Exports | United States International Trade Commission

January 29, 2010
News Release 10-008
Inv. No(s). 332-509, 332-510
Contact: Peg O'Laughlin, 202-205-1819

USITC to Hold Hearing in Portland, Oregon; Seeks Input from Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Regarding Export-Related Experiences and Interests

The United States International Trade Commission (USITC) will hold a public hearing in Portland, Oregon, in connection with two ongoing investigations into the extent and composition of U.S. exports by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and factors that may disproportionately impede U.S. SME exports.

The hearing will take place at 9:30 a.m. on Friday, March 12, 2010, at the Holiday Inn Portland Airport, 8439 N. E. Columbia Blvd., Portland, Oregon.

The hearing is being held to gather factual information for use by the Commission in preparing two reports for the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), who is the President's cabinet-level official concerning international trade matters.

In requesting the reports, the USTR expressly asked the USITC to gather information for these reports directly from SME exporters and SMEs with an interest in exporting. Given that many SMEs do not have the resources to travel to Washington, the USITC Commissioners decided to hold two regional public hearings to supplement the extensive staff field work, the Washington, DC, public hearing, and other investigative activities that these investigations will involve. In addition to the hearing in Portland, the Commission will hold a hearing in St. Louis, MO, on Wednesday, March 10, 2010.

The two investigations that are the subject of the hearing are Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises: U.S. and EU Export Activities, and Barriers and Opportunities Experienced By U.S. Firms (Inv. No. 332-509) and Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises: Characteristics and Performance (Inv. No. 332- 510). Detailed information on these investigations can be found on the USITC web site at http://www.usitc.gov/press_room/field_hearing.htm.

At its Portland hearing, the USITC is seeking information from northwestern SMEs concerning:

the most significant constraints that U.S. SMEs face in their efforts to export;
the strategies that SMEs have adopted to address or overcome these constraints;
the benefits to SMEs of increased export opportunities from free trade agreements or other trading arrangements;
the U.S. free trade agreements or other trading arrangements that have been most beneficial to SMEs that export;
the characteristics of SMEs that export services;
how exporting affects SME business performance;
the extent to which U.S. SMEs have global operations; and
how SME's based in the United States differ in their exporting activities from SMEs based in the European Union and other leading economies.

The Commission wants to receive testimony directly from persons who will not participate in related hearings scheduled to be held in Washington, DC, in early February and St. Louis, MO, on March 10, 2010.

Requests to appear at the hearing and the names of witnesses should be filed in writing with the Secretary to the Commission no later than 5:15 p.m. (Eastern Time) on Friday, February 26, 2010. Written requests should be sent to the Secretary to the Commission, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20436. Persons testifying at the St. Louis hearing are encouraged to file written statements before the hearing; the deadline for filing such statements (one original and 14 copies) is Tuesday, March 2, 2010. If statements are submitted at the hearing, persons testifying are asked to provide at least 50 copies.

Requests to appear at the hearing should identify the topics to be addressed and the amount of time requested. After receiving these requests, Commission staff will notify participants of their time allotments.

Further information concerning this hearing may be found in the Commission's notice issued on January 27, 2010, which is available on the USITC Internet site at https://www.usitc.gov/secretary/fed_reg_notices/332/332_509_notice01292010sgl.pdf. The notice and additional information can be obtained from a special section of the USITC web site devoted to these investigations at: https://www.usitc.gov/press_room/field_hearing.htm.

Additional information can also be obtained by contacting the the USITC Office of the Secretary at 202-205-2000 or the project leader for these investigations, Laura Bloodgood, at 202-708-4736, or laura.bloodgood@usitc.gov. News media inquiries should be directed to Peg O'Laughlin, Public Affairs Officer, at 202-205-1819, or margaret.olaughlin@usitc.gov.

The USITC also welcomes written submissions for the record in connection with these investigations. Written submissions should be filed with the Secretary to the Commission at the above address and must be received by 5:15 p.m. (Eastern Time) on Friday, March 26, 2010. For information on filing written submissions, see the Commission's notice at https://www.usitc.gov/secretary/fed_reg_notices/332/332_509_notice01292010sgl.pdf.

The U.S. International Trade Commission is an independent, nonpartisan, factfinding federal agency that provides trade expertise to both the legislative and executive branches of government, determines the impact of imports on U.S. industries, and directs actions against certain unfair trade practices, such as patent, trademark, and copyright infringement.

The USITC's six Commissioners are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate for nine- year terms (unless appointed to fill an unexpired term). No more than three Commissioners may be of any one political party. Currently three Democrats and three Republicans serve as Commissioners. The current Commissioners of the USITC are Shara L. Aranoff (Chairman); Daniel R. Pearson (Vice Chairman); Deanna Tanner Okun; Charlotte R. Lane; Irving A. Williamson; and Dean A. Pinkert. Further information about the Commission and the Commissioners may be found on the USITC's web site at https://www.usitc.gov/press_room/about_usitc.htm.

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January 29, 2010
News Release 10-007
Inv. No(s). 332-509, 332-510
Contact: Peg O'Laughlin, 202-205-1819

USITC to Hold Hearing in ST. Louis, Missouri; Seeks Input from Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Regarding Export-Related Experiences and Interests

The United States International Trade Commission (USITC) will hold a public hearing in St. Louis, Missouri, in connection with two ongoing investigations into the extent and composition of U.S. exports by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and factors that may disproportionately impede U.S. SME exports.

The hearing will take place at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, March 10, 2010, at the Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark, One South Broadway, St. Louis, Missouri.

In requesting the reports, the USTR expressly asked the USITC to gather information for these reports directly from SME exporters and SMEs with an interest in exporting. Given that many SMEs do not have the resources to travel to Washington, the USITC Commissioners decided to hold two regional public hearings to supplement the extensive staff field work, the Washington, DC, public hearing, and other investigative activities that these investigations will involve. In addition to the hearing in St. Louis, the Commission will hold a hearing in Portland, OR, on Friday, March 12, 2010.

At its St. Louis hearing, the USITC is seeking information from midwestern SMEs concerning:

the most significant constraints that U.S. SMEs face in their efforts to export;
the strategies that SMEs have adopted to address or overcome these constraints;
the benefits to SMEs of increased export opportunities from free trade agreements or other trading arrangements;
the U.S. free trade agreements or other trading arrangements that have been most beneficial to SMEs that export;
the characteristics of SMEs that export services;
how exporting affects SME business performance;
the extent to which U.S. SMEs have global operations; and
how SMEs based in the United States differ in their exporting activities from SMEs based in the European Union and other leading economies.

The Commission wants to receive testimony directly from persons who will not participate in related hearings scheduled to be held in Washington, DC, in early February and Portland, OR, on March 12, 2010.

Requests to appear at the hearing and the names of witnesses should be filed in writing with the Secretary to the Commission no later than 5:15 p.m. (Eastern Time) on Wednesday, February 24, 2010. Written requests should be sent to the Secretary to the Commission, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20436. Persons testifying at the St. Louis hearing are encouraged to file written statements before the hearing; the deadline for filing such statements (one original and 14 copies) is Friday, February 26, 2010. If statements are submitted at the hearing, persons testifying are asked to provide at least 50 copies.

Further information concerning this hearing may be found in the Commission's notice issued on January 27, 2010, which is available on the USITC Internet site at http://www.usitc.gov/secretary/fed_reg_notices/332/332_509_notice01292010sgl.pdf. The notice and additional information can be obtained from a special section of the USITC web site devoted to these investigations at: https://www.usitc.gov/press_room/field_hearing.htm.

Additional information can also be obtained by contacting the the USITC Office of the Secretary at 202- 205-2000 or the project leader for these investigations, Laura Bloodgood, at 202-708-4736, or laura.bloodgood@usitc.gov. News media inquiries should be directed to Peg O'Laughlin, Public Affairs Officer, at 202-205-1819, or margaret.olaughlin@usitc.gov.

The USITC's six Commissioners are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate for nine-year terms (unless appointed to fill an unexpired term). No more than three Commissioners may be of any one political party. Currently three Democrats and three Republicans serve as Commissioners. The current Commissioners of the USITC are Shara L. Aranoff (Chairman); Daniel R. Pearson (Vice Chairman); Deanna Tanner Okun; Charlotte R. Lane; Irving A. Williamson; and Dean A. Pinkert. Further information about the Commission and the Commissioners may be found on the USITC's web site at https://www.usitc.gov/press_room/about_usitc.htm.

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August 31, 2018
News Release 18-105
Inv. No(s). 332-569
Contact: Peg O'Laughlin, 202-205-1819

USITC to Investigate Trade-Related Barriers that Affect Exports of U.S. Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises to the United Kingdom

The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) is seeking input for a new general factfinding investigation on trade-related barriers that small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) perceive as disproportionately affecting U.S. SMEs exporting to the United Kingdom (UK), compared to larger U.S. exporters to the UK.

The investigation, U.S. SME Exports: Trade-Related Barriers Affecting Exports of U.S. Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises to the United Kingdom, was requested by the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) in a letter received on August 3, 2018.

As requested, the USITC, an independent, nonpartisan, factfinding federal agency, will catalog trade-related barriers faced by U.S. SMEs exporting manufactured products, agricultural goods, and services to the UK. The report will:

focus primarily on barriers identified by U.S. SMEs that have experience in exporting to the UK, either directly or through supply chains;
identify barriers by economic sector or by special issue to the degree practicable; and
build on four previous SME studies that were released by the USITC in 2010 and 2014.

The USITC expects to submit its report to the USTR by July 31, 2019.

The USITC is seeking input for its new investigation from all interested parties and requests that the information contain specific trade-related barriers faced by U.S. SMEs exporting to the UK. The USITC will hold a public hearing in connection with the investigation at 9:30 a.m. on February 26, 2019. Requests to appear at the public hearing should be filed no later than 5:15 p.m. on February 11, 2019, with the Secretary, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW, Washington D.C. 20436.

The USITC also welcomes written submissions for the record. Written submissions should be addressed to the Secretary to the Commission at the above address and should be submitted at the earliest practical data but no later than 5:15 p.m. on March 15, 2019. All written submissions, except for confidential business information, will be available for public inspection.

Further information on the scope of this investigation and appropriate submissions appears in the USITC's notice of investigation, dated August 30, 2018. The notice can be obtained from the USITC Internet site (www.usitc.gov) or by contacting the Office of the Secretary at the above address or at 202-205-2000.

USITC general factfinding investigations, such as this one, cover matters related to tariffs or trade and are generally conducted at the request of the U.S. Trade Representative, the House Committee on Ways and Means, or the Senate Committee on Finance. The resulting report convey the Commission's objective findings and independent analyses on the subjects investigated. The Commission makes no recommendations on policy or other matters in its general factfinding reports. Upon completion of each investigation, the USITC submits its findings and analyses to the requester. General factfinding investigation reports are subsequently released to the public, unless they are classified by the requester for national security reasons.

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April 18, 2016
News Release 16-040
Inv. No(s). 332-552
Contact: Peg O'Laughlin, 202-205-1819

U.S. Exports of Agricultural, Manufactured Goods to Cuba Could Increase if U.S. Trade Restrictions Were Lifted, but Significant Cuban Barriers to Foreign Trade and Investment Would Remain

U.S. restrictions on trade with and travel to Cuba have largely prevented U.S. suppliers and investors from accessing the Cuban market, and new or expanded U.S. exports in several goods and services sectors could occur if U.S. restrictions are lifted, according to the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) report, Overview of Cuban Imports of Goods and Services and Effects of U.S. Restrictions.

However, even if U.S. restrictions are lifted, Cuban nontariff measures, institutional and infrastructural factors, and other barriers, including those associated with a non-market, state-controlled economy, still exist and may affect the ability of foreign partners to trade with or invest in the country, according to the report.

The USITC, an independent, nonpartisan, factfinding federal agency, prepared the report at the request of the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance.

As requested, the USITC report provides information on trends in Cuban imports of goods and services from 2005 to the present; a discussion of the effects of U.S. restrictions on trade with and travel to Cuba on U.S. exports; and a qualitative assessment of Cuban nontariff measures, institutional and infrastructural problems, and other barriers that may inhibit or otherwise affect the ability of firms to conduct business in and with Cuba. It also presents a qualitative and quantitative sectoral analysis of potential U.S. exports of goods and services to Cuba in the event that U.S. restrictions are lifted and Cuban import barriers are reduced. Highlights follow.

Total Cuban imports of goods reached $9.3 billion in 2014, while imports of services totaled $2.5 billion. Before initial U.S. restrictions were implemented in 1960, Cuba was a major U.S. trading partner, ranking as the seventh-largest U.S. export market. In 2014, however, it ranked as the 125th-largest U.S. market, with U.S. exports to Cuba totaling just $299 million.

Cuban imports from the United States reached a high of $712 million in 2008; however, in 2015, Cuban imports from the United States totaled just $180 million, down 40 percent from 2014. Cuban imports from the United States are comprised largely of agricultural goods. The global recession, restrictions on credit, and the Cuban government’s decision to reduce U.S. food purchases are considered major factors in the 2009-14 drop in U.S. agricultural exports to Cuba. [Read More]

U.S. restrictions on trade with and travel to Cuba have reportedly shut U.S. suppliers out of a market in which they could be competitive on price, quality, and proximity. These restrictions often raise the cost of doing business enough to make U.S. exports uncompetitive in the Cuban market. Most often cited as problematic is the U.S. requirement that Cuba pay for most U.S. goods in cash or via third-country banks. [Read More]

Cuban nontariff measures and other factors may limit U.S. exports to and investment in Cuba if U.S. restrictions are lifted. These measures and factors include Cuban government control of trade and distribution, legal limits on foreign investment and property ownership, Cuba’s dual currency and exchange rate systems, and politically motivated decision making regarding trade and investment. Other factors -- such as customs duties and procedures, and the sanitary and phytosanitary measures applied to agricultural imports -- do not appear to significantly impact trade. [Read More]

Cuba is highly dependent on imports to feed its population, and for certain agricultural commodities, U.S. exports to Cuba could see significant gains from the removal of U.S. restrictions, particularly those related to credit financing. U.S. producers can offer a wide variety of high-quality goods, competitive prices, smaller shipments, lower transportation costs, and faster delivery times. [Read More]

For manufactured goods, exports would likely increase somewhat after the removal of U.S. restrictions, with prospects for larger increases in the longer term, subject to changes in Cuban policy and economic growth. Cuba relies heavily on imports for many of the manufactured goods it once produced, and the United States can supply a variety of products and ship most items at a lower cost than competitors. [Read More]

Cuba is a net exporter of services, owing to its strong tourism and medical services sectors. If U.S. restrictions are removed, U.S. exports of services to Cuba would not likely grow substantially in the near term. However, in the medium to long terms, there is greater potential for U.S. exports of certain services, as well as of goods to support the provision of these services. [Read More]

The Commission's quantitative analysis for segments of the economy for which data were available suggests that if U.S. restrictions on U.S. exports to Cuba were lifted, and Cuba were to respond like a market-based economy, U.S. exports to Cuba of selected agricultural and manufactured products could increase in the medium term by about $1.4 billion from a base year (2010-13 average) of $400.8 million to approximately $1.8 billion. If U.S. restrictions were removed and Cuban import barriers were reduced to the level of the calculated average for developing countries, the quantitative analysis suggests that U.S. exports of selected agricultural and manufactured goods could increase by an additional $442 million, to a total of about $2.2 billion. [Read More]

Overview of Cuban Imports of Goods and Services and Effects of U.S. Restrictions (Investigation No. 332-552, USITC Publication 4597, March 2016) is available on the USITC's Internet site at http://www.usitc.gov/publications/332/pub4597.pdf.

USITC general factfinding investigations cover matters related to tariffs or trade and are generally conducted at the request of the U.S. Trade Representative, the House Committee on Ways and Means, or the Senate Committee on Finance. The resulting reports convey the USITC’s objective findings and independent analyses on the subject investigated. The USITC makes no recommendations on policy or other matters in its general factfinding reports. Upon completion of each investigation, the USITC submits its findings and analyses to the requester. General factfinding reports are subsequently released to the public, unless they are classified by the requester for national security reasons.

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