CHAPTER 73 - EXPORT ENHANCEMENT
Title 15 > CHAPTER 73
Sections (17)
§§ 4701 to 4704 Omitted
§§ 4705 to 4705c Omitted
§ 4711 Repealed. Pub. L. 107–228, div. A, title VI, § 671(1), Sept. 30, 2002, 116 Stat. 1407
§ 4712 Barter and countertrade
(a) Interagency group The President shall establish an interagency group on countertrade, to be composed of representatives of such departments and agencies of the United States as the President considers appropriate. The Secretary of Commerce shall be the chairman of the interagency group. It shall be the function of the interagency group to— review and evaluate— United States policy on countertrade and offsets, in light of current trends in international countertrade and offsets and the impact of those trends on the United States economy; the use of countertrade and offsets in United States exports and bilateral United States foreign economic assistance programs; and the need for and the feasibility of negotiating with other countries, through the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and other appropriate international organizations, to reach agreements on the use of countertrade and offsets; and make recommendations to the President and the Congress on the basis of the review and evaluation referred to in subparagraph (A). Other departments and agencies of the United States shall provide to the interagency group such information available to such departments and agencies as the interagency group may request, except that the requirements, including penalties for violation thereof, for preserving the confidentiality of such information which are applicable to the officials, employees, experts, or consultants of such departments and agencies shall apply in the same manner to each member of the interagency group and to any other person performing any function under this subsection.
(b) Office of Barter There is established, within the International Trade Administration of the Department of Commerce, the Office of Barter (hereafter in this section referred to as the “Office”). There shall be at the head of the Office a Director, who shall be appointed by the Secretary of Commerce. The Secretary of Commerce shall transfer such staff to the Office as the Secretary determines is necessary to enable the Office to carry out its functions under this section. It shall be the function of the Office to— monitor information relating to trends in international barter; organize and disseminate information relating to international barter in a manner useful to business firms, educational institutions, export-related Federal, State, and local government agencies, and other interested persons, including publishing periodic lists of known commercial opportunities for barter transactions beneficial to United States enterprises; notify Federal agencies with operations abroad of instances where it would be beneficial to the United States for the Federal Government to barter Government-owned surplus commodities for goods and services purchased abroad by the Federal Government; and provide assistance to enterprises seeking barter and countertrade opportunities.
§ 4721 United States and Foreign Commercial Service
(a) Establishment The Secretary of Commerce shall establish, within the International Trade Administration, the United States and Foreign Commercial Service. The Secretary shall, to the greatest extent practicable, transfer to the Commercial Service the functions and personnel of the United States and Foreign Commercial Services. The head of the Commercial Service shall be the Assistant Secretary of Commerce and Director General of the Commercial Service, who shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Assistant Secretary of Commerce and Director General of the Commercial Service may appoint Commercial Service Officers and such other personnel as may be necessary to carry out the activities of the Commercial Service. The Secretary shall take the necessary steps to ensure that the activities of the Commercial Service are carried out in a manner consistent with United States foreign policy objectives, and the Secretary shall consult regularly with the Secretary of State in order to comply with this paragraph. All activities of the Commercial Service shall be subject to section 207 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 ( 22 U.S.C. 3927 ).
(b) Statement of purpose The Commercial Service shall place primary emphasis on the promotion of exports of goods and services from the United States, particularly by small businesses and medium-sized businesses, and on the protection of United States business interests abroad by carrying out activities such as— identifying United States businesses with the potential to export goods and services and providing such businesses with advice and information on establishing export businesses; providing United States exporters with information on economic conditions, market opportunities, the status of the intellectual property system in such country, and the legal and regulatory environment within foreign countries; providing United States exporters with information and advice on the necessary adaptation of product design and marketing strategy to meet the differing cultural and technical requirements of foreign countries; providing United States exporters with actual leads and an introduction to contacts within foreign countries; assisting United States exporters in locating reliable sources of business services in foreign countries; assisting United States exporters in their dealings with foreign governments and enterprises owned by foreign governments; assisting the coordination of the efforts of State and local agencies and private organizations which seek to promote United States business interests abroad so as to maximize their effectiveness and minimize the duplication of efforts; utilizing district and foreign offices as one-stop shops for United States exporters by providing exporters with information on all export promotion and export finance activities of the Federal Government, assisting exporters in identifying which Federal programs may be of greatest assistance, and assisting exporters in making contact with the Federal programs identified; and providing United States exporters and export finance institutions with information on all financing and insurance programs of the Export-Import Bank of the United States, the United States International Development Finance Corporation, the Trade and Development Program, and the Small Business Administration, including providing assistance in completing applications for such programs and working with exporters and export finance institutions to address any deficiencies in such applications that have been submitted.
(c) Offices The Commercial Service shall conduct its activities at a headquarters office, district offices located in major United States cities, and foreign offices located in major foreign cities. The headquarters of the Commercial Service shall provide such managerial, administrative, research, and other services as the Secretary considers necessary to carry out the purposes of the Commercial Service. The Secretary shall establish district offices of the Commercial Service in any United States city in a region in which the Secretary determines that there is a need for Federal Government export assistance. The Secretary may, after consultation with the Secretary of State, establish foreign offices of the Commercial Service. These offices shall be located in foreign cities in regions in which the Secretary determines there are significant business opportunities for United States exporters. The Secretary may, in consultation with the Secretary of State, assign to the foreign offices Commercial Service Officers and such other personnel as the Secretary considers necessary. In employing Commercial Service Officers and such other personnel, the Secretary shall use the Foreign Service personnel system in accordance with the Foreign Service Act of 1980 [ 22 U.S.C. 3901 et seq.]. The Secretary shall designate a Commercial Officer 1 as head of each foreign office. Upon the request of the Secretary, the Secretary of State shall attach the Commercial Service Officers and other employees of each foreign office to the diplomatic mission of the United States in the country in which that foreign office is located, and shall obtain for them diplomatic privileges and immunities equivalent to those enjoyed by Foreign Service personnel of comparable rank and salary. For purposes of official representation, the senior Commercial Service Officer in each country shall be considered to be the senior commercial representative of the United States in that country, and the United States chief of mission in that country shall accord that officer all privileges and responsibilities appropriate to the position of senior commercial representative of other countries. The Secretary of State is authorized, upon the request of the Secretary, to provide office space, equipment, facilities, and such other administrative and clerical services as may be required for the operation of the foreign offices. The Secretary is authorized to reimburse or advance funds to the Secretary of State for such services. The authority of the Secretary under this paragraph shall be subject to section 4802 of title 22 .
(d) Rank of Commercial Service Officers in foreign missions Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary is authorized to designate up to 16 United States missions abroad at which the senior Commercial Service Officer will be able to use the diplomatic title of Minister-Counselor. The Secretary of State shall accord the diplomatic title of Minister-Counselor to the senior Commercial Service Officer assigned to a United States mission so designated. In any United States consulate in which a vacancy occurs in the position of Consul General, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary, shall consider filling that vacancy with a Commercial Service Officer if the primary functions of the consulate are of a commercial nature and if there are significant business opportunities for United States exporters in the region in which the consulate is located.
(e) Information dissemination In order to carry out subsection (b)(7), to lessen the cost of distribution of information produced by the Commercial Service, and to make that information more readily available, the Secretary should establish a system for distributing that information in those areas where no district offices of the Commercial Service are located. Distributors of the information should be State export promotion agencies or private export and trade promotion associations. The distribution system should be consistent with cost recovery objectives of the Department of Commerce.
(f) Cooperation in Federal financing and insurance programs To assist the Commercial Service in carrying out subsection (b)(9), and consistent with the provisions of section 635i–7 of title 12 , the Export-Import Bank of the United States, the United States International Development Finance Corporation, the Trade and Development Program, and the Small Business Administration shall each— provide to the Commercial Service complete and current information on all of its programs and financing practices; and undertake a training program regarding such programs and practices for Commercial Service Officers who are designated by the Assistant Secretary of Commerce and Director General of the Commercial Service.
(g) Audits The Inspector General of the Department of Commerce shall perform periodic audits of the operations of the Commercial Service, but at least once every 3 years. The Inspector General shall report to the Congress the results of each such audit. In addition to an overview of the activities and effectiveness of Commercial Service operations, the audit shall include— an evaluation of the current placement of domestic personnel and recommendations for transferring personnel among district offices; an evaluation of the current placement of foreign-based personnel and recommendations for transferring such personnel in response to newly emerging business opportunities for United States exporters; and an evaluation of the personnel system and its management, including the recruitment, assignment, promotion, and performance appraisal of personnel, the use of limited appointees, and the “time-in-class” system.
(h) Report by Secretary Not later than 1 year after August 23, 1988 , the Secretary shall submit a report to the Congress on the feasibility and desirability, the progress to date, the present status, and the 5-year outlook, of the comprehensive integration of the functions and personnel of the foreign and domestic export promotion operations within the International Trade Administration of the Department of Commerce.
(i) Omitted
(j) Definitions For purposes of this section— the term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Commerce; the term “Commercial Service” means the United States and Foreign Commercial Service; the term “United States exporter” means— a United States citizen; a corporation, partnership, or other association created under the laws of the United States or of any State; or a foreign corporation, partnership, or other association, more than 95 percent of which is owned by persons described in subparagraphs (A) and (B), that exports, or seeks to export, goods or services produced in the United States; the term “small business” means any small business concern as defined under section 632 of this title ; the term “State” means any of the several States, the District of Columbia, or any commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United States; and the term “United States” means the several States, the District of Columbia, and any commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United States.
§ 4721a State trade coordination
(a) Omitted
(b) Federal and State export promotion coordination plan The Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee and in coordination with representatives of State trade promotion agencies, shall develop a comprehensive plan to integrate the resources and strategies of State trade promotion agencies into the overall Federal trade promotion program. The plan required under paragraph (1) shall include the following: A description of the role of State trade promotion agencies in assisting exporters. An outline of the role of State trade promotion agencies and how it is different from Federal agencies located within or providing services within the State. A plan on how to utilize State trade promotion agencies in the Federal trade promotion program. An explanation of how Federal and State agencies will share information and resources. A description of how Federal and State agencies will coordinate education and trade events in the United States and abroad. A description of the efforts to increase efficiency and reduce duplication. A clear identification of where businesses can receive appropriate international trade information under the plan. The plan required under paragraph (1) shall be finalized and submitted to Congress not later than 12 months after February 24, 2016 .
(c) Annual Federal-State export strategy The Secretary of Commerce, acting through the head of the United States Foreign and Commercial Service, 1 shall develop an annual Federal-State export strategy for each State that submits to the Secretary of Commerce its export strategy for the upcoming calendar year. In developing an annual Federal-State export strategy under this paragraph, the Secretary of Commerce shall take into account the Federal and State export promotion coordination plan developed under subsection (b). The Federal-State export strategy required under paragraph (1) shall include the following: The State’s export strategy and economic goals. The State’s key sectors and industries of focus. Possible foreign and domestic trade events. Efforts to increase efficiencies and reduce duplication. The Federal-State export strategy required under paragraph (1) shall be submitted to the Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee not later than February 1, 2017 , and February 1 of each year thereafter.
(d) Coordinated metrics and information sharing The Secretary of Commerce, in coordination with representatives of State trade promotion agencies, shall develop a framework to share export success information, and develop a coordinated set of reporting metrics. Not later than one year after February 24, 2016 , the Secretary of Commerce shall submit to Congress a report that contains the framework and reporting metrics required under paragraph (1).
(e) Omitted
§ 4722 Transferred
§ 4723 Market Development Cooperator Program
(a) Authority of Secretary of Commerce In order to promote further the exportation of goods and services from the United States, the Secretary of Commerce is authorized to establish, in the International Trade Administration of the Department of Commerce, a Market Development Cooperator Program. The purpose of the program is to develop, maintain, and expand foreign markets for nonagricultural goods and services produced in the United States.
(b) Implementation of Program The Secretary of Commerce shall carry out the Market Development Cooperator Program by entering into contracts with— nonprofit industry organizations, trade associations, State departments of trade and their regional associations, including centers for international trade development, and private industry firms or groups of firms in cases where no entity described in paragraph (1), (2), or (3) represents that industry, (in this section referred to as “cooperators”) to engage in activities in order to carry out the purpose of the Market Development Cooperator Program set forth in subsection (a). The costs of activities under such a contract shall be shared equitably among the Department of Commerce, the cooperator involved, and, whenever appropriate, foreign businesses. The Department of Commerce shall undertake to support direct costs of activities under such a contract, and the cooperator shall undertake to support indirect costs of such activities. Activities under such a contract shall be carried out by the cooperator with the approval and assistance of the Secretary.
(c) Cooperator partnership program As part of the Market Development Cooperator Program established under subsection (a), the Secretary of Commerce shall establish a partnership program with cooperators under which a cooperator may detail individuals, subject to the approval of the Secretary, to the United States and Foreign Commercial Service for a period of not less than 1 year or more than 2 years to supplement the Commercial Service. Any individual detailed to the United States and Foreign Commercial Service under this subsection shall be responsible for such duties as the Secretary may prescribe in order to carry out the purpose of the Market Development Cooperator Program set forth in subsection (a). Individuals detailed to the United States and Foreign Commercial Service under this subsection shall not be considered to be employees of the United States for the purposes of any law administered by the Office of Personnel Management, except that the Secretary of State may determine the applicability to such individuals of section 2669(f) of title 22 and of any other law administered by the Secretary of State concerning the detail of such individuals abroad. In order to qualify for the program established under this subsection, individuals shall have demonstrated expertise in the international business arena in at least 2 of the following areas: marketing, market research, and computer data bases. The cooperator who details an individual to the United States and Foreign Commercial Service under this subsection shall be responsible for that individual’s salary and related expenses, including health care, life insurance, and other noncash benefits, if any, normally paid by such cooperator. The Secretary of Commerce shall pay transportation and housing costs for each individual participating in the program established under this subsection.
(d) Budget Act Contracts may be entered into under this section in a fiscal year only to such extent or in such amounts as are provided in appropriations Acts.
§ 4723a United States Commercial Centers
(a) Establishment The Secretary of Commerce, in his or her role as chairperson of the Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee, is authorized and encouraged to establish United States Commercial Centers (hereinafter in this section referred to as “Centers”) in Asia, in Latin America, and in Africa.
(b) Purpose of Centers The purpose of the Centers shall be to provide additional resources for the promotion of exports of United States goods and services to the host countries, by familiarizing United States exporters with the industries, markets, and customs of the host countries, thus facilitating commercial ties and trade.
(c) Functions of Centers Each Center shall— collect and publish economic and market data with respect to the host country; provide, on a user-fee basis, preliminary technical and clerical assistance, language translation, and administrative assistance, and information regarding the legal systems, laws, regulations, and procedures of the host country, to United States exporters seeking to do business in the host country; and in other ways promote exports of United States goods and services to the host country.
(d) Specific services to be provided To carry out its objectives, each Center shall make available the following (on a user-fee basis): Business facilities, including exhibition space, conference rooms, office space (including telephones and other basic office equipment), and, where warranted by impeding deficiencies in the public system, high quality international telecommunications facilities. Business support services, including language translation services, clerical services, and a commercial library containing a comprehensive collection of reference materials covering United States and host country industries and markets. Commercial law information services, including— a clearinghouse for information regarding the relevant commercial laws, practices, and regulations of the host country; publications to assist United States businesses; legal referral services; and lists of local agents and distributors.
(e) Other trade promotion activities Each Center shall also promote United States export trade by— facilitating contacts between buyers, sellers, bankers, traders, distributors, agents, and necessary government officials from the United States and the host country; coordinating trade missions; and assisting with applications, contracts, and clearances for imports into the host country and exports from the United States.
(f) Staffing of Centers Each Center shall be staffed by members of the United States and Foreign Commercial Service, participants in the Market Development Cooperator Program established under section 4723 of this title , other employees of the Department of Commerce, and employees of appropriate executive branch departments and agencies which are members of the Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee.
(g) Center facilities and their relationship to United States Department of Commerce operations in host countries The Secretary of Commerce shall locate each Center in the primary commercial city of the host country. The Secretary shall acquire office space, exhibition space, and other facilities and equipment that are necessary for each Center to perform its functions. To the extent feasible, each Center shall be located in the central commercial district of the host city. For the purpose of obtaining maximum effectiveness and efficiency and to the extent consistent with the purposes of the Centers, the Secretary of Commerce is encouraged to place all personnel of the Department of Commerce who are assigned to the city in which a Center is located in the same facilities as those in which the Center conducts its activities.
(h) Use of Market Development Cooperator Program The Secretary of Commerce shall, to the greatest extent feasible, use the Market Development Cooperator Program established under section 4723 of this title to assist in carrying out the purposes of the Centers established under this section.
(i) Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Commerce to carry out this section 5,500,000 for fiscal year 1994. Funds made available under this subsection may be used for the acquisition of real property.
(j) Repealed. Pub. L. 104–66, title I, § 1021(b), Dec. 21, 1995, 109 Stat. 712
(k) Definitions For purposes of this section— the term “United States exporter” means— a United States citizen, a corporation, partnership, or other association created under the laws of the United States or of any State, or a foreign corporation, partnership, or other association, more than 95 percent of which is owned by persons described in subparagraphs (A) and (B), that exports, or seeks to export, goods or services produced in the United States; the term “State” means any of the several States, the District of Columbia, or any commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United States; and the term “United States” means the several States, the District of Columbia, and any commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United States.
§ 4724 Trade shows
(a) Authority of Secretary of Commerce In order to facilitate exporting by United States businesses, the Secretary of Commerce shall provide assistance for trade shows in the United States which bring together representatives of United States businesses seeking to export goods or services produced in the United States and representatives of foreign companies or governments seeking to buy such goods or services from these United States businesses.
(b) Recipients of assistance Assistance under subsection (a) may be provided to— nonprofit industry organizations, trade associations, foreign trade zones, and private industry firms or groups of firms in cases where no entity described in paragraph (1), (2), or (3) represents that industry, to provide the services necessary to operate trade shows described in subsection (a).
(c) Assistance to small businesses In providing assistance under this section, the Secretary of Commerce shall, in consultation with the Administrator of the Small Business Administration, make special efforts to facilitate participation by small businesses and companies new to export.
(d) Uses of assistance Funds appropriated to carry out this section shall be used to— identify potential participants for trade show organizers, provide information on trade shows to potential participants, supply language services for participants, and provide information on trade shows to small businesses and companies new to export.
(e) Definitions As used in this section— the term “United States business” means— a United States citizen; a corporation, partnership, or other association created under the laws of the United States or of any State (including the District of Columbia or any commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United States); or a foreign corporation, partnership, or other association, more than 95 percent of which is owned by persons described in subparagraphs (A) and (B); and the term “small business” means any small business concern as defined under section 632 of this title .
§ 4725 United States and Foreign Commercial Service Pacific Rim initiative
(a) In general In order to encourage the export of United States goods and services to Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan, the United States and Foreign Commercial Service shall make a special effort to— identify United States goods and services which are not being exported to the markets of Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan but which could be exported to these markets under competitive market conditions; identify and notify United States persons who sell or provide such goods or services of potential opportunities identified under paragraph (1); present, periodically, a list of the goods and services identified under paragraph (1), together with a list of any impediments to the export of such goods and services, to appropriate authorities in Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan, with a view toward liberalizing markets to such goods and services; facilitate the entrance into such markets by United States persons identified and notified under paragraph (2); and monitor and evaluate the results of efforts to increase the sale of goods and services in such markets.
(b) Reports to Congress The Secretary of Commerce shall report periodically to the Congress on activities carried out under subsection (a).
(c) “United States person” defined As used in this section, the term “United States person” means— a United States citizen; or a corporation, partnership, or other association created under the laws of the United States or any State (including the District of Columbia or any commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United States).
§ 4726 Indian tribes export promotion
(a) Assistance authorized The Secretary of Commerce is authorized to provide assistance to eligible entities for the development of foreign markets for authentic American Indian arts and crafts. Eligible entities under this section include Indian tribes, tribal organizations, tribal enterprises, craft guilds, marketing cooperatives, and individual Indian-owned businesses.
(b) Activities eligible for assistance Activities eligible for assistance under this section include, but are not limited to, conduct of market surveys, development of promotional materials, financing of trade missions, participation in international trade fairs, direct marketing, and other market development activities.
(c) Administration of assistance Assistance under this section shall be administered by the Secretary of Commerce under guidelines developed by the Secretary. Priority shall be given to projects which support the establishment of long term, stable international markets for American Indian arts and crafts and which are designed to provide the greatest economic benefit to American Indian artisans.
(d) Technical and other assistance The Secretary of Commerce shall provide technical assistance and support services to applicants eligible for and entities receiving assistance under this section for the purpose of helping them in identifying and entering appropriate foreign markets, complying with foreign and domestic legal and banking requirements regarding the export and import of arts and crafts, and utilizing import and export financial arrangements, and shall provide such other assistance as may be necessary to support the development of export markets for American Indian arts and crafts.
(e) Limitation on assistance No assistance shall be provided under this section in support of any activity which includes the sale or marketing of any craft items other than authentic arts and crafts hand made or hand crafted by American Indian artisans.
§ 4727 Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee
(a) Establishment and purpose The President shall establish the Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee (hereafter in this section referred to as the “TPCC”). The purpose of the TPCC shall be— to provide a unifying framework to coordinate the export promotion and export financing activities of the United States Government; and to develop a governmentwide strategic plan for carrying out Federal export promotion and export financing programs.
(b) Duties The TPCC shall— coordinate the development of the trade promotion policies and programs of the United States Government; provide a central source of information for the business community on Federal export promotion and export financing programs; coordinate official trade promotion efforts to ensure better delivery of services to United States businesses, including— information and counseling on United States export promotion and export financing programs and opportunities in foreign markets; representation of United States business interests abroad; and assistance with foreign business contacts and projects; prevent unnecessary duplication in Federal export promotion and export financing activities; assess the appropriate levels and allocation of resources among agencies in support of export promotion and export financing and provide recommendations to the President based on its assessment; and carry out such other duties as are deemed to be appropriate, consistent with the purpose of the TPCC.
(c) Strategic plan To carry out subsection (b), the TPCC shall develop and implement a governmentwide strategic plan for Federal trade promotion efforts. Such plan shall— establish a set of priorities for Federal activities in support of United States exports and explain the rationale for the priorities; review current Federal programs designed to promote the sale of United States exports in light of the priorities established under paragraph (1) and develop a plan to bring such activities into line with the priorities and to improve coordination of such activities; identify areas of overlap and duplication among Federal export promotion activities and propose means of eliminating them; propose to the President an annual unified Federal trade promotion budget that supports the plan for priority activities and improved coordination established under paragraph (2) and eliminates funding for the areas of overlap and duplication identified under paragraph (3); review efforts by the States (as defined in section 4721(i) of this title ) to promote United States exports and propose means of developing cooperation between State and Federal efforts, including co-location, cost-sharing between Federal and State export promotion programs, and sharing of market research data; reflect the recommendations of the United States National Tourism Organization to the degree considered appropriate by the TPCC; and in coordination with State trade promotion agencies, include a survey and analysis regarding the overall effectiveness of Federal-State coordination and export promotion goals on an annual basis, to further include best practices, recommendations to better assist small businesses, and other relevant matters.
(d) Membership Members of the TPCC shall include representatives from— the Department of Commerce; the Department of State; the Department of the Treasury; the Department of Agriculture; the Department of Energy; the Department of Transportation; the Office of the United States Trade Representative; the Small Business Administration; the Agency for International Development; the Trade and Development Program; the United States International Development Finance Corporation; the Export-Import Bank of the United States; and at the discretion of the President, such other departments or agencies as may be necessary. The TPCC shall also include 1 or more members appointed by the President who are representatives of State trade promotion agencies. The Secretary of Commerce shall serve as the chairperson of the TPCC.
(e) Member qualifications Members of the TPCC (other than members described in subsection (d)(2)) shall be appointed by the heads of their respective departments or agencies. Such members, as well as alternates designated by any members unable to attend a meeting of the TPCC, shall be individuals who exercise significant decisionmaking authority in their respective departments or agencies.
(f) Report to Congress The chairperson of the TPCC shall prepare and submit to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate, and the Committee on International Relations of the House of Representatives, not later than March 30 of each year, a report describing— the strategic plan developed by the TPCC pursuant to subsection (c), the implementation of such plan (including implementation of the survey and analysis described in paragraph (7) of that subsection), and any revisions thereto; and the implementation of sections 5823 and 5824 of title 22 1 concerning funding for export promotion activities and the interagency working groups on energy of the TPCC.
§ 4727a Implementation of primary objectives of TPCC
The Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee shall— report on the actions taken or efforts currently underway to eliminate the areas of overlap and duplication identified among Federal export promotion activities; coordinate efforts to sponsor or promote any trade show or trade fair; work with all relevant State and national organizations, including the National Governors’ Association, that have established trade promotion offices; report on actions taken or efforts currently underway to promote better coordination between State, Federal, and private sector export promotion activities, including co-location, cost sharing between Federal, State, and private sector export promotion programs, and sharing of market research data; and by not later than March 30, 2000 , and annually thereafter, include the matters addressed in paragraphs (1), (2), (3), and (4) in the annual report required to be submitted under section 4727(f) of this title . ( Pub. L. 106–158, § 6 , Dec. 6, 1999 , 113 Stat. 1746 .)
§ 4728 Environmental trade promotion
(a) Statement of policy It is the policy of the United States to foster the export of United States environmental technologies, goods, and services. In exercising their powers and functions, all appropriate departments and agencies of the United States Government shall encourage and support sales of such technologies, goods, and services.
(b) Environmental Trade Working Group of Trade Promotion Coordination Committee The President shall establish the Environmental Trade Promotion Working Group (hereafter in this section referred to as the “Working Group”) as a subcommittee of the Trade Promotion Coordination Committee (hereafter in this section referred to as the “TPCC”), established under section 4727 of this title . The purpose of the Working Group shall be— to address all issues with respect to the export promotion and export financing of United States environmental technologies, goods, and services; and to develop a strategy for expanding United States exports of environmental technologies, goods, and services. The members of the Working Group shall be— representatives of the departments and agencies that are represented on the TPCC, who are designated by the head of their respective departments or agencies to advise the head of such department or agency on ways of promoting the export of United States environmental technologies, goods, and services; and a representative of the Environmental Protection Agency. The Secretary of Commerce (hereafter in this section referred to as the “Secretary”) shall designate the chairperson of the Working Group from among senior employees of the Department of Commerce. The chairperson shall— assess the effectiveness of United States Government programs for the promotion of exports of environmental technologies, goods, and services; recommend improvements to such programs, including regulatory changes or additional authority that may be necessary to improve the promotion of exports of environmental technologies, goods, and services; ensure that the members of the Working Group coordinate their environmental trade promotion programs, including feasibility studies, technical assistance, training programs, business information services, and export financing; and assess, jointly with the Working Group representative of the Environmental Protection Agency, the extent to which the environmental trade promotion programs of the Working Group advance the environmental goals established in “Agenda 21” by the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development held at Rio de Janeiro, and in other international environmental agreements. The chairperson of the TPCC shall include a report on the activities of the Working Group as a part of the annual report submitted to the Congress by the TPCC.
(c) Environmental Technologies Trade Advisory Committee The Secretary, in carrying out the duties of the chairperson of the TPCC, shall establish the Environmental Technologies Trade Advisory Committee (hereafter in this section referred to as the “Committee”). The purpose of the Committee shall be to provide advice and guidance to the Working Group in the development and administration of programs to expand United States exports of environmental technologies, goods, and services and products that comply with United States environmental, safety, and related requirements. The members of the Committee shall be drawn from representatives of— environmental businesses, including small businesses; trade associations in the environmental sector; private sector organizations involved in the promotion of environmental exports, including products that comply with United States environmental, safety, and related requirements; States (as defined in section 4721(i)(5) 1 of this title) and associations representing the States; and other appropriate interested members of the public, including labor representatives. The Secretary shall appoint as members of the Committee at least 1 individual under each of subparagraphs (A) through (E).
(d) Export plans for priority countries The Working Group, in consultation with the Committee, shall annually assess which foreign countries have markets with the greatest potential for the export of United States environmental technologies, goods, and services. Of these countries the Working Group shall select as priority countries 5 with the greatest potential for the application of United States Government export promotion resources related to environmental exports. The Working Group, in consultation with the Committee, shall annually create a plan for each priority country selected under paragraph (1), setting forth in detail ways to increase United States environmental exports to such country. Each such plan shall— identify the primary public and private sector opportunities for United States exporters of environmental technologies, goods, and services in the priority country; analyze the financing and other requirements for major projects in the priority country which will use environmental technologies, goods, and services, and analyze whether such projects are dependent upon financial assistance from foreign countries or multilateral institutions; and list specific actions to be taken by the member agencies of the Working Group to increase United States exports to the priority country.
(e) Trade information In support of the work of the Working Group, the Secretary shall, as part of the regular market survey and information services activities of the Department of Commerce, make available— information on existing and emerging markets and market trends for environmental technologies, goods, and services; and a description of the export promotion programs for environmental technologies, goods, and services of the agencies that are represented on the Working Group.
(f) Environmental technologies specialists in United States and Foreign Commercial Service The Secretary shall assign a specialist in environmental technologies to the office of the United States and Foreign Commercial Service in each of the 5 priority countries selected under subsection (d)(1), and the Secretary is authorized to assign such a specialist to the office of the United States and Foreign Commercial Service in any country that is a promising market for United States exports of environmental technologies, goods, and services. Such specialist may be an employee of the Department, an employee of any relevant United States Government department or agency assigned on a temporary or limited term basis to the Commerce Department, or a representative of the private sector assigned to the Department of Commerce. Each specialist assigned under paragraph (1) shall provide export promotion assistance to United States environmental businesses, including, but not limited to— identifying factors in the country to which the specialist is assigned that affect the United States share of the domestic market for environmental technologies, goods, and services, including market barriers, standards-setting activities, and financing issues; providing assessments of assistance by foreign governments that is provided to producers of environmental technologies, goods, and services in such countries in order to enhance exports to the country to which the specialist is assigned, the effectiveness of such assistance on the competitiveness of United States products, and whether comparable United States assistance exists; training Foreign Commercial Service Officers in the country to which the specialist is assigned, other countries in the region, and United States and Foreign Commercial Service offices in the United States, in environmental technologies and the international environmental market; providing assistance in identifying potential customers and market opportunities in the country to which the specialist is assigned; providing assistance in obtaining necessary business services in the country to which the specialist is assigned; providing information on environmental standards and regulations in the country to which the specialist is assigned; providing information on all United States Government programs that could assist the promotion, financing, and sale of United States environmental technologies, goods, and services in the country to which the specialist is assigned; and promoting the equal treatment of United States environmental, safety, and related requirements, with those of other exporting countries, in order to promote exports of United States-made products.
(g) Environmental training in one-stop shops In addition to the training provided under subsection (f)(2)(C), the Secretary shall establish a mechanism to train— Commercial Service Officers assigned to the one-stop shops provided for in section 4721(b)(8) of this title , and Commercial Service Officers assigned to district offices in districts having large numbers of environmental businesses, in environmental technologies and in the international environmental marketplace, and ensure that such officers receive appropriate training under such mechanism. Such training may be provided by officers or employees of the Department of Commerce, and other United States Government departments and agencies, with appropriate expertise in environmental technologies and the international environmental workplace, and by appropriate representatives of the private sector.
(h) International regional environmental initiatives The TPCC may establish one or more international regional environmental initiatives the purpose of which shall be to coordinate the activities of Federal departments and agencies in order to build environmental partnerships between the United States and the geographic region outside the United States for which such initiative is established. Such partnerships shall enhance environmental protection and promote sustainable development by using in the region technical expertise and financial resources of United States departments and agencies that provide foreign assistance and by expanding United States exports of environmental technologies, goods, and services to that region. In carrying out each international regional environmental initiative, the TPCC shall— support, through the provision of foreign assistance, the development of sound environmental policies and practices in countries in the geographic region for which the initiative is established, including the development of environmentally sound regulatory regimes and enforcement mechanisms; identify and disseminate to United States environmental businesses information regarding specific environmental business opportunities in that geographic region; coordinate existing Federal efforts to promote environmental exports to that geographic region, and ensure that such efforts are fully coordinated with environmental export promotion efforts undertaken by the States and the private sector; increase assistance provided by the Federal Government to promote exports from the United States of environmental technologies, goods, and services to that geographic region, such as trade missions, reverse trade missions, trade fairs, and programs in the United States to train foreign nationals in United States environmental technologies; and increase high-level advocacy by United States Government officials (including the United States ambassadors to the countries in that geographic region) for United States environmental businesses seeking market opportunities in that geographic region.
(i) Environmental technologies project advocacy calendar and information dissemination program The Working Group shall— maintain a calendar, updated at the end of each calendar quarter, of significant opportunities for United States environmental businesses in foreign markets and trade promotion events, which shall— be made available to the public; identify the 50 to 100 environmental infrastructure and procurement projects in foreign markets that have the greatest potential in the calendar quarter for United States exports of environmental technologies, goods, and services; and include trade promotion events, such as trade missions and trade fairs, in the environmental sector; and provide, through the National Trade Data Bank and other information dissemination channels, information on opportunities for environmental businesses in foreign markets and information on Federal export promotion programs.
(j) Environmental technology export alliances Subject to the availability of appropriations for such purpose, the Secretary is authorized to use the Market Development Cooperator Program to support the creation on a regional basis of alliances of private sector entities, nonprofit organizations, and universities, that support the export of environmental technologies, goods, and services and promote the export of products complying with United States environmental, safety, and related requirements.
(k) “Environmental business” defined For purposes of this section, the term “environmental business” means a business that produces environmental technologies, goods, or services.
§ 4728a State and Federal Export Promotion Coordination Working Group
(a) Statement of policy It is the policy of the United States to promote exports as an opportunity for small businesses. In exercising their powers and functions in order to advance that policy, all Federal agencies shall work constructively with State and local agencies engaged in export promotion and export financing activities.
(b) Establishment The President shall establish a State and Federal Export Promotion Coordination Working Group (in this section referred to as the “Working Group”) as a subcommittee of the Trade Promotion Coordination Committee (in this section referred to as the “TPCC”).
(c) Purposes The purposes of the Working Group are— to identify issues related to the coordination of Federal resources relating to export promotion and export financing with such resources provided by State and local governments; to identify ways to improve coordination with respect to export promotion and export financing activities through the strategic plan developed under section 4727(c) of this title ; to develop a strategy for improving coordination of Federal and State resources relating to export promotion and export financing, including methods to eliminate duplication of effort and overlapping functions; and to develop a strategic plan for considering and implementing the suggestions of the Working Group as part of the strategic plan developed under section 4727(c) of this title .
(d) Membership The Secretary of Commerce shall select the members of the Working Group, who shall include— representatives from State trade agencies representing regionally diverse areas; and representatives of the departments and agencies that are represented on the TPCC, who are designated by the heads of their respective departments or agencies to advise the head on ways of promoting the exportation of United States goods and services.
§ 4729 Report on export policy
(a) In general Not later than May 31 of each year, the Secretary of Commerce shall submit to the Congress a report on the international economic position of the United States and, not later than June 30 of each year, shall appear before the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives to testify on issues addressed in that report.
(b) Contents Each report required under subsection (a) shall address— the state of United States international economic competitiveness, focusing, in particular, on the efforts of the Department of Commerce— to encourage research and development of technologies and products deemed critical for industrial leadership; to promote investment in and improved manufacturing processes for such technologies and products; and to increase United States industrial exports of products using the technologies described in clause (i) to those markets where the United States Government has sought to reduce barriers to exports; the report on the Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee strategic plan submitted to the Congress in accordance with section 4727(f) of this title ; other specific recommendations of the Department of Commerce to improve the United States balance of trade; the effects on the international economic competitiveness of the United States of— formal and informal trade barriers; and subsidies by foreign countries to their domestic industries; the efforts of the Department of Commerce to reduce trade barriers; the adequacy of export financing programs of the United States Government and recommendations for improving such programs; the status, activities, and effectiveness of the United States commercial centers established under section 4723a of this title ; the implementation of sections 5821 and 5822 of title 22 1 concerning American Business Centers and the Independent States Business and Agriculture Advisory Council; the programs of other industrialized nations to assist their companies with their efforts to transact business in the independent states of the former Soviet Union; and the trading practices of other Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development nations, as well as the pricing practices of transitional economies in the independent states, that may disadvantage United States companies. Portions of each report under this section may incorporate or be based upon relevant reports and testimony produced by the Department of Commerce or other agencies, but the policy views shall be those of the Secretary of Commerce.