By Kristi Ellis

Julia Hughes, president of the U.S. Fashion Industry Association, agreed that renewal of AGOA “will be a huge boost for sourcing with Africa,” and noted the importance of extension of benefits to Haiti.

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By Kristi Ellis

Julia Hughes, president of the U.S. Fashion Industry Association, said it was encouraging “how quickly the Senate moved to approve the preference bill, extend AGOA, GSP and the Haiti benefits and how quickly they moved on the Customs bill so that now we finally can begin a substantive discussion about Trade Promotion Authority.”

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By Kristi Ellis

Julia Hughes, president at the U.S. Fashion Industry Association, said: “In our recent benchmarking survey of 30 companies, respondents said they currently source from five TPP members, and 72 percent expect to source more textiles and apparel from TPP partners after the agreement is implemented.”

“Obviously, companies doing business in the TPP countries could benefit immensely from reduced or eliminated barriers to trade and greater market access,” Hughes said. “TPA is critical to developing 21st-century trade policy for brands and retailers to innovate and create jobs for years to come.”

 David Spooner, a partner at Barnes & Thornburg LLP [and USFIA Washington Counsel], who was the chief textile and apparel negotiator at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative from 2002 to 2006., said TPA is “key to getting TPP done.”

Click here to read the entire article on the WWD website.