Congressional Research Service Reports - 2,297 Matching Results
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- China-U.S. Trade Issues
- U.S.-China economic ties have expanded substantially over the past several years. China is now the third largest U.S. trading partner, its second largest source of imports, and its fourth largest export market. However, U.S.-China commercial ties have been strained by a number of issues, including a surging U.S. trade deficit with China, China's refusal to float its currency, and failure to fully comply with its World Trade Organization (WTO) commitments, especially its failure to provide protection for U.S. intellectual property rights (IPR). This report explores these issues in detail, especially concerning the lack of protection for U.S. IPR.
- Agriculture in WTO Negotiations
- The World Trade Organization’s (WTO) fifth ministerial conference (held September 10-14, 2003 in Cancun, Mexico) ended without an agreement on a framework for continuing multilateral negotiations on agricultural trade liberalization. The inconclusive end of the Cancun ministerial places in doubt the ability of WTO member countries to complete the current round of negotiations by the scheduled January 1, 2005 deadline. This report discusses the various agricultural negotiations currently underway in the WTO.
- Caribbean Basin Interim Trade Program: CBI/NAFTA Parity
- The entry into force, on January 1, 1994, of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has eliminated the advantage that the beneficiaries of the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act (CBERA) and related provisions of the Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI) had enjoyed in trade with the United States relative to Mexico, and gave Mexico an increasingly significant competitive edge over the CBERA countries. The scheduled further implementation of the NAFTA would have resulted in a substantial advantage to Mexico over the CBERA countries and vitiate in part the purpose of the CBERA.
- U.S. International Trade: Data and Forecasts
- No Description Available.
- U.S.-Japan Economic Ties: Status and Outlook
- No Description Available.
- Export Tax Benefits and the WTO: Foreign Sales Corporations and the Extraterritorial Replacement Provisions
- The U.S. tax code’s Foreign Sales Corporation (FSC) provisions provided a tax benefit for U.S. exporters. However, the European Union (EU) in 1997 charged that the provision was an export subsidy and thus contravened the World Trade Organization (WTO) agreements. A WTO ruling upheld the EU complaint, and to avoid WTO sanctioned retaliatory tariffs, U.S. legislation in November 2000 replaced FSC with the “extraterritorial income” (ETI) provisions, consisting of a redesigned export tax benefit of the same magnitude as FSC. The EU maintained that the new provisions are also not WTO-compliant and asked the WTO to rule on the matter.
- Trade Negotiations in the 108th Congress
- No Description Available.
- A Free Trade Area of the Americas: Status of Negotiations and Major Policy Issues
- In 1994, 34 Western Hemisphere nations met at the first Summit of the Americas, envisioning a plan to create a Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) by January 2005. Nine years later, the third draft text of an agreement is being readied for the eighth trade ministerial scheduled for November 17-21, 2003 in Miami. However, serious differences between Brazil and the United States, similar to those that led to the collapse of the September 2003 WTO talks in Cancún, Mexico, invite a cautious assessment. The Miami ministerial may determine if the FTAA negotiations proceed on time and with the goal of achieving a comprehensive agreement, as first conceived. The 108th Congress will likely follow developments closely as it exercises its expanded consultative and oversight role per the Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) provisions of the Trade Act of 2002 (P.L. 107-210). This report will be updated periodically.
- Technology Transfer: Use of Federally Funded Research and Development
- No Description Available.
- Conventional Arms Transfers to Developing Nations, 1995-2002
- This report is prepared annually to provide unclassified quantitative data on conventional arms transfers to developing nations by the United States and foreign countries for the preceding eight calendar years. Some general data are provided on worldwide conventional arms transfers, but the principal focus is the level of arms transfers by major weapons suppliers to nations in the developing world. The data in the report illustrate how global patterns of conventional arms transfers have changed in the post-Cold War and post-Persian Gulf War years.
- America's Growing Current Account Deficit: Its Cause and What It Means for the Economy
- This report discusses the reasons for the U.S. current account deficit, popularly known as the trade deficit, and which is on the rise.
- Taiwan: Major U.S. Arms Sales Since 1990
- No Description Available.
- Lumber Imports from Canada: Issues and Events
- This report discuses lumber imports from Canada and provides a concise historical account of the dispute, summarizes the subsidy and injury evidence, and discusses the current issues and events.
- Free Trade Agreements with Singapore and Chile: Labor Issues
- This report discusses the United States free trade agreements with Singapore and Chile that include labor provisions.
- Trade and the Americas
- No Description Available.
- Agricultural Export and Food Aid Programs
- This report discusses projected agricultural imports and exports for FY2004, as well as legislation that deals with federal programs in support of agricultural exports and federal aid dedicated to farms and agricultural reform.
- Space Launch Vehicles: Government Activities, Commercial Competition, and Satellite Exports
- No Description Available.
- The U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement: Economic and Trade Policy Issues
- No Description Available.
- U.S.-European Union Trade Relations: Issues and Policy Challenges
- No Description Available.
- China-U.S. Trade Issues
- U.S.-China economic ties have expanded substantially over the past several years. China is now the third largest U.S. trading partner, its second largest source of imports, and its fourth largest export market. However, U.S.-China commercial ties have been strained by a number of issues, including a surging U.S. trade deficit with China, China's refusal to float its currency, and failure to fully comply with its World Trade Organization (WTO) commitments, especially its failure to provide protection for U.S. intellectual property rights (IPR). This report explores these issues in detail, especially concerning the lack of protection for U.S. IPR.
- Exempting Food and Agriculture Products from U.S. Economic Sanctions: Status and Implementation
- Falling agricultural exports and declining commodity prices led farm groups and agribusiness firms to urge the 106th Congress to pass legislation exempting foods and agricultural commodities from U.S. economic sanctions against certain countries. In completing action on the FY2001 agriculture appropriations bill, Congress codified the lifting of unilateral sanctions on commercial sales of food, agricultural commodities, medicine, and medical products to Iran, Libya, North Korea, and Sudan, and extended this policy to apply to Cuba (Title IX of H.R. 5426, as enacted by P.L. 106-387; Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000). Related provisions place financing and licensing conditions on sales to these countries. Those that apply to Cuba, though, are permanent and more restrictive than for the other countries. Other provisions give Congress the authority in the future to veto a President's proposal to impose a sanction on the sale of agricultural or medical products.
- Foreign Investment Issues in the WTO
- No Description Available.
- Foreign Relations Authorization, FY2004 and FY2005: State Department, The Millennium Challenge Account, and Foreign Assistance
- No Description Available.
- Space Launch Vehicles: Government Activities, Commercial Competition, and Satellite Exports
- No Description Available.
- Trade, Trade Barriers, and Trade Deficits: Implications for U.S. Economic Welfare
- This report provides an overview of the economics of international trade that may be helpful for consideration of many recurring international economic policy issues. It is intended as a general explanation of mainstream economic principles that may be considered in gauging the economic significance of trade issues as well as the trade-offs inherent in many policy choices. This report provides a brief overview of the economic arguments for free trade, common arguments for trade barriers, and the cause and economic significance of persistent large trade deficits.
- Trade, Trade Barriers, and Trade Deficits: Implications for U.S. Economic Welfare
- No Description Available.
- U.S. International Trade: Data and Forecasts
- No Description Available.
- U.S.-Japan Economic Ties: Status and Outlook
- No Description Available.
- A Free Trade Area of the Americas: Status of Negotiations and Major Policy Issues
- At the second Summit of theAmericas in Santiago,Chile (April 1998), 34 Western Hemisphere nations agreed to initiate formal negotiations to create a Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) by 2005. The process so far has led to two draft texts, with a third draft expected to be completed for the eighth trade ministerial scheduled for November 17-21, 2003 in Miami. Currently there are serious differences between Brazil and the United States, the co-chairs of the trade negotiating committee, which will need to be resolved by then. Although implementing legislation is not anticipated until the next Congress, for an FTAA to be signed in January 2005, the 108th Congress will play a crucial role during this last phase of the negotiations given its expanded consultative and oversight authority as defined in the Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) provisions of the Trade Act of 2002 (P.L. 107-210). This report will be updated periodically.
- Zimbabwe Update
- This report discusses Zimbabwe's economic situation, specifically in the food and agricultural industries.
- Free Trade Agreements with Singapore and Chile: Labor Issues
- This report discusses the United States free trade agreements with Singapore and Chile that include labor provisions.
- Caribbean Basin Interim Trade Program: CBI/NAFTA Parity
- The entry into force, on January 1, 1994, of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has eliminated the advantage that the beneficiaries of the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act (CBERA) and related provisions of the Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI) had enjoyed in trade with the United States relative to Mexico, and gave Mexico an increasingly significant competitive edge over the CBERA countries. The scheduled further implementation of the NAFTA would have resulted in a substantial advantage to Mexico over the CBERA countries and vitiate in part the purpose of the CBERA.
- The U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement
- No Description Available.
- The International Wine Market: Description and Selected Issues
- This report discusses the global trade in wine, which has increased rapidly during the past 25 years, steadily rising from under $1 billion in 1977 to over $7 billion in 2001. Reports of health benefits and rising global incomes have spurred increasing demand for wine, particularly in mid- to upper-income countries. In 2001, the United States was the world’s leading importer, just ahead of the European Union (EU). Together, they accounted for over 60% of global imports.
- The International Wine Market: Description and Selected Issues
- This report discusses global trade in wine, which has Several important issues have emerged in recent years with respect to international wine trade, particularly between the EU and non-EU countries, including oenological (wine-making) practices and the use of “semi-generic” names for wines. The latter issue is encompassed under the debate on “geographical indications” at the World Trade Organization. Ongoing bilateral negotiations between the United States and the EU seek to resolve both of these issues. .
- China and the World Trade Organization
- China has sought over the past several years to become a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), the international agency that administers multilateral trade rules. China’s WTO membership (as well as that of Taiwan’s) was formally approved at the WTO Ministerial Conference in Doha, Qatar in November 2001. On December 11, 2001, China officially became a WTO member. WTO membership will require China to significantly liberalize its trade and investment regimes, which could produce significant new commercial opportunities for U.S. businesses. A main concern for Congress is to ensure that China fully complies with its WTO commitments.
- Chile: Political and Economic Conditions and U.S. Relations
- This report discusses U.S. relations with Chile, a South American nation with a population of about 15 million, Chile returned to democratic rule in 1990 after 17 years of military government. The report describes the political situation in Chile, economic conditions, and U.S.-Chilean relations.
- China-U.S. Trade Issues
- U.S.-China economic ties have expanded substantially over the past several years. China is now the third largest U.S. trading partner, its second largest source of imports, and its fourth largest export market. However, U.S.-China commercial ties have been strained by a number of issues, including a surging U.S. trade deficit with China, China's refusal to float its currency, and failure to fully comply with its World Trade Organization (WTO) commitments, especially its failure to provide protection for U.S. intellectual property rights (IPR). This report explores these issues in detail, especially concerning the lack of protection for U.S. IPR.
- Lumber Imports from Canada: Issues and Events
- This report provides a concise historical account of the dispute, summarizes the subsidy and injury evidence, and discusses the current issues and events regarding lumber imports from Canada.
- Space Launch Vehicles: Government Activities, Commercial Competition, and Satellite Exports
- No Description Available.
- Trade Negotiations in the 108th Congress
- No Description Available.
- Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), Free Trade, and the 2003 Summit in Bangkok, Thailand
- On October 20-21, 2003, the Eleventh APEC Leader’s Meeting (informal summit) was held in Bangkok, Thailand. The theme for APEC 2003 is “A World of Differences: Partnership for the Future” which is intended to bring together the best potential of all APEC economies to confront the challenges of the future, particularly in achieving the APEC goal of free and open trade and investment for developed APEC economies. For the United States, APEC raises fundamental questions that are of special interest to Congress. One is whether consensus can be achieved on the APEC vision of free trade and investment in the Asia Pacific or whether future trade liberalization will be confined primarily to bilateral free-trade agreements or multilateral trade negotiations under the World Trade Organization.
- The Iran-Libya Sanctions Act (ILSA)
- Report discussing the Iran Libya Sanctions Act as well as the legislative developments that occurred regarding the act.
- U.S.-Japan Economic Ties: Status and Outlook
- No Description Available.
- Trade and the Americas
- No Description Available.
- U.S. International Trade: Data and Forecasts
- No Description Available.
- India-U.S. Economic Relations
- This report discusses the India economic development and its trade relations with the United States
- Technology Transfer: Use of Federally Funded Research and Development
- No Description Available.
- Andean Regional Initiative (ARI): FY2003 Supplemental and FY2004 Assistance for Colombia and Neighbors
- The report is about the FY2003 supplemental and FY2004 Assistance for Colombia and neighbors.
- The U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement: Economic and Trade Policy Issues
- No Description Available.