US to expose trade barriers in new report: official
by P. Parameswaran
WASHINGTON-The United States will expose "troublesome" foreign trade barriers in a strategy to prize open markets for doubling American exports to create jobs, a top trade official said Tuesday.

The restrictions, including those "unfair" non-tariff barriers linked to health and pest issues imposed on US farm exports, will be identified in a new report this month, US Trade Representative Ron Kirk said in a speech at the National Press Club in Washington.

"This month, we will introduce a new, comprehensive report that will help us to identify and address troublesome technical barriers to trade and unfair restrictions on agricultural exports known as sanitary and phytosanitary barriers," he said.

"As tariff barriers fall, these non-tariff barriers are becoming some of the most difficult challenges our exporters face," he said.

The new report will focus on "specific" barriers linked to health and pest issues as well as technical trade barriers confronting American exporters, Kirk said.

"And we will use those reports to guide our work in seeking to address each problem with an appropriate solution," he added.

US officials have complained about foreign rules governing poultry sanitation, restrictions on pork and pork products in response to the H1N1 virus, barriers on the import of US beef, and regulations governing some genetically modified food products.

In the European Union, Japan and elsewhere, the officials argue, certain regulations and enforcement actions are inconsistent with scientific evidence and internationally accepted guidelines.

Facing pressure to boost jobs to help an economic revival, Obama unveiled the National Export Initiative last month to pry open foreign markets for US exports, targeting huge emerging economies like China, India and Brazil.

The initiative is aimed at doubling US exports in five years with a strategy to identify markets for fast-growing sectors such as environmental goods and services, renewable energy, healthcare and biotechnology.

The government wants to help create two million jobs under the export push in the US, still reeling from near double-digit unemployment that threatens to dampen its economic recovery.

US exports in 2009 totaled 1.553 trillion dollars, falling from 1.827 trillion dollars in 2008.

Exports support nearly 10 million jobs in America, officials said.

Kirk said that his office would play a key role in achieving Obama's goal by creating new market access through enforcing America’s existing trade rights and negotiating new trade opportunities.

He also said that the United States was working to further increase market access opportunities within the 10 Southeast Asian countries that make up the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the fifth-largest US trade partner.

Among steps to be taken is a joint initiative to boost exports.

"In May, I will join ASEAN trade ministers in a multi-city tour that will permit an exchange between government and business on ways to expand trade and investment opportunities in US and ASEAN markets," he said.