NEMA sees strengths and weakness in WTO paper.

Press Release Summary:



Authored by Ambassador Donald Stephenson of Canada, World Trade Organization text on industrial goods negotiations marks next step in WTO Doha Round negotiations on liberalizing international trade. NEMA encourages negotiators from participating countries to show leadership in forging deal that opens up trade in electrical equipment. Association feels that overall agreement in WTO's Doha negotiations should feature greatly enhanced global market access opportunities for NEMA member companies.



Original Press Release:



NEMA Sees Strengths and Weakness in New WTO Paper



The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) welcomed last week's release in Geneva of the latest World Trade Organization text on industrial goods negotiations. Authored by Ambassador Donald Stephenson of Canada, the paper marks the next step in WTO "Doha" Round negotiations on liberalizing international trade.

"Our industry strongly supports world-wide reciprocal free trade in electrical equipment, and we are pleased that our industry's fundamental priorities are cited prominently," said NEMA President Evan Gaddis. "Unfortunately, these talks have been going on for several years, and there is still no sign of a breakthrough. We encourage negotiators from all participating countries to show leadership now in forging a deal that opens up trade in electrical equipment, which is closely linked to economic development and improved standards-of-living."

U.S. electro-industry priorities for the current round include:

o "Non-Agricultural Market Access" results that feature meaningful tariff cuts by the major developing economies;

o Sectoral liberalization initiatives for electrical equipment, industrial machinery, and health-care technology that significantly reduce or eliminate tariffs in these product areas;

o The elimination of tariffs on environmentally friendly goods. (The latter stems from an important joint U.S.-European Union initiative that was proposed in late 2007.)

NEMA chairs the Zero Tariff Coalition, housed at the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), which advocates for reciprocal sector-specific agreements to reduce and eliminate customs duties. The Association strongly feels that an overall agreement in the WTO's 'Doha' negotiations should feature greatly enhanced global market access opportunities-valued in the hundreds of millions of U.S. dollars-for NEMA member companies.

NEMA is the trade association of choice for the electrical manufacturing industry. Founded in 1926 and headquartered near Washington, D.C., its approximately 450 member companies manufacture products used in the generation, transmission and distribution, control, and end-use of electricity. These products are used in utility, medical imaging, industrial, commercial, institutional, and residential applications. Domestic production of electrical products sold worldwide exceeds $120 billion. In addition to its headquarters in Rosslyn, Virginia, NEMA also has offices in Beijing, Sao Paulo, and Mexico City.

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