OIA Pushes Sensitive Product TPP List With USTR, Vietnam

The Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) presented lists of outdoor performance apparel and footwear products that should receive both tariff protections and eliminations in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), Senior Director for Government Affairs Alex Boian said on Oct. 17. The OIA submitted the list to the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) and the U.S. Department of Commerce on Sept. 25, and to the Vietnamese government the following day, said Boian. The association also publicized their activities in an Oct. 17 statement to the public (here) .

“I wouldn’t say the U.S. reception was overly warm," said Boian. "But when negotiations hit the 11th hour and we need to identify U.S. imported products that are non-controversial and can be presented to Vietnam for immediate tariff elimination in order to get U.S. export market access We want U.S. negotiators to consider our list,” he said. “The Vietnamese did indicate back to us that performance outerwear is a high priority for them.” The USTR continues to eye the end of 2013 for conclusion of TPP negotiations (see 13100805).

The OIA effort is to preserve U.S. manufactured products through 10 to 15 year tariff phase-out periods, while immediately eliminating tariffs and pushing for flexible yarn forward rules of origin, said Boian. The Obama administration calls for strict yarn forward rules of origin, while many importers are aggressively seeking to include an expanded short supply list and other exemptions (see 13082011).

"The USTR and Commerce officials appreciated us being specific in our tariff line and product requests, as opposed to broader requests, said Boian. "We went in tariff code by tariff code" and "product by product,” said Boian. “A strict yarn forward rule of origin list in the TPP is not commercially meaningful for outdoor products.” Vietnam could potentially make inroads into Chinese dominance over high performance outerwear manufacturing, Boian said.

“We have sought to be helpful to the administration as they negotiate the TPP and our proposal reflects the balanced approach we pursue in all of our international trade initiatives,” said Frank Hugelmeyer, OIA’s president and CEO, in the statement. “We worked closely with a broad spectrum of companies, both importers and domestic manufacturers, to identify areas that would maximize benefits for the outdoor industry in the TPP, while providing adequate transitions for those companies that make their products in the United States.”