AFTE submits comments for the 2021 USTR National Trade Estimate Report

Last night, the Alliance for Trade Enforcement submitted comments for the United States Trade Representative's 2021 National Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade Barriers.

"With the U.S. economy still weak due to COVID-19, AFTE is encouraging our leaders to help create jobs in America by redoubling their efforts to eliminate unfair foreign practices that keep U.S. goods and services out of foreign markets," said AFTE Executive Director Brian Pomper. "We're hopeful that USTR will incorporate our comments into the forthcoming National Trade Estimate Report to guide those efforts."

Published each year, the National Trade Estimate Report on Foreign Trade Barriers "highlights significant foreign barriers to U.S. exports, U.S. foreign direct investments, and U.S. electronic commerce."

AFTE's comments flag Brazil and India's onerous patentability criteria, India and Indonesia's use of compulsory licensing, Canada and South Africa's copyright infringement, and Japan and Korea's market access barriers for biopharmaceuticals – among other barriers – as priority issues for USTR.

"International trade already supports more than one in five U.S. jobs," said Pomper. "Eliminating trade barriers would further grow our nation's economy and create high-paying U.S. jobs."