New Rites of Passage
Debut As of yesterday, U.S. citizens returning through
land or sea ports of entry from Mexico, Canada, Bermuda and
the Caribbean must present a passport or one of a handful of
accepted documents. The rule went into effect four years
after the federal government announced the planned change.
San Diego
Union-Tribune, June 2, 2009
South Korea, ASEAN
complete sweeping FTA South Korea and ASEAN completed a
free trade agreement covering almost 650 million people and
vowing to fight protectionism and work to tackle the global
economic crisis. Associated Foreign Press, June 2,
2009
World markets take breather
after big gains European stock markets recouped earlier
modest losses Tuesday as Wall Street was expected to hold
Monday's gains at the open amid ongoing optimism about the
state of the world economy. San Diego Union-Tribune, June 2,
2009
"CalChamber Companies in the News" is a
regular feature in the CalChamber's Trade Update newsletter,
highlighting the international activities of member companies
who have been featured in the news.
Obama
Administration Proposes Broad International Tax
Reforms
The U.S. Chamber, Business Roundtable, National
Association of Manufactures and the National Foreign
Trade Council have expressed their opposition to
provisions in the Administration's budget to increase
taxes on U.S. companies that are competing for business
in international markets. The Administration's proposal
to repeal "deferral" would impose a unilateral tax on
the foreign earnings of American companies, upsetting
the competitive balance between U.S. and foreign
companies. This will result in a loss of jobs for
Americans and serious negative impacts on the U.S.
economy.
The PACE Coalition is dedicated to promoting and
increasing the more than 50 million American jobs that
depend on the international competitiveness of worldwide
American companies. The ability of these companies to
stem job losses in the United States and eventually
return to hiring more American workers depends on the
health and vitality of their worldwide operations. To
ensure American competitiveness, PACE advocates that the
United States maintain a level playing field for
taxation of international operations, and not act
unilaterally to disadvantage U.S.
companies.
California Coalition For Free
Trade The CalChamber Council for International Trade
(CIT) is urging members of the business community to join
(click
here to download membership form) its coalition
working to secure congressional approval of the free trade
agreements (FTAs) with Colombia, Panama and South Korea.
Companies .or associations that join the California Coalition
for Free Trade will be included on the rapidly growing list of
FTA supporters. There is no cost to join the coalition, which
will keep members apprised of its activities and how to be
supportive of the FTAs. For more information on the FTAs or to
join the coalition, visit www.calchamber.com/international
The
following bills are related to international trade and have
been introduced in the California State Legislature in the
2009-2010 Legislative
Session.
Any
CalChamber position is noted on the CalChamber Legislative
website:
AB 961
(Krekorian) Public contracts: genocidal regimes This
bill would prohibit a scrutinized company that was engaged in
business with perpetrators of genocide, from entering into a
contract with a state agency for goods or services.
AB 1276
(Skinner) International Trade This bill would prohibit
the Governor from binding the State to an international trade
agreement without specific legislation authorizing the
action.
AB 1431 (Hill)
Air quality: Port of Oakland This bill would require
the Port of Oakland to establish emission reduction strategies
that are no less stringent than that which are employed at the
Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach.
SB 657
(Steinberg) Human Trafficking This bill would require
businesses to actively engage to eliminate human trafficking
from the supply chain down to raw materials.
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Trade; CalChamber members with international interests;
local, binational and American chambers of
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