Enforcement Center Comes to Life

Yesterday, the President signed an Executive Order creating the Interagency Trade Enforcement Center that he promised to us in the State of the Union address. The Center is to be headed up by a full time senior USTR employee and will be housed at USTR. The second in command will be a full time senior person from Commerce.

In section 3 of the EO, the President defines the Center's mission as follows:

(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.
On interesting aspect of this is that the President ordered that the Center have a Liaison to the Intelligence Community designated by the Director of National Intelligence.

Comments

Srikar said…
An interesting aspect to the setting up of this Center is the interaction with the intelligence agency which you have alluded to. This reminds me of the US national strategy for global supply chain security about which I had blogged here earlier - http://treadthemiddlepath.blogspot.in/2012/01/trade-security-and-national-strategy.html

Trade policy, national security and intelligence the way forward? Strange bedfellows in changing times?
Mar 1, 2012, 4:06:00 AM
Bose said…
Hay larry, Probably the best article i have come across!Contract Agreements
Mar 6, 2012, 2:48:00 AM
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