CalChamber Trade Update - December 13, 2016

Council for International Trade - Trade Update

Trade Update - Tuesday, December 13, 2016

Featured Headlines

Top Markets Report Series
Announcing the complete 2016 line-up of the US Department of Commerce International Trade Administration's Top Markets Report Series. The reports are designed to be forward-looking market intelligence that helps exporters determine their next export market by comparing opportunities across borders. The reports provide a detailed assessment of the sector’s competitiveness landscape within key markets, as well as the opportunities and challenges facing U.S. exporters in select markets throughout the world.

The entire TMR series has 27 sector-specific reports. Each full report is available for download, or you can download individual components of the reports, such as country case studies or sector snapshots. To discover the Top Markets for your sector, go to http://www.trade.gov/topmarkets/.

UN General Assembly Grants Observer Status to International Chamber of Commerce in Historic Decision

New York, N.Y., December 13, 2016 – In an unprecedented move, the United Nations General Assembly has today granted Observer Status to the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) – the world’s largest business organization representing more than six million members in over 100 countries, according to the United States Council for International Business (USCIB), ICC’s American national committee.

The decision – taken by 193 members of the UN General Assembly during its on-going 71st session in New York – is the first time that a business organization has been admitted as an Observer at the UN General Assembly. The list of UN observers is highly restricted and features principally intergovernmental organizations.

CalChamber Companies in the News

FedEx chief urges Trump rethink trade views
Politico, December 9, 2016

Southwest Airlines CEO Sees Post-Election Boost in Demand
American Journal of Transportation, December 8, 2016

Almond Market Update: 2016 Crop Almond Prices Stabilizing
Blue Diamond, December 8, 2016

Trade Policy

From the White House

Trump's cabinet picks: here are all of the appointments so far
The Guardian, December 13, 2016

World Trade Organzation

Dates fixed for 2017 Ministerial Conference in Buenos Aires
WTO members have agreed that the organization’s Eleventh Ministerial Conference (MC11) will take place from 11 to 14 December 2017 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

"Persistent" economic challenges continued to weigh on trade in 2016
Director-General Roberto Azevêdo’s annual overview of developments in the international trading system highlights the “persistent” global economic challenges in 2016 that continue to weigh on international trade. The report urges members to work together to ensure that the benefits of trade are more widely spread and better understood.

Trade Agreements

Japan ratifies Pacific trade pact that Trump plans to dump
The Sacramento Bee, December 9, 20166

Transition official: Trump will not rip up NAFTA
The Hill, December 5, 2016

Brazil and Argentina agree to open Mercosur to the world and expand trade horizons
The Foreign Ministers of Brazil and Argentina, Jose Serra and Susana Malcorra, respectively, agreed that Mercosur must open to the world and expand its trade horizons.
MercoPress, December 9, 2016

California

Trade Report: California Exports Resume Growth
California’s merchandise export trade resumed its growth trajectory in October, according to a recent trade report by Beacon Economics. CalChamber, December 9, 2016

CalChamber Urges President to Sign Landmark Water Legislation
On Friday, the U.S. Senate voted 78-21 to pass CalChamber-supported federal water legislation, the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act (WIIN) that will greatly benefit California and the Western United States by promoting a safe and reliable water supply and bringing relief to drought stricken communities throughout the state.
CalChamber, December 12, 2016

After Years of Drama, Farmers Score a Big Win in California Water Battle
The California water bill now ready for the president’s signature dramatically shifts 25 years of federal policy and culminates a long and fractious campaign born in the drought-stricken San Joaquin Valley.
The Sacramento Bee, December 10, 2016

Congress Sends Major California Water Policy to President Obama, Despite Sen. Barbara Boxer’s Objections
Over Sen. Barbara Boxer’s objections, the Senate voted 78 to 21 Friday evening to pass sweeping water infrastructure legislation that changes how much water is pumped from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to San Joaquin Valley farmers and Southern California.
Los Angeles Times, December 9, 2016

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