Presidential Documents

12981 

Federal Register 

Vol. 77, No. 43 

Monday, March 5, 2012 

Title 3— 

The President 

Executive Order 13601 of February 28, 2012 

Establishment of the Interagency Trade Enforcement Center 

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the 

laws of the United States of America, and in order to advance U.S. foreign 

policy and protect the national and economic security of the United States 

through strengthened and coordinated enforcement of U.S. trade rights under 

international trade agreements and enforcement of domestic trade laws, it 

is hereby ordered as follows: 

Section 1. Policy. Robust monitoring and enforcement of U.S. rights under 

international trade agreements, and enforcement of domestic trade laws, 

are crucial to expanding exports and ensuring U.S. workers, businesses, 

ranchers, and farmers are able to compete on a level playing field with 

foreign trade partners. To strengthen our capacity to monitor and enforce 

U.S. trade rights and domestic trade laws, and thereby enhance market 

access for U.S. exporters, executive departments and agencies (agencies) 

must coordinate and augment their efforts to identify and reduce or eliminate 

foreign trade barriers and unfair foreign trade practices to ensure that U.S. 

workers, businesses, ranchers, and farmers receive the maximum benefit 

from our international trade agreements and under domestic trade laws. 

Sec. 2. Establishment. (a) There is established within the Office of the 

United States Trade Representative (USTR) an Interagency Trade Enforcement 

Center (Center). 

(b) The Center shall coordinate matters relating to enforcement of U.S. 

trade rights under international trade agreements and enforcement of domestic trade laws among USTR and the following agencies: 

(i) the Department of State; 

(ii) the Department of the Treasury; 

(iii) the Department of Justice; 

(iv) the Department of Agriculture; 

(v) the Department of Commerce; 

(vi) the Department of Homeland Security; 

(vii) the Office of the Director of National Intelligence; and 

(viii) other agencies as the President, or the United States Trade Representative, may designate. 

In matters relating to the enforcement of U.S. trade rights involving intellectual property rights, the Center shall consult with the Intellectual Property 

Enforcement Coordinator. 

(c) The Center shall have a Director, who shall be a full-time seniorlevel official of USTR, designated by and reporting to the United States 

Trade Representative. The Center shall have a Deputy Director, who shall 

be a full-time senior-level official of the Department of Commerce, designated 

by the Secretary of Commerce, detailed to the Center and reporting to 

the Director. The Center shall also have an Intelligence Community Liaison, 

who shall be a full-time senior-level official of the Federal Government 

recommended by the Director of National Intelligence and designated by 

his or her agency, as applicable, to be detailed or assigned to the Center. 

(d) To the extent permitted by law and subject to the availability of 

appropriations, and in consultation with the Director of the Center, agencies 
12982 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 43 / Monday, March 5, 2012 / Presidential Documents 

enumerated in subsection (b) of this section, and others in the Intelligence 

Community recommended by the Director of National Intelligence, are encouraged to detail or assign their employees to the Center without reimbursement to support the mission and functions of the Center as described in 

section 3 of this order. 

Sec. 3. Mission and Functions. The Center shall: 

(a) serve as the primary forum within the Federal Government for USTR 

and other agencies to coordinate enforcement of U.S. trade rights under 

international trade agreements and enforcement of domestic trade laws; 

(b) coordinate among USTR, other agencies with trade related responsibilities, and the U.S. Intelligence Community the exchange of information 

related to potential violations of international trade agreements by our foreign 

trade partners; and 

(c) conduct outreach to U.S. workers, businesses, and other interested 

persons to foster greater participation in the identification and reduction 

or elimination of foreign trade barriers and unfair foreign trade practices. 

Sec. 4. Administration. (a) Funding and administrative support for the Center 

shall be provided by USTR to the extent permitted by law and subject 

to the availability of appropriations. 

(b) The United States Trade Representative, through the Director of the 

Center, shall direct the work of the Center in performing all of its functions 

under this order. 

Sec. 5. Definitions. For the purposes of this order: 

(a) the term ‘‘U.S. trade rights’’ means any right, benefit or advantage 

to which the United States is entitled under an international trade agreement 

and that could be effectuated through the use of a dispute settlement proceeding. 

(b) the term ‘‘domestic trade laws’’ means any trade remedies available 

under U.S. law, including, but not limited to, sections 201, 301, 406, and 

421 of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (19 U.S.C. 2251, 2411, 2436, 

and 2451); sections 332 and 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended 

(19 U.S.C. 1332 and 1337); section 281 of the Uruguay Round Agreements 

Act (19 U.S.C. 3571); and self-initiation of investigations under Title VII 

of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1671). 
Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 43 / Monday, March 5, 2012 / Presidential Documents 12983 

Sec. 6. General Provisions. (a) This order shall be implemented consistent 

with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations. 

(b) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect: 

(i) authority granted by law, regulation, Executive Order, or Presidential 

Directive to an executive department, agency, or head thereof; or 

(ii) functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget 

relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals. 

(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, 

substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party 

against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, 

employees, or agents, or any other person. 

THE WHITE HOUSE, 

February 28, 2012. 

[FR Doc. 2012–5366 

Filed 3–2–12; 8:45 am] 

Billing code 3295–F2–P