.S. trade regime and 
practices.  
311. Anti-dumping measures concerning a number of Uk rainian products. Some of these measures 
are in force since late 80's and early 90's. High rates of anti-dumping duties were calculated taking 
into account the non-market economy status of Ukraine at that time.  
312. Despite of the fact that Ukraine had been gran ted a market economy status, that status was not 
taken into account by the United States authorities while re-calculating the rates during appropriate 
review. 
313. At present, because of the high rates of antidumping duties Ukrainian exporters cannot access 
the U.S. market. Because of the p eculiarities of the U.S. legislation they cannot initiate reviews of the 
measures, although the absence of exports to the U. S. market during a considerable period of time 
means, in reality, the absence of an y injury to the U.S. industry.  
314. I would like to point out the uncertainty as re gards the character of licensing procedures 
(automatic, non automatic) the United States app lies to a number of products, including steel. 
315. We also note the complexity of the United States laws and regulations concerning the rules of 
origin and marking requirements, some customs proc edures. We would encourage the U.S. to simplify 
or repeal them, even though some of them ar e introduced for security considerations.    
316. Agricultural tariff rates vary from zero rated up to 350%, the peaks being on tobacco, sugar, 
peanuts, and dairy products, beef, cotton, and some  other products. Besides there are 44 tariff quotas 
covering 171 tariff lines. 
317. United States has the right to provide "export s ubsidies for 14 agricultural products". Ukraine 
has concerns about trade-distorting potential of the export subsidies. Ukraine does not have such right, 
and would welcome the U.S. restraint from export subsidies as well. 
318. As an exporter of agricultural products Ukrain e has concerns about frequent use of special 
safeguards (SSG) by the United States. We would like  to draw attention to unpredictability of this 
measure. We also would like to urge the U.S. to reconsider some trade-distorting domestic support 
measures. 
319. It is noteworthy, that the U.S. is a major donor  of Food Aid program, especially in emergency 
situations, when food supplies are a matter of su rvival. This activity deserves words of recognition 
and appreciation.   
320. We know well and appreciate the U.S. leadership  and contribution to the Doha negotiations, 
work in different negotiating sma ll and big groups, and as a sponsor  or co-sponsor of initiatives. 
Ukraine has own very positive and constructive experience of working together in a group of 
co-sponsors. We hope we'll continue work ing together in further negotiations. WT/TPR/M/275 
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  ARGENTINA 
321. The United States occupies fourth place as a destination for Argentina's exports and third 
place among our country's suppliers. However, the percentage share of Argentine exports to 
the United States has progressively decreased from 11.8 % in 2000 to 5.1% in 2011, a percentage that 
has been maintained during the first nine months of the current year. 
322. Despite the advantages of our range of exporta bles and the favourable trend in the prices of 
our export products, sales to the United St ates fell by 16.6% between 2008 and 2011 
[from US$5 billion to US$4.2 billion], while Arge ntine imports of United States products increased 
by 11.7% over the same period [from US$6.9 billio n to US$7.7 billion]. In 2011, Argentina's trade 
deficit with the United States grew by more than 37%, producing a deficit of US$3.4 billion for our 
country. Trade in services has followed the same  trend, resulting in a deficit for Argentina 
of US$3.8 billion over the same period. 
323. These data give rise to legitimate questions about  the actual degree to which the United States 
has opened up its market to Argentine exports, in particular since 2008, and whether the effect has 
been to prevent a more balanced trade relationshi p that enables both parties to achieve their true 
potential. 
324. The Secretariat report notes that the customs tari ffs of the United States are still "relatively 
low", with an average of 4.7%. However, there ar e notable exceptions to this general rule, which 
particularly affect the exports of developing countries, including Argentina. The United States 
continues to apply "significant tariff peaks" in sectors such as footwear, leather, and textiles and 
clothing, as well as to agricultural products, whic h are also subject to a considerable number 
of non- ad valorem  tariffs. 
325. In addition, as well as tariff obstacles there are al so non-tariff barriers. It is not by chance that 
three of the latest and most widely resonating cases to be resolved within the framework of the WTO's 
Understanding on the Settlement of Disputes, in  2012, have concerned United States technical 
regulations and their discriminatory effects on import s, found to be in breach of Article 2.1 of the 
Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT). 
326. Where sanitary and phytosanitary measures are c oncerned, we repeat that the rules must 
be applied only with the proper scientific and tec hnical justification and in conformity with the 
provisions of the WTO Agreement on the Applicati on of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures, and 
not turned into a means of introducing protectionist  practices. Otherwise, the generation of judicial 
proceedings and disputes to secure market access,  which necessarily requires proof on a case-by-case 
basis, will be very wearing, particularly for de veloping countries, while weakening the multilateral 
trading system as a whole. 
327. We regret that certain import restrictions imposed by the United States, through the 
application of sanitary and phytosanitary measures  that are harming Argentine exports have had 
to be brought before the WTO's Dispute Settlement Body (DSB). 
328. We note, however, the support of the United Stat es for technological innovation, in particular 
biotechnology, and the elimination of trade barriers, which is essential to ensu re increased agricultural 
production and productivity in the f ace of the increasing demand for food. 
329. With reference to the Doha Round, may I reca ll that the impasse in these negotiations also 
means the non-fulfilment of the Uruguay Round commitment to continue the agricultural policy 
reform process with a view to "re ducing protection and support". It is clear that one of the agricultural 
policies requiring "fundamental reform" is that of the United States due to its contribution to  WT/TPR/M/275 
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  distortions in international trade, both through trad e policy measures that need to be reformed and its 
global scope. 
330. This fundamental reform can only be achieve d through fulfilment of the mandate of 
the Doha Round agricultural negotiations, that is  to say, the Doha Ministerial Declaration, 
the General Council Decision of 1/8/2004 and the Hong Kong Ministerial Declaration. There is no 
other way. 
331. Recalling that the United States has made propo sals in these agricultural negotiations that 
would tend to liberalize trade, we recommend that it  makes the effort needed to fulfil that mandate 
and treats the agricultural negotiations, the raison d'être  of the Round, as its first priority. 
332. Moreover, given the current world economic s ituation, we must not omit to mention the 
concern being caused by the policies applied by the United States Government in recent years to boost 
its economy. The measures taken in response to the cr isis have resulted in speculative flows that have 
led to currency appreciation and reduced competiti veness, particularly in the emerging countries, 
adversely affecting levels of empl oyment and social inclusion and thus putting at risk the current 
engine of world economic growth. 
333. We expect from the United States full rec ognition of its systemic importance and due 
consideration in its internal policy decisions for the effects of those decisions on other economies, 
particularly those that are more vulnerable, together with a leadership role in  the promotion of a more 
harmonious and balanced development of the multilateral trading system.. 
CHILE 
334. Our joint history begins in 181 2 when the American representa tive Joel Poinsett was sent to 
Chile by President James Madison to achieve  a rapprochement with the young Republic. 
The two countries subsequently signed a Peace, Friendship and Trade Treaty. 
335. Last year marked 200 years of Chilean-Un ited States relations. During these two centuries 
the United States and Chile have worked together in  a wide range of areas. In recent years there has 
been a series of agreements and c onventions that have even further tightened the traditional bonds: the 
Air Transport Agreement, the Environmental Agreem ent, the Investment Agreement, the Services 
Agreement, the Double Taxation Agreement, the Ch ile-California Plan, and the Interparliamentary 
Friendship Group, among others. 
336. With the signing of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the United States in 2003, Chile 
not only strengthened and devel oped its strategy of an open and competitive economy supported 
by dynamic exports but also extended access for its products to its largest and most important trading 
partner. 
337. We are proud to have reached a comprehensive and balanced agreement. It is an agreement 
that went beyond the commitments undertaken by  the two countries within the framework of 
the World Trade Organization (WTO) and, for that time, became a sort of model for what was to 
come. It included almost all th e aspects possible in an economic and commercial relationship between 
two sovereign countries: trade in goods, where a zero tariff was agreed for the tariff universe, thereby 
eliminating all tariff peaks; far-reaching commitments  in services and investment; trade protection; 
competition; government procurement; institutional ma tters; technical standard s and matters relevant 
to the new economy such as e-commerce and the m odern approach to environmental and labour 
topics. All this, under a single dispute settlement system and with an interesting penalty system. WT/TPR/M/275 
Page 48  
 
  338. In 2011, Chile's trade with United States flourished, amounting to somewhat over 
US$24 billion, with annual growth of 43.4%. During  this period, the United States accounted for 15% 
of Chile's total trade. It should be noted that  Chile has a still growing trade deficit amounting 
to US$6 billion. In other words, Chile is not a trade problem for the United States; on the contrary, we are part of the solution. 
339. At the same time, up to last year, combined United States investment in Chile 
totalled US$20.7 billion. In fact, cumulative US investment in Chile amounts to 24.6%, which makes the United States our country's main source of fo reign investment. This investment is chiefly 
concentrated in such sectors as: mining (27%), trade (16%), electricity, gas and water (14%), 
communications (10%), financial services (7%) and the chemical industry (5%). 
340. For its part, the United States market is curre ntly the fifth largest recipient of direct 
investment from Chile, with a total of US$4.1 billion,  which represents almost 7% (6.8%) of Chilean 
foreign investment. 
341. We note the solid bilateral trade relations hip that exists between our country and 
the United States. Today we are continuing to work together on a series of multilateral and plurilateral 
initiatives. Within the WTO we shar e the same views on various subjects such as Fishing Subsidies, 
Trade Facilitation, the far-reaching liberaliza tion of goods and services, and the commitment 
to Anti-Protectionism. Moreover, within the framewo rk of the Asia-Pacific region we are working 
on the conclusion of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement and, on the fringes of the WTO, we are 
moving towards a services agreement which should he lp with the liberalization of services at the 
multilateral level. 
342. We are pleased to note the recovery made dur ing the review period which, though slow, by 
2009 had already exceeded the levels of 2008. 
343. Accordingly, and because of the impact of  the United States' domestic decisions 
(economic, commercial and fiscal) on the rest of the world, we are eager for the measures adopted on 
the fiscal front to live up to the requirements of hist ory. Likewise, we hope that the United States will 
exert leadership within the WTO, particularly with a view to the Bali Ministerial Conference. 
344. In 1774, one of the founding fathers of the United States, Benjamin Franklin stated that "No 
nation was ever ruined by trade, … ". Many of us agree that the United States is a good example of 
this. 
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 
345. For the Dominican Republic, the United States is its most important trading partner, both 
countries being parties to the CAFTA-DR Free Trade Agreement, which includes the Central 
American countries. On page 9 of the Secretariat Report we can see how these agreements have increased the share of the countries of Latin Ameri ca and the Caribbean in the trade of the United 
States, to which they already contribute one-fifth, which underlines the importance of applying regional policies that make possible a steady increase in the purchasing power of their populations. 
346. On the occasion of this 11
th Trade Policy Review, we would like to congratulate 
the Government of the United States, given that d espite the financial and economic crisis, since the 
last Review, it has experienced a slow but steady recovery and has achieved a certain degree of rebalancing, although the fiscal deficit has stayed  high at 8.7% of GDP and the level of public debt 
as a percentage of GDP has exceed ed 100%. Trade in goods and services have recovered significantly 
since 2009 and have returned to the record levels of  2008; above all, the balance of trade in services 
has registered an increasing surp lus, with the services sector accounting for 70% of United States  WT/TPR/M/275 
 Page 49 
 
 
  production. We note with sympathy that the country  intends progressively to reduce its dependence on 
imported energy products which, combined with the maturing of the measures to double exports 
adopted by the Executive in 2010, will help to im prove the trade balance. We also welcome the 
principal regulatory reform introduced since the last Review, namely the Dodd-Frank Wall Street 
Reform and Consumer Protection Act, which ente red into force in July 2010 and whose main 
objectives include promoting financial stability, en ding "too big to fail" bailouts and protecting 
taxpayers and consumers from abusive financial practices. 
347. Since the last Trade Policy Review in 2010, the economy has averaged 2.2% annual growth, 
a positive sign, led by investment, private consumpt ion and exports driven by proactive fiscal and 
monetary policies. However, as the Secretariat re port points out, more time is needed to achieve 
pre-crisis levels and some areas of the economy ar e continuing to show considerable weakness, such 
as the housing market and employment. Moreover, the entr y into effect of the so-called "fiscal cliff" at 
the beginning of next year might hold up the slow economic recovery. With regard to exchange rate 
policies and the international monetary system, we agree with Ambassador Roberto Acevedo of 
Brazil that these policies should be c oordinated through multilateral bodies. 
348. The United States is the world's greatest recipi ent of foreign direct investment, which plays 
a fundamental role in the behaviour of its dom estic economy and balance of payments, so that 
we welcome the establishment of the SelectUS A programme, which is intended to promote 
and facilitate the flow of this investment. However,  there are laws and regulations which, in several 
sectors, are restricting investment flows and we therefore we urge the authorities to relax these 
regulations, such as that granting the private sector concessions to invest in infrastructure projects that 
improve the country's productivity, in order to make  the achievement of the objectives of SelectUSA 
more effective. 
349. The United States has one of the world's largest agricultural sectors and is its largest exporter 
of agricultural products, so that any change in the country and its agricultural policies has big 
repercussions on world markets. For this reason we  urge it to reduce its high levels of domestic 
support, considering the adverse effect they are ha ving on agricultural production in the developing 
countries. 
350. The Report indicates that the laws and regulations  on origin and trademarks have not changed 
and that they are still very complex and excessively cumbersome, particularly the preferential rules of 
origin. In this connection, we urge the United States to review this system of rules of origin, in order 
to simplify trade with its partners. Moreover, the Un ited States' preferential rules of origin have not 
been notified to the WTO's Committe e on Rules of Origin since 1997. 
351. The United States imposes various charges on imports which vary with their provenance, 
value and mode of importation; these include the merchandise processing fee, the COBRA Act fees, the harbour maintenance fee, agricultural levies, and excise tax. All these duties and fees mean that 
exporting to the United States is not so easy, despite the relatively low tariffs. Not to mention the high 
costs added to products from the Caribbean by the restrictions in the maritime transport regulations, 
which we hope will be relaxed. 
352. At the same time, the Secretariat report notes th at there are still significant tariff peaks in 
some sectors, such as footwear, le ather, and textiles and clothing, as well as in agricultural products, 
which are also subject to a considerable number of non- ad valorem  tariffs. 
353. 
With respect to technical regulations, we note with interest that during the review period, 
the United States authorities recognized the need to  improve their internal procedures in relation 
to notifications at sub-federal leve l, and temporarily interrupted the notifications to make corrections. 
We urge the United States to improve its system  for drafting and notifying technical standards in WT/TPR/M/275 
Page 50  
 
  order to meet the concerns of Members expressed within the context of the TBT Committee. The 
same suggestion goes for the drafting of  sanitary and phytosanitary measures. 
354. Finally, in relation to the TRIPS Agreement, we urge the authorities to amend those legal 
instruments that are preven ting the country from complying with the decisions of 
the WTO Dispute Settlement Body. 
355. The Dominican Republic submitted certain questi ons to the United States in connection with 
various aspects of its trade regime and we are grat eful for the replies recei ved, which we will study 
carefully. To conclude, we urge the United States to continue with its efforts to overcome the 
financial and economic crisis and to build on its great contributions to the progress of humanity, and 
wish it much success with this Trade Policy Review and in the future.  
EL SALVADOR 
356. The United States and El Salvador maintain clo se relations in the area of policy, trade and 
investment, as evidenced by our first trade agreement dating from 19 February 1937, an agreement 
which for its time was extremely ambitious and in cluded topics such as origin, customs valuation, 
sanitary measures, and market access. 
357. Bilaterally, we have been promoting open trade relations that are helping us to push forward 
with an inclusive development model in El Salva dor, while where trade and investment are concerned 
we are operating within the framework of  the CAFTA-DR Free Trade Agreement with 
the United States, an agreement which entere d into force on 1 March 2006 and whose purpose 
is to promote greater stability and certainty in our economic relations and investment activities. 
In their turn, our trade relations are promoti ng balance between the two countries, by offering 
advantages such as the inclusion in the economic age nda with the United States of cross-cutting issues 
of national priority, for example, the relationship with Salvadorans living abroad, the promotion of 
commercial opportunities for MiSMEs, the attraction of investment, support for job creation and the 
promotion of the country as a tourist destinati on, which contribute to El Salvador's economic 
development. 
358. An interesting feature of our trade relations is the fact that from the fi rst year of entry into 
force of the Agreement with the United States (CAF TA-DR) there was an increase of more than 15% 
in our exports of so-called traditional or "nosta lgic" products such as cheese, stuffed tortillas and 
loroco, barley, horchata, frozen fruit (jocote or mame y), tamales de elote, pan dulce, tamales, etc., 
products which continue to be exported in significantly increasing quantities due to the demand from 
Salvadorans established in the United States, which in practical terms means more jobs and better 
opportunities for our people. 
359. Where trade is concerned, our balance with the United States has increased moderately 
by 11%, the main export products being clothing an d textiles, coffee, ethanol , sugar, mo lasses,  food 
products, beverages, oils, fish and crustaceans, ve getables, and precious metal and other scrap, while 
in 2011 El Salvador's imports from the United Stat es amounted to approximately US$2.3 billion, the 
main products imported being fuel and mineral oils (diesel oil, crude petrol eum, kerosene, greases and 
lubricating oils), mechanical machinery, cereals (yellow maize, wheat, flour), mobile phones, food 
products, plastics, cotton, textiles, vehicles, medici nes for human and veterinary use, and chemicals, 
among others. 
360. Where investment is concerned, we ha ve the Building Remittance Investment 
for Development Growth and Entrepreneurship ( BRIDGE) Initiative, which is aimed at exploring 
options to use remittance flows saf ely to raise lower-cost and long er-term financing for, among other 
things, infrastructure, public works and commercial development initiatives, while in our turn we are  WT/TPR/M/275 
 Page 51 
 
 
  analysing lines of action for other initiatives such as the Partnership for Growth plan, with a strategy 
that could enable our country to grow. 
361. In relation to our present exercise, we not e Executive Order 13534 of 11 March 2010, which 
established the National Export Initiative (NEI) wi th the aim of doubling exports over a five-year 
period, among other things by helping businesses to overcome the obstacles standing in the way of 
access to new export markets by providing them with financing. 
362. We also observe that the financial assistance and the increase in the availability of export 
credit for SMEs under this initiative is relevant to  our Government's policy of providing support for 
small and medium-sized enterprises, for which reason we would like to know more about the 
initiative, for example, about the terms of this financing and export credit, and the sectors and 
subsectors to which the SMEs elig ible for this support belong. 
363. At multilateral level, we recognize the partic ipation of the United States within the 
multilateral context, by contributing proposal s and taking conciliato ry positions conducive 
to agreements on the various negotiating fronts. 
CAMBODIA ON BEHALF OF ASEAN 
364. We, in ASEAN, continue to place high importa nce on the United States as a strategic trading 
partner, together we have a potential of contri buting US$2.2 trillion to the world economy. Total 
goods trade between ASEAN and the United St ates in 2011 showed a 9.2% increase to 
US$194 billion whereas U.S. foreign direct investment stock in ASEAN countries was US$159.6 billion, up 11.2% from 2010. ASEAN FDI stock in the United States demonstrated even stronger growth, increasing 13.1% to US$24.6 billion,  further testament to the importance of our 
economic relations. 
365. At the 4th ASEAN-U.S. Leaders Meeting earlier this November, our leaders welcomed the 
launch of the 2013 ASEAN-U.S. Trade and Investme nt Framework Agreement (TIFA) Work Plan 
together with the launch of the U.S.-ASEAN E xpanded Economic Engagement  initiative also known 
as the E3, which will promote closer economic c ooperation between ASEAN and the United States, 
and facilitate the pursuit of high standard trade ag reements. The E3 initiative activities may include, 
among others, the negotiation of a U.S.-ASEAN trade facilitation agreement, th e joint development of 
investment principles, and the expansion of cooperative work on standards development and 
practices, including on technical barriers to trade and good regulatory practices. 
366. A number of us in ASEAN are also engaged w ith the U.S. in negotiations on the Trans-
Pacific Partnership (TPP), a high-standard free trad e agreement that will boost trade and investment, 
and promote regional economic in tegration throughout the Asia Pacific region and beyond. We 
continue to view our regional and bilateral economic partnerships as complementary to our efforts to 
strengthen the multilateral trading system.  We are convinced that these partnerships will complement 
the successful outcome of the Doha Deve lopment Agenda (DDA) in due course. 
367. ASEAN emphasizes the importance of sustaining di alogue at the highest level with the United 
States' and looks forward to the first ASE AN-U.S. Summit in Brunei Darussalam in 2013. 
368. While the Secretariat's report has highlighted th at the annual growth rate of the U.S. economy 
since its last review has slowed in 2011, the pos itive signs of a steady recovery are encouraging and 
we look forward to the continued recovery of the U.S.'s economy, which will help provide an engine 
for global growth.  WT/TPR/M/275 
Page 52  
 
  369. ASEAN would also like to reiterate our previous  concerns on the United States' high average 
tariff on agricultural products, where major changes to  its agricultural policies have yet to be seen. As 
the United States is one of the world's largest ag ricultural producers, the U.S.'s policies have a 
significant impact on world prices and international trad e in agriculture.  We therefore urge the United 
States to avoid trade-distorting forms of support in agriculture. 
370. On a different note, ASEAN would like to expr ess our appreciation to the United States for its 
contribution to Trade Capacity Building programs and WTO's trade-related technical assistance, 
allowing developing and least developed countries, including those in ASEAN, to integrate more 
effectively into the international trading sy stem and further benefit from global trade. 
371. ASEAN is happy to note that the United States has actively participated in all areas of the 
DDA negotiations, and plays a strong leadership role  in the multilateral trading system. We continue 
to view the United States as having a key role in the DDA negotiations, and we look forward to 
working closely with the United States to ensure th at the 9th Ministerial Conference in Bali will bring 
us a step closer to concluding the DDA. ASEAN wo uld particularly like to thank Ambassador Punke 
and his delegation for their tireless efforts and cons tructive engagement with delegations, including 
individual ASEAN Members, here in Geneva. 
372. In conclusion, on behalf of ASEAN members, we would like to express our appreciation for 
the United States' continued and constructive partners hip with us and the critical role it plays in the 
WTO.  
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO 
373. In his opening remarks this morning, Ambassa dor Punke in speaking to the openness of the 
United States' market stated that in 2011, 68 countries counted the United States as their 1st, 2nd or 
3rd largest export market. Trinidad and Tobago is  among those 68 countries, given the vibrant trade 
relationship our countries enjoy, the result of whic h is the United States being Trinidad and Tobago's 
largest trading partner.  
374. The nature of our trade relationship is due prin cipally to the U.S.'s Caribbean Basin Initiative 
(CBI), which helps to bolster the competitiveness of  our products in the U.S. market.  Since 2006, 
Trinidad and Tobago has been the leading exporter  under CBI tariff preferences.  In 2010, exports 
under the programme totaled US$2.2 billion dominated by petrolatum and methanol exports to the 
U.S. market.  In addition, Fo reign Direct Investment from the United States makes a significant 
contribution to the Trinidad and Tobago economy, particularly in our energy industry.  
375. The Caribbean Basin Initiative was initially e nvisaged as a programme to facilitate the 
economic development and export diversification of the economie s of the Caribbean Region.  
However, over the years, the United States too has derived substantial bene fits from the programme, 
marked by consistent increases in U.S. exports to CBI beneficiary countries.  
376. In its report, the United States highlights part nering with developing countries to promote 
their economic growth and development, as one of the ke y elements of its trade policy.  In this regard, 
my delegation wishes to thank the United States for its trade capacity building and technical 
assistance initiatives and programmes aimed at help ing developing countries and LDCs to enhance 
their ability to compete in the global trading system .  Special mention must be made of the United 
States' support to the trade-relate d assistance activities of  the WTO Secretariat through its voluntary 
contributions to the DDA Global Trust Fund and to  its active participation in the WTO's Aid for 
Trade discussion.    WT/TPR/M/275 
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  377. In addition, my delegation noted with interest the United States' stated commitment to seek 
increased cooperation and trade with many devel oping countries through its preferential trade 
measures, the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Ac t (CBERA), being among them.  This type of 
initiative will go a long way to assisting countri es with small and vulnerable economies such as 
Trinidad and Tobago and other members of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) as we further 
integrate into the global trading system. We are indeed encouraged by th e US's commitment which 
comes in spite of the challenges within its own eco nomy, which as the Secretariat indicated in its 
report, is slowly but steadily rebounding.  
378. Trinidad and Tobago also welcomed the United States' commitment "to preserving and 
enhancing the WTO's irreplaceable role as the prim ary forum for multilateral trade liberalization, for 
the development and enforcement of global trade ru les and as a key bulwark against protectionism".  
Trinidad and Tobago hopes that US, as one of the key players of the WTO Membership, will make an 
even more substantive contribution to re-energizi ng the stalled Doha Negotiations, in a manner that 
upholds the key principles of the Doha Development Agenda.   
MALAYSIA 
379. In 2011, the United States' was Malaysia's 4th largest trading partner, both as an export 
destination and source of import. However, since the last TPR of the United States, total trade between Malaysia and the U.S. recorded a d ecrease of 3.6% to around US$37 billion in 2011, as 
compared to the corresponding period in 2010. For Janua ry to October 2012, total trade with the U.S. 
recorded a decrease of US$30 billion compared to the corresponding period in 2011. Malaysia's 
exports though increased by 6.4% while imports dec lined by 12.1% to approximately US$13 billion.  
380. With respect to investment, in 2011, the Unite d States was the third largest foreign investor 
with a total investment of around US$792 million in  21 manufacturing projects. In total, as at 
August 2012, 725 manufacturing projects with US participation worth US$17.2 billion have been 
implemented.  
381. It is heartening to note that the United Stat es' economy has been making steady recovery since 
its last Review. Following a significant downturn du ring the financial crisis, U.S. merchandise trade 
(imports and exports) rebounded strongly in 2010 and 2011 and has now reached new peak levels, 
surpassing the previous 2008 peak levels. Having said that, we also follow closely the fiscal situation 
in the U.S., in particular the on-going efforts by lawmakers in the U.S. to avert the U.S. economy 
from driving through the "fiscal cliff". We hope the U.S. lawmakers would be able to resolve the 
situation and thus avoiding th e possibility of the United States going into recession which may 
adversely affect the global economy and the U.S. trading partners.  
382. In the multilateral system, we continue to see th e critical role that the United States plays in 
the negotiations. We hope that the United States conti nues to play an active role in finding solutions 
to the current deadlock, to ensure  that we can find the appropriate solutions towards the conclusion of 
the Doha Development Agenda.  
PERU 
383. Since the international financial crisis the Un ited States, and with it the world economy given 
the importance of the U.S. contribution to glob al commerce, has been recovering through trade. 
The United States is one of Peru's main export markets and its leading supplier at world level. 
In 2011, the estimated value of the trade in goo ds between the United States and Peru reached the 
historic value of US$13.7 billion, while exports from Peru to the United States 
totalled US$6.097 billion. The main products exported to the United St ates are: minerals and metals, WT/TPR/M/275 
Page 54  
 
  textiles, fishery products, crude petroleum, co ffee, cocoa, craft sector products, and other 
food products. 
384. For a decade, Peru was a beneficiary of th e Andean Tariff Preferences Act of 1991 and 
the Andean Trade Promotion and Drug Eradication Act of 2002, promulgated by the United States 
to allow products to enter duty-free with the aim of promoting crops that could be grown 
as an alternative to coca leaf production. These pr eferences were periodically renewed and remained 
in force until December 2010. A bilateral Trade Promotion Agreement, in force 
since 1 February 2009, provides a permanent compre hensive opening to trade that offers the stability 
indispensable for increased investment in the export sector and the integration of our enterprises into 
global value chains, while making it possible to bo ost Peru's economic development through trade, 
investment and access to technology. 
385. The Agreement eliminates tariffs and removes barriers to services, provides investors with 
a secure and predictable legal framework, stre ngthens protection for intellectual property, 
and promotes trade capacity building. Here it should be pointed out that the United States is Peru's second largest investor, after Spain, accounting for 14% of total investment in Peru, this investment 
being mainly destined for key sectors such as mining, manufacturing, finance and energy. 
386. The two countries are working together on the implementation of the Agreement, through 
meetings of the Committees on Agricultural Trade, Sanitary and Phytosanitary Matters, Intellectual 
Property, Textile and Apparel Trade Matters, the Working Group on Small and Medium-Sized 
Enterprises, the Forest Sector Governance Subc ommittee and the Environmental Affairs Council. 
387. The United States and Peru are part of APEC and,  together with the other nine partners, we 
are participating in the negotiation of the Trans- Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP), with a view 
to drawing up a broad high-level trade agreement fo r the Asia-Pacific region that addresses new and 
emerging trade issues and the challenges of the tw enty-first century. Likewise, within the framework 
of the WTO, our two countries are participating in  the initiative aimed at an agreement on trade in 
services and are monitoring protectionist measures and those that affect the functioning of the 
multilateral trading system, and we are part of th e Friends of Fish Group and are promoting the 
expansion of the coverage of the Information T echnology Agreement, and also requesting greater 
consistency and flexibility on the part of the Unite d States and other important members in order to 
achieve concrete results  in the Doha Round. 
ECUADOR 
388. In the 11
th Trade Policy Review of the United States we note the progressive, albeit slow, 
recovery of its economy. Trade in goods and servi ces have performed well since the last Review 
in 2009. In fact, since 2010, the economy has grow n at an annual rate of 2.2%, although the pace of 
recovery slackened in 2011 and something simila r is forecast for 2012. However, between 2010 and 
2011 merchandise trade rebounded, surpassing 2008 levels. Exports and imports grew by 16%, but the 
latter were greater than the former, worsening the ma ssive existing deficit. On the other hand, trade in 
services has recorded a solid and increasing surplus in recent years,  which has helped the current 
balance. During the review period, the financial ser vices sector accounted for 8.5% of United States 
GDP. 
389. Within this context and in the shadow of th e still fragile state of the global economy, in 
response to the crisis the United States has fo rmulated and implemented export promotion and 
investment policies aimed at doubling exports within a period of five years and for this purpose has 
increased financing by the Export-Import Bank an d adopted the Export Control Reform Initiative. 
Thus, the figures reflect the importance of exports, wh ich in 2011 reached the historic high of 13.8%  WT/TPR/M/275 
 Page 55 
 
 
  of GDP. More specifically, during the review pe riod, in the merchandise sector exports rose 
to US$1,497 billion, while in the ser vices sector exports grew by 9.2%. 
390. Since its last Review, the trade policy of th e United States has been multifaceted. Firstly, 
there is the commitment to the multilateral trading system through the maintenance of MFN treatment 
of its trading partners at multilateral level (WTO) and the general application of the multilateral trade 
rules. Secondly, there is the continuation a nd emphasis on regionalism through the negotiation, 
approval and implementation of Free Trade Agreemen ts such as those signed with Korea, Colombia 
and Panama and the next to be concluded agreement known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership, among 
other initiatives. Finally, the third facet concerns th e renewal of schemes for granting non-reciprocal 
preferences, such as the extension of two programmes that had expired: the Generalized System of 
Preferences and the Andean Trade Preference Act (ATPA ). In this connection, it is worth noting the 
importance of the preferential trade relationship in  the United States, given that this accounts for 
20.1% of the country's imports, out of which only 3.7% corresponds to unilateral preferences. 
391. As regards the state of bilateral trade be tween Ecuador and the United States, since 
October 2009 Ecuador has impor ted an annual average of US $5.9 billion and exported around 
US$8.6 billion. Specifically, during the period Janua ry-October 2012, the principal destination for 
petroleum and non-petroleum products exported fro m Ecuador was the United States. At the same 
time, Ecuador's petroleum and non- petroleum imports came mainly from the United States. In short, 
the United States was the main market for Ecuadoran  exports with a 44.6% share, while being the 
second largest supplier of the country's imports wi th a 26.9% share. With the United States, our 
principal trading partner, Ecuador has recorded positi ve total trade balances, largely due to exports of 
crude petroleum, which account for ar ound 70% of the Ecuadoran offer. 
392. The possible non-renewal of the ATPA could aff ect the trade balance with the United States, 
reducing it to deficit levels. This is why, Ecuador currently being th e sole beneficiary of the system, 
we wish to express our appreciation of the tariff pr eferences granted, which without doubt clearly and 
substantially support the efforts made by my country  in the unequal combat with drug trafficking and 
related offences. Apart from its major contribution to economic growth and employment in Ecuador, 
the ATPA is an essential feature of the bilateral relationship between our countries having become a 
basic tool for Ecuador in the struggle against drug trafficking in the Andean region. Therefore, on the basis of the principle of co-responsibility and the pos itive effects that this preferential system has had 
in Ecuador, we urge the United States to give favourable consideration to the extension or 
prolongation of the ATPA for longer periods of up to th ree to five years. We also wish to reiterate the 
importance for developing countries in general a nd Ecuador in particular of maintaining and 
expanding the GSP of the United States as a means of facilitating development. 
393. In this connection, Ecuador considers that our countries could develop, progressively and 
with account for the existing asymmetries, a bilateral working agenda that enables the trade relations 
between the two parties to be stabilized, throug h the negotiation of a trade agreement focused 
on development and mutual advantage. We therefore wish to point out that Ecuador is hoping shortly 
to resume the Specialized Dialogue and return to the specific trade and econom ic issues within the 
framework of the Bilateral Trade and Investment Council. 
394. Finally, Ecuador agrees with the statements  made by Cuba during the morning session, 
in particular, concerning the importance of the compliance of Members with the recommendations 
and rulings of the WTO's Dispute Settlement Body, th e cornerstone of the multilateral trading system. 
VIET NAM 
395. Viet Nam and the United States have enjoyed strong trade and economic relationship for a 
decade after the bilateral trade agreement between  the two countries signed in 2000. In 2011, the WT/TPR/M/275 
Page 56  
 
  two-way trade between Vietnam and the U.S. reached US$21.5 billion while it started at only 
US$451 million in 2000. The U.S continues to maintain  its first position of destination for a number 
of Vietnamese exports including garment and textile, wooden furniture and footwear.    
396. It is also encouraging to be aware that the U. S has been one of the leading investors in Viet 
Nam, ranking 8th out of 96 countries and regions ha ving foreign direct investment in Viet Nam.  
397. We are really impressed by the remarkable ach ievement of trade and investment between the 
two countries. We believe the two countries would fu rther make use of poten tials of cooperation and 
lift our relationship to a new height. With that thoug ht in mind, in addition to the questions submitted 
for this review, we would appreciate if the U.S. c ould give further explanations on the followings:  
398. First, regarding the recently approved act by  the United States to apply the countervailing 
duty provisions of the Tariff Act of 1930 to non-ma rket economy countries retroactively to November 
2006, we kindly requests the United States to clarify a specific calculation methodology to avoid double-counting in anti-dumping and countervailing investigations.    
399. Second, the United States is currently applying country-wide rate in anti-dumping 
investigations against imports from non-market ec onomies. We would highly appreciate if the U.S. 
could review with a consideration to the consis tence with WTO Antidumping Agreement. Our wish, 
of course, is to be able to see an end to this kind of practice.  
400. We acknowledge the important role of the Unite d States in international trade and would like 
to see more contribution of the country to the multilateral trading system.  
401. We welcome the United States' note in the government report that "the pursuit of market 
opening and trade liberalization remains at the forefr ont of the U.S. trade policy" and share the view 
that "trade liberalization at the multilateral level holds the highest potential for securing wide-ranging 
market-opening outcomes while at the same time advancing trade as an economic engine for global 
development". We would greatly appreciate if th ese statements could be reflected in conducting 
anti-dumping and countervailing investigations which s hould be in a transparent and fair manner and, 
of course, consistent with the WTO rules. 
HONDURAS 
402. In the Secretariat Report we are pleased to note that since the last Review the economy of 
the United States has been slowly but steadily recove ring, with some rebalancing. Since the financial 
crisis of 2008, merchandise and services trade figures have rebounded significantly, reaching new 
peak levels that surpass the record levels of 2008. We are pleased to note that the Government has set 
in motion policies for domestic and international re balancing, by moving away from consumption and 
real estate and encouraging export and investment growth. 
403. The United States has the largest securities and insura nce markets in the world. In 2010, the 
financial services sector accounted for 8.5% of GDP. We  welcome the entry into force, in July 2010, 
of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consum er Protection Act, whose main objectives include 
promoting financial stability, ending bailouts, pr otecting taxpayers, and protecting consumers from 
abusive financial services practices. 
404. I will now, if I may, briefly describe the trade relations between Honduras and the United 
States. In 2011, the trade balance totalled US$10.6 billion. United States exports to Honduras increased by 33.4% as compared with 2010, reaching US $6.1 billion in products such as fuels, cotton, 
fabrics, electrical machinery, wheat, and rice. On the other hand, Honduran exports to the United States reached US$4.5 billion, an incr ease of 14.5% as compared with 2010, the main  WT/TPR/M/275 
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  exports being products such as clothing, fresh fruit (bananas, melons and watermelons), cigars, coffee 
and tilapia fillets. Where United States foreign direct  investment in Honduras is concerned, it fell 
by 6.9% as compared with 2010, amounting to US $930 million in 2011. It is estimated that around 
200 United States companies are operating on Honduran territory. 
405. The Free Trade Agreement between the United States and Central America-Dominican 
Republic (CAFTA-DR), the first free trade agreemen t between the United States and a group of small 
developing countries, has been in force since 2006. The objective of this Agreement is to promote the growth and diversification of trade in the region and substantially increase the opportunities 
for investment. Likewise, it has paved the way for closer trade ties and increased access to one of the 
largest markets in the world,  that of the United States. 
406. Central America and the Dominican Republic ma ke up the third largest export market for 
the United States in Latin America, after Mexi co and Brazil. In 2011, United States merchandise 
exports to the CAFTA-DR countries reached US$30.5 b illion. Also in 2011, combined global bilateral 
trade between the United States and the countries of Central America and the Dominican Republic 
amounted to US$58.7 billion. 
407. In February of last year, the CAFTA-DR Free  Trade Commission (FTC ) held its inaugural 
meeting. The Trade Ministers review the impl ementation of the CAFTA-D R and adopted several 
important measures to increase the benefits and im prove the functioning of the Agreement. These 
included the approval by the FTC of a CAFTA-DR Trade Facilitation Initiative aimed at increasing 
integration and regional competitiveness, broadeni ng and increasing the benefits of trade under the 
Agreement and supporting employment, with special a ttention to encouraging greater participation by 
small and medium-sized enterprises. 
408. We would like to take advant age of this occasion to thank the Government of the United 
States for its cooperation with our country, mainly  via the United States Agency for International 
Development (USAID), through programmes in the fields of education, health, economic policy, 
micro-business, and food security, among others . Likewise through the Millennium Challenge 
Corporation (MCC), which in a first compact disbursed US$205 million in aid, the continuation 
of which our Government is making every effort to secure. 
JAMAICA 
409. Both the Secretariat and Government Reports re flect the deep level of integration of the 
United States into the global economy and the increasing importance of trade and economic policies 
to the U.S. economy. The U.S. remains the single la rgest trading economy in the world and the largest 
importer accounting for 18.1% of  total merchandise and services exports and 14.5% of total 
merchandise and services imports.  It is among main trade markets for most, if not all, regions. Regional arrangements account for an important and growing part of U.S. trade policy.  In 2011, 
20.1% of U.S. imports were under such agreements  with reciprocal preferences accounting for 16.4% 
and unilateral preferences accounting for 3.7%.  The U.S. is also the world's largest recipient of 
foreign direct investment from other countri es amounting to US$228 billion in 2011, down from 
US$236 billion in 2010.  These indicators reflect the U.S.' generally open trade policies and points to 
its critical and beneficial roles in the world economy. 
410. Against this background, Jamaica notes that  the U.S. economy has begun to show positive 
signs of growth in 2010 and 2011 with growth in real GDP of 3% and 1.7% respectively compared with -3.5% for 2009.  This has been propelled by  increases in consumer spending, gross private 
domestic investment and an increase in exports.  The IMF has predicted modest growth rates of 2% 
for 2012 and 2.5% for 2013; however, the rate for 2012 has been revised downward by 0.1% in light of less than expected modest growth. Signs of positive growth in the U.S. economy is of great WT/TPR/M/275 
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  importance to all countries, particularly small ec onomies such as ours as in 2011 the U.S. was ranked 
our main trading partner with expor ts valued at more than US$0.6 b illion and imports valued at nearly 
US$2 billion.  The U.S. is also Jamaica' s primary source of direct investment. 
411. As countries grapple with a fragile global econom ic recovery process, we note that the U.S. 
has implemented measures to deal with its fiscal im balances and a growing current account deficit.  
As the U.S. is vitally important to the health of  the global economy, it is important that the necessary 
responsive policy measures are implemented by the U. S. and other major trading partners aimed at 
strengthening the global economic recovery. 
412. As befits its role as a major player in the globa l economy, the U.S. is a very active participant 
in all aspects of the WTO work programme. As certain areas of the DDA negotiations begin to show 
momentum, and as Members embark on the preparatory process for the 9th WTO Ministerial 
Conference to be held in Bali in December 2013, it will be critical that the U.S. remains 
constructively engaged with other Members and show the leadership that will be required to address 
issues relating to the negotiations and other proposal s advanced by Members. Jamaica appreciates the 
U.S.' contribution to the WTO Global Trust Fund a nd to the provision of technical assistance and 
capacity building programmes to developing countri es and LDCs.  The U.S. also remains engaged on 
the Aid for Trade Initiative and provides various other trade support measures as outlined in the 
Government Report to build deve loping and LDC country capacity. 
413. Jamaica acknowledges the U.S.' support for processes aimed at promoting growth and 
development and the integration of developing co untries into the global economy.  Regional trade 
agreements are a key feature of U.S. trade policy and are viewed by the U.S. as complementary to 
trade liberalization efforts at the multilateral leve l. The U.S. participates in a number of regional 
trading arrangements as detailed in both reports . The Caribbean Basin Economic recovery Act 
(CBERA) is a valuable instrument for Jamaica an d other countries in the Caribbean sub-region.  
Access to the U.S. market under the CBERA continu es to be very important to Jamaica as over 90% 
of our exports to the U.S. enter that market unde r this arrangement.  Jamaica welcomes the decision 
by the U.S. Government in 2011 to renew the Cari bbean Basin Trade Partnership Act (CBPTA) until 
2020. 
414. Jamaica has excellent bilateral relations with th e U.S. spanning the trade, security, social and 
economic spheres. We have full confidence that our bilateral relations will gr ow and deepen further 
over the coming years as the multilateral and regi onal trade and development agendas evolve. 
SAUDI ARABIA 
415. This is a very important Review because the United States, as the world’s largest economy 
and trading nation, plays a leading role in this Organization and in the international trade. The 
Secretariat's Report points out that the United Stat es' economy has been marked by slow but steady 
recovery and some re balancing since its last Re view in 2010.  Merchandise and services trade figures 
have re bounded significantly since the 2009 financia l crisis and have now r eached new peak levels, 
surpassing previous 2008 peak levels  . Foreign direct investment continues to play an important role 
in the U.S. economy by making important contributio ns to U.S. employment, R&D, and exports.  The 
United States is the world's largest recipient of foreign direct investment (FDI), which totalled 
US$228 billion in 2011. Therefore, the Kingdom of Sa udi Arabia would like to indicate that, it is 
important for the health of the global economy and inte rnational trade that the U.S. continues to take 
steps to restore growth and stimulates demand fo r goods and services, which will in turn provide an 
impetus for global recovery.   
416. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United States have long enjoyed a strategic and 
economic partnership that has stre ngthened over the years. The United States is Saudi Arabia's largest  WT/TPR/M/275 
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  trading partner, and Saudi Arabia is one of the la rgest U.S. export markets in the Middle East. Saudi 
Arabia is one of the leading sources of imported oil for the United States, providing more than one 
million barrels per day of oil to the U.S. market . Saudi Arabia is U.S. 12th largest goods trading 
partner with US$61 billion in total (two ways) go ods trade during 2011. The top export categories) in 
2011 were: vehicles, machinery, electrical machinery,  optic and medical instruments, and aircraft. 
Saudi Arabia is the United States 8th largest supplie r of goods imports in 2011.The four largest import 
categories in 2011 were: mineral fuel, organic chem icals, fertilizers, and iron and steel products. 
417. The U.S.-Saudi Arabian Business Council (USSABC) plays a leading role in improving the 
mutual knowledge and unde rstanding between the private sectors of Saudi Arabia and the U.S. and 
facilitates increased trade and investment between  the two countries. The Council enjoys strong 
government support from both countries, and interact s regularly with senior government officials to 
promote issues of mutual interest to Saudi and U.S. firms.  
418. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia considers US A very important economic partner for 
investment, joint venture, transfer of tec hnology and joint projects in third countries. 
419. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has taken note of and welcomes the U.S. commitment to 
promoting the multilateral trading system. In the cont ext of the Doha Round negotiations the U.S. has 
a special leadership role to play.  The U.S. h as always been a key player in both launching and 
ensuring the successful outcome of previous rounds of  negotiations.  We are confident that the U.S. 
will continue to show leadership in the crucial time  ahead and do its part as we strive to finally bring 
the DDA to a successful conclusion. 
MOROCCO 
420. The United States economy bore the brunt of the global economic crisis of 2007 and is slowly 
returning to growth, estimated at 1.8% of GDP in 2011 as against 2.4% in 2010, thanks in particular 
to domestic consumption, exports and investment. 
421. Employment has also improved significantly, w ith an unemployment rate of 8.9% in 2011 
as against 9.6% in 2010, and predictions of around 8.1% during the first half of 2012. 
422. However, for both domestic and internationa l reasons the economy remains fragile. The 
weakness of the housing sector and the increase in hou sehold debt are two risk factors, together with 
the consequences of the euro zone crisis and th e slowdown in world growth, which are preventing 
a sustained increase in United States exports. 
423. These exports, a factor in the economic recovery during the last three years, reached a record 
of the order of US$2.1 trillion in 2011, making it po ssible to maintain 9.7 million jobs, 25% of them 
in the industrial sector. 
424. The good health of United States exports can be attributed to the launch in 2010 of the 
National Export Initiative, with the goal of doubl ing exports by 2014. The year 2012 should see 
an increase in exports, despite doubts about the global economy. 
425. Similarly, foreign direct investment in the United States, estimated at US$228 billion in 2011, 
continues to play an important role in the U.S.  economy, in particular as regards employment, 
research and development, and expor ts. The United States is the world's foremost beneficiary of FDI 
thanks, in particular, to the new Bilateral Invest ment Treaty, adopted in April 2012, which continues 
to guarantee strong protection for investors, while  allowing the Government to regulate the public 
interest. WT/TPR/M/275 
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  426. My delegation commends the strong commitme nt by the United States to an open and 
competitive multilateral trading system and to the World Trade Organization, which remains the forum for trade liberalization, development and the application of global trade disciplines and a 
bulwark against protectionism. 
427. The United States firmly believes that trade lib eralization makes it possible to boost economic 
growth, support decent jobs, raise living standard s and bring better goods and services to markets. 
428. For these various reasons, the United States adopts an open system of trade with a tariff of 
3.5%, below the duties established under the WTO.  For example, 70% of its imports enter free 
of customs duties, which demonstrates the tran sparency and accessibility of the trade rules. 
429. Moreover, the United States has adopted a series of bilateral and regional initiatives, as well 
as numerous free trade agreements, in particular  with my country, to ensure the increased 
liberalization of world trade. In this connection,  we could mention several international initiatives 
such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership, aimed at opening up the markets of Asia and the Pacific 
to United States products, and the United States- European Working Group on Jobs and Growth, 
whose mission is to identify new ways of strengthening the economic ties between the 
two economies. 
430. Similarly, Morocco welcomes the renewal, in  2012, of the African Growth and Opportunity 
Act (AGOA), which grants the Sub-Saharan Afri can countries duty-free access for a wide range 
of products, thus making it possible to increase an d diversify bilateral trade between the African 
countries and the United States. In 2011, the value of  this trade amounted to around US$95.3 billion. 
431. Another noteworthy development is the adopti on in 2011 of the African Competitiveness and 
Trade Expansion Initiative, which has allocated US$120 million over four years to improve 
African competitiveness and production capacity. 
432. Morocco and the United States ratified their first bilateral treaty in 1787. This treaty of peace 
and friendship, the oldest treaty in the history of the United States, dealt with political but also economic matters such as access to the respective markets, on the b asis of the Most-Favoured-Nation 
clause. 
433. More recently, in 2004, the United States desi gnated Morocco as a major ally outside NATO 
and the two countries signed a Free Trade Agreem ent, which has been in force since 2006. 
434. This Agreement made it possible to elimin ate customs duties on 95% of the industrial 
and consumer goods traded between the two count ries. It also concerns merchandise trade, 
in particular in agricultural and fishery products; industrial products including textiles and clothing; 
and services, including financial and teleco mmunications services, as well as government 
procurement. It also contains provisions relati ng to the protection of intellectual property, the 
environment and labour. 
435. Thanks to the conclusion of this FTA, trade be tween the two countries has increased fourfold 
since 2006, reaching US$4.5 billion in 2011. During the first 9 months of 2012, Morocco imported 
goods with a value of US$2.1 billion and exported goods worth US$643 million, mainly phosphates, 
various finished industrial equipm ent products and canned fish. Morocco is one of the five Arab 
markets most important for the United States and, conversely, the United States is Morocco's third 
trading partner with 7.2% of Morocco's global trade. 
436. The more than 120 United States enterprises curre ntly operating in Morocco have generated 
more than 100,000 direct and indirect jobs. United States private investment was calculated  WT/TPR/M/275 
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  at US$138.7 million in 2011. The figure for the first half of 2012 is US$117.1 million, mainly 
in holding companies and real estate. 
437. However, the governments and businessmen of the two countries estimate that the FTA has 
not produced the anticipated results, given the pot ential of the Moroccan and United States markets, 
whence the decision by the governments and businessmen of the two countries to further strengthen 
their economic ties. 
438. Thus, in September 2012 the two countries signed a Morocco-United States Strategic 
Dialogue Agreement, with an economic component aimed at bringing businessmen together with a 
view to improving trade between the two c ountries, both qualitatively and quantitatively. 
439. Another initiative consists in the Morocco-Un ited States Business Development Conference, 
held on 4 December 2012, on the fringe of th e third meeting of the Joint Committee of 
the Morocco-United States FTA held in Washingt on. The aim of this Conference was to design 
a framework for incentivizing greater United States i nvestment in Morocco, particularly in promising 
sectors such as agriculture, aviation, the motor vehi cle industry, infrastructure and renewable energy. 
440. In this connection, the United States has announced that a financial envelope of 
US$1.5 million will be devoted to attracting United States investment in Morocco and to promoting 
local economic development and the strengthening of the legal and regulatory framework with a view 
to exploiting the potential of the FTA. 
441. This Conference was also the occasion for the c onclusion of several agreements between the 
two countries in the areas of information and communication technology, investment 
and trade facilitation. 
442. These new agreements will doubtless have a positive effect by boosting trade between 
Morocco and the United States, thanks to th e greater involvement of the two countries' 
business communities. 
NEPAL 
443. As the world's largest economy and one of the key architects of the post-World War II trading 
system, the USA has played an important role in th e promotion of global trade. We appreciate their 
commitment to the rule-based multilateral trading system.    
444. The USA has always been a major trade partner for Nepal.   
445. Nepal accords high priority to its trade relations  with the USA. In view of the increasing trade 
and economic relations, Nepal signe d Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) with the 
USA in April 2011. We look forward to furthe r enhancing trade and investment relations by 
operationalizing the framework agreement. 
446. Trade is the most important engine of economic  growth. Meaningful trading opportunities in 
terms of enhanced market access matched by in creased domestic productive capacity will be essential 
to reap the benefits from global trading system. 
447. Like other LDCs, Nepal is in need of enhanced international support in trade, which includes 
effective and commercially meaningful operationalization of the duty-free-quota-free market access. 
After the abolition of MFA in January 2005, Nepal' s garment industry suffered a big loss leading to 
decline in employment and export earnings. Implem entation of the LDC related commitments made 
under WTO, including DFQF, would not only increase the trade volume of the LDCs but would also WT/TPR/M/275 
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  send a positive message that the international communi ty is true to its commitment to the poor and 
destitute. Nepal takes this opportuni ty to call on all trade and deve lopment partners of the LDCs, 
including the USA, to work towards this. Nepal al so requests the USA to expand its GSP basket so 
that greater numbers of products enjoy preferential market access. Equally important is the issue of 
the Rules of Origin, which need to be made simple , predictable and facilitative to LDCs' trade.    
448. Nepal thanks the United States for its con tinued support to the Enhanced Integrated 
Framework, which has been serving as an important mechanism to help LDCs mainstream into the 
international trading system. We hope the United States' financial and t echnical cooperation will 
increase towards helping to build trade related in frastructure and strengthen trade capacity of the 
LDCs.  
OMAN 
449. The United States is the leading economy in the world. It is the number one importer of 
merchandise trade in the world, the second high est exporter of merchandise and the number one 
importer and exporter of commercial services. Thus , the trade policies of the United States have a 
very significant impact on world trade. We are ha ppy to note that the United States has always taken a 
leading role in supporting an open and libe ral, rule-based multilateral trading system. 
450. My delegation has carefully gone through the Report of the U.S. in document WT/TPR/S/275 
specially prepared for this review. We compliment the U.S. on a detailed ela boration of its position on 
the multilateral trading system and on its section titled "l ooking forward". It is heartening to note that 
the U.S. remains committed to enhancing the WTO' s role as the primary forum for multilateral trade 
liberalization, for the development and enforcem ent of global trade rules and as a voice against 
protectionism. We also laud the U.S. for a key elem ent of its trade policy that focuses on efforts to 
partner with developing countries to allevi ate poverty and promote economic opportunities. 
451. The delegation of Oman notes with satisfacti on and appreciation that the United States has 
kept faith in an open and liberal economy during a nd after the financial crisis of 2008. Its simple 
average import tariff is 3.5%, and in 2011 nearly 70%  of all U.S. imports entered the country free of 
duty. 
452. The reward of an open economy is a positive GDP growth rate of 2.2% in 2010 which 
compares favourably with other developed countries. 
453. The WTO Secretariat report points out that preferential trade accounts for an important and 
growing percentage of U.S. trade, amounting to 20% of U.S. imports in 2011. And the U.S. is 
vigorously pursuing free-trade agreements. Does it m ean a lack of faith in the multilateral trading 
system? 
454. We were surprised to find no mention of the Doha Round in the U.S. report and even more 
surprised to read the last senten ce in paragraph 158 of the U.S. Report which talks of only some areas 
of negotiations and of new approaches to trade liber alization. Is the U.S. turning its back on Doha 
Round? 
455. The Secretariat Report points to the complexity  and cumbersome application of its several 
different rules of origin. It also states that th e U.S. imposes a number of fees and charges on imports 
that vary depending upon the source. Does it mean a departure from the MFN principle? We would request the U.S. to please clarify.  WT/TPR/M/275 
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  456. To conclude, we commend the U.S. for its strong support to the WTO, for its adherence to the 
principles of the multilateral trading system, for its outward looking trade policy and for its efforts to 
alleviate poverty in developing countries. 
URUGUAY 
457. Our country maintains friendly and constructive re lations with the United States in the various 
areas of bilateral interest, both at the politi cal and economic level and in the generation 
of opportunities for commercial, technological, social and cultural cooperation. 
458. It is important to mention the concrete advan ces made with the bilateral agenda and the high 
standard of dialogue and coordination between the two countries at regional a nd international levels. 
459. At the beginning of 2007, Uruguay signed a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement 
(TIFA) with the United States. This Agreement jo ins the Treaty concerning the Reciprocal Protection 
of Investment with the United States appr oved by our Parliament on 27 December 2005. 
460. The TIFA established a Trade and Investment C ouncil, an advisory body for matters relating 
to trade and investment. It is the task of this  Council to expand trade in products and services, 
promote measures calculated to stimulate and faci litate trade and ensure conditions that favour 
long-term investment. Moreover, it is responsible fo r identifying and eliminating barriers to trade and 
investment. The TIFA helps trading partners to de velop experience, institutions and legislation that 
promote the global economy. 
461. The United States is a country of great relevance for Uruguay as a trading partner, insofar 
as it is one of our top ten export destinations. Howeve r, its total share of trade has fallen during the 
last ten years. In 2010, it ranked ninth among expor t destinations, having lost six places as compared 
with 2001, and eight places as compared with 2005 when it led the rankings. In fact, that year marked 
the record for sales by Uruguay to the United States and the beginning of a clearly declining trend. 
462. In recent years, the trade balance between  the United States and Uruguay has recorded 
an increasing deficit. In 2010 there was a deficit of US$430 million, the highest value over the entire 
period considered. This was no doubt aggravated by the sharp depreciation of the dollar in relation to 
the Uruguayan peso. Exports in 2010 totalled US $196 million, while Uruguay's imports from the 
United States increased steadily thro ughout the period, reaching their highest value in that year with a 
total of US$626 million. 
463. In 2006, the United States accounted for 13% of Uruguayan exports, whereas in 2010 these 
exports were only 3% of Uruguay's total world export trade. Thus, the objective will be to increase 
bilateral trade so as to return to th e levels reached in previous years. 
464. With regard to exports by product during the re view period, the main products that Uruguay 
exported were meat and skins and hides. Other produ cts of importance were wood, other fresh fruit or 
produce, cheese and cottage cheese, and soya. 
465. With respect to the Generalized System of Preferences for Developing Countries (GSP), we 
would very much like to receive clarification concer ning the criteria that the United States intends to 
use in connection with the review of the GSP envisaged for the first half of 2013. 
466. The reason for this is the current consultations  in which our agricultural authorities learned 
that the criteria to be adopted could include "c ountry/product competitiveness" with the possibility 
of adverse effects on our agricultural and agro-in dustrial exports within the framework of the new 
scheme. Once again, we would welcom e clarification regarding this point. WT/TPR/M/275 
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  467. Regarding investment, in 2009 the United Stat es was the third source of investment in 
Uruguay. The amount of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) by United States companies in that year 
was US$167.2 million, which represents 10.5% of total FDI in Uruguay. This exemplifies the 
importance of United States investment in Uruguay and is the reason why we are encouraging this 
positive trend. 
468. It is also necessary to stress the fundamental  role of the United States in the economy and 
international trade and the decisive part it is pl aying in surmounting the international economic and 
financial crisis, which means that we are counting on  it to be able to resist protectionist proposals, 
which would only further delay an alrea dy slow and difficult recovery process. 
469. As a final comment, both countries have an interest in joining forces in bringing 
the Doha Development Round to a successful conclu sion and in strengthening the multilateral trading 
system on the basis of predictable, transparent and balanced rules.  WT/TPR/M/275 
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  V. REPLIES BY THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE UNITED STATES AND 
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS 
470. We would like to start by expressing our deep appreciation for the high level of engagement 
that we have seen in this trade policy review.  We very much appreciate the thoughtful comments 
provided by the Chair, discussant and Members at Tuesday's meeting.  It would be impossible today 
to respond to each and every point that was raised  but I can assure you that we were listening very 
attentively and have taken careful note of everything that was said.   
471. You have already seen our responses to all of th e written questions that were received by the 
two week deadline as well as responses to some of the questions that were received after that.  Today 
we are circulating further responses to questions recei ved after the deadline and we will respond to the 
rest as soon as possible.  As of this morning, th e total number of written questions we received stands 
at 1,599. 
472. In the remainder of our comments today we would like to pick up on a number of key themes 
and issues that have been raised. 
473. To begin with, at the broadest level, we appreciate the wide recognition of the openness of the 
U.S. economy to trade and investment.  While we acknowledge specific concerns, it is important to 
place these concerns in their broader context.  In a similar vein, we would like to extend our thanks to 
Michael Stone, our discussant, for his kind recognition of the leadership role that we have been 
playing in the fight against protectionism.  The Unite d States is committed to continuing this fight, as 
the alternative would be a self-defeating spiral of actions that would damage our shared efforts at economic recovery and growth. 
474. We would also like to express our appreciati on for the kind words from many Members about 
our work on Aid for Trade and trade related capacity bu ilding.  This will continue to be a high priority 
for the United States. 
475. A number of Members have commented on the importance of the United States remaining 
committed to the multilateral trading system.  Let there be no doubt.  The United States played a 
leading role in creating this system as well as bu ilding upon it and sustaining it.  While the system is 
far from perfect, we remain fully committed to supporting it and making it even better. 
476. We were struck by a few comments suggestin g that the United St ates has increased its 
emphasis on bilateral, regional, and plurilateral negotiations at the expe nse of multilateral efforts.  The 
facts don't support this concern.  We have alwa ys taken a very pragmatic approach to trade 
liberalization, pursuing it with willing partners at th e multilateral, plurilateral a nd bilateral levels.   If 
the level of activity at the multilateral level has fallen off, it is not for lack of interest on our part but 
rather, as our Ministers recognized at MC8, that Doha is at an impasse.  Yet despite the fact that we, 
as a group, are still grappling with the issues at the co re of the impasse, the Un ited States has been at 
the leading edge of every effort to make progress.  Our contribution has been not just in the form of 
showing up at meetings, but in helping to shape the creative thought that will be necessary to make 
real progress.  This has involved not just pressing issu es of particular interest to us but also listening 
and engaging in good faith on issues of interest to othe rs.  We have also been playing a leadership role 
in reinvigorating the regular work of the WTO stan ding bodies which is critical to the well-being of 
the trading system. 
477. We believe that Bali will be an important milest one and that we collectively need to use it to 
show that the WTO is still an organization that can deliver results through negotiation.  However, we 
do not view the prospect of some success at Bali as the end of the road for the issues that brought us WT/TPR/M/275 
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  together at Doha.  Rather, we see it as an essential m eans of creating the confidence that is needed to 
tackle the harder issues. 
478. The interests that led us to play a leadersh ip role in launching the DDA remain and are as 
strong as ever.  We continue to be fully committe d to opening markets and addressing distortions to 
trade in agriculture, industrial products and servi ces, as well as updating the WTO rule book.  For 
those of you who have expressed interest in addressing concerns about U.S. measures in the 
agriculture area, peak tariffs in general or othe r matters covered by the Doha agenda, let's join 
together in figuring out how to put Doha back on track.  However, I will not hide from you our 
frustration with those who seem to think the only thing they need to do to advance Doha is to string 
together a long list of adjectives saying how comm itted they are to conclude it, or who focus 
exclusively on what others should do.  The negotia tions became deadlocked over very important and 
difficult issues, centering on the respective obligations of Members – particularly the major players.  
The only way to move forward is to address those i ssues and that is a collective responsibility.  We 
don't need more slogans.  We need new ideas and hard work. 
479. It is important as we look ahead that we do so with a clear understanding of what has stood in 
the way of progress up until now.  In this connection, I was struck by China's suggestion that perhaps 
with the electoral season over, things will be easier.  While I cannot speak for other Members undergoing leadership transitions, I can be very clear that in our case the issues blocking progress in Doha have never had anything to do with electoral  politics in Washington, and everything to do with 
substance in Geneva. 
480. There was a lot of discussion on Tuesday about the importance of leadership.  The United 
States has always embraced, and continues to embrace,  the importance of playing a leadership role in 
the WTO in all its forms.  One asp ect of leadership is a willingness to confront difficult questions and 
grapple with the uncomfortable and unpopular aftermath.  The United States will continue to lead, and 
to challenge, but all major players must embrace a sh ared responsibility if this institution is to succeed 
in the future.      
481. A number of Members have raised issues or ask ed questions relating to the steps that the 
United States has taken to deal with the financia l crisis and otherwise to put our economic house in 
order.   
482. A number of Members have made comments on or expressed interest in the actions that the 
Federal Reserve has taken to promote economic recovery – quantitative easing in particular.  
Quantitative Easing is an accepted form of monetary policy when conventional monetary policy is not 
available, i.e. when interest rates are at or near  0%.  These actions are necessary to foster a stronger 
economic recovery in the context of price stability.  This policy not only helps to strengthen the U.S. 
economic recovery, but by boosting U.S. spending and growth, it has the effect of helping to support 
the global economy as well.  There is no qualitati ve difference between a conventional monetary 
policy and quantitative easing in terms of its effect , or lack thereof, on emerging markets.  To 
condemn Quantitative Easing is to condemn accommodative monetary policy generally. 
483. In a recent speech, Chairman Bernanke of the Federal Reserve remarked that evidence does 
not support the view that accommodative moneta ry policy by advanced economies has led to 
disruptive capital inflows into emerging market eco nomies.  "Recent research, including studies from 
the IMF, does not support the view that advanced -economy monetary policies are the dominant factor 
behind emerging market capital flows.  Consistent  with these findings, these capital flows have 
diminished in the past couple of years, even as monetary policies in advanced economies have 
continued to ease, and longer-term interest rates in th ose economies have contin ued to decline."      WT/TPR/M/275 
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  484. More importantly, Bernanke stated that the be nefits from this policy in the global economy 
should also be recognized.  "The slowing of growth  in the emerging market economies this year in 
large part reflects their decelerating exports to  the United States, Europe, and other advanced 
economies.  Therefore, monetary easing that supports  the recovery in the advanced economies should 
stimulate trade and boost growth in emerging market economies as well.  In principle depreciation of 
the dollar and other advanced economy currencie s could reduce (although not eliminate) the positive 
effect on trade and growth in emerging markets.  However, since mid-2008, in fact, before the 
intensification of the financial crisis triggered wide  swings in the dollar, the real multilateral value of 
the dollar has changed little, and it has fallen just a bit against the currencies of the emerging market 
economies." 
485. We would note that, according to the IMF, the U.S. dollar is overvalued by between 0 and 10 
percent on a real effective basis.   
486. We also recognize the importance of intern ational cooperation in promoting economic 
recovery and have been particip ating very actively in such efforts, particularly in the G20. 
487. Among other things, G-20 economies have comm itted to putting their public finances on 
sustainable paths. The Obama Administration is co mmitted to a deficit redu ction plan that would 
support the recovery in the near term, while restoring fiscal sustainability including the reduction of the debt to GDP ratio through a balanced appro ach to medium-term deficit reduction.    
488. The G-20 has agreed that rebalancing is at the core of the group's agenda and that deficit 
countries need to save more and surplus countri es need to boost domestic demand growth.  The 
United States is doing its part.  The United States has reduced its current account deficit from 6.5% of 
GDP in the fourth quarter of 2005 to 3% of GDP in the second quarter of 2012.  The household saving 
rate has risen and the government deficit has narrowed from 10.1% of GDP in fiscal year 2009 to 7% in fiscal year 2012.  Current account surplus econom ies need to do their part to foster global 
rebalancing by accelerating the pace of domes tic demand growth in their economies.   
489. A number of Members have expressed interest in learning more about the Troubled Asset 
Recovery Program, known as TARP for short.  Trea sury's authority to invest money through TARP 
ended on 3 October 2010, in accordance with the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 
(EESA), the legislation that created TARP. As of 30 November 2012, Treasury has recovered almost 90% of the funds invested through the various TARP  programs. Several programs have already been 
completely closed, and more are in their wind-down phases.  EESA did not set a date by which the programs will be fully shut down, however, the Government is focused on winding down TARP 
programs as quickly as possible, while ensuring fi nancial stability and maximizing returns to the 
taxpayer. 
490. A number of Members have referred to Paragraph 35 of the Secretariat's report that speaks to 
a Congressional Research Service (CRS) report and its comments on U.S. investment policies.  
Contrary to the impression that some might have drawn from that citation, the CRS report discusses a 
number of federal-level measures that "have an im pact on foreign investment in the United States," 
including measures that do not restrict foreign invest ment.  Indeed, the report notes that "there are not 
across-the-board, blanket restrictions on foreign i nvestment in the United States."  The United States 
maintains an open investment regime, with very few limitations on foreign investment.  Detailed 
information about specific measures that impact fore ign investment in the United States is widely and 
publicly available, including in the CRS re port cited in the Secretariat's Report.  
491. With respect to the Committee on Foreign Inv estment in the United States, known as CFIUS, 
the vast majority of foreign direct investment does not raise national security concerns.  Foreign 
investors are not required to notify CFIUS of their transactions, but instead decide themselves whether WT/TPR/M/275 
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  to file if they believe national security considera tions might arise.  However, while the process is 
essentially voluntary and the vast majority of CFIU S cases are the result of voluntary notices, CFIUS 
has the authority to initiate a review of any transac tion that may raise national security concerns.   
492. We welcome the interest expressed by Member s in the SelectUSA Initiative.  SelectUSA 
works with firms – both foreign and domestic – as  well as U.S. economic development organizations 
to provide information, guidance, and counseling on the U.S. economic climate and federal rules and 
regulations impacting business investment in the United States.  Housed in the Department of 
Commerce, SelectUSA is a part of the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service (USFCS), which is located at U.S. embassies and consulates in ove r 70 worldwide markets and has a robust field 
operation through U.S. Export Assistance Centers across the United States.  By coordinating 
resources across the federal government, Select USA provides both information assistance and 
ombudsman services to the global investment community. 
493. We note the high level of interest expressed  my Members in learning more about the 
President's National Export Initiative.  The President  launched the NEI during his State of the Union 
address on January 27, 2010 and established a nationa l goal of doubling U.S. exports by the end of 
2014. The NEI has five main components. First, the Administration seeks to improve advocacy and 
trade promotion efforts on behalf of U.S. exporters. Second, the Administration seeks to increase access to export financing. Third, agencies will reinfo rce their efforts to remove barriers to trade. 
Fourth, the United States will robustly enforce trade ru les, ensuring America's trade partners live up to 
their obligations. Fifth, the Administration will pursu e policies at the global le vel to promote strong, 
sustainable, and balanced growth so that the world economy grows.   
494. Turning to U.S. performance in meeting its notif ication requirements, we would note that the 
Secretariat's report is a snapshot in time.  In th is case, the report only includes notifications received 
up until 30 June.  In some cases this resulted in th e report indicating we had not made a notification 
that was not due until some months later, and which we did submit in a timely fashion.  Admittedly, a 
few of our notifications were late.  But we have no w made those notifications so we are fully up to 
date.  The United States has always placed a high prio rity on meeting its notification requirements and 
we will continue to do so.  We encourage others to do the same. 
495. We've taken careful note of comments made by  Members on pending regulatory actions.  The 
United States maintains a very open and transparent regulatory process which we are quite proud of.  
All stakeholders, domestic and foreign, are afforded  the opportunity to provide input.  So, while we 
are not in a position to speculate on the final shape of these regulatory actions, we can assure those of 
you who have participated in the process that your views will be carefully considered as decisions are 
taken.   
496. In closing, I would like to reiterate our apprecia tion for the interest that you have shown in the 
United States through your participation in this trade policy review.  We are very  conscious of the fact 
that this interest stems from the fact that we are in an interconnected world where what one does 
affects the other.  We hope that through exercises such as this we can understand each other better and 
build upon this understanding to impr ove the multilateral trading system for the betterment of all of 
us.   
DISCUSSANT 
497. This two day discussion has shown the intense inte rest of Members in U.S. trade policies and 
in the role of the U.S. in the multilateral system and more widely in global trade affairs.  Four things 
spring to my mind from the interactions.  WT/TPR/M/275 
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  498. First, very many Members noted that the U.S. was among their top three or five trading 
partners and so critical to their own economic hea lth. In this context, many Members expressed both 
concern and hope about the current path of the U.S.  economy and hence the impact on trade flows.    
499. Second while many Members have real concerns about certain specific US trade measures or 
policies, most also acknowledge – although sometimes grudgingly – the leadership role of U.S. in free 
trade and its generally open and transparent regime .  I think it is noteworthy that the concerns are 
focused on a pretty small number of areas. But b ecause of the enormous importance of the US market, 
barriers, tariff peaks, prolonged AD measures, cumbersome ROOs on even a small number of products/areas can really hurt the individual Members affected.  Perhaps the domestic political cost of 
a small move in a small number of  areas/products could be outweighed by the external political gains 
such would achieve? 
500. Third many developing countries had very warm wo rds of appreciation for the U.S.' efforts in 
their GSP and regional preference schemes, and for th eir contributions in many areas to trade capacity 
building and aid for trade.  I think this really does demonstrate the U.S.'s walking the walk in 
encouraging all Members to trade more for mutual benefit, jobs and growth. 
501. Lastly, many Members urged the U.S. to use its premier position genuinely to seek to move 
the Multilateral Trading System and Doha Developmen t Agenda forward.  They noted that without 
strong U.S. commitment, the WTO and the DDA will simp ly languish.  I think it is fair to say that 
many Members, while welcoming the U.S. stated  commitment to the DDA, nevertheless hoped to see 
more evidence of this stated commitment.  The U.S.  does have this pivotal ro le in the negotiations and 
we all look forward to their exercising it.  It  was thus reassuring to hear the comments from 
Ambassador Punke on this.  
CHINA 
502. On macro-economic side, we like many others, ar e concerned with the uncertainty of whether 
or not there will be a lasting resolution to the "cliff"  issue. It is a pity that U.S. delegation said in 
answers to our related questions that it is not in a position to comment at this stage. In view of the 
weight of the U.S. economy and its global influences, we would like to note that the importance of 
this issue lies in predictability, or assurance needed by others to make forward planning for a better 
economic outlook, as rightly pointed out by our distinguished discussant.  
503. On trade and investment side, Members in the first session of this review have expressed their 
broad concerns over the U.S. practices in trade reme dies. In today's meeting, we particularly would 
like to highlight the U.S. law titled Application of Countervailing Duty Provisions to Nonmarket 
Economy Countries, which as noted in the Secretar iat Report, was enacted and to be applied 
retroactively to all countervailing investigations since 2006 after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 
Federal Circuit had ruled in December 2011 that  countervailing investigations cannot be initiated 
against China under the U.S. law as long as China is treated a non-market economy.  
504. The U.S. provided explanation to our written ques tions on this issue, which we take note of, 
but the explanation in our view is not convincing.  We believe that such a move of the U.S. goes 
against the fundamental spirit of rule of law and brought great uncertainty to the legal environment 
that enterprises will have to face in the U.S.  It also violates the rules and disciplines of the WTO in 
respect of countervailing actions. As noted in the Secretariat Report, the law is currently facing 
challenges in the U.S. on Constitutional grounds. We  will follow closely the development of the case. 
505. We also asked questions on a number of refusal s of the applications from Chinese enterprises 
for investment in the U.S. on national security re view grounds, which we believe are not transparent 
and convincing and goes against the stated policy objec tive of the U.S. to pursu e trade and investment WT/TPR/M/275 
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  liberalization and market opening. The U.S. responde d by saying that by law, information filed under 
the review may not be disclosed to the public, and the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United 
States does not comment on information relating to  specific cases. This answer obviously will only 
increase our doubt on the review process and we will c ontinue our exchange with the U.S. in this 
respect. 
506. For our question on the current policy and future policy orientation of the U.S. on biofuels, 
we are somewhat puzzled to see that the answer is not the information on policy itself but rather 
seems to be about world corn market. We therefor e would be grateful if the U.S. delegation could 
provide some update on this particular question in  the final version of the answers which will be 
circulated as addendum to the minutes of this review meeting. 
507. I will not make more specific comments, but to say that China and the U.S. are among the 
most important trade and investment partners to each  other. Our statistics show that in the 11 months 
of year 2012, bilateral trade has already amounted to US$439 billion, which is an 8.2% growth year 
on year. China attaches great importance to the U. S. commitment to the multilateral trading system. 
China also has a huge stake in the U.S. maintaini ng open and fair trade and investment regime in 
consistence the WTO rules and principles. We apprec iate the value of this 11th Trade Policy Review 
of the United States, and submitted some additional questions yesterday based on the latest feedback 
from Beijing. We look forward to the answers from  the U.S. delegation. We will also keep on 
exchanging views and concerns with the U.S. to  further enhance our economic and trade ties both 
bilaterally and multilaterally. 
EUROPEAN UNION 
508. The EU acknowledges the immense task of the U.S. in replying to 1500 questions posed on 
the occasion of this TPR and thanks the U.S. dele gation for the information provided in the replies 
and also the statement today.  
509. While highly appreciating this effort, the EU  would nevertheless like to raise several 
follow-up questions. Therefore allow me to say a few words on the following: 
 regarding the enforcement of the 100% car go scanning requirement, the EU strongly hopes 
 that a permanent satisfactory solution could be found for both maritime and air transport;  
 regarding SPS issues such as BSE import restrictions and plant import procedures, the EU 
 expects that the U.S. will co mmit to reduce existing long dela ys which constitute barriers to 
 trade;  
 on fisheries, we thank the U.S. for the detaile d explanations provided on their system and 
 would appreciate some clarification on certain specific aid measures;  
 on government corporations, the EU is very in terested in getting more information on the 
 criteria on which the U.S. base its decision for public funding to these entities should this 
 situation arise;  
 The EU is also keen to get further clarifi cation on the legal framework for assessing mergers 
 and acquisitions for financial services such as to whether Order No 2012-2 
 (14 February 2012) constitutes a formal U.S. policy and whether will be codified under the 
 Federal Reserve merger guidelines.  WT/TPR/M/275 
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  510. The EU would like to thank again the delegation of the U.S., headed by Ambassador Punke, 
for the great efforts and constructive approach in this important transparency exercise and wish you 
all happy holidays. WT/TPR/M/275 
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  JAPAN 
511. Let me thank the U.S. delegation for providing  us with a useful oral explanation and 
informative written responses.  Japan highly appreciates the efforts of the U.S. to reply to our written 
questions in a timely manner.  I also would like to express my appreciation for the helpful comments from the discussant, Mr. Michael Stone. 
512. Regarding the answers to our questions provided,  Japan is submitting four technical follow-up 
questions on the enforcement of  trade-related intellectual property rights, telecommunication's 
regulations and the movement of natu ral persons in FTAs.  We expect that we will be able to receive 
answers to those questions in due course.  
513. Finally, like other members, Japan is confid ent and continues to expect the strong U.S. 
commitment to the multilateral trading system and is willing to work together with other Members.  WT/TPR/M/275 
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  VI. CONCLUDING REMARKS BY THE CHAIRPERSON 
514. At the conclusion of this eleventh Trade Polic y Review of the United States I would like to 
thank Deputy USTR Ambassador Mich ael Punke and his delegation for their constructive engagement 
in this meeting. I would also like to thank Mr. Michael Stone, Permanent Representative of Hong 
Kong, China to the WTO for his intervention as the discussant.  The Review was based on reports by 
the WTO Secretariat and the United States Government, both of which were appreciated by the 
delegates, although the Secretariat was asked to provide greater coverage of the services sector, a 
point which will be taken on- board for the 2014 Review. 
515. The United States is the world's largest single econo my and the largest trader, thus it is of key 
interest to all WTO Members. Many highlighted that the United States ranked high as either a major 
source of imports or as a major destination for export s.  In 2011, 68 Members had the United States as 
their first, second, or third largest export market  and the United States continued to be the world's 
largest recipient of FDI, with accumulated stocks of  US$2.9 trillion. Thus, changes in the U.S. trade 
policy and state of the economy often have a casc ading impact on many WTO Members. For this 
reason, WTO Members re-affirmed the importance of the Trade Policy Review Mechanism to 
periodically take note of developments, increase transparency, and offer a forum for dialogue. 
516. During the period under review it was noted that the United States continued to conclude new 
bilateral and regional initiatives, w ith a number still in the pipeline a nd expected to be concluded in 
the future. While some questioned U.S. priorities with respect to bilatera l and regional versus 
multilateral trade liberalisation, the United Stat es emphasised its commitment to "preserving and 
enhancing the WTO's role as the primary forum fo r liberalising multilateral trade, developing and 
enforcing global trade rules, and serving as a bulwa rk against protectionism." The United States' 
commitment to the WTO was also highlighted through its financial donations to various trust funds, 
the Aid-for-Trade initiative, and various technical  assistance and capacity building programmes.  
WTO Members expressed their desire for the United States to exercise its leadership role in the 
multilateral trading system, and in particular, in the DDA negotiations as well as in the lead-up to the 
upcoming Ministerial meeting in Bali. For many Members, the United States holds a unique position 
in that it can lead by example and has the capacity  to influence. Members look forward to working 
with the United States collaboratively to find so lutions to the current impasse and re-building 
confidence in the multilateral trading system. 
517. Members commended the United States for its swif t response to the 2007-09 financial crisis, 
thereby reversing the downward spiral. A slow but  steady recovery has taken place during the past 
two years. The re-balancing efforts are bearing fru it and imports and exports have surpassed previous 
historic levels. Exports are on track to meet the target  of doubling in five years, in particular services 
exports; however the trade deficit also continues to  grow. Furthermore, the growth in imports seems 
to be closely linked to fuel prices and increasing U. S. production of oil and gas will have an impact on 
the U.S. current account and its balance of trade. 
518. Various initiatives or policies have been undertak en in this regard, including some which, 
some Members feel, could have an adverse impact  on trade, including financial support to certain 
industries, Buy American provisions, and the u se of unconventional monetary policies with a 
consequential impact on exchange rates. Member s hope that the United States will address these 
concerns.  
519. It was noted that the United States maintain s a very open trade regime and should be 
commended for this as well as for its resistance to introduce protectionist measures, even during 
difficult times. Furthermore, it is clear the United States places a high value on transparency and the WTO rules-based system. However, that being said,  there still remain a number of areas that are of 
systemic concern or have been identified as causi ng bilateral tensions. Members, either through the WT/TPR/M/275 
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  question and answer process or through their statemen ts encouraged the United States to take action 
on the following points: 
 As the world's biggest exporter of agricultural products with a new Farm Bill expected next 
 year, agricultural policy in the United States continues to be an important issue for WTO 
 Members. The United States was encouraged to  review many agricultural policies including 
 domestic support measures, SSG, food aid, and e xport programs. Policies relating to the beef, 
 cotton, sugar, and dairy sectors were also noted as problematic. 
 The importance of maintaining a balance between security concerns and legitimate trade is an 
 important matter for many Members. In that c ontext, concerns were raised about the potential 
 increase in trade transaction costs that coul d result from the 100% scanning requirements, and 
 further information on this and on risk analysis was requested.    
 With respect to contingency measures a number of points were raised including 
 methodologies relating to non-market economies,  regulations related to the zeroing case, and 
 outcomes related to the "sunset review" process.   With respect to the latter, Members noted 
 that a significant proportion of cases resulted in  the continuation of imposition of duties, even 
 in situations where duties had been in  force for more than 20 or 30 years. 
 A number of Members commented on U.S. rules of  origin and marking/labelling rules. These 
 were described by some delegations as cumbersome, complex, out-dated, and non- transparent.  As such they were seen as a bur den for traders and acted as a non-tariff barrier to 
 trade. The United States was encouraged to review these policies to enable countries to 
 meaningfully participate in global supply chains. 
 Members thanked the United States for its numerous notifications of TBT and SPS measures 
 during the period of review but remain concerned about the lack of enough use of  international standards, notification of sub-Fe deral measures, and the application of the Food 
 Safety Modernization Act. 
 Although the average tariff in the United Stat es is relatively low, tariff peaks remain a 
 concern in some sectors, and affect products of  interest to developing countries, such as 
 leather, footwear, textiles, and some agriculture  products. Furthermore, the use of tariff quotas 
 and non- ad valorem  tariffs were also noted as hindrances to trade.   
 On services, the maintenance of the status quo in  maritime restrictions remained a concern for 
 many Members, as well as the future rule-making with respect to the Dodd-Frank Act. 
 Though the question and answer process, Inte llectual Property and G overnment Procurement 
 generated a lot of interest, and the United Stat es was requested to clarify a number of issues 
 on these matters. 
520. Despite the steady growth and recovery during the last two years, there are certain aspects of 
the U.S. economy that remain weak or uncertain.  In  fact it is the uncertainty itself which can stifle 
growth, investment, and trade. Members urged the Un ited States to move to a more solid footing in a 
number of areas to reduce speculation and provide confidence. In particular they hoped that 
uncertainty would be reduced with respect to the impending "fiscal cliff", the farm bill, 
implementation of the 100% scanning requirement, and the excise tax on government procurement. 
521. The large number of delegations that particip ated in this meeting and the large number of 
questions tabled during this Trade Policy Review i ndicate the clear importance of the United States as 
a trading partner for WTO Members. The U.S.  delegation is to be commended for giving  WT/TPR/M/275 
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  comprehensive replies to so many questions in  a short time-frame and Members look forward to 
receiving the final responses in one month. 
522. I hope that this review will serve the Unite d States to reflect on its importance in and 
responsibility for the multilateral trading system so that it will continue to shape its trade policy 
accordingly both for its own benefit as well as for th e benefit of all who are part of the system. In 
closing, I would like to thank the United States de legation, all the other delegations, the discussant 
and the Secretariat for this successful review  of the trade policies of the United States. 
__________