US footwear association says government needs to be aligned with industry
18/03/2013
That was one of the messages to come out of the annual summit of the American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA), held in Washington and attended by some of the industry’s most influential players.
With the most recent round of TTP negotiations concluding recently in Singapore, AAFA CEO Kevin Burke said major differences remain. “While some of these exist between negotiating partners, we find that the most varying viewpoints exist between the US apparel and footwear industry and the US government over the flexible rules of origin required by our 21st century global supply chain,” he said.
He applauded Obama’s announcement that he would begin trade talks with the European Union. “A comprehensive high-standard trade would create the world's largest apparel and footwear market, a market that consumes 40% of the world's clothes and shoes.”
However, he added: “Finding agreement on these major trade initiatives will be impossible unless the Obama administration and congressional republicans and democrats work together to restore the president's authority to negotiate trade agreements in good faith with our partners.”
Since 1974, presidents have used Trade Promotion Authority to negotiate trade agreements on behalf of the US, but because it expired in 2007, the Obama administration has been “without full-faith authority” for its duration. “US trade policy has suffered as a result. While we would rather see increased market openings around the world, restoring TPA may be the simplest but greatest trade opening initiative since the US joined the TPP talks in 2008,” added Mr Burke.
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