The American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) released the following statement regarding the publication of the President Barack Obama's 2011 Trade Policy Agenda and 2010 Annual Report. Published each year by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), the Trade Policy Agenda and Annual Report outlines the Administration's international trade policy priorities and summarizes the progress made in reaching those objectives.
“I am pleased that President Obama emphasizes the positive economic and job-creating role that a two-way trade policy holds for the United States,” said AAFA President and CEO Kevin M. Burke. “We look forward to working with the Administration to achieve a number of the objectives outlined in the report, including creating increased market access for U.S.-made and U.S.-branded apparel and footwear, dismantling foreign trade barriers, and reaching swift conclusions for the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) and Doha Round of trade talks at the World Trade Organization.”
“At the same time, the U.S. apparel and footwear industry remains concerned that the U.S. trade policy will continue to stall without clear indication of meaningful progress on the pending free trade agreements with Colombia, Panama, and South Korea,” Burke said. “Furthermore, uncertainty has been injected into our industry's global supply chain with the recent lapse of key trade provisions, including the Andean Trade Preference Act, the Generalize System of Preferences, and Trade Adjustment Assistance.”
“While these agreements either continue to sit on the shelf or find themselves obsolete without renewal, American exporters and American consumers miss important opportunities while paying higher costs,” Burke said. “This is unacceptable if the United States wants to continue on a path toward job creation and economic growth. I urge to Administration and Congress to work together and ensure that all of the pending free trade agreements can be approved and that expired programs can be quickly, and retroactively, renewed and extended.”
The American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) is the national trade association representing apparel, footwear and other sewn products companies, and their suppliers, which compete in the global market. AAFA's mission is to promote and enhance its members' competitiveness, productivity and profitability in the global market by minimizing regulatory, commercial, political, and trade restraints.
American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA)
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