Global Trade

On October 19, 2015, the United States Fashion Industry Association (USFIA) joined a position paper led by the European Branded Clothing Alliance (EBCA) on how to harmonize rules and regulations in the Transatlantic Trade & Investment Partnership (TTIP) agreement. The paper was sent to the negotiators for the 11th round of TTIP negotiations taking place in Miami, Florida. The paper is available here.

On November 17^th, the United States Fashion Industry Association (USFIA) joined more than 600 companies and associations in sending a letter to congressional leaders urging them to renew the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) before the end of the year. The letter noted that the current expiration is the longest in the GSP program’s 40-year history and that, if the program is still not renewed by 2015, it will cost American companies more than $1 billion. The letter is available on the Coalition for the GSP website. 

On November 7^th, the United States Fashion Industry Association (USFIA) joined industry groups from six Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) countries in a joint statement expressing “strong support for a conclusion of a 21^st century TPP agreement that will generate trade and investment between our countries” as well as “more commercially meaningful market access and flexibilities in the rules for the apparel industry that recognize the importance of global value chains to the competitiveness of the apparel supply chain.” The full statement is available here. 

In advance of the sixth round of North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) negotiations, the U.S. Fashion Industry Association (USFIA) joined other fashion and retail associations in the United States and Canada in sending a letter to the U.S., Mexican, and Canadian negotiators. The letter calls on negotiators to maintain existing flexibilities, including TPLs, and include provisions to expand trade. The letter is available here.

On July 14, 2015, the United States Fashion Industry Association (USFIA) joined a multi-industry letter to Congressional leadership to applaud the inclusion of the American Manufacturing Competitiveness Act of 2015 in the Trade Facilitation & Trade Enforcement Act, or the Customs legislation. This Act would establish a new Miscellaneous Tariff Bill (MTB) process, which would be a more “transparent, objective, predictable, and regularized process for Congress to consider and enact MTBs.” The letter is available here.

On May 22, 2015, during the ongoing negotiations about Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) amendments, the United States Fashion Industry Association (USFIA) joined a letter organized by the Emergency Committee for American Trade (ECAT) opposing Senate Amendment No. 1251 (SA 1251) to the bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities & Accountability Act of 2015, or TPA. This amendment would create special rules for China to make it more difficult for China to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). However, the TPA legislation already provides a mechanism for Congress to approve new TPP partners so the amendment is unnecessary and would "undermine the ability of the U.S. government to reach the aim of TPP to open markets in the Asian region and promote economic growth and job creation in the United States." The letter is available here.

On May 22, 2015, during the ongoing negotiations about Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) amendments, the United States Fashion Industry Association (USFIA) joined a letter organized by the Emergency Committee for American Trade (ECAT) opposing Senate Amendment No. 1251 (SA 1251) to the bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities & Accountability Act of 2015, or TPA. This amendment would create special rules for China to make it more difficult for China to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). However, the TPA legislation already provides a mechanism for Congress to approve new TPP partners so the amendment is unnecessary and would "undermine the ability of the U.S. government to reach the aim of TPP to open markets in the Asian region and promote economic growth and job creation in the United States." The letter is available here.

On August 4, 2016, the United States Fashion Industry Association (USFIA) joined an industry letter to President Obama requesting approval of duty-free access for all 28 eligible travel goods categories under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program for all GSP-eligible countries by October 1st. The letter is available here.

The United States Fashion Industry Association (USFIA) joined the Trade Benefits America Coalition letter to the Senate urging them to support the bill passed by the House on June 18th. The letter is available here.

On March 20, 2017, the United States Fashion Industry Association (USFIA) joined a coalition letter to President Trump to designate all travel goods produced in qualified countries eligible for Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) benefits. “It was the articulated bipartisan will of Congress to designate all travel goods products duty-free when imported from all GSP countries. The situation and facts have been thoroughly vetted by Congress, the U.S. International Trade Commission, and the interagency Trade Policy Staff Committee (TPSC). The conclusion was unanimous: GSP benefits should apply to all eligible countries for all travel goods in question. This would spur real relocation of U.S. sourcing from China, which is not eligible for the GSP. It would also give the U.S. more enforcement leverage over the GSP countries’ trade policies and actions, which is a key aspect of the GSP program,” the letter states. The letter is available here.

On November 12^th, the United States Fashion Industry Association (USFIA) joined the Trade Benefits America coalition letter urging Congress to pass bipartisan Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) legislation this year. The letter was sent to Speaker of the House John Boehner, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, and signed by more than 150 companies, business groups, and trade associations. The letter also ran as an advertisement in The Hill and Roll Call today. The letter is available on the coalition website.

On October 14, 2015, the United States Fashion Industry Association (USFIA) and 22 other associations sent a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman to “express strong support for petitions to add travel goods—items like luggage, backpacks, purses, and wallets—to the list of products eligible to be imported duty free from all Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) beneficiary countries.” The letter notes that some of these products, such as computer and smartphone cases, are now considered “non-sensitive” under the Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) legislation passed earlier this year. This would also lower prices for everyday consumer goods like purses and children’s backpacks. 

The United States Fashion Industry Association (USFIA) joined other industry groups in sending a letter expressing strong support for adding all eligible travel goods, handbags, backpacks, and luggage to the eligibility list for the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP). “There is virtually no production of these items in the United States and, as such, there will be no domestic industry that will be negatively affected by the proposed designation. On the other hand, U.S. brands, private label designers, made-to-order producers, as well as the U.S. workers they employ and the consumers they serve, stand to benefit greatly from lower duty costs under the GSP,” the letter states. 

In advance of next week’s hearing, United States Fashion Industry Association (USFIA) has joined two multi-industry comments filed with the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. One led by a group of soft-goods industry trade associations expresses “very strong opposition to any tariff increases on U.S. imports of consumer products, such as clothing, shoes, home goods, fashion accessories, or travel goods from China.” Another includes dozens of apparel, retail, agriculture, electronics, automobile, tech, and other industries who say the tariffs “will not effectively advance our shared goal of changing these harmful Chinese practices in a durable, verifiable, and enforceable manner.” USFIA will be filing our own comments today, which we’ll share with members next week.

The United States Fashion Industry Association (USFIA) joined industry organizations in the United States, Canada, and Mexico in sending a letter to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) trade negotiators to reiterate support for Tariff Preference Levels (TPLs) and express concern over “onerous chapter notes” regarding pocketing, elastics strips, or sewing thread in the rule of origin. The letter is available here.

The U.S. Fashion Industry Association (USFIA) joined several soft-goods industry groups in sending a letter to President Trump opposing “tariff increases on U.S. imports of consumer products, such as clothing, shoes, home goods, fashion accessories, or travel goods from China.” The letter is available here. According to multiple reports, President Trump is expected to impose up to $60 billion in new tariffs on products from China on Friday; some sources say there may be a public comment period, but it’s not entirely clear. The steel and aluminum tariffs are set to go into effect on March 23, just 15 days after President Donald Trump signed the proclamations, without such a comment period.

On July 21, 2015, TPP Apparel Coalition, which includes the United States Fashion Industry Association (USFIA), sent a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Michael Froman with the apparel industry’s priorities in advance of the talks in Maui next week. The letter asks for the inclusion of elements in CAFTA:

• Immediate duty-free treatment for at least 75 percent of current trade based on the way that garments are currently made.
• Minimum 50 percent duty cut for sensitive products.
• Single transformation rules for important categories.
• Flexibility to revisit the short supply list in the future to ensure market access as conditions evolve.
• Enforcement measures that recognize the importance of Trusted Trader programs and sophisticated targeting techniques instead of relying on piles of paperwork and inefficient systems.

The letter is available here.

The United States Fashion Industry Association (USFIA) has officially joined the Trade Benefits America Coalition (www.tradebenefitsamerica.org) to advocate for Trade Promotion Authority (TPA). The coalition’s mission is to educate policymakers and the public on the benefits of trade and U.S. trade agreements, and educate on and advocate for updated TPA as an important tool for pursuing pending and future negotiations to provide further opportunities for U.S. economic growth and job creation. The coalition’s members include a wide range of associations and companies that are dedicated to the pursuit of U.S. international trade agreements that benefit American businesses, farmers, workers, and consumers. The Coalition believes that passage of updated Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) legislation is important to help ensure America continues to benefit from trade. 

On October 1, 2014, the United States Fashion Industry Association (USFIA) joined with the European Branded Clothing Alliance  (EBCA) and the American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA) in releasing a joint statement spelling out our priorities for the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiations. USFIA and AAFA also appeared at the Stakeholder Event during the 7th round of TTIP negotiations in Washington, D.C., the same day.  

We endorse six key priorities for TTIP.   They are: 

• Mechanisms to facilitate regulatory convergence or mutual recognition of regulations and standards across the Atlantic
• Full, immediate, and reciprocal elimination of tariffs
• Flexible Rules of Origin
• Harmonisation of regulations on labelling, requirements on product safety, and test methods
• Facilitative Customs Provisions
• Establishment of a harmonised list of prohibited substances

The statement is available here. 

May is World Trade Month. As part of the dialogue about the importance of trade, USFIA joined with other retail and apparel associations to publish an op-ed in support of the benefits of imports. USFIA members already know that imports create great jobs and help the economy--but, sometimes, Washington policymakers need a reminder.  The op-ed was published in The Hill.