Congressional Research Service Reports - 74 Matching Results

Search Results

Results: 1 - 24 next
open access

What's the Difference?--Comparing U.S. and Chinese Trade Data

Description: This report provides a comparison of U.S. and Chinese trade data. U.S. trade with the People's Republic of China (China) is becoming increasingly contentious as the U.S. bilateral trade deficit rises. Debate over this trade deficit is hampered because of disagreement between the two countries on how large the deficit actually is. According to official U.S. figures, China has surpassed Canada as the largest supplier of U.S. imports.
Date: March 27, 2009
Creator: Martin, Michael F.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

The GATT and the WTO: An Overview

Description: Under the auspices of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), eight rounds of trade negotiations lowered tariffs of developed countries to an average 3.9 percent. New areas, such as services, intellectual property rights, agriculture, and textiles and apparel, were brought under the discipline of the GATT for the first time in the Uruguay Round. The World Trade Organization (WTO), a permanent entity agreed on during the Uruguay Round, went into effect January 1, 1995. Multilateral tr… more
Date: March 27, 1995
Creator: Wilson, Arlene
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

U.S. - European Union Disputes in the World Trade Organization

Description: This report discusses disputes in the World Trade Organization (WTO) between the United States and the European Union (EU). The report begins with an overview of the issues to be addressed, and continues with a brief description of the WTO dispute settlement process, a summary of U.S.-EU dispute settlement history, and a review of issues arising from cases of longstanding non-compliance. The report concludes with a discussion of continuing concerns and policy considerations.
Date: May 27, 2003
Creator: Ahearn, Raymond J. & Grimmett, Jeanne J.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Agricultural Trade Issues in the 106th Congress

Description: Agricultural interests have been following trade policy developments against a backdrop of weak foreign demand and large world supplies of agricultural products. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that the value of U.S. agricultural exports fell between FY1996 (a record year) and FY1999 by almost $11 billion. USDA forecasts agricultural exports at $50.5 billion in FY2000 and $51.5 billion in FY2001. However, the projected agricultural trade surpluses for those years, of $11.5 billion an… more
Date: November 27, 2000
Creator: Becker, Geoffrey S.; Hanrahan, Charles E. & Jurenas, Remy
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

A Free Trade Area of the Americas: Status of Negotiations and Major Policy Issues

Description: At the second Summit of the Americas 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 negotiating groups completed a draft agreement in January 2001, which was presented at the third Summit of the Americas held in Quebec City on April 20-22, 2001. President Bush expressed strong support for the FTAA and concrete progress has been made in moving it forward. Yet, differences in pri… more
Date: March 27, 2002
Creator: Hornbeck, J. F.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

NAFTA Renegotiation and Modernization

Description: This report discusses the NAFTA renegotiation process and major topics of interest in the agreement as well as Congress's role in the negotiation and approval process.
Date: February 27, 2018
Creator: Villarreal, M. Angeles & Fergusson, Ian F.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

The GATT and the WTO: An Overview

Description: The Uruguay Round Agreement reduced tariffs, brought services, intellectual property, and agriculture under the discipline of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, and established the World Trade Organization. Multilateral trade issues for the future include continuing services negotiations, the relationship of the environment and labor standards to trade, and investment and competition policy.
Date: March 27, 1995
Creator: Wilson, Arlene
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

United States-Southern African Customs Union (SACU) Free Trade Agreement Negotiations: Background and Potential Issues

Description: Negotiations to launch a free trade agreement (FTA) between the United States and the five members of the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) (Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, and Swaziland) began on June 3, 2003. A potential FTA would eliminate tariffs over time, reduce or eliminate non-tariff barriers, liberalize service trade, protect intellectual property rights, and provide technical assistance to help SACU nations achieve the goals of the agreement. This potential agreement wou… more
Date: May 27, 2008
Creator: Langton, Danielle
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Trade Promotion Authority (TPA): Frequently Asked Questions

Description: The issue of Trade Promotion Authority ("TPA") reauthorization raises a number of questions regarding TPA itself and the pending legislation. This report addresses a number of those questions that are frequently asked.
Date: May 27, 2015
Creator: Fergusson, Ian F. & Beth, Richard S.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

The European Community - Japan Automobile Agreement

Description: The European Community (EC) and Japan reached an agreement on trade in automobiles in July 1991. The agreement restricts exports of automobiles from Japan to the EC to 1.23 million cars per year until the end of 1999. The Commission of the European Communities estimates that Japanese transplant production in the EC will amount to 1.2 million cars per year in 1999. The Japanese appear to concur with this estimate but do not agree that it constitutes a cap on transplant investment or production. … more
Date: January 27, 1992
Creator: Harrison, Glennon J.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade: Key Issues for the 109th Congress

Description: This report provides key issues for the 109th Congress regarding Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade. Among the 109th Congress' first orders of business will be dealing with the policy priorities - both domestic and foreign, as well as issues of business including U.S. foreign and security policy, global issues, defense policy, and more.
Date: December 27, 2004
Creator: Vaughn, Bruce & Veillette, Connie
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Caribbean Basin Interim Trade Program: CBI/NAFTA Parity

Description: 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 … more
Date: June 27, 2003
Creator: Pregelj, Vladimir N.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Agriculture and Fast Track Trade Legislation

Description: The 107th Congress is expected to consider new "fast track" (or, Presidential trade promotion) authority, which could enable the Administration to submit trade agreements negotiated with foreign countries to Congress for consideration under expedited procedures. Many agricultural and food industry interests are among the export-oriented enterprises that support fast track authority, arguing that foreign trading partners will not seriously negotiate with an Administration that lacks it. However,… more
Date: March 27, 2001
Creator: Becker, Geoffrey S. & Hanrahan, Charles E.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Voting on NTR for China Again in 2001, and Past Congressional Decisions

Description: Since 1990, Congress has faced an annual, contentious decision on whether, and under what conditions, to renew normal trade relations (NTR) status with China for another year. This annual exercise occurred because under U.S. law, China's NTR status is temporary, and the President has to recommend its renewal each year by June 3. In 2000, the 106th Congress considered and passed H.R. 4444, which would eliminate the annual NTR renewal process and grant permanent NTR to China. The President signed… more
Date: April 27, 2001
Creator: Dumbaugh, Kerry
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) and the Role of Congress in Trade Policy

Description: This report presents background and analysis on the development of Trade Promotion Authority (TPA), which expired on July 1, 2007. The report also includes a summary of the major provisions under the recently expired authority and a discussion of the issues that have arisen in the debate over TPA renewal, as well as policy options available to Congress.
Date: April 27, 2015
Creator: Fergusson, Ian F.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Maquiladoras and NAFTA: The Economics of U.S.-Mexico Production Sharing and Trade

Description: Debate continues over the benefits of U.S. trade with Mexico, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and particularly maquiladoras, or cross-border production sharing plants. Maquiladoras generate a large portion of U.S.-Mexico trade, yet the economic effects are not widely understood. Many believe there is no benefit to such trade because it leads to the loss of U.S. jobs, production, and wages. Maquiladora products, however, have a high U.S. content that in addition to fostering pro… more
Date: January 27, 1998
Creator: Hornbeck, J. F.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Agriculture in the WTO: Limits on Domestic Support

Description: This report provides a brief overview of the World Trade Organization's (WTO) commitments most relevant for U.S. domestic farm policy.
Date: January 27, 2014
Creator: Schnepf, Randy
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
Back to Top of Screen